Sanders joins Democratic leadership, isn't officially a Democrat

[yuiyoshida]

He says he'll continue to identify as an independent, despite running for president as a Democrat.
By ELANA SCHOR 11/16/16 11:48 AM EST

Bernie Sanders was just appointed to the Senate Democratic leadership team. But the Vermont senator still isn't becoming an official member of the party.

After new Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday added the 2016 presidential candidate to his leadership slate as outreach director, Sanders waved off a question from POLITICO about whether he is now a full-fledged Democrat. An aide later confirmed that the Vermont senator would remain an independent who caucuses with Democrats.

Sanders' decision to run for president as a Democrat after touting his status as an independent during 26 years in Congress sparked frustration among supporters of Hillary Clinton during their bitter primary battle. The Vermonter said during the Democratic National Convention in July that he would be leaving the party after Clinton defeated him to serve the remaining two years of his Senate term as an independent.

Democrats also named Sanders the ranking member of the Budget Committee.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/independent-bernie-sanders-democratic-leadership-231486

[Maven]

1. Too good for the party, Bernie?

I guess it's always easier to be a gadfly and lob criticisms from outside the circle, than to jump in and effect real institutional change. But hey, the party served its purpose for you, so you're moving on now, right?

[revbones]

2. No, just a man of his word.

He ran as an independent and said he'd go back as one because that's what people put him in office as...

I find it odd and disconcerting that many seek to lavish praise on those with a magic "D" behind their name regardless of their actual positions and history versus those that share the same ideals as the Democratic party used to and still should.

Even if he switched before his next term, he'd get people saying "But he only just now switched, so he shouldn't get credit."

[Maven]

6. It's not about a magic "D"

It's about hypocrisy. Don't say the Democratic Party doesn't represent the ideals it once did, and sit on the sidelines shouting prescriptions about how it can get back to its roots, when you aren't even willing to call yourself a Democrat and change the party from within. Don't whine that an institution you were never part of and contributed nothing to previously didn't roll out the red carpet, and then when you lose fair and square, foment claims of fraud and an unfair system, only to retreat back to your rarefied position as an "outsider" and do nothing to address the disunity you helped to create. Don't.

[JTFrog]

7. Well he sure wanted and needed that magic D didn't he?

He sure was ready to slap that magic D on in order to get the money and the media attention. You can't get credit for something you never did. He never built a coalition or spent years raising money for Democrats. He joined our party as a spoiler and created a massive divide at a time when it has cost us everything.

So much for the purity brigade.

[revbones]

10. I don't have a problem with that.

And I'm not sure why you would have a problem with someone that shared what are supposed to be the ideals of the party, joining the party and running as a candidate in it. That's what's odd here. Sorry if you think only Hillary should have been allowed to run at all in the primary for some reason, but that's not how things work.

[JTFrog]

14. She had challengers from the Democratic Party.

Challengers who had the sense to bow out when they were defeated. Candidates who withdrew before the primaries because they didn't have the support. Candidates who withdrew during the primaries when it became obvious they were losing. In otherwords, candidates who weren't in it just to be a spoiler.

Your strawman ain't holding no water here.

[revbones]

16. I think you're misusing the term "strawman"

especially given your rant.

But sure, close things off and just annoint the candidate. See how long the party lasts...

[JTFrog]

17. Oh, so now our party is going to die?

No one tried to annoint her. Did you miss the part where actual Democratic candidates, plural, were running for President? Again, your strawman is a tumbleweed.

[revbones]

19. Miss the point much?

If the party opts to be so insular and continue to ignore its ideals, as you seem to want then yes. That however, is being determined currently with things like who the next DNC chair will be, etc...

Do you understand what a strawman argument actually is?

[Omaha Steve]

35. Democratic Socialist that votes mostly the D party issues in House, then Senate

It seems your blame is misdirected.

Major candidates who withdrew before the primaries: Lawrence Lessig, Lincoln Chafee, Jim Webb.

O'Malley stayed in until AFTER Iowa with less than 1%. Bernie had 49.59%.

Hillary spent more on TV for Omaha's lone EC vote than she did in Wisconsin and Michigan combined.

