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.]