The Demorats' Opportunity To Embrace A Progressive Majority

The recent accelerated attacks on the Sanders' candidacy emanating from various representatives from the erstwhile Democratic establishment have reached a fevered pitch and now must be called out. A favored tact has been to drawn a false equivalence with Trump in terms of Sanders' alleged role as an intrusive outsider exacting his will on the established order. A cursory reference to his actual record will reveal that, unlike Trump who had no government experience prior to his entry into elective politics prior to 2016, Sanders has been a member of Congress since 1991, has loyally caucused as a Democrat throughout his career, sponsored or co-sponsored 221 pieces of legislation that became law, and has campaigned vigorously for a wide range of Democratic candidates for 30 years. To suggest that Bernie Sanders is somehow disloyal to and apart from the Democratic Party is to ignore his history of dedicated service to the country from the left side of the aisle. As Sanders often says, his candidacy is not about him but rather merely a reflection of a grass-roots movement that has evolved through recent years to offer innovative solutions to the challenges of our times and to afford the Democratic Party the opportunity to expand their base of support to include an emerging and diverse coalition of citizens that now comprises the majority will of its constituents. The progressive ideas as articulated by Sanders and also by Elizabeth Warren represent the people's desire for fundamental change in our society; it is now time for the Democratic Party to recognize, honor, and embody this movement with courage and pride.