Are You Just stupid?
Call her crooked, but at least she’s not an imbecile.
Here we go! It’s time to get excited for another night of the DNC where things are looking good— except for the #BernieOrBust folks.
On Monday night, actress, comedian, and former Saturday Night Live cast member Sarah Silverman took to the podium with Minnesota Senator and former comedian Al Franken to try and get some party unity. But that failed miserably, and why? Because there are a group of thick-skulled, selfish, uneducated people who seem to only be happy when they’re fighting. I’m talking about the unreachable people still swearing that Sanders will take the White House. Bruh, chill.
During her speech, Silverman said, “Hillary Clinton is our Democratic nominee and I will proudly vote for her,” to which #BernieOrBust people started booing. That’s right, booing their fellow Berner who came out in support of Clinton — just as Senator Sanders asked. Silverman, not one to take shit sitting down, addressed the crowd booing her: “Can I just say to the Bernie or Bust people, you’re being ridiculous.”
This also came after Sanders was booed in the DNC opening prayer for endorsing Clinton. Yeah, his own supporters booed him. He even sent out a text: “I ask you as a personal courtesy to me to not engage in any kind of protest on the floor. It’s of utmost important you explain this to your delegates.”
It isn’t just the boos that are frustrating, nor is the knowledge that without party unity we have no chance in hell of beating Donald Trump. It’s the fact that despite being so passionate about Sanders and his movement, the unreachable’s are going directly against his wishes.
The fact is this: Sanders fought hard and inspired many people. He was able to bring progressive issues to the table which in turn forced Clinton to adapt or flounder. She adapted well enough to have Sanders back her. If that isn’t what #BernieOrBust people wanted, than what do they want?
Do they want a nation where children of immigrants and foreign-born persons do not receive the same treatment as everyone else? Do they want women to lose the right to choose what they do with their bodies? Do they want queer people to lose our God-given right to marry? Because this is just the tip of the iceberg, the surface stuff. Forget foreign policy, national debt, environmental issues…But wait, it’s not about that right? It’s about the way our system works.
Many people are claiming that they hate the two party system and that neither candidate’s party supports their views. That is all fine and dandy, but why bring this up now? Let me rephrase. Why come out in support of a third party only when your candidate loses? Is it some warped sense of pride, or just the fact that Clinton is a woman? Because let’s be honest here, if these Berners really were all about a third party they would be voting to get party members elected in state and local government. But as we can so plainly see, that isn’t the case. So just to be clear, here are some facts about third parties and the bull crap y’all #BernieOrBust people are forgetting:
Since 1900, there have only been 19 third party candidates elected in a senatorial race. That isn’t 19 in the last year, decade, or even century. It is 19 people in the last 116 years.
And, in similar fashion, there have only ever been 111 third party members elected to the House of Representatives elected since 1877 —and that number includes Representatives who went on to join a major party.
In many cases, these representatives set in office as either Republican or Democrat after winning on a third party ticket. In the modern era of politics, 1945–2010, only three members have remind consistently in a third party. They are Senator Sanders and Delegate Victor Frazer (I- V.I.) who only sat two years from 1995–97.
As for the presidential race, the results are far more clear. Since 1856, there have only been 15 candidates who earned above five percent of the vote. The average percent of votes these presidential hopefuls won was somewhere in the are of 11 percent. The average number of votes from the electoral college rounds out to somewhere around 21.5, which isn’t anywhere near enough to make a dent.
So there it is, the figures as they’ve been recorded. So tell me how passionate you are about a third party and why, if that were true, you haven’t elected a third party to Congress where there is a greater need for a multi-party system? Please explain to me how you are willing to toss out all that Sanders has worked for, all that he has done to try and help disenfranchised people live equitable, dignified lives.
Don’t worry, I’ll wait.
