What The Bernie Sanders Unelectable Argument Says About Black Lives

[Nanjeanne]

I thought this was a very thoughful, insightful article. And the comments and responses from author are very interesting:

There is something belittling about the language of the “Bernie Sanders is unelectable” fallacy—something that is subliminally dismissive.

How is it possible that we live in a time when progressives say #blacklivesmatter, but call the ideas of Bernie Sanders too “radical” to implement, and conclude his “radical” ideas make him unelectable?

When people say Bernie Sanders’ ideas are not politically viable, what they are really saying is:

Satisfying the needs of the people his policies would support is not politically viable, therefore, we should not vote for him.

SNIP

Perhaps we should change the narrative: A politician who does not believe healthcare is a human right is unelectable, a politician who votes for preemptive war is unelectable, a politician who supports policies that lead to mass incarceration is unelectable.

SNIP

We live in an America where people have to be explicitly reminded that #blacklivesmatter, we live in America where it is unordinary for a presidential candidate to advocate for health care as a human right, and we live in an America where it’s unusual for a presidential candidate to critique capitalism for all of its inherent inequities. We live in an America where advocating for expanding access to higher education is “radical”.

A candidate advocating for change and equality shouldn’t be castigated as radical; the candidate should be propagated as the standard.

http://blackandwordy.com/2016/02/01/what-the-bernie-sanders-what-the-bernie-sanders-unelectability-argument-says-about-black-lives/

[Vincardog]

1. American Standard measurement should become Bernie Standard.

[noretreatnosurrender]

2. Good piece

I liked this excerpt too.

A candidate’s electability seems to only come into question when the candidate’s ideas support people from communities that have been marginalized by the current system. It’s only then we say congress is too dysfunctional to implement change.

[Uncle Joe]

3. That was an excellent article and the responses were encouraging.

Thanks for the thread, Nanjeanne.

[azmom]

4. Kick

[Arazi]

5. Love this piece! Another interesting snip

Have we forgotten that the power of democracy rest in our hands? If there are members of the House of Representatives or the Senate who do not support progressive ideas, then we will vote for politicians who will.

Of course we will be called “idealistic” championing the platform of the Sanders’ campaign, but we have to stop interpreting progressive attributes as negative qualities. Yes, progressives are idealistic: new ideas and change lead to progress. Qualities that are inherent to the progressive platform are not inherently bad, and we have to turn those qualities into a litmus test for a candidate’s electability.

[MisterP]

6. democracy's in YOUR hands? nononono, leave it up to the experts