HMMMMM...

Despite history (Dems losing presidential elections due to factionalism and purity tests) (and I include myself in 1968, but I learned my lesson), despite the overwhelming damage done under Reagan and W whose administrations weakened or in many cases destroyed unions and progressive government programs in place since FDR and LBJ, despite the losses of 2000 and 2016, many of my friends are posting vitriol aimed at Biden and his supporters today because of their disappointment over Bernie's not doing as well as they expected and desired. And some others are gloating over Biden's unexpected surge, with vitriol toward Bernie and his supporters.

I'm disappointed that it's down to two old white guys, and wanted Warren to be the nominee for many reasons that some of my Bernie supporting friends dismiss due to her not passing all the purity tests and her personal imperfections etc. But Bernie was my second choice (I'm in Jersey so I haven't gotten to vote yet) despite his poor record on achieving a lot of the things he and I are for, as well as his lack of support for gun law reforms and reparations for the descendants of Africans brought here as slaves and other issues and policies I care about.

And despite Biden's flubs and bad decisions over his years in politics, I know people who have dealt with him in different situations who told me he was nothing but kind and thoughtful and humble, as opposed to those I know who have dealt with Bernie in situations where he came across to them as grumpy and impatient and unfriendly. And unfortunately personality is a factor.

But being a human with flaws that I'm not proud of, and decisions and choices and actions I've taken in my life I wish I'd done differently, I try to accept that no one will match my own political purity tests and don't want to let my disappointments in any Democrat or the party's tactics or strategies or lack of them make me attack any candidate or their supporters because that's what got us Nixon and Reagan and W and the current situation. (Though I have been guilty of posting reactions to the debate performances that might have been seen as attacks.)

One of the reasons a lot of young voters give for not coming out in the numbers Bernie and his supporters were predicting and hoping for, is their having been convinced by social media and friends that there's no hope in party politics and voting. All who contribute to that cynicism by equating anyone but their candidate with the current president or who echoe the idea of "they're all corrupt" or "there's not a dime's worth of difference" between Dems and Repubs, or so-called "moderate" or "centrist" Dems and the 2020 Repubs, should then be willing to accept partial responsibility for another four years of hell for too many let alone the earth itself. If that be our fate.