​The Platform Wars: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

​The Platform Wars: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

What does the newly defined DNC platform mean for the progressive movement?

19
​The Platform Wars: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Salon

Recently, the Democratic National Committee released a summary of their revised platform to be implemented throughout the next four to eight years. It was written by surrogates for both the Clinton and Sanders campaigns as well as DNC Chairwoman and walking contradiction Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and, sweet mother of God is there a lot to talk about. The fact that Bernie Sanders got a say at all is a huge victory for the progressive movement and Team Revolution, especially considering the DNC has never really liked him. The platform, which hasn’t been officially adopted yet, has outlined some positions that are a pretty good step forward for the Democratic Party and are really admirable. The thing is, it also has some really telling policies on the state of the Democratic Party.

The Good:

A Fight for Fifteen

Hillary Clinton raised eyebrows this election season when she came out against the idea of a living minimum wage of $15/hour, opting for a more “moderate” $12. This made her an enemy of the progressive movement, especially when she took credit for New York’s implementation of a living wage earlier this year. Bernie Sanders has been struggling to push her to the left on this issue, and Hillary seemed to give in during a past debate when she changed her stance on the living wage mid-response. The new platform calls for supporting an increase in the minimum wage, a clear win for progressives.

Killing Capital Punishment

The death penalty was a polarizing issue for years in the Democratic Party, with the frontrunner this cycle saying it should be used only for heinous crimes and Bernie Sanders saying that the government potentially kills innocent people on a regular basis (which it does, by the way). The platform summary calls the death penalty “a cruel and unusual form of punishment,” showing clear influence by Bernie Sanders’ campaign.

Common Sense Security

Another instance where Bernie’s influence has seeped into the platform is his call to expand Social Security, a program supported by a majority of Americans. Even Donald Trump, who doesn’t really want to be President but is so far in character at this point that he just can’t stop, distinguished himself from his opponents by being the only Republican candidate who was against cutting Social Security. It’s honestly a no-brainer, it’s kind of unbelievable it’s taken the DNC this long to support the country’s most popular social program.

The Bad:

Trans-Pacific Disaster

Bernie Sanders heavily criticized the Clinton administration for taking so long to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which would cost thousands of jobs and disproportionately hurt the middle and working class. Hillary had famously lobbied for the TPP almost 50 times and pushed for other trade deals like NAFTA, which Bernie Sanders calls “disastrous,” during her husband’s administration. Apparently, this is echoed by Wasserman-Schultz and others in the DNC establishment, because Sanders’ idea to condemn the TPP was shot down.

Netanyahu is always right!

Who’d have thought that the first Jewish politician to win a primary in the U.S. is actually more in favor of a two-state solution in the Middle East than Hillary? Bernie criticized his opponent on the debate stage for acting like “[Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu is right 100 percent of the time,” which gave the media room to call him anti-Semitic. The Democratic platform killed Sanders’ proposal to bring peace to Gaza and denounce the Israeli occupation which has disproportionately killed civilians and denied equal rights to Palestinians, which is kind of depressing if you ask me, but others may disagree.

The Ugly:

Healthcare as a privilege

Hillary made a name for herself in the 1990s for being in favor of healthcare as a right of all people, and led the effort to make sure that happened for the better part of the first Clinton administration. That is, until she got money from the healthcare industry during her New York senate campaign, and then suddenly she was in favor of a public option. Bernie Sanders then took her place as the leader of the fight for single payer care, saying “it is time America join the rest of the industrialized world and guarantee healthcare to all people as a right, not a privilege.” The new platform seems to disagree, as the DNC voted down a proposal to be in favor of a single payer system.

What the frack?!

I won’t comment too much about this, or I’ll get too angry and throw my laptop out the window. I’ll just say that now both major political parties in the second biggest polluting nation in the world believe that fracking is a good idea. You’d think Democrats would be more pro-environment and condemn fracking in their platform, but you’d be wrong.

Now it’s important to note that the Democratic nominee, whoever she may be, can ignore some of these positions in her general election campaign. She might go back to fight for a $12 minimum wage, or advocate for the death penalty for heinous crimes. The problem is the Democratic Party now holds incredibly disappointing and harmful positions that could mean a march towards neoliberalism, interventionism and corporatism. On the bright side, this might make the resistance of the progressive movement and Team Revolution stronger than ever, and lead us to a Party more in line with progressive values. In the words of Bernie Sanders, “change takes place when people struggle.”

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

188032
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

13533
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

456831
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

26003
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments