American people needs their own party
When Senator Bernie Sanders announced to enter into the race for the democratic presidential nomination year ago, political pundits and commentators right him off. Nobody really thought that he will come this close to win the nomination. Sanders argued that a campaign “paid for by the people, not the billionaires” could upset expectations and begin a political revolution. By many measures, he has succeeded wildly: attracting huge crowds to rallies; drawing millions of young people and disenchanted voters to the polls; driving critical issues into the campaign; and winning 22 contests, 11 million votes, and about 1,800 pledged delegates so far. This is a remarkable achievement by the Sanders campaign. Bernie Sanders campaign jolted the Democratic Party establishment and they did everything possible for them to do to get nomination for Clinton. The undemocratic primary rules in many states help the party establishment to win these primaries for Clinton. And they have done so with all the formidable tools at their disposal. These include the undemocratic superdelegates, the skewed debate schedule, top-down control of caucus processes, voter disenfranchisement, and media smear campaigns. The latest of the coordinated media assaults tried to portray Sanders supporters as “violent” and compared them to Trump supporters because they dared to object to the undemocratic shenanigans at the Nevada state convention.
What is different in this election year has been Bernie Sanders’ challenge to this establishment and its multi-millionaire base. Meanwhile, the base of Bernie’s campaign has been informed by a fundamentally changed political landscape characterized by a growing revolt against neoliberal politics for the rich – from the Occupy Wall Street movement to the Fight for $15 to Black Lives Matter. In this new period, the left insurgent campaign of this self-described democratic socialist stands in stark contrast to Clinton’s Wall Street-blessed one. Not only because Sanders accepts no corporate money and has an average donation of just $27, but because of his powerful demands in favor of the working masses and lower middle class – such as free college education, Medicare for all, breaking up the big banks – which are all completely unacceptable to the Democratic Party leadership.
Bernie Sanders recently stated: “The Democratic Party has a choice. It can open its doors and welcome into the party people who are prepared to fight for real economic and social change – people who are willing to take on Wall Street, corporate greed and a fossil fuel industry which is destroying this planet. Or the party can choose to maintain its status quo structure, remain dependent on big-money campaign contributions and be a party with limited participation and limited energy.” Bernie Sanders correctly analyse the Democratic party and its leadership. But it is very clear that party establishment wants to maintain the status quo and its current policies of neoliberalism and free market economy. Democratic party willing to defend the interests of the millionaires not the millions. So every effort to reform the Democratic party will end up nowhere. Party establishment will give some concessions to bernie Sanders campaign in the DNC. But pro- rich right wing leadership will keep its control through the undemocratic rules. The party leadership wants to get the support of the Sanders and its supporters for Clinton against Trump. Bernie Sanders will have to make the decision whether to support Clinton or to run as independent candidate in November presidential elections. The party establishment will try everything possible for them to stop Sanders running as independent candidate. They will use some progressives in the party to convince Sanders not to stand and instead support Hillary. In the coming weeks it will not only be adamant Clinton supporters and corporate media pundits calling for “party unity,” it will increasingly be major progressive leaders as well. This could even include some prominent Bernie supporters for the first time hinting that they might support Hillary, though the worst of this will likely wait until the DNC in July in Philadelphia. One can expect to see an increase in all such attempts to force Sanders supporters in line, including calls to the Bernie or Bust movement for “peace”, “order” and “unity” at the Democratic Convention in late July.
It will be difficult decision. Many Sander supporters are not going to support Hillary even if Sanders announced to do so. If he decided to stand as an independent than he will attract most of the left wing and radical voters. The other option is to run on the Green party ticket along with Dr. Jill Steins. But we have to wait till the DNC in July that what decision Bernie Sanders is going to make.
In the whole history of the United States, there has rarely been a moment with more potential to launch a party based explicitly on the interests of working people and the poor. What is missing are forces with enough weight which are ready to commit. Bernie Sanders campaign has highlighted the fact that majority of young people and many workers are looking for an alternate. There is increased radicalization in the layers of the society. They are interested in progressive and radical anti capitalist politics and movement. There is widespread discontent against the political establishment and two party system. More than half of the young voters in a recent survey said that they have lost trust in the political system and both parties represent the interests of the capitalist class. It is a high time to launch the party of the working people and the poor. Working class need a fundamentally different kind of party. A party that like Bernie takes no corporate money and completely rejects corporate influence. Working class people and poor can bring a real political revolution through their own party. Bernie Sander can play important role in the formation of such party but he has break link with the Democratic Party. Working class people and layers of middle class can create a new history in America.