Common Sense on the Democratic Presidential Race

He's building the political revolution needed to make these changes happen. He can and should continue to champion them through the convention and beyond.

-- Sanders has already committed to beating Trump.

Much of the establishment hand wringing features fears that Sanders will not endorse Clinton if he loses the nomination to her, and/or will not work to unify the party to take on Trump. But Sanders has already -- repeatedly -- announced his commitment to make certain Donald Trump does not become president of the United States. He's already promised to show workers why they can't afford to support a billionaire who promises massive tax breaks for the rich. He'll work hard to ensure that the young people he has inspired come out to vote.

If she wins the nomination, Clinton's challenge isn't winning Sanders support, it is reaching out to inspire the young voters and independents that are the heart of the Sanders coalition. Sanders can't do that for her, no matter how hard he tries.

-- The Sanders revolution will be disruptive or it will fail.

Sanders has been lacerated for suggesting that the Democratic Party nominating process has been stacked against him. He's been criticized for suggesting that Clinton is compromised by the Wall Street money she raises. The notably bad behavior of some of his supporters in Nevada was exaggerated and condemned, while the provocation of the biased Nevada party chair was ignored. Truth is the first casualty in these fulminations.

Sanders has unequivocally denounced violence or threats of violence. But the movement Sanders is building will by definition be disruptive. It will challenge the party's rules. It will drive its agenda -- even in opposition to a sitting Democratic President, as Obama has discovered with his TPP trade deal. It will go after politicians who stand in the way. It will expose big money corruptions.

Sanders is already supporting progressive challengers in Democratic primaries, including endorsing Tim Canova who is running an insurgent primary campaign against DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Ex-Sanders campaigners have already launched Brand New Congress, hoping to provide assistance to dozens of progressive challengers in 2018. They will go after Republicans, after open seats, and after Democrats who are standing in the way. What Sanders builds after the campaign is likely to be even bigger and bolder.

The establishment's Washington consensus has failed all but the very few. It is buttressed by politics as usual in Washington, by the corruptions of big money in politics, by entrenched special interest lobbies and crony capitalism. The movement that Sanders is helping to build will seek to disrupt that order to clear the way for fundamental reform. Sanders has helped build that effort, and if his campaign is successful, it has only just begun.