Final Reflections on the 2016 Democratic National Convention

REFLECTIONS ON THE 2016 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

The 2016 Democratic National Convention was very exhilarating and a whirlwind of activities.  As I reflect on my experiences, I found my exposure to political, media and entertainment stars an unexpected thrill, but what meant the most to me was the intelligence, fraternity and conviction of the Bernie delegates, both inside and outside of the Convention – to the leader of their movement and the very important issues he and they continue to champion. I am encouraged by the activism of these passionate patriots and am grateful for the independents and young people the Bernie campaign attracted to help fight the corruption and entrenchment of a system so dependent on money where corporations have no limit on how much they can donate thanks to the Citizens' United Supreme Court decision.  Not only did I witness history in the first nomination of a woman to be President of the United States, but also witnessed the beginning of a powerful movement that hopefully will awaken more Americans to the problems of our democracy and motivate them to be part of the necessary change.

I believe the Democratic Party succeeded in making a very expensive and environmentally insensitive (the whole over the top balloon drop) commercial for Hillary Clinton which has produced the sought after important post-convention bump in the polls. 

I and I’m sure the vast TV audience heard very inspiring speeches by Michelle and Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Rev. William Barker, Khizr Khan, Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and others.  The party’s messages of love trumps hate, unity and stronger together came through via the signs, speakers and the media reports, but there were other less reported things going on during the convention that I experienced and would like to share.  Please read the following article to see what things looked like to an articulate CA Bernie delegate, much of which I observed and some of which I participated in (planning meetings, holding up No More War, No TPP and No Fracking signs and wearing a neon green t-shirt the last day of the Convention),

First night 

and to understand why Sanders Berners kept up the heat! http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/why_sanders_berners_kept_up_the_heat_20160802

Two articles further describe the convention as a whole from different perspectives which I found interesting and hope you will as well.  Professional writers and journalists do a much better job than I could!

http://commondreams.org/views/2016/08/02/dnc-achieved-unity-through-forced-conformity-and-.manufactured-consent

http://michaelsalamone.com/a-tale-of-two-conventions/  

And finally, Jim Hightower evaluates what progressives achieved and provides a glimpse of the future.

-It lifted: from the political scrap heap up to the top of our national discourse — the concerns of middle- and low-income families: creating good, middle-class jobs through a national program of infrastructure repair and development of the green economy; enacting a $15 minimum wage; removing crushing education debt from the backs of students; coping with the imminent crisis of climate change; repealing the Supreme Court's democracy-destroying Citizens United edict; implementing pay equity for women; stopping the war machine's constant adventurism; expanding Social Security; providing Medicare for all; halting the unjust mass incarceration of African Americans and Latinos; defunding the disastrous drug war; demilitarizing our police forces; replenishing our public treasury by taxing Wall Street speculators; and generally restoring economic fairness, social justice, and equal opportunity for all as central purposes of public policy.-

Read more about what was accomplished in his article below:

http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/jim-hightower-the-populist-insurgency-is-ratcheting-up

People want to know – I’m not going Green.  I will stay in the Democratic Party and work for progressive change within.  As I’ve done for years I will work with my county Democratic Central Committee to register voters (which in California means primarily Democrats!) and will donate to the extent I can and work for progressive Democratic Congressional candidates.  I will continue to be a Co-Chair of the San Mateo County Democracy for America Democratic club, a progressive group that strives to support progressive candidates and issues by public education, activism and lobbying local legislators.  Also, I have been encouraging CA Bernie supporters to run for local office and to continue to educate people about the issues we care about.  I will check out Brand New Congress (a group begun by former Bernie staffers) and the Bernie campaign follow-up group, Our Revolution, and will likely join those efforts to support Berniecrats.  I am hopeful that the newly invigorated grassroots will gradually take hold and grow – until the corporations no longer are able to control our government and it works “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”  And, though it won’t matter much in blue California, I probably will vote for Hillary while strongly hoping she will work for the end of corruption and our oligarchy and energetically seek peace and justice as well as a healthy society and planet.

No more war!