Michael Tomasky is someone I barely stomach and do not understand why he is still writing at the NYRB. He is a corporate Democrat who thinks he is still the same guy he was when writing at the Village Voice over 25 years ago. His analysis in the latest NYRB is fine as far as it goes. However, he fails to see that Sanders' primary strategy is to build a movement. And I am starting to think Sanders will want Nina Turner at the head of the DNC if he gets the nomination. She will build that movement through the Democratic Party, which will coalesce with progressive groups. To think McConnell, if he continues to lead the US Senate, can do to Sanders what he did to Obama is not as correct as Tomasky assumes if the movement Bernie is creating behaves as I hope it can. On the other hand, McConnell will be effective in stopping a legislative agenda from Warren or Biden because both do not believe in movements, but conference room negotiations.
This is a moment for those of us who think, What would I do in 1860 or 1932? Well, if you are not voting for Sanders in this year's primary, you are not voting for Lincoln or FDR, I can say that much. Me? I stand with the kids.
I do agree with Tomasky that the Democratic Party, as currently constituted, may not hold. It may go the way of the 19th Century Antebellum era Whigs, splitting this time not sectionally (Northern and Southern Whigs split), but over how to respond to a corporate capitalism which is behaving in monopolistic and oligopolistic ways, and ways in which these economic royalists are increasingly willing to jettison our Republic's open government to protect their wealth-based positions.
Again, this is a moment. Which side are you on, folks?