Mistakes long after the D convention was over.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/11/12/the-advertising-decisions-that-helped-doom-hillary-clinton/

The advertising decisions that helped doom Hillary Clinton
By Jim Tankersley November 12
In the closing weeks of the presidential race, Hillary Clinton's campaign — and the outside groups that supported it — aired more television advertisements in Omaha than in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin combined. The Omaha ads were in pursuit of a single electoral vote in a Nebraska congressional district, which Clinton did not ultimately win, and also bled into households in Iowa, which also she did not win. Michigan and Wisconsin add up to 26 electoral votes; she appears not to have won them, either.

Clinton loses 32 IOWA counties to Trump won by Obama in 2012

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/305916-hillary-clintons-missing-votes

Snip: Clinton lost states no Democratic presidential candidate had been defeated in since George H.W. Bush carried 40 states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, in 1988.

Clinton leads the popular vote, but she received about 5 million fewer votes than President Obama did in 2012. At the same time, Trump won about as many votes as Mitt Romney did in 2012 and only a little more than Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) did in 2008.

Most critically, the votes Clinton lost stood out in states essential to both candidates’ paths to 270 electoral votes. In the 10 most competitive swing states, Clinton underperformed Obama’s 2012 tally by nearly 1.2 million votes. Besides Pennsylvania and Michigan, she became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1984 to lose Wisconsin.

Sour grape flavored cool aid perhaps?



Bernie got 43% of the D primary vote.

Not until June 6 did the AP say she secured the nomination using super-delegates that would not let their name be used in the story: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4c9c850385c84b12ad5b85fda49743f9/after-weekend-wins-clinton-cusp-democratic-nomination

[panader0]

37. Thank you Steve.

[Maven]

12. Plus 1

And by quietly changing his party affiliation back after the convention, I believe he sent a signal (unintentionally or not) to the BOBers that they should also remain outside the "corrupt" system that treated him so unfairly.

[revbones]

20. Quietly???

He was open and honest about it. He even related multiple times that he would be doing so because he was elected as such and it would not be right to those that elected him as an independent. I think he may have intimated that he would change to Dem afterwards though but I can't remember that specifically.

[Doremus]

52. The D's sure do like him when they need his vote tho. nt

[FarPoint]

4. He needs to become a Democrat...it's just that simple.

It is important for any leadership....

[revbones]

21. More important than sharing the actually ideals?

Or supporting the party, or caucusing with the party? The "D" behind one's name magically changes everything huh?

[revbones]

25. I'm not the one spouting nonsense.

You also have no idea who I voted for, unless you're making claim to magical powers.

I am happy there are 3rd parties in general though, because I think we need more viewpoints and if they help pull the Democratic party left then that's great. Otherwise, it would just continue chasing the Republican party as it goes further and further rightward.

I think it's something completely different that "fucked us" but you apparently aren't willing to concede that you might be wrong.

[JTFrog]

26. So your post on JPR saying you were voting for Stein was a lie?

Mmmmhmmm.

I certainly remember you singing her praises here as well.

[revbones]

28. Please show me the post where I said that.

I've made 4 posts there. I went back and checked to make sure there was nothing that might have been misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Since you're accusing me of lying, I'm assuming that if you cannot explicitly prove your statement you'll either retract it and apologize, or admit you were lying.

Also, show me where I sang her praises rather than expect me to rely on your memory which is apparently very faulty. Unless you think speaking out against hypocrisy is singing someone's praises.

[JTFrog]

30. Nice try.

"State who you are voting for in the election, whether that’s Jill, Gary, Donald, Bernie write-in, Gloria La Riva (Socialist candidate), it, or anyone else".



http://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/once-and-for-all-its-time-for-the-official-2016-jpr-roll-call-vote/#post-225429

I don't lie.

[revbones]

31. Ah...

Perhaps I misunderstood the thread I replied in, but I will admit it would appear as such.

My apologies then. I can own that your stalking me on other sites gave you ammunition. I'm sure you're quite happy about it. Doesn't change anything I said in this conversation though, but I'm sure you'll use it to try to discount anything else.

[JTFrog]

33. Stalking?

And lol, misunderstood.

You aren't even trying to be clever anymore. Your third party support is all over DU for anyone to read.

[revbones]

34. I would disagree.

But you are free to misinterpret disagreement with hypocrisy as you wish - and I'm sure you will.

No, I own whatever I posted and agree you gained ammo in your stalking. Sad that you would rely on that and turn this discussion into another where you think you have an edge, rather than actually stick to the matter at hand, but you do you.

[JTFrog]

38. Good riddance. Third party troll outed and PPR'd. nt

[MADem]

39. I don't understand why they want to be here if they hate us so much.

It makes no sense to me.

