Be Excellent to Each Other

Warren dropped out of the race, and a lot of people have feelings about it. There’s a lot of hostility flying around, and I want to address it directly. The core of this is that we can’t have productive discourse without understanding, and so much of the vitriol is just trying to silence people without listening to what they’re saying; this is as true of the angry Sanders supporters as it is of the angry Warren supporters. I don’t condone any of the negative behavior, but I understand where it’s coming from, and I want to help other people understand so we can move forward toward common goals, because we are on the same side. Please try to remember that there’s been a massive Russian intelligence psyops operation happening since 2014. It is still ongoing, with a mission to divide us. People are still responsible for their actions, but a lot of people are being manipulated.

Elizabeth Warren was a great candidate. She didn’t make it through a combination of sexism, bad strategic decisions, and other factors. She would undoubtedly have been the best president of my lifetime thus far. She was always my close second choice behind Sanders, and after Castro dropped out, nobody was a close third. My preference for Sanders is that he wants to entirely change the system, while Warren wants to fix it. Either of them have a far superior vision for this country than the one we currently live in. Warren’s supporters are sad and righteously angry that a brilliant, capable, progressive woman didn’t fare better, and that’s valid. I have criticisms of Warren, but I have criticisms of every candidate, including Sanders. I have fewer criticisms of Warren than almost anyone. I admire her evolution from being a Republican to someone fighting to protect working people, and working ceaselessly to eradicate the corruption that plagues our government; it speaks very highly of her character.

The anger that we’re seeing directed at each other isn’t about Warren. It isn’t about Sanders, either.

There's a lot of valid, righteous anger about the oppressive system in which we live, and there's a lot of power trying to actively silence it or weaponize it, so it manifests in unproductive ways. The presumption that any opposition to a progressive candidate is crooked, corrupt, or in bad faith is obviously false, but when someone sees a system that is demonstrably rigged against them, they often see any opposition to dismantling that system as a personal assault against them (they shouldn't, and it's a very shortsighted view). Frequently, that comes in support of a status quo politician who benefits from a crooked system, so they see support of that establishment candidate as crooked, too. This has been reinforced for many people’s entire lives. Even as a Xennial, I experienced a *lot* more security in my life than people born 10-15 years after me. This isn’t to say that I’ve had it easy, because I haven’t at all. I just recognize the privilege of growing up in a system that had not been eroded as much. Americans have reliably watched as moderate after moderate promised change and to fight for them, but the only change was to benefit corporate America at the expense of the marginalized. Many of them see Biden as a death sentence because he literally promised billionaires that nothing would change. If nothing changes, we really are doomed. They don’t trust Biden to fight for the issues that are literally life and death for them; he’s just another existential threat to them, and far too many people with a lot more privilege don’t seem to grasp that.

“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. - Letter from a Birmingham jail

The income inequality in this country is at the highest point since before the great depression. 40% of this country can’t come up with $400 if an emergency happened. Many people are one missed paycheck away from poverty. People are dying because they can’t afford insulin, and the little wealth the 99% has is being systematically siphoned away from them, while social support programs are being cut. We’re watching the effects of climate change ravage the planet, threatening the prospects for future generations, while the government eases regulations. There are a lot of people who live with a constant existential fear, and it is very rational and well justified fear.

Marginalized people are disproportionately affected by these issues. This is an intersectional fight, so we have to be intersectional in the way we approach the campaigns. Understanding privilege is critically important, as is recognizing that oppression comes in many forms. The sexism that people are rightfully angry about is one form.

Sanders speaks directly and honestly to people about the power structures that are causing these socioeconomic woes, they look at his very long history of fighting this fight, and trust him to be an ally. Then, just as he’s poised for a big win on Super Tuesday, Biden wins SC (a state he was always expected to win), and between a very friendly, if exaggerated, narrative about his win from corporate media (who have been demonstrably biased against Sanders), and a sudden slew of last-minute endorsements from the corporate-backed Democratic establishment, rallying together to defeat the largest grassroots movement in my lifetime. Sure, the poor performance of Sanders’s outreach to the black community in SC had a lot to do with it, but he was never expected to win there. This is after Democratic leaders and superdelegates said they would be willing to damage the party to stop Sanders. The message that the establishment is trying to stop Sanders has been very real to his supporters since 2016, and the party has cemented that belief this year. They are righteously angry at the system that is trying to prevent real progress.

There is no debating that Warren and Sanders split the progressive vote; that’s just math. It wasn’t stealing from one or the other, there were just two good, progressive candidates, and people have varying opinions about which one is better, so they voted accordingly.

With that in mind, let’s consider the demographics of Warren and Sanders supporters. These are not criticisms, just data. We’re all on the same side, the candidates just had stronger appeal to different segments, and clearly better outreach was needed by both campaigns. Warren supporters are largely white, college educated, working professionals, 30-64 years old. Sanders supporters are overwhelmingly 44 and younger, nonwhite, non-college educated, and lower-income. He also has the highest support in the LGBTQ community. There are distinct disparities in the privilege that these groups have, and that cannot be overlooked in the discussion.

Warren supporters are righteously angry at the outcome of the election thus far and the actions of some Sanders supporters. Sanders supporters are righteously angry at an oppressive establishment, and some have misplaced their anger in targeting Warren and her supporters because they saw things that she did as beneficial to the establishment candidate, and betraying the progressive cause (right or wrong, this is how it looks to them). For them, it’s an existential issue, so they take it very personally. The offending Sanders supporters are not listening to the very valid reasons that Warren supporters are upset. They often don’t see that this is interpreted by Warren supporters as sexism, which is very real and has taken a heavy toll, or as juvenile hostility. Warren supporters who are attacking Sanders supporters are not listening to the very valid reasons Sanders supporters are angry (even if the anger is sometimes aimed in the wrong direction). Now, let’s look at that from a demographics perspective; a large, young, diverse group of marginalized people are seeing a group of largely older, white, college educated professionals telling them that because some people were mean to them online that they’re going to vote against the interests of the marginalized people. I know this is not the intent of the Warren supporters who are lashing out, but in engenders distrust and anger, largely because of the disparity in privilege and economic power.  None of this is to say that Warren supporters aren't angry at or fighting the same system. Again, we’re on the same side, and the anger is misplaced. Other Americans are not our enemy.

Some Sanders supporters see people supporting moderate candidates who aren't promising any real change as the enemy because it’s literally life and death for them. They think that people voting for moderates are more concerned with maintaining the status quo than the survival of marginalized, vulnerable people. The voters are not doing it with that intent, of course; the anger is valid but misplaced, but they also are not understanding that maintaining the status quo is maintaining a system that is hostile to the very existence of many Sanders supporters (and many supporters of all candidates, Sanders just happens to represent a lot of very vulnerable people).

We need a huge coalition to win this. Please, in your interactions with people, consider that everyone is facing a struggle with some power structure in this country. Be kind. It might not be the exact same fight that you’re fighting, but it’s connected. Try to understand privilege and how it relates to the people with whom you’re dealing. Try to understand how these systems of oppression overlap and reinforce each other. We need to work to build understanding, not attack each other. Keeping us divided is what the establishment needs to retain power. That’s why unions are under attack, it’s why grassroots movements are under attack, and it’s why the free press is under attack. Especially if you’re coming from a place of more privilege, try to understand that voting against the interests of marginalized people is seen as active oppression, and if you believe in a progressive agenda, take the time to listen to the most vulnerable people and understand what they’re saying. Remember that you cannot say that you’re an ally to someone and then vote for something that will harm them.

Everyone talks about unity until someone is an asshole to them. We’re better than that. Be patient. Be understanding. Most importantly, be kind. Build a bigger tent, talk to the most vulnerable people you know, and vote in their best interests. If you’re vulnerable, try to help your friends and family understand the direct impact these policies have on your lives. If you have more privilege, recognize it and use it. We all have to fight against a common enemy, and 99% of Americans are not it.

Be excellent to each other - Bill and Ted

The Claims of Media Bias Against Sanders

Many people still don't believe that the news media is biased against Sanders. MSNBC is the most-watched news network es, Fox gets more traffic, but they're not news), with almost twice the average viewership of CNN. They had a post-debate panel consisting of Joy Reid (MSNBC), Jason Johnson (the Root), A.B. Stoddard (Real Clear Politics), Brian Williams (MSNBC), and David Plouffe (Obama surrogate, and board member of ACRONYM). Two hours of post-debate commentary was an unending attack against Sanders, strategizing about how to stop him, and laments that he might be the nominee. Joy Reid, on her daily show, has been making arguments supporting Bloomberg, saying that the Democrats need their own Trump to beat Trump.

As it was two solid hours of nearly exclusive Bernie-bashing, I can't provide a full transcript, but here are some very representative quotes:

Williams: "Well, I thought it was a great night for Bernie Sanders. I thought it was a great night for Donald Trump. I thought it was a terrible night for the Democrats....Tonight was the night to knock down Bernie and the Democrats didn't do it. Buttigieg tried a few minutes but not effectively enough."

Johnson: "You know, it’s amazing America’s biggest socialist is a millionaire."

Johnson: [Sanders showed] “some of his weaknesses in communicating his message which we've seen before,” such as “[h]is inability to do anything other than gaslight America about some of the behavior of his own supporters when it comes to unions and organizations that don't fall in line with what he wants.”

Plouffe: “nobody laid a glove on Sanders” (Warren landed some solid hits)

Williams: “[t]he rap on the Democrats often is they're trying to punish success.”

Stoddard: "It's a very pure, far left-wing of the Democratic Party argument to sit on this campaign finance argument that Elizabeth and Bernie are so obsessed with. I think Democrats just want to win and that's why it was a strong moment for Bloomberg in an otherwise sad debate... Nevada is really important in terms of tonight's attack on Bernie. Tonight was the night to do it. Next week could be too late. He — they did not go after him. The moderators questioned him on his medical records and his transparency... They did not say this is an existential election in which we're letting a socialist lead our party while Trump is trampling the rule of law. There's plenty of recent examples from today, last several hours and the previous two weeks since he was acquitted. No one had their pants on fire. No one declared this an emergency. I think Nevada is really critical, and if Bernie is allowed to win it, I think they’re going to find they're in more trouble than they thought they were in."

Stoddard: "Health care is the most unifying issue in the Democratic Party. Well, it was until Bernie Sanders prominence as a potential soon-to-be nominee, delegate leader because of the argument of Medicare for All. Donald Trump has no health care argument. It’s the biggest liability for the Republicans and Donald Trump. Their health care plan is a Medicare for All nominee. If the Democrats nominate someone who has this ridiculous plan, and — and — and can be characterized as leading us into Venezuela, breaking the economy and taking — and ruining our health care system, then Donald Trump has a health care plan. So none of the — these are all gimme points that I just expected people to be making tonight in this very important moment because I believe that Nevada counts despite the early voting and I just don't think that this electability issue is being made enough effectively by them."

Plouffe: Sanders’s opponents haven’t made clear they want to defeat him with a “moment” that paints the socialist as “a liability.”

There is a very real corporate media assault against Sanders. There is a very real Democratic establishment assault against Sanders. There is a very real assault against Sanders from the pharma, insurance, and military industrial lobbies. There is a very real assault against Sanders from Republicans. Even in the face of such strong opposition, he has no billionaire donors, and is winning because he's backed by the most diverse coalition of supporters in the race, who understand that this is an existential fight, and that Sanders is the best chance for salvaging our future.