Bernie Sanders is not a sore loser: Our democracy is screwed unless we fix the unfair rules

[cal04]

http://www.salon.com/2016/05/02/bernie_sanders_is_not_a_sore_loser_our_democracy_is_screwed_unless_we_fix_the_unfair_rules/

Mainstream coverage of the Bernie Sanders campaign tends to suggest that they were falsely blaming voting fraud for their loss. In the establishment narrative that describes Sanders as an unrealistic candidate that has no chance of actually winning, there seems almost no possibility that any objection from the Sanders camp can be taken seriously. The story becomes the campaign’s inability to deal with reality and it ignores the real complaints voters have about the election process.

This angle is all wrong. First, because we are indeed in the midst of a real crisis in our democracy. And second, because, even though the Sanders campaign may well want to win, they are equally invested in the idea of a free and fair election regardless of which candidate a voter supports.

Sanders has been consistent on this issue. He believes each candidate should care about making sure the democratic process is working. As he put it in his response to the primary results: “I don’t mind losing, but three million people in New York State who registered as independents didn’t have the right to participate in the Democratic or Republican primary. That really is not democracy.”

(Snip)
Like it or not the Sanders campaign is fighting on two fronts: it is fighting to gain support for their political revolution and it is also fighting to make sure that our democracy works. It is time to wonder why the one campaign that is defending voter rights is the same campaign the media most wants to dismiss.

[TBF]

1. The voter sabotage/suppression will take down this party -

and maybe the republicans as well.

It doesn't matter if the press tries to cover it up (as the NYTimes is clearly doing), people know and remember if they are turned away from voting.

[intheflow]

2. The kicker is, voter fraud doesn't have to have come from the Clinton campaign.

There are plenty of terrorists out there who might have their reasons for disrupting a US political campaign. The Trump people could be fiddling with the system, preferring a match-up with Clinton. Hacking is real, cyber-terrorism is real. Clinton should be just as vested in ensuring election integrity, but she and her supporters are more interested in winning that voter confidence in the electoral process. If she's on such solid ground, she should be championing investigations in why there are exit poll discrepancies that vastly favor her in all contested states.

But I'm delusional. Me and Bloomberg, we're all just left-wing paranoid nutjobs.

http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-how-to-hack-an-election/

[Babel_17]

3. Both parties need the Independents, but their establishments are loathe to adjust to appeal to them

I'm not saying it's easy to maintain a major party, but those Independent voters can't be dismissed. Especially as they often reflect the sentiments of party members looking for change.

It's going to be about GOTV, and snagging Independents. And as always the swing states will be crucial.

I have to wonder how Clinton allies de Blasio and Cuomo in NY facing allegations of shady ethics, and maybe ongoing investigations, will affect things should Clinton be the nominee. All three are part of the establishment, and all three are facing accusations they don't abide by the rules.

[djean111]

4. Speaking of getting out the vote -

under Debbie Wasserman-Schultz's reign, Democrats have lost 900+ state legislature seats, 12 governors, 69 House seats, 13 Senate seats.

She is either inept, or deliberately purging the Democratic Party. The calls for Bernie to fix this are cynical and ridiculous. Debbie and Hillary need to fix this. They broke it. And they will not. They will just deflect this on to Bernie, and keep pocketing money and deliberately not support liberals and progressives.

After the August primary here in Florida, when I will vote for Alan Grayson, I am out. Too corrupt of a party and its leadership.

[Babel_17]

5. But the money pours in

Being vulnerable to the Republicans mean that those who need protection need to ante up. Winning is nice, but losing hasn't hurt the revenue stream.

[corbettkroehler]

6. Nailed It!

Fortunately, Jeff Weaver's decision to focus on the Politico report about the siphoning of state party funds to Camp Clinton has Sanders fired up and realizing that he must remain on his A Game.