Look, I have no problem with the idea that Hillary cashed in with a book.  Who among us wouldn’t, given the opportunity?  And, having determined to take the money, she had to write SOMETHING.  I DO wish she had written about something more innocuous.  Maybe a children’s story, ‘The Bad Little Candidate’.  I don’t know, maybe throwing gas on the fire between Progressives and Democrats seemed like the right idea in the moment.  She has a lot of those – things that seemed like a good idea in the moment for which she has to offer mea culpa later.

Then again, maybe now IS the time to get it out there.  If it’s a fight we’re going to have – and, apparently, it is, perhaps it better to have it now and get it out of the way.  Each side has staked out their position.  Progressives are stating quite clearly that they need a party that represents Progressive values.  Democrats are stating quite clearly that the Democratic party is not that place.  I have to admit, I don’t understand the Democratic thinking on this.

We already have a party that kowtows to corporations and rich people, the Republitarians.  Why would the Democrats think a second party with the same message will do well?  Do they really think the lack of racism is the key?  I guess, if I had to choose, I would agree that inclusive oppression is marginally better than racist oppression but the operative word, here, seems to be “oppression.”

The Democrats are STILL trying to convince someone other than themselves that “more of the same” and “incremental baby steps” is the right message in an environment where people can’t earn enough money to take proper care of their families.  But the masses are getting angrier.  Hell, even the party loyalists are angry, they just refuse to indict the Democrats along with the Republicans (because…loyalists) so they point their fingers in any and every other direction hoping something will stick – then they get furious when someone points out the flaws in their collective thinking.

I’m sure Hillary’s book will do well.  Democrats will go out and buy three copies each to ensure the book does well.  They’ll all nod in agreement.  Darn Bernie.  Darn Putin.  Except for the parts that weren’t, it was the perfect campaign.  Hillary did make one point I found illustrative.  Bernie isn’t a Democrat.  She’s quick to add that she didn’t mean that as a smear…like not being a Democrat could be a smear.

But I realized she had accidentally revealed the underlying reason for the DNC to get busy tinkering with the outcome of the primary: Bernie isn’t a Democrat.  See, if you’re in the party, the party can dictate terms.  You’ll do as you’re told or you’ll lose funding and other kinds of support.  But Bernie isn’t in the party.  He doesn’t need them and he doesn’t need their funding.  If the party can’t control the candidate, he might just do something that benefits Americans – even though it may not be in the party’s best interest.  Can’t have that.  Party first!

Apparently, we now live in an era where benefiting Americans is not an option.

I’ll tell you this: I wonder how many more “elections” the Democrats are going to have to lose before they realize that parroting the Republicans does them no good.  I also wonder where the hell Progressives are going to go in the meantime…