I have been applauding Bernie Sanders’ and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez’s huge rallies. Really glad they’re standing up to Trump and loudly taking their fight to the American public. Until I spotted this, which gave me pause... :

. BERNIE’s BAD IDEA: "The Left Should Leave the Democratic Party"

"At a time when plenty of people have advice for unhappy progressive Democrats, one of their heroes, Bernie Sanders, had a succinct message: Don't love the party, leave it.

"In an interview with the New York Times, he previewed a barnstorming tour he has undertaken with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez but made it clear he wouldn't be asking audiences to rally 'round the Democratic Party. "One of the aspects of this tour is to try to rally people to get engaged in the political process and run as independents outside of the Democratic Party," Sanders said."

nytimes.com/2025/03/20/…

nymag.com/intelligencer…

Thoughts, anyone?

EDIT: Just to be clear, my aim is NOT to attack either Bernie or AOC, but to express concern about the *elections consequence* of this – if the reporting and the NYT interview with Bernie are accurate. I think those consequences are worth discussing here on The Downballot.