I think it’s important in the primaries that we have a vigorous debate about the pros and cons of various candidates. Your points above are important to hear and are well laid out.

However when the time comes, and we do have a candidate chosen by the majority of us democrats, it’s imperative that we put our differences aside and vote as a united block. Republicans are better at doing that than we are, and I believe this is the most critical issue we’ll face come November 2020.

Unfortunately many Sanders supporters did not understand how to move on in 2016, and contributed to Trump’s election. However on the positive side, I believe his election was the catalyst for a whole slew of young progressive candidates and representatives to get elected to the house in 2018.

In the same way that Trump acted as a catalyst for change, the vigorous debate which will occur during the primaries between the extraordinary slate of candidates we have fielded, will move us many steps forward towards progressive