Bernie’s Club

A reader commenting on my recent post – http://www.samwebb.org/bernies-victory-a-jump-start-to-recast-the-future/ – had this to say, “I have the impression that Sanders was not taken very seriously, in your quarter, until now. Welcome to the Bernie Club.”

What follows is part of my reply: I welcomed the campaign at the outset, but wondered about its ability to reach beyond the left and progressive community. Seems like it has and that’s very positive. At same time, I remain convinced – even more now with Scalia’s unexpected death – that the main strategic task is to defeat the efforts of the right to gain full control of the federal government. Which means, among other things, situating the Democratic Party and its presidential candidates within that context. To wit: I haven’t turned bashing Hillary into my favorite pastime, nor do I subscribe to “Bernie or Bust.”

I find that slogan to be another instance of the longstanding ailment of the left – narrowly constructed strategic and tactical thinking. And don’t think that I let the Communist Party off the hook in this regard. In fact, I said on more than one occasion when I was National Chair that such ideas were a considerable problem for us as well.