Bernie Sanders, rally at Pittsburgh University on April 14, 2019. Photo courtesy of Vidar Nordli-Mathisen / Unsplash.
I’m being serious now. Stop doing it. Stop issuing ridiculous purity tests to the 2020 Democratic candidates. Yes, there’s no shortage of flaws in each of the top candidates in the race. On the moderate side, whether it’s Pete Buttigieg’s tumultuous relationship with voters of color, or Michael Bloomberg’s far-too-late denunciation of “stop and frisk,” or Joe Biden’s deficiencies when it comes to physical boundaries, or Amy Klobuchar’s controversial career as Hennepin County attorney, none of them are perfect.
Just like the rest of their Democratic competitors, the progressive candidates, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have problems too. Many people are critical of Sanders’ record as a Democratic Socialist, and just as many have trouble separating Warren from Sanders. Whichever way you look at it, these Democratic contenders have flaws, some more egregious than others. Get over it. We’ve lost focus on the ultimate goal: removing Donald Trump from office.
It would be easy for me, and others, to say that only Democrats offer respite from Trump and his die-hard supporters, but that is hardly true. Nevertheless, third-party candidates are not viable under our electoral system. Yes, that system needs to change, but November is only months away, and a change as tectonic as that could take years.
Each candidate vying for the nomination has defects. I don’t mean to say that we should ignore these shortcomings or that we shouldn’t scrutinize our perspective leaders more than a next-door neighbor. To do so would be a dereliction of our civic duty and, in my view, unforgivable. There are still factions within each candidates’ base of support that will vote for their candidate and them only. Nearly 87% of Biden supporters and 90% of Warren supporters say they will vote for whoever wins the nomination. By contrast, only 53% of Sanders supporters say they will vote for whoever wins. It should be noted, however, that this is out of step with what Sanders has said on the campaign trail. He said, “If any of the women on this stage—or any of the men on this stage—win the nomination … I will do everything in my power to make sure that they are elected in order to defeat the most dangerous president in the history of our country.” I’m glad Sanders made his support unequivocal, but the dissension within his base, however unsurprising, is unacceptable nevertheless. For his supporters to hold a grudge against the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for perceived faults and to punish the country is unconscionable. To turn around and then support the president and his values is an inexcusable and treacherous betrayal of everything Sanders values.
It is also important to note that Sanders’ supporters not heeding the senator’s call to support the other Democratic nominees should he lose the primary once helped Trump win a presidential election already. In 2016, Trump won Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin by 77,744 ballots. 216,300 Americans who voted for Sanders in the primary election voted for Trump in the general election. Let that sink in. Had a mere 1/3 of Sanders’ primary supporters decided to not vote for Trump, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
The ridiculousness of our situation almost warrants a laugh. The President of the United States is a reality TV show host, his wife (number 3) is a supermodel, his kids still work for him, and his cabinet is littered with secretaries still under the “acting” title. All the while, he has bullied his way to the top, sustained a relentless attack on historical precedent and common decency, and has lied 16,241 times exactly (according to The Washington Post) since he announced his candidacy. If you haven’t sounded the alarm yet, it’s long past time to do so.
Are we really so naïve to think that, in spite of all that, this man is incapable of winning the White House again? His approval rating has ticked up to just below 45%, and nearly 62% of registered voters are “open to voting for Trump in 2020.” I wondered what more the man must do to upset his base. Doing so was exhausting, so I settled on “nothing.” His supporters adore him too much, and the iron grip he has on them is indefinite and unyielding.
That leaves the rest of us: the moderates on the left and right side of the political aisle, the solidly-blue Democrats, and those of the Social Democrat ilk. Without shame or fear of sounding dramatic, these last four political factions represent what is left of our democracy. The Congressional GOP has knelt before their self-anointed king, and Republicans and Conservatives across the country have followed suit. It’s grotesque.
Last March, conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens wrote that we need more “Sister Souljah” moments. According to Stephens, these are flashes of moral clarity, something we are in short supply of at the moment. Political partisanship must fade into the deep recesses of our minds, and the good of our country must come back into focus. If you are someone who wants Trump out of office, it is okay to be angry, and you should support your candidate. But are you — are we — willing to live through another four years of Donald Trump as President?
As we enter election season, do not ignore the flaws of the Party’s candidates, but instead appeal to your better angels. Find the strength to swallow your pride if your first choice does not win the nomination. I believe that you know, however deep down, that our standing in the world can slip more than it already has, and that you’re just as tired and angry as I am. You know that we can’t endure another four years like this. Use your anger and vote Blue. History is watching. •
