Bernie & Minority Influence

My heart is breaking! I am so disappointed in Bernie Sanders!

We had such a great beginning to this Democratic nominating primary. Sanders and Clinton were respectful and issue driven. Sanders was telegenic and charismatic. He had personality. He had fire and passion. He was articulate.

Now, we are reduced to attacking the party and practically rioting at the Nevada state convention. Why? Why? Why?

Sanders is not leading a political revolution. He does not represent a minority trying to influence the majority, the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton.

If he were, he would follow the recommendations made by Henri Moscovici in his studies of minority influence, namely, flexibility and compromise. Without an articulation of demands — open primaries, okay; eliminate super delegates, maybe. You cannot negotiate with people screaming obscenities.

Minorities can convert majorities to their point-of-view if they employ Moscovici’s four factors. Let’s check them out.

Behavioral Style

Consistency: Who could be more consistent than Bernie Sanders?

Confidence: Who has more confidence of the correctness of his point-of-view than Sanders?

Unbiased: He presents his issues, is confidence in the correctness of his issues, and he says, I don’t want voters who don’t agree with me.

Resisting social pressure and abuse: Certainly all of the pressure on Sanders to drop out.

Thinking Style: we are all debating the issues he is most concerned about.

Flexibility and Compromise: IT IS TIME FOR COMPROMISE!

Identification: Look at the celebrities that are fronting for him. Look at his supporters from the black and Latino communities. Look at the large crowds that he attracts. There is someone for every one to identify with.

The atmosphere right now feels awful to me. It is time to put Donald Trump into a frame and keep him there. It is time to bust Clinton out of the Republican frame that has poisoned her reputation and not reinforce the Republican interpretation of her. He doesn’t need to drop out; he needs to focus on Trump and build Clinton up.

• He has a following.
• He cannot win.
• It’s time to use his super-powers for good.