this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2025
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AOC is definitely doing what you've said. But while some of what Sanders is doing is that, I think the important difference is that he's actually going around to people who have historically disagreed with him and saying, "This is how the people you voted for are betraying that vote. We need to work together to stop them." We need both from the DNC, especially depending on their constituents.
But I was told that the Harris campaign trying to court traditionally Republican voters was a mistake.
I get your /s, but bruh. Harris going on tour with the Cheneys was a terrible mistake. Bernie holding rallies and town halls in poor red districts and explaining to people how the richest man in the world bought the presidency to literally rob them of what little they have, not a mistake. There is a huge difference between the two.
Courting by trying to be republican lite instead of courting them with alternatives.
^^^this. All of it.
There is a difference between explaining how someone is getting screwed and saying you'll fight with them against getting screwed and saying you're a more friendly version of the person that's about to screw you.
because Harris tried to court them by doubling down on xenophobia, transphobia and a genocide, instead of trying to unite them with the fact that our true enemy has always been the corporate billionaires who own our politicians. There's an obvious reason why the Harris campaign didn't go with that message, which I leave as an exercise for the reader.
Trump voters, more or less, face the same economic issues we do. They just don't understand them, and they don't understand why voting for fascism isn't going to fix those issues. Trying to get them to understand is an excellent and admirable goal. I'm not certain Bernie will succeed, nor do I have the patience to support him in this endeavor any more, but I wish him luck. I also don't think it will matter anymore, as Republicans have already said they're ignoring their constituency, and I don't think we'll have fair and free elections ever again.
Now, what are the softer conservatives (non-MAGAs) going to say in response to that? Obviously it remains to be seen; maybe a lot, maybe not much yet. But I bet it'll help someday.
It was. They didn't hold their base. Also, they decided to "court" the intolerant, even tho there might be some tolerant, but traditionally Republican, voters.
Bernie is doing it in a way that doesn't alienate his base. He's not pretending to be something he's not, and is approaching Republican voters with authenticity. He's not betraying his values or the values of his base. If you can't see the difference, I'm not sure how to help you.
Which Bernie base are you talking about because the ones from 2016 and 2020 definitely believe he betrayed his base and all of their values both times?
You mean by endorsing Hillary and Biden? I had the impression that it was a minority of Bernie's supporters that felt that was an unforgivable betrayal, though of course I could be wrong. Personally I don't agree with those decisions and wouldn't have done that were I in Bernie's place, but it isn't enough for Bernie to lose my support and I suspect many others feel the same way.