03 May 2019

Indivisible

On April 25 an organization called Indivisible released the Indivisible Pledge, a code of action offered to both candidates and rank-and-file Democrats to avoid the kinds of divisions which plagued us in 2016.  It asks us to commit to the following:

1. Make the primary constructive. We'll make the primary election about our hopes for the future, and a robust debate of values, vision and the contest of ideas. We'll remain grounded in our shared values, even if we support different candidates.

2. Rally behind the winner. We'll support the ultimate Democratic nominee, whoever it is -- period. No Monday morning quarterbacking. No third-party threats.

3. Do the work to beat Trump. We’re the grassroots army that’s going to power the nominee to victory, and we'll show up to make calls, knock doors, and do whatever it takes
.

Of our numerous Presidential candidates, it asks them to commit themselves to this:

1. Make the primary constructive. I'll respect the other candidates and make the primary election about inspiring voters with my vision for the future.

2. Rally behind the winner. I'll support the ultimate Democratic nominee, whoever it is -- period. No Monday morning quarterbacking. No third-party threats. Immediately after there's a nominee, I'll endorse.

3. Do the work to beat Trump. I will do everything in my power to make the Democratic Nominee the next President of the United States. As soon as there is a nominee, I will put myself at the disposal of the campaign
.

This is the kind of spirit we need.  I'm glad to say that in barely over a week, a dozen of our candidates have signed the pledge.  Sanders was the first, soon joined by Booker, Buttigieg, Warren, Harris, Gillibrand, and several more.  Rachel Maddow has this report:

We can't afford to risk being divided by whatever objections anyone has to this or that candidate, including the objections I have -- and I have several, to some of them.  Getting rid of Trump is too important.  The inevitable duds who show up in the comments every time a blogger writes a post like this, insisting it's OK for them to vote third party because blah blah or they simply can't support candidate X because blah blah or we're doomed to lose if we choose someone too radical or someone too mainstream or too whatever -- those people are AWOL on the D-Day of American democracy.  Persuade them if you can -- otherwise, forget them, write them off.  The rest of us will simply have to work harder to compensate.  The worst of the Democratic candidates, whoever you consider that to be, would be a thousand times better than Trump.  Let's get this done.

[Image at top:  Democrats celebrate Obama's re-election in 2012.  We'll have reason to celebrate even more in 2020.]

10 Comments:

Blogger Mary said...

Very important.
If trump wins, we are screwed as a country and it will take many years to recover.

04 May, 2019 04:33  
Blogger Les Carpenter said...

No longer a party member (was a registered republican until 12 years ago) and will never again belong to any party I must say I fully support the spirit of the Individual Pledge. There is nothing so important as defeating Trump. Our democratic republic's future may very well depend on it.

04 May, 2019 05:16  
Blogger bluzdude said...

I'm in on this 100%. It will take nothing less than Democrats' total united effort to overcome the deck being stacked against us through gerrymandering, Russian disinformation campaigns and blatant voter suppression tactics.

Any of the Democratic nominees will work to undo the abominations performed against this country by the Trump administration.

He needs to go, and we need to retain the House and if possible, take the Senate. All three pieces are necessary if we want to put the country back on a sane and worker-friendly agenda.

04 May, 2019 07:22  
Blogger Ranch Chimp said...

I already checked off most of the Democratic candidates that are running, but instead of writing negative posts about them, I'm just going to write positive posts about the one(s) that I support, as well as avoiding the bitch- fights. I don't need a pledge of any kind, I KNOW for fact/ without doubt, that whoever the Democratic Nominee is, I'll be voting for them. And unlike many, I actually don't hate Trump, even though I may sound like it at times. I just think that he's not good as a President, and does not represent all he should. I also think he lies alot, and I mean like REALLY alot, it seems like he can't even remember from one month to the next, what he stands for, or who he really likes, or can't go a month without wanting to fire someone, that he liked a few weeks ago and praised, he seem's confused, or at least he confuses me. I even think he makes a few good points when speaking, but it's clear he doesn't even slightly practice what he sayz. And when he does act on something, he's kind of wreckless, acting too fast without thinking it out, or discussing it thoroughly with experts. I mean ... that's what you have experts and advisers for, so you can ask them for their input and weigh all options, including consequences, because being a President, isn't only about yourself and your opinion. He seems to run the Presidency like one of his game or reality shows (not sure what they're called), where he just sits around firing everyone ... kind of weird, especially coming from his affluent background and such.

04 May, 2019 07:33  
Blogger Debra She Who Seeks said...

Good strategy!

04 May, 2019 08:33  
Blogger Ami said...

I can't disagree with the pledge and the idea behind it.
But the cynic in me says, 'Yeah, sure, they'll stick to that.'
I'm crossing my fingers that things will improve, but I'm cynical because things don't improve much. Ever.

04 May, 2019 12:47  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Thanks for the comments and your thoughts about this. They support my sense that this time most Democrats (and others who are appalled by Trump) recognize how deadly serious the situation is, and the need for unity to deal with it.

Ami: At least by signing a pledge, they're under greater pressure to stick with it.

I'm cynical because things don't improve much. Ever.

Slavery is gone. Women got the vote. The military draft and compulsory national service (forms of slavery) are gone. Laws criminalizing homosexuality are gone. Gay marriage is here, and here to stay. We went from Jim Crow to a black President in half a century. Things do improve, a lot. People just need to work for those improvements instead of being cynical.

04 May, 2019 15:32  
Blogger jenny_o said...

Word.

I can't vote, but I'm cheering from the sidelines! Or the north line. Or something like that.

04 May, 2019 21:55  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Thanks -- it must be difficult having a southern neighbor that seems to have gone crazy.

05 May, 2019 08:18  
Blogger Nan said...

YES!

06 May, 2019 10:17  

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