Bernie Sanders, What Are You Even Doing Now?

Last night, Bernie Sanders apparently sent out an email, the complete text of which has been published by Jan Erickson, and screencapped by Analogbear in two parts, that included a very curious passage indeed, highlighted on Twitter by Analogbear, who underlined the key phrases:

Bernie Sanders just sent me an email; please take note of one of the groups of people he wants Democrats to "take on." This is UNACCEPTABLE. pic.twitter.com/zfQkrs2HR1

— Analogbear (@Analogbear) August 1, 2017

In order to pass a Medicare-for-all, single payer system we will be taking on the most powerful special interests in the country: Wall Street, the insurance companies, the drug companies, the corporate media, the Republican Party and the establishment wing of the Democratic Party. In opposition to our efforts there will be a never-ending barrage of TV ads, editorials, political attacks and lies.

Just so we're all clear on what we're seeing, Sanders says that part of his strategy to pass single-payer healthcare will be to take on "the most powerful special interests in the country," a list on which he includes, alongside Wall Street and the GOP, "the establishment wing of the Democratic Party."

That, of course, is not a defined thing. As far as I can tell, "the establishment wing of the Democratic Party" is comprised of anyone who: 1) Doesn't agree that Bernie Sanders is a flawless leftist who is above petty criticisms (like his lack of intersectional analysis or the fact that he doesn't seem to know a lot of important basic facts about the economy despite positioning himself as an economic leader); and 2) Is thus a worthless neoliberal shill who might as well be a Republican.

So, not unity then, eh? I mean, if I'm part of "the establishment wing of the Democratic Party," I've just been declared the enemy. I don't guess we're likely to find "unity" after that.

Not that we ever were.