The Revolution will not be blue

The Democratic Party never wanted — and will never want — a Revolution

I recently started reading a book about Bernie Sanders’ run for the White House in 2016. The narrative runs on the premise that his campaign was doomed from the start. Not because he was up against a political juggernaut in Hillary Clinton, but because he chose to run as a Democrat rather than an Independent.

The book makes the argument that a political revolution cannot succeed while it relies upon a major pillar of the system it aims to take down.

I agree with the theory.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still fully on board Bernie’s Revolution, even as it fizzles toward an inevitable end. But as Joe Biden prepares to be named the 2020 Democratic Nominee, I’m left wondering whether or not Bernie’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns will end up leaving a permanent imprint on mainstream politics in the United States.

His impact on discourse within the Democratic Party is undeniable. It’s an enormous achievement that a formally “radical” domestic policy proposal like universal healthcare is now favorable on a national level. But will universal healthcare ever be taken seriously by Democratic lawmakers en masse? Or will it only be teased on debate stages every four years to garner support from the politically inactive and economically vulnerable?

One would think now — as we’re in the midst of the worst health crisis of the past 100 years — is the perfect time for Democratic lawmakers to urgently press for healthcare for all. But that’s not our reality.

I understand the sentiment behind wanting to play it safe when it comes to complicated and controversial policy proposals. I also find it a grave injustice that only a minority of the lawmakers claiming to represent everyone aren’t willing to step into the ring and fight for something that will universally protect health. That’s not public service, it’s self preservation.

So much of Democratic politi-talk operates in a realm of analogies. But what the public at large deserves is bluntness. The fact that Bernie consistently delivered it is why he garnered such tremendous support.

But his honesty was mostly focused on corporate corruption rather than the realities of the system he was attempting to navigate.

Do major corporations hold an egregious amount of political influence in this country? Yes. Does the Pharmaceutical Industry at large focus on profits before people? Evidence tells us yes. Was the Democratic Party ever going to nominate a presidential candidate who outwardly attacks a significant source of its monetary support? Definitely not.

I am a firm believer in the politics Bernie championed these past five years. However, I don’t hold the belief that those politics — the ones that call for basic human rights for all — can grow and eventually thrive within the modern Democratic Party.