The primary season is nearing the end and for all intents and purposes, barring any series of extraordinary events, which is not to say they might occur in this extraordinary election year, the presumptive nominees have been decided upon. Now begins the process of acceptance and healing. This should be easier on the Democratic side of the equation than the Republican side. But once again, this is an extraordinary election year so buckle your seat belts. Because passions have run so hot there is no need to rush the healing process, just let it develop in an orderly, compassionate and thoughtful way. So let's start with this.
Thank you Bernie. Thank you for having revived our faith in the exhilarating possibilities that a progressive government with forward thinking public policies can hold for the generations that will follow. Thank you for energizing and mobilizing legions of millennials to the cause of progressive politics. Thank you for showing that the true American spirit is to never allow people in power discourage or dissuade you from pursuing your dreams, and in this instance the dreams for a better America and making America a great society again.
Now as the nation prepares for the next step in this arduous journey of picking the next President it is time for old-fashioned "roll up your sleeves" negotiations to meld the hard-won demands of a sizable portion of the electorate into a platform for the campaign to relieve the death grip that has paralyzed the nation for far too long. It is now time to put together a Democratic game plan to diminish if not demolish the unfettered greed that has high jacked our legislative process. We are in a crisis of confidence.
But as the Chinese symbol for crisis contains two parts, danger and opportunity, let us focus on the later. The ascendancy of Donald Trump has given the nation an opportunity to shed the existing system of corruption that has prevented us from addressing critical issues such as economic inequality, environmental justice and racism for far too long. Trump epitomizes callous disregard for a great society. What he carelessly and lazily passes off as policies only serve to mask continuing divisiveness, greed, and isolation in a world that is and will continue to be more interconnected.
Today's Republican party represents an affront to the needs of the electorate and their presumed leader is an affront to safety, sanity and stability. Oh he should not be taken lightly because a fearful and angry electorate can also be quite volatile. The opportunity here for Democrats is to offer a path forward. Together, the efforts of both the Sanders and Clinton campaigns need to be joined in a way that will maximize the passions and policies of their respective backers. This will be a daunting task to be sure but the potential will be well worth the effort.
The path that lies before us goes beyond the personalities themselves, it represents an opportunity to reshape a status quo and establishment that has prevented us from moving forward. By focusing on the potential to reshape the legislative branch through down ballot pressures, something made entirely feasible by the fact that Trump represents the party that currently controls it, the importance of joining the Clinton and Sanders forces becomes takes on an outsized significance.
The Sanders campaign has legitimately won the respect of all Democrats and should be afforded considerable weight at the bargaining table. There is no room for public recriminations at this point. The candidates know this all too well and it is their responsibility to relay the importance of unity to their respective followings. The nature of our governmental system is to provide a forum for measured and incremental change. But the extraordinary times in front of us allow us considerable latitude to push the envelope and make dramatic strides forward. It may not satisfy the passions of all but it represents a bold start to overhaul a system that is currently broken. The true test of leadership will fall upon Bernie and Hillary to jointly galvanize the forces of change to mold the new reality. The excitement of this challenge must eclipse the disappointment felt by many. But it is important to continue the fight. Thanks Bernie.