Robert Reich: If Bernie Sanders Isn’t the Democratic Nominee, Fight for Hillary Clinton

In response to prodding from fellow Bernie Sanders reporters, Robert Reich urged his fellow Sanders fans to “continue to work like hell for Bernie” — and to do the same for Hillary Clinton if she wins the Democratic presidential nomination.

“Don’t demonize or denigrate Hillary Clinton,” Reich wrote in a post on Facebook. “If she wins the Democratic nomination, I urge you to work like hell for her. She’ll be the only person standing between Donald Trump and the presidency of the United States. Besides, as I’ve said before, she’ll be an excellent president for the system we now have, even though Bernie would be the best president for the system we need.”

“Never, ever give up fighting against the increasing concentration of wealth and power at the top, which is undermining our democracy and distorting our economy,” Reich continued. “That means, if Hillary Clinton is elected, I urge you to turn Bernie’s campaign into a movement — even a third party — to influence elections at the state level in 2018 and the presidency in 2020. No movement to change the allocation of power succeeds easily or quickly. We are in this for the long haul.”

The post upset many of Reich’s readers. Facebook user Noah Skocilich responded: “No. Hillary is a monster, and the souls of the millions dead in Iraq, Libya, and Honduras because of us require us to say so loudly.” His comment was “liked” 5,000 times.

In a response that was liked 2,600 times, Facebook user Cynthia Gurin wrote:

Sorry. Not happening. The DNC is shilling for its weakest candidate, convinced she will allow their corruption to continue unimpeded, self assured that the public will be forced to vote for her simply to avoid Trump. What is effectively a hostage situation cannot be allowed to continue. We have to take a stand. Right here. Right now. The entire world needs to know that the DNC has two choices. Bernie by a landslide or Trump by default if they continue to ignore what every pollster on the planet is finally beginning to figure out. Hillary is a deeply flawed, widely reviled candidate with a terrifying history of seriously bad judgment.

And in a response that received 2,200 likes, Brandon Brudvik wrote:

Your second and third points contradict each other. Clinton’s economic policy is at least as likely as Trump’s to further consolidate wealth into the hands of the few. We need one party working for the people, not two parties working toward an oligarchy. Fighting like hell for the Democrats isn’t going to make them start suddenly giving a shit about us when up until now it’s always been “Hey, at least we’re not Republicans, right?” What will influence elections in the coming years? Abandoning the Democratic Party until they quit abandoning us. Allow Clinton to lose. Trump promised to make America great again. Obviously he’ll fail, but when he does, his supporters will abandon him. Clinton has pretty much said “Things are good as they are” and can win her reelection with zero progress, with many areas regressing actually. Then, when the voters are deciding on our next leader in 2024, they’ll be looking at a failed Clinton presidency, blame Democrats, and elect a better Republican than Trump. A Republican who will win a reelection. Then we’re looking at 16 years until we see a POSSIBLY improved Democratic Party. I’d rather watch Trump fuck up for a few years and see Warren run in 2020. The damage Trump will cause in four years does not outweigh the damage I see being done to the economy, to the general population’s acceptance of left wing ideals, and to the Democratic Party that eight years of Clinton will do.

And they’re equally as likely to start World War 3.

Thanks to Raw Story for the tip.

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.