I find
it interesting that most of those posting the snarkiest comments and memes about
Bernie Sanders getting cheated are not his disappointed supporters (whose posts
are generally more measured), but those who would never have voted for him and regularly rage against whatever
definition of socialism fits their particular point of pique at the moment.
Trumpeters made the same charges earlier in the year, only the RNC was less
successful in derailing his train.
I’m not
defending rigging the game, mostly because it subverts democracy. But neither
should anyone be shocked. The reason that the DNC sabotaged Sanders was
because, wait for it, HE WAS NOT A DEMOCRAT. Why would
we think a national party, which is not a neutral arbitrator or referee, would
support someone who did not belong to the party? Sanders ran for the Democratic
nomination not because he was a loyal Democrat, but because he knew that running as an independent would get him
neither the platform nor publicity for his ideas. He’d have remained that
quirky senator from Vermont.
Donald
Trump’s candidacy followed a similar arc. The RNC opposed him because he was
not viewed as a Republican, loyal or otherwise. The so-called loyalty pledge was aimed squarely at him. And really, did anyone believe he would have stuck to that pledge? Later down the campaign trail he pretty much guaranteed he would not. My guess is (and because this
is America, there is no need for proof) there are similarly incriminating
emails out there from Republican poohbahs.
What I find most disconcerting, besides the easy accessibility
and lack of security surrounding emails, is that so many people naively assume
that what they write in an email will remain confidential.
