2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Why do Bernie/his supporters get to decide what a Democrat stands for? [View all]The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,927 posts)Although he handled the Viet Nam war badly, he was a Democrat of the same ilk as FDR when it came to domestic policy. He promoted legislation upholding civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education, the arts, urban and rural development, public services, and the "War on Poverty," which helped millions rise above the poverty line. Civil rights laws he signed banned racial discrimination in public facilities, interstate commerce, the workplace, and housing, and the Voting Rights Act banned procedures that disenfranchised African Americans. Of course, Johnson had a Democratic majority in Congress. But I don't see any big ideas like the Great Society or the War on Poverty coming out of Clinton's campaign - just those Church Lady reminders that we can't have those things any more. "You can't have a bicycle for Christmas but if you're good and eat your peas maybe you'll get some new underwear." Sanders is a visionary; Clinton is just an ordinary politician.