Sometimes, I just see something coming from our side that makes me want to scream.

There is a strain of so-called “progressives” who haven’t the political sense of a Trump voter. And right now, they are being led by Bernie Sanders, who is one of the least effective members of Congress since Dennis Kucinich. And for about two years, they have been fixated on the number $15 for a minimum wage, with no rhyme or reason, to the point that it has a major role in electing Trump.

If you’re one of those who disagrees with that, consider that the peak of the American economy, by most accounts, came in 1968. At that point in time, the minimum wage rose to $1.60 per hout. Adjusted for inflation using the CPI Inflation Calculator (Go here), that would be equivalent to $11.16 per hour as of last month. Not $15, but $11.16. Yet, the unicorn progressives who decided to make Bernie Sanders their patron saint locked onto the $15 per hour figure and held on like a dog with a chew toy. Worse, they went after Hillary Clinton and claimed that she wasn’t “progressive enough” because she “only” proposed an increase to $12 per hour, which, as you will note, was still higher than the peak minimum wage when adjusted to inflation. Given the closeness of the Trump “win,” who’s to say that didn’t make the difference? The answer is, you can’t.

There’s something about this strain of “progressives” that just flies in the face of common sense. Consider their constant whining about the Affordable Care Act back in 2010, which was a key reason Republicans took back the House, and their complaints that Democrats “didn’t even try” to pass single-payer. Single-payer was a political loser, which anyone who was alive with a lick of political sense knew at the time. it is still a political loser. There are many reasons for that, not the least of which is that this is not a country that takes kindly to radical changes in anything. it took 25 years to pass Medicare and it has taken 50 years to get it to where it is now. Hint: it’s still not perfect.

In 2010, more than 80 percent of Americans would have to dump their insurance, even if they’d had it for 20 years or more, and buy into a “government-run” insurance plan. Something like that can happen, but not in one shot. It will have to be a gradual transition, not a major jerk into the unknown. There is also the reality that, with Republicans in charge of the purse strings so often these days, you might want to he careful what you wish for.

Again, there is no common sense to any of these calls for single-payer systems and a $15 national minimum wage is NEVER happening while Republicans in charge.

And yet, here comes Bernie Sanders, with a promise to propose a bill to raise the minimum wage to $15. (Source) From the article.

“(Bernie Sanders) said that he wanted to reintroduce the legislation on April 7 via Facebook. In a brief post that accompanied a video, Sanders wrote: “The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is an insult to the workers of this country. Our job is to ensure that anyone who works 40 hours a week in America should not be living in poverty.”

This is at least the third time Sanders has proposed this bill and it absolutely will fail again. Everyone knows it. However, a few “progressives” have this fantasy that, by proposing a bill and forcing the Republicans to reject it, you make some sort of point. Like I said, it’s a fantasy. It will go nowhere and the people struggling to live on $7.25 get no relief whatsoever. I agree the minimum wage is cruel and insulting, but while there are many large cities where $15 is a reasonable wage, there are many areas where it is simply not practical. Hillary Clinton pointed that out numerous times, but the unicorn progressives love their chew toys. Too much.

It would be more reasonable and, ultimately, MORE PROGRESSIVE, to pocket the $15 per hour proposal and do what Obama did a few years back; propose $10.10 an hour, not that you’re willing to settle for that. Shame Repubicans into accepting a proposal for $9.25 per hour or make them reject it. In other words, while pro lefties and unicorn progressives think they’re making some kind of point by demanding $15 per hour and having it rejected outright, they’re wrong. In fact, it makes us look at unwilling to compromise as the far right. The whole “my way or the highway” strategy is a political loser. Always has been, always will be.

The far left needs to stop backing political losers. I know Bernie knows better. He should be teaching his people how politically stupid they are. If he’s going to lead, then fucking LEAD. Bernie is following the politically stupid to the left’s demise