The Democratic convention has been off to a rocky start — an email scandal, the fall of Debbie Wasserman Schultz and plenty of protesters. Worst of all, however, has been the “Bernie or Bust” supporters. They pair an overly simple understanding of political realities with a childlike response to Sanders' primary losses. They have disrupted the convention, rejected the presumptive nominee and, ironically, have booed their own candidate for supporting Hillary Clinton. These ideologues fail to grasp that progressive politics in America can only survive through pragmatism and cooperation rather than sheer will and obstinance.
I should, at this point, mention that I am a Sanders supporter. I volunteered for his campaign, and I’ve written an article backing him for this paper. However, unlike the “Bernie or Bust” crowd, I now strongly support Clinton. I do this not because I like to bandwagon the strongest contender, but because when I look at the progressive movement, I see a movement not yet strong enough to stand on its own.
The progressive movement has come a long way since 2015. This movement has grown up and finally has some influence in the party. After all, 12 million votes isn’t anything to balk at. Yet the movement is still lacking. Progressives have not yet secured “down ticket” races, and the DNC clearly does not care all too much for us. This leaves us at a fork in the road — play the game and attempt to change the system from the inside out, or go down with the ship.
Certainly there is a glamor to the second option. Political martyrdom is attractive, flashy and makes for a good story. Realistically, however, this course of action would simply doom the progressive movement. The “Bernie or Bust” crowd claims that such a stand would solidify the place of progressives in the Democratic party. Instead, it only encourages the DNC to fight the insurrection by investing more money in political moderates rather than progressive politicians in the down ticket races. This would effectively block progressive politicians from having any political influence or legislative say. Not only that, but such a stand could seriously damage Clinton’s chances against Trump in November.
Trump, of course, is the antithesis of the progressive movement. He is against universal healthcare, cheaper college, LGBT rights and Roe v. Wade. He believes that climate change is a Chinese conspiracy, that vaccines can cause autism and that refugees, Muslims and immigrants are existential threats to American society. He is everything that this movement is not. Yet it seems that these “Bernie or Bust” supporters are fine with him being elected, for they have been fighting Clinton rather than fighting against the true threat: Trump.
Trump will be the end of the progressive movement in America if he is elected. He can veto our legislation, and he will appoint very conservative Supreme Court justices. He has the ability to make sure the progressive movement never recovers from the loss this election. We cannot let that happen.
So what is there to do? If fighting until November will result in the death of the progressive movement, then we must help Hillary Clinton win. That doesn’t mean we give up the fight for an equal place at the table, it simply means we live to fight another day. Regardless of how you feel about Clinton, Trump will destroy everything we stand for and everything we’ve fought for. Stand for what you believe in, but don’t die where you stand.