I often hear progressives complain, “Why can’t we pull the Democratic party to the left, as the Tea Party has pulled the Republican party (and the political conversation) way to the right in just a few short years?”
Well, I think we now have the answer: Progressives are too afraid to go all-in on their own values and policies. I’m frustrated to see that so many good progressive groups, unions, politicians and even grassroots activists have been so quick to endorse Hillary in the primary even though they admit that Bernie is much more their policy soulmate and Hillary is too beholden to Big Money.
Perhaps they think Hillary is more “electable,” but in the year of the outsider I’m not so sure that Hillary — the ultimate insider establishment candidate — is better than Bernie — the authentic, non-establishment guy who won his last Senate election with a whopping 71% of the vote. What’s worse, endorsing someone because they happen to have lady parts is just the sort of silly identity politics that we regularly eschew when the other side does it. Yeah, Margaret Thatcher had lady bits, too.
The Tea Party may be mean and crazy, but they truly believe in their own nutty ideas and will primary anyone who doesn’t capitulate — even if that means losing a few elections. Consequently, now even establishment Republicans and some Democrats parrot their nonsense. The Tea Party may lose some battles, but they are winning the war of ideas, not to mention controlling both chambers of Congress, and the majority of state houses and governor mansions.
Meanwhile, progressives are so afraid of losing in the general election that they don’t keep progressive ideas in play during the primary and drag Hillary to the left. What would be the downside of holding off any Hillary endorsements until the primary is over or at least well underway? I just got an email from MoveOn that Hillary has so far declined to participate in their Presidential Forum on Tuesday Nov 24th where Bernie and Gov. Martin O’Malley will answer questions from the 8-million member liberal grassroots organization. Hillary already feels she can snub the base because she does not FEAR us.
It will only get worse after she’s elected. If you were disappointed with Obama not being progressive enough on many issues, get ready to be even more disappointed with Hillary. Brace yourself for more watered-down, incremental tweaking around the edges. Forget about discussing Medicare-For-All, a $15 minimum wage, breaking up the big banks, GMO labeling, a carbon tax, or ending all these wars. And if you think Hillary won’t flip-flop back and wholeheartedly embrace the TPP corporate giveaway (what she repeatedly called “the gold-standard of trade agreements”), I remind you that Obama once said he would renegotiate NAFTA. Ha! Fool me once…
And all you early Hillary boosters will have no right to complain. You had your chance to run a proven, true progressive champion. Bernie has been a bold progressive for 40 years — often waiting for the rest of us to catch up and taking the tough, unpopular votes. For example, he was against the Iraq War, NAFTA and repeal of Glass-Steagall when most everyone else was rushing off in the other direction. He was for gay marriage way before it was politically popular. Meanwhile, Hillary-come-lately puts her finger to the political winds and waits until it’s safe. Just look at her tepid response on legalizing marijuana. That’s not a leader; that’s a craven politician.
It’s high-time progressives put their values into action. And a primary is the perfect place to do it. To quote Larry Cohen, president of Communication Workers of America from 2005 to 2015 and now top adviser to Bernie Sanders, “If not now, when?... If we don’t stick up for our own values, why should anyone else?” (Quote from “Sanders Faces a Fight for Union Support,” Wall Street Journal, 11/18/15).