The conventions

The conventions

If the Democratic Party thinks Bernie Sanders’ supporters will fall in line and support Hillary Clinton, the party is sadly mistaken. The primary was a battle for the soul of the party.

Sanders’ supporters battled the rightward shift of a party taken over by corporate interests and Wall Street.

The Democratic Leadership Council moved the party to the right, giving us the North American Free Trade Agreement, repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act, media deregulation and an assault on the working class.

Bill Clinton was the first DLC president and Hillary Clinton had a leadership position.

Progressives are not welcome in a party shifting further and further to the right, catering to the wealthy, Wall Street and corporate interests.

The best thing Sanders supporters can do now is move to the Green Party and support Jill Stein.

Anyone who champions a phrase like “electing leaders who set the right examples for our children and grandchildren” but simultaneously supports abortion is neither a friend nor a role model for the young.

First lady Michelle Obama is a mother, yet her husband is the most liberal abortion advocate of any president.

She is gleeful over the presidential nomination of Hilary Clinton, who supports abortion.

These women are sophisticated hypocrites.

I want leaders who believe children, born and unborn, are a gift from God.

It might have been tough for Bernie Sanders to win the Democratic nomination.

After all, he’s getting up in years and always talks like he just ran up the stairs.

But from the private emails, he was also treated unfairly by the people who run the party.

These same people are now accusing others of trying to manipulate the American political system.

It’s a pity that the Republican and Democratic vice presidential candidates aren’t running for president.

Both appear to be more respected, more qualified and more polite than the current options.

The Democratic vice presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, sounds like a better option than either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.

Is there a way to vote for him for president?

I really admire the fact that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas stuck to his beliefs.

The others folded like cheap lawn furniture, just to stay in the good graces of the party.

Ted Cruz refused.

I have a word for each convention.

The Republican convention: negative. The Democratic convention: positive.

This story was originally published August 2, 2016 at 4:25 PM with the headline "The conventions."