Things I don't like about Bernie Sanders

My initial concern about Sanders was that he seemed to have blinders on, believing that economic equality would fix everything. Even if we assume that achieving economic equality is a something that Sanders could do, there are still problems with racism and sexism and police brutality and so many other factors that he did not seem to have any answer for. (Apparently, this makes him a "vulgar socialist", because the philosophy can encompass a greater awareness.)

It's not just that those issues matter as an obstacle to true equality. Historically as you see some people doing better economically when other groups have a reliance on feeling superior, that has frequently triggered violence. There were a lot of things that Sanders didn't seem to know because as a white man in a very white state, he did not need to know.

This was reinforced by his reaction to the Black Lives Matter disruption in Seattle, but that also looked like a potential turning point. After an initial angry reaction, Sanders did reach out and update his platform.

There was a similar situation when he stated repeatedly that his only litmus test for nominating a Supreme Court justice would be Citizens United, when Roe v. Wade challenges come up much more frequently. He did eventually adjust that to say Roe v. Wade views would be taken into consideration as well.

It was not likely that I was going to choose him over Clinton, because I felt like he should have come into the race knowing more. His plan to make college free has been shown that it would not help poor people, because there are too many other expenses. His plan to break up big banks to avoid another collapse ignores the role of smaller banks and investment firms, as well as the repeal of Glass-Steagall.

Reports that he had been fairly ineffective in his time in the Senate, especially compared to Elizabeth Warren who - with some overlap in values - had done more in a much shorter time, also affected my opinion. I could not think of Sanders as particularly effective or savvy, but if he continued to respond to criticism and improve, that was something I valued. Maybe it wouldn't affect this race, but there are other races, other positions, and even if he just became a better senator, there's value in that.

Sanders didn't just stop improving; he got worse.

I would imagine that if you are going to be truly idealistic and revolutionary that you need to be able to see beyond yourself for a greater view. It's disappointing that someone with Sanders' proclaimed ideals has been so petty and narcissistic as he takes exception with anything that might mean that he won't get the Democratic nomination.

It is unfair that the superdelegates would support Hillary if he gets more votes; Hillary has more votes but he will lobby the superdelegates. Hillary's states shouldn't count because they are red states, but his red states do count. Those states shouldn't count because he didn't really try. I could accept unhappiness with the process to a large extent, but it just keeps getting worse.

Deciding the reason he is not winning over voters of color because they are not informed is wrong, and racistly wrong. My hackles were already raised, but when he said "Poor people don't vote", that's when it was rage.

If poor people don't vote, would the senator from Vermont care to explain all of the challenges to the Voting Rights Act, and the closing of precincts and the elimination of early voting hours and the increased identification requirements despite the lack of any evidence of voter fraud that would require these steps?

We are in a time period when voting rights are being threatened for people of color, poor people of all races, and the elderly. In some cases when they mess up the absentee ballots even soldiers on active duty are disenfranchised. Do you really think the most important focus is opening up primaries so non-Democrats can choose the Democrat nominee, and making sure those teenagers who will turn 18 before the general election are included in the primaries?

So after that, I can't be surprised that he calls Hillary unqualified because he thought she said that about him due to a misleading headline but didn't bother reading the article. Of course he didn't read it! Why would he?

That's where I got to loathing Sanders instead of just not wanting to vote for him. The only reason he hasn't been the most self-aggrandizing candidate out there is because there is still Trump. But if it were an ego contest between Sanders and Chris Christie, Sanders might win.

That is not a presidential temperament, and it's certainly not a wise and analytical mind, so what we have is a cranky old man who has become so focused on needing to be the one that sense and fairness are forgotten. It is not at all surprising that his supporters have frequently been abusive of anyone being even mildly supportive of Clinton. (Though they shriek like banshees when any of it bounces back.)

At this point the one thing Clinton could do to really make me angry is pick him for her running mate. If that happened I would understand it as a political move to firm up the voting coalition, but he doesn't deserve it and he would be a terrible vice president.

But he'd be an even worse president. Probably still better than Trump.