I’ve a lot of discourse online about how the Democratic Party held back Bernie Sanders from becoming president in 2016 & 2020 during the primaries. But my question to that is, are primaries not decided by the voters to get the most delegates? If the people didn’t vote for him, how is that the Dems’ fault?
A counter I see for that is that Dems endorsed his primary opponent to sway the vote. I dont really think that would have much impact on committed voters. Trump got almost no help in the primaries in 2016 and still won.
Is this narrative true and I’m just oblivious?
The 2016 republican primaries were like a game of plinko. I forget the exact number, but it was something like 40 people trying to get the nomination. And they were all mostly heavy hitters in the republican world. My guess before everything played out, was it would be Jeb Bush. I thought that made the most logical sense. My mistake was thinking the 2016 republican nomination had any logic involved. People kept dropping out, and eventually trump was the only one not stubborn enough to drop out. He had no political career it could harm, and he wasn’t expecting to win. So fuck it. Go all the way, lose, and you still made a bunch of donation money. Do it again in 2020. Just as he had already done in 2000 and 2008.
Except this time…he won.
And then the democrats went with Hillary of all people. Which everybody hated. So trump won.
And 2024, the democrats went with Harris, which large important groups hated. She used to be district attorney, in charge of punishing people for having weed. She also was tied at the hip the last 4 years to Biden, whom everybody hates, and mostly for his stance on Israel. So, she got lumped into that camp. So while EVERYONE didn’t hate her, a large group did. And you run the same formula. Trump running against a woman who a large number of people won’t vote for. 2016, and 2024.
Honestly, I’m so fucking jealous of how transparently GOP primaries are run (or were - I suspect Trump is going to try and start a dynasty now).
In 2016 someone who was the brother and son of previous presidents ran and lost the GOP primary. Can you imagine how hard the system will be rigged if it’s ever AoC vs. Chelsea Clinton?!
…at this point, I’ve mentally checked out. I know that doesn’t carry much weight since you don’t know me, but I’m someone who’s 41 years old and turned down higher paying jobs to keep the low paying job I have all because the job I have now actually helps people rather than profits. I work at an airport, as a mobility assistant. It pays a low wage. However, if your 95 year old grandma wants to come visit for the holidays, or if your dementia riddled father needs to come see you, I’m there with a wheelchair and make it possible for them to navigate these long hallways. For YEARS I’ve taken the financial hit, knowing I’m making the world a better place. Tuesday was like being hit in the balls. I make the personal sacrifice to not be able to do certain things I want in life, so others can enjoy a better life. In my mind maybe that will inspire other people to help others. And if everybody begins to think of everyone else, maybe we can have a world that isn’t so full of shit.
No.
Instead, I’m shown county by county, which areas in Florida are most heavily occupied by Latino-American citizens, heavily voting for trump. It wasn’t some “some like him, some don’t”. No, this is in those counties a landslide. The man who said in 2016 that he wanted to build a wall to keep Mexicans out. The man who used ICE to seperate and kill families in metal detainment boxes in 115 degree weather. The man who is openly racist on TV. THAT’S who they voted for??? The man who isn’t even hiding it. He’s outright been telling people that he’ll make 2024 the last election you need to vote in. His PUBLIC words, not mine. And it’s not just the Latinos. It’s ALL of America. Of every race. I just picked Latinos as the example because it’s absolutely baffling that they of all people picked him. It would be like Jews voting for Hitler.
So now, I’m looking at this world, and thinking "THIS is the world I’m trying to make a better place??? I’m going to stick my neck out and try to help an entire nation that just overwhelmingly picked racism, facism, and a dictatorship as part of the campaign promises??? Ok. Fuck it. I guess maybe I should have been selfish all along. I guess when I looked at the rest of the world, being selfish the last 20 years, I thought maybe I could inspire the world to be better when I died, and less selfish. Nope. I’m wrong. Fuck Earth, and fuck humans.
I understand all of that. But why didn’t people vote for Bernie in 2016 & 2020?
I’m beginning to think you might be trolling based on your responses. In case I’m wrong…
The simple answer to your question was that people who voted in the Democratic Party primary didn’t want him to be their nominee. Of course you’re asking why.
In 2020, Sanders had the lead and the party leaders decided “guys, we can’t run a Socialist Jew against Donald Trump, so we need to pick a candidate and go with him.” A ton of people vying for the nomination dropped out and endorsed Biden. Their supporters voted according to the endorsements and we ended up getting Joe Biden.
ETA: To be clear the Democratic Party is a private organization and they can do whatever they want. It’s completely within their rights to say “we need to stop Bernie Sanders” and put in action a plan to do just that.
To be clear the Democratic Party is a private organization and they can do whatever they want. It’s completely within their rights to say “we need to stop Bernie Sanders” and put in action a plan to do just that.
Legally speaking, yes. Ethically, fuck no. When they admitted Bernie into the party so he could run in their primary, they created a huge chain of events that involved thousands of people and millions of dollars. It’s wrong for them to allow such a charade to go on if they have no intention of honoring their own voters.
