Bernie Sanders, Tulsi Gabbard, and the Democratic Party
Tulsi Gabbard in NH. Yes, she can snowboard
W.J. Astore
In 2016, Bernie Sanders had a winning message and Hillary Clinton didn't. But Bernie's message favored the working classes, not Democratic donors, so he was blocked and then sidelined. Even so, Bernie loyally campaigned for Clinton, who lost to a political novice, celebrity TV host, and lifelong con man.
In 2020, Bernie Sanders has a winning message and the other leading candidates (Biden, Warren, Buttigieg) don't. Bernie's message still favors the working classes, not the Democratic donors, so efforts are underway to block him again.
Consider Tom Perez, head of the DNC, and his selections for various committees for the convention. They are the usual suspects: Clintonites, Obama followers, members of the military-industrial complex, big pharma and insurance companies, and so on. Here's a useful and funny video from Jimmy Dore that breaks it down:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4rc6r9TVjU
Polls project that Bernie will win Iowa (Feb. 3) and New Hampshire (Feb. 11). What will the DNC do next to torpedo Bernie's chances?
Small wonder Bernie advocates for a political revolution. But we're not going to have one of those in America, not with the Democratic-Republican Party in charge.
A few more items. Consider these two articles at Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR):
Corporate Media Are the Real ‘Sanders Attack Machine,’ by Julie Hollar
It’s Media—Not Bernie Sanders—That Have an Antisemitism Problem, by Alan MacLeod
The latter article details the mainstream media's efforts to paint Bernie Sanders -- who, if elected, would be America's first Jewish president -- as an anti-Semite! Here's an excerpt:
Have you heard the news? Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders is antisemitic. Yes, yes, he’s Jewish, and has a long history of anti-racist activism—but that doesn’t matter.
So goes the story in several prominent media outlets, who accuse him of leading “the most antisemitic [campaign] in decades” (Washington Examiner, 12/13/19). While unable to point to Sanders’ own actions or words, the national press has associated him with hatred of Jews by attacking those around him. Throughout 2019, for example, Sanders supporter Rep. Ilhan Omar was constantly labeled antisemitic across the media for comments she made about the undue influence of the US/Israeli lobbying group AIPAC on American politics (e.g., New York Times, 3/7/19; Wall Street Journal, 7/12/19; Washington Post, 8/20/19).
Fox News (1/9/20) claimed Sanders would be “the most anti-Israel” president ever, conflating criticism of Israel and/or the Netanyahu administration with antisemitism.
Of course, corporate Democrats aren't just against Bernie Sanders. They're against any candidate that threatens their privileges and power. This includes Tulsi Gabbard, who is being boycotted by CNN even though she's polling well in New Hampshire. Consider the following:
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. -- Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii says she’s still waiting to hear from CNN about why she wasn’t invited to take part in a series of town halls the cable news network is holding next week in the state that holds the first primary in the race for the White House.
“We have reached out, I think, more than once, and we received no explanation. I don't even think we've gotten a response to date about why they're excluding the first female combat veteran ever to run for president, the only woman of color in the race,” the four-term congresswoman and Iraq War veteran said Tuesday in an interview with Fox News.
Could it be any more obvious? The fix is already in. It's always in. The Democrats will do anything and everything in their power to block real change.
I know it's unlikely, but I would love to see Bernie/Tulsi create a third party and run against Trump and whichever corporate tool the Democrats nominate. Please, Bernie, if the DNC screws you again, don't be a "team player." Give us a real choice -- and pick Tulsi or someone like her as your running mate.