8 Times Bernie Supporters Revolted on Twitter

The primary election has garnered a slew of hashtags with which Bernie Supporters have spurred the revolution, crying out against corruption and media bias. Some have been quite comical, others far more serious. The following list will be updated with additional tags as the primary continues. Hashtags are in order of date of appearance.

#HillarySoProgressive

During the fifth democratic debate, Hillary was asked whether she considered herself a moderate or a progressive after previously laying claim to both labels. Hillary insisted she was a "progressive who gets things done." But her words didn't seem to convince Twitter users, who tweeted the hashtag #HillarySoProgressive to point out her more moderate record.

#WhichHillary

Ashley Williams, a Black Lives Matter activist, protested at a Hillary Clinton fundraiser holding a sign with the hashtag #WhichHillary and a quote from Clinton referring to black youth as "superpredators" from a 1996 speech in support of the Violent Crime Control Act. Hillary has said that she stands with the BLM movement, but she had no comment for Williams on her concerns and had the girl escorted out. Once the video of Ashley's protest was posted, Twitter users tweeted the hashtag to call out Clinton on her history of shifting viewpoints and to question which of those views points she actually holds.

#MoveBillGetOutTheWay

During the Massachusetts primary, Bill Clinton campaigned for his wife outside of a polling station, blocking voters from getting to the polls, prompting the hashtag #MoveBillGetOutTheWay. He also went inside of the polling location and shook hands with poll workers and voters. There's some dispute on whether or not Clinton was in violation of campaign law, which states there can be no voting solicitation with 150ft of a polling place. However, a petition was started for his arrest and a law suit filed against his actions. There's allegations that Bill Clinton continues to break campaign law at other polling places across the country.

#BernieMadeMeWhite

Throughout the primary, the media has reported that Bernie only does well with white youth voters. When Bernie swept the caucuses in Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska, three of the most diverse states in the US, the media continued their rhetoric. Twitter shot back with #BernieMadeMeWhite where people of color voiced their support for Bernie and their frustration at the media's refusal to acknowledge their existence.

#ToneDownForWhat

Bernie Sanders challenged Hillary Clinton to a debate in NY before the April primary, but an aid for the Clinton campaign said the debate wouldn't happen until Sanders changed his tone, alleging that Sanders had broken his pledge not to run negative attacks. Twitter responded with #ToneDownForWhat, asking if pointing out the truth of Hillary's record and campaign donations could be considered negative and whether or not Hillary could handle Trump if the pressure from Bernie was too much. The Clinton campaign later agreed to a debate.

  #ImSoSick

A Greenpeace activist asked Hillary Clinton at a rally if she would pledge to refuse campaign donations from big oil. Hillary's response was heated, saying "I'm sick of the Sanders campaign spreading lies! I'm sick of it!" But Hillary's connections to the fossil fuel industry aren't lies, and Twitter users tweeted #ImSoSick with their own frustrations, calling out Hillary for her establishment ties and the media for their bias toward Hillary's campaign.

#ApologizeForWhat

Still following the events after the Greenpeace activist, Hillary Clinton made a statement that she felt sorry for people who believed the lies perpetuated by the Sanders campaign about her receiving fossil fuel donations. After such remarks, Bernie asked Hillary to apologize for lying about his campaign. Hillary supporters took to Tumblr with the hashtag #ApologizeForWhat, accusing Bernie's campaign for lies and smears against Hillary. But the hashtag was quickly taken over by Bernie Supports who tweeted various downfalls of Hillary's political career that they felt she needed to apologize for.

#HillarySoQualified

After Bernie stated that Hillary was not qualified to be president, Hillary supporters went to Twitter with the hashtag #HillarySoQualified to tout her qualifications. But Bernie supporters hijacked the hashtag and tweeted all the ways they felt Hillary wasn't qualified.

Are we Ready for a Political Revolution?

The video above is the best I've found in explaining the kind of political revolution Bernie Sanders needs to not only win the 2016 presidential election but to also have successful terms in office. As Bernie says in the video, it is not enough to simply get him elected because having Bernie in office will only get us so far.

Let's face it. Our political system is corrupt. The use of big money in politics is one of Bernie's main talking points and has been for years. The most recent example is the million of dollars that were paid to pass the fast track for the TPP. But the corruption doesn't end with money, party members who vote against the group are dismissed from leadership positions or, as Sanders points out in the video, have negative ads slung at them. The system is not controlled by the people, and that needs to change. And we need to be willing and active in changing it because if we aren't Bernie will fail as President.

A Common Dream article, "The Wild Ride of President-Elect Bernie Sanders," by William Grover and Joseph Peschek asks readers to consider the morning after Sanders is elected President:

"The most immediate impact would be a steep decline in global financial markets, as investors registered their panic at the "reckless" decision reached by U.S. voters. The swift negative response would be amplified by fears in corporate boardrooms, as the specter of severe market instability and declining business confidence wracked the capitalist world. With a financial meltdown looming, president-elect Sanders would be facing a business reaction known as "capital strike." And that’s just day one after the election. With little prospect of the economic tumult subsiding during his 11 week transition period, Sanders would face enormous pressure to calm the fears of the market by announcing the appointment of moderates to hold Cabinet positions — non-confrontational, non-ideological people who would be "acceptable" to political and economic power holders. No radicals for the Treasury Department, no thoughts of Ben and Jerry as Co-Secretaries of Commerce, no union firebrand to head the Labor Department, no Bill McKibben leading the Interior Department. Only nice, "safe" choices would suffice—personnel decisions that would undermine the progressive vision of his campaign."

If Bernie Sanders is to be successful as President, the people have to be mobilized. The video and article linked above call us to become activists. They call us to march on Washington. They call us to be active and informed in our country's politics. We cannot listen solely to what the news stations tell us because they too are controlled by big money and threats just as our political system is. We have to be aware and intelligent. We have to put our money where our mouths are and be willing to pay a little extra for goods from ethical companies and not just go for the cheaper choice.

Are we willing to do that? All of that and more?

That question is a very serious one. Because Bernie needs our help. He cannot do this alone. And if our answer is no, Bernie may still be elected as President, but he will not succeed.