[JTFrog]

43. Nothing makes much sense to me right now.

Still waiting to wake up.

[Maven]

45. Wow. And there you have it. nt

[seaglass]

58. Thanks JT! n/t

[FarPoint]

54. OHHH good catch...

[FarPoint]

48. I'm a little dense...

what is JPR? Is it a blog? What does JPR strand for???

[JonLP24]

50. Jackpine radicals

https://jackpineradicals.com/boards/forum/main/

[FarPoint]

53. Thank you...

mystery solved...I never heard of this board...

[geek tragedy]

5. if he caucuses with us, he should be eligible for a leadership position nt

[MADem]

40. I think a committee "ranking member-ship" is fine.

That would translate to a chairmanship if we ever got the majority.

But actual leadership?

Democrats should be led by DEMOCRATS. If you want to LEAD Dems, you need to BE one. This is really more of a title than a real leadership responsibility he has been assigned. "Outreach director?" That's like "Secretary of Explaining Stuff" or "Talent hunter " -- it acknowledges support to the party (he might get some extra travel money out of it), but it's really not the sort of role where he's barking orders at fellow legislators to get them to vote a certain way, or anything on those lines.

FWIW, Sanders never got off his best intentions and did any whipping or ANY administrative work in the House, either. IIRC, he was approached by the progressives and just didn't want to do it. He's not motivated to do that unglamorous stuff, much of which is done in the background. It does take a lot of time out of one's day. The benefits aren't immediate, either--it's an "over time" kind of karma that one gains. It's why people like Steny Hoyer have such clout--they earned it.

What this "appointment" does do, though, is put him in a bit of a box. He's either ON the team, or he isn't, and by taking the title, he's got to act like he's supportive of the team. If he starts being hurtful, he'll look like he's not being a team player. Chuck Schumer isn't stupid.

[geek tragedy]

41. I'm glad to see him getting more engaged, really don't care

about him calling himself a Democrat.

We need all the help we can get from people who don't want a label on themselves.

There are a lot bigger concerns than his registration status.

[MADem]

44. Schumer has pretty much nailed his feet to the tent floor with this title.

He's inside the tent pissing out, to riff on an LBJ phrase. The best possible scenario.


He'll stay right there if he wants another term. He might not, though--he's not getting any younger, and there are a couple of Dems who want to move up the food chain in VT. Thing is, that place is so small there are only three federal legislative jobs available, and right now, they're all filled. For now, anyway.

[FarPoint]

49. So nicely and accurately put...

[Raster]

46. Thank you.

We have bigger fish to fry.

[JonLP24]

51. He always has

Caucuses with us.

[aikoaiko]

8. Thank you, Bernie. You do the Democratic party a great service.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Duckhunter935]

11. Yes

[annabanana]

23. yup . . .n/t

[LP2K12]

9. Thanks Bernie

InDepenDent

Look... I found the D....

[monmouth4]

13. Thank you Bernie for all that you do. You are a welcomed asset..n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

47. Agreed.

[NCTraveler]

15. The Democratic Party Platform is progressive to the point...

It has marginalized any ability for a group to the left of our party to form in significance in this country.

[Stainless]

18. Go for it Bernie!

After reading some of the rabid Bernie bashing comments on this thread I get a feel for just how far out of touch with reality that ideologically pure Democrats truly are.

I think they are the ones who actually lost the Democrats this election IMHO.

[a kennedy]

24. AND what happened to our tent???

[Grey Lemercier]

36. this

[MADem]

42. Our tent is fine, despite the Albritton family's, via their pernicious POLITICO, attempt to tear it

apart.

Being an "Outreach Director" is just the sort of "leadership" job that is appropriate for someone who wants to maintain an independent streak yet caucus with us.

He can do a little talent hunting and focus on pulling some of the "independent" types who see things his way into that tent of ours--that would seem to be his portfolio.

[msongs]

27. he "became" a democrat because that's where the was. there are worse reasons. let him stay nt

[yallerdawg]

32. Books to sell!

Got a brand to preserve!

[hatrack]

55. At the moment, I'm not particularly inclined to give a damn

Another shoulder to the wheel? Yeah, I'll take it.

[otohara]

56. Could Give A Shit

lock her up lock her up lock her up

started at his rallies.

[LWolf]

57. It's good for

Democrats for him to do so; he's rallying the opposition; he began right away.