Bernie Surrogates On Dumping the Democratic Party

[TomCADem]

Why has Bernie run such a negative campaign designed to disqualify every other candidate, including seemingly close ideological allies like Warren? Why is Bernie now indicating that he will continue to run until the convention when he said just a few weeks ago that a mere plurality would be enough to win the Democratic nomination? Finally, why does Bernie continue to attack the "Democratic Establishment" even though that has hurt him by alienating Democrats?

The reason is that Bernie's whole brand is built around creating resentment against the Democrats. That is why his campaign staff and surrogates are made up of folks like Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, Nina Turner or Cornell West who have made a living of attacking the Democratic Party even as Republicans rose to power.

You would think that beating Republicans and Trump should be a unifying theme. It is not. To the contrary, the broader goal, as explained by Cornell West, who famously endorsed Jill Stein after Bernie had appointed him to be on the DNC's platform committee, is to dump the Democratic party and to create conditions ripe for revolution as explained by Susan Sarandon:

https://www.salon.com/2017/02/16/you-consider-yourself-a-journalist-right-susan-sarandon-chris-hayes-have-tense-exchange-over-hillary-clinton-donald-trump/

"Some people believe Donald Trump will bring the revolution immediately," Sarandon said. "If you think it is pragmatic to shore up the status quo right now, then you are not in touch with the status quo. The status quo is not working."

In other words, as explained by Bernie's surrogates, the world must be broken in order to be saved. However, the problem with Obama, Biden or many other Democrats is that they might start fixing things, which delays the revolution. Thus, in order to break America in order to save it, folks like Susan Sarandon might actually cheer for another Trump victory.

That is why Bernie will continue to campaign and attack Biden to weaken him and give Trump ammunition. It is not about ideas or platform. It is about trying to destroy the Democratic party. Why? To sharpen the contradictions in Marxist speech, which calls for instilling short-term pain in order to bring about systemic change.

We don't have to speculate. Bernie's surrogates have been pretty clear about what their goals are and it is not necessarily to beat Trump:

https://www.colorlines.com/articles/cornel-west-activists-immigrants-lets-dump-democratic-party

Cornel West to Activists, Immigrants: Let's Dump The Democratic Party

Professor and author Dr. Cornel West has a message for people who identify themselves as political and social progressives: “The neoliberal vision of the Democratic party has run its course.”

In an essay published by The Guardian today (April 24), West argues that the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s term in office makes it clear that the Democratic party is not capable of leading progressives in a time when the GOP dominates the American political landscape.
* * *
A group of former Bernie Sanders staffers have come together to convince Sanders to head a new “people’s party,” and West makes an appeal to immigrants, activists and progressive leaders to join the ranks:

And if a class-conscious multi-racial party attuned to anti-sexist, anti-homophobic and anti-militaristic issues and grounded in ecological commitments can reconfigure our citizenship, maybe our decaying democracy has a chance. And if brother Bernie Sanders decides to join us—with many others, including sister Jill Stein and activists from Black Lives Matter and Brown immigrant groups and Standing Rock freedom fighters and betrayed working people—we may build something for the near future after Trump implodes.

[thucythucy]

1. "We had to destroy the village in order to save the village."

Of course, it's easier to believe that if, like Sarandon et. al., you don't actually have to live in the village.

[TomCADem]

4. It Is Classic Marxism. Sharpen the Contradictions.

Of course, it did not work, because rather than priming the electorate for revolution under Bernie Sanders, the American people are seeking competence and rule of law under Biden. Nonetheless, folks like Cornell West and Susan Sarandon will double down in calling for an end to the Democratic party as an obstacle to revolution. Afterall, if the lives of Americans improve under Joe Biden, they may not desire the radical revolution that Bernie is hoping to sell.

https://www.beaconjournal.com/akron/editorial/cass-r-sunstein-trump-disrupts-so-did-marx

CAMBRIDGE, MASS.: Karl Marx and his followers argued that revolutionaries should disrupt capitalist societies by “heightening the contradictions.” Russia used a version of that Marxist idea in its efforts to disrupt the 2016 presidential campaign. It should come as no surprise that the most powerful nation from the former Soviet Union, whose leaders were schooled in the Marxist tradition, is borrowing directly from that tradition in its efforts today.

What is more surprising, and far more important for American politics, is that President Donald Trump is drawn to a similar strategy.

Marx contended that as the conditions of workers started to improve, they would cease to be content with their lot, or to regard their alienation as inevitable. Lenin seized on this idea and transformed it into a revolutionary strategy.

Lenin urged that as capitalism developed, workers would see, or could be made to see, the contradictions between the official story of universal freedom and their actual inability to have real control over their own lives. The job of the communist revolutionary was to “heighten” or “accelerate” those contradictions.

[thucythucy]

8. I heard this same line of BS from leftie friends

Last edited Mon Mar 16, 2020, 11:59 AM - Edit history (1)

during Reagan vs. Carter.

"Reagan will drive home to everyone the need for a revolution. His election will lead to a massive swing to the left."

And I hope we all remember how that ended up.

Marxism-Leninism is a failed ideology and in our modern context near useless as any sort of political roadmap.

It's as dated as pure Freudian analysis. It might have been cutting edge in 1910, but no longer.

[TomCADem]

10. Well, Post-Debate, It Seems Like Bernie Is Just Looking for Excuses ...

...to continue to campaign regardless of the results of the elections. It is no accident that Bernie surrounds himself with people whose goal is to undermine and replace the Democratic party. If Bernie does not win, then they will want to make sure that Trump wins in order to sharpen the contradictions in order to bring about revolution. Here is Susan Sarandon on Colbert describing the silver lining of a Trump presidency:

https://www.thewrap.com/susan-sarandon-slammed-on-twitter-for-seeing-a-silver-lining-in-trump-presidency/

“People are really awake now because the cracks have let the light in,” Sarandon told host Stephen Colbert, echoing comments she’s made since the election.

“Goldman Sachs has been in politics forever, and now we’re noticing because this guy is such a bozo that he’s just doing everything so badly that he’s not slick like everybody else,” she said. “I mean, all the fracking that’s been going on, the pipelines were all there before Trump got in. This has been going on, but now everybody’s awake, they’re energized, right? They’re calling their senators, they’re donating to all of these groups.”

[thucythucy]

14. Sarandon's comment epitomizes the stereotype of the "limosine revolutionary."

She won't be denied access to health care because of this administration's policies or court appointments.

She won't see her children put into cages.

She won't go hungry because of cuts in Food Stamps.

She won't be denied a quality education because of cuts in funding.

She won't be turned away at the voting booth because of the color of her skin (nor is she likely to be the target of violence for the same reason).

It astounds me how people can be so callous, so hard hearted in the name of ideology, and then claim they're doing this for the public good.

[TomCADem]

16. Michael Moore, Cornell West and Susan Sarandon...

...will be fine during a Trump Presidency. Of course, the 99 percent will continue to suffer while Bernie and company chase their dreams of revolution, because god forbid that somewhat competent takes the Presidency.

[Happy Hoosier]

12. A classic Marxist trope:

"The master's tools cannot dismantle the master's house."

In other words such "revolutionaries" do not believe in change from within the system, but that the system must be destroyed and rebuilt in the new Marxist model. Therefore, their goal is actually to accelerate bad conditions to precipitate the "revolution."

Of course, historically, that means people guillotined in public squares or lined up against walls and shot, regardless of the good intentions on going in.

[thucythucy]

15. It also often means the triumph of the extreme right--

Germany in the 1930s being a prime example. The communists decried the more moderate Social Democrats as "Social Fascists" and saw the advent of Hitler as a positive step on the road to a workers' paradise.

[TomCADem]

21. It Is The Left Wing Version of Praying for the End of Times and the Rapture

We make ridicule right wing evangelicals who almost seem giddy at the idea of chaos and supporting Israel unconditionally under the idea that it will bring about the return of christ or alternatively the rapture. Yet, there is this similar idea among certain members of the "left" who oppose incremental improvements in people's lives thinking that this only delays the revolution that will be needed to sow the seeds of post-capitalist utopia. In either case, left or right, you have folks almost cheerleading the increase in suffering thinking that this sets the stage for either the rapture or a socialist utopia.

https://www.vox.com/2017/12/12/16761540/jerusalem-israel-embassy-palestinians-trump-evangelicals

This is why evangelicals love Trump's Israel policy
Hint: It has to do with burning lakes of fire

Sean Illing
Why are these evangelicals so interested in the fate of Israel?

Elizabeth Oldmixon
These are the folks who believe that there will be a millennium in the future, a golden age, where Christ reigns on Earth, [and] they believe that before Christ will return, there will be a tribulation where Christ defeats evil. There will be natural disasters and wars, and perhaps an Antichrist, as the book of Revelations notes. Then at the end of that period, the people of the Mosaic covenant, including the Jews, will convert. Then after their conversion, the great millennium starts.

[Thekaspervote]

2. The Democratic Party has been around for well over a century...successful and well received

It will continue on for a long time to come.

Hey all of you that don’t like us, you’re free to go, and don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!! Go F’ng form your own party!!!

[showblue22]

3. That's why he is losing

People are on to him.

[TomCADem]

9. Yet, He Is Doing The Exact Same Act To Stay the Center of Attention

The problem is that we now know we cannot trust Bernie. Last time, Democrats tried to appease him. The party offered up seats on the platform committee to him, including a seat for Cornell West. Yet, despite being included and having a substantial say, these same surrogates then proceeded to support Jill Stein and campaign against the Democratic nominee.



Now, Bernie is doing the exact same thing demanding concessions even though he signed a pledge to support the DNC nominee. Don't fall for it. That would be disrespectful of the other nominees and just encourage similar behavior in the future. If Bernie wants to support Trump in order sharpen the contradictions and prove once again that he is not telling the truth, then so be it.

The true tell will be in Bernie's campaign surrogates. I am sure Bernie will go through the motions of supporting the Democratic nominee, but do his surrogates once again support Trump or Jill Stein? This will show that their main purpose is to destroy the Democratic party.

[Frances]

5. Anarchy leads to dictatorship

Dumping the Democratic Party will make it easier for Trump to win and declare himself President for life
As we have see , the Senate and Supreme Court will go along with that

[Indykatie]

6. Perez/DNC Made Mistake a Try to Appease Bernie and His Supporters

I believe he knows he can't win a General election. His existence relies on resentment of the traditional party. He and his cohorts are a bunch of resentful people who are too lazy to put in the work of building or expanding their Dem Socialist Party so they want to destroy our party. I expected them to turn vicious once it dawned on them that they would not have the most delegates when our candidates got out so quickly to keep him from achieving that goal. Warren wants no part of Bernie and who can blame her.

[onetexan]

7. K&R

[frazzled]

11. I think we all need to contact Perez and the DNC

once the presumptive nominee is apparent (if it isn't already) to let them know that we don't want a repeat of the special concessions given to Sanders at the 2016 Convention this time around. He does not merit them on the basis of electoral support this year. All of the previous candidates should have a role to play at the convention, but he should not be privileged above the rest. The only reason he seems to be staying in the race after he has lost a pathway to the nomination is to give the illusion that he somehow was a close second and is a sort of "vice-winner." He is not.

[BidenBacker]

13. Yo, Sarandon!

Stick to baseball!

From Bull Durham to Bull Shit.

[NCProgressive]

17. What a fucked-up logic

[TomCADem]

18. Even In The Midst of a Health Crisis...

...Bernie is going to continue to run and attack Biden because he does not want the Democratic party to win the Presidency. That is why he surrounds himself with folks like Susan Sarandon, Cornell West, etc., who have long history of attacking the Democratic party, Under their logic, if you don't surrender to their revolutionary demands, then hopefully people suffer more so that the conditions for revolution are ripe.

[NCProgressive]

19. Biden and the Democratic party should just ignore Bernie after tomorrow

[betsuni]

20. K&R

[Aquaria]

22. Why I call them Loonie Progs

They are the left wing version of deplorables--and probably even more dangerous.

The only workable response is to shun them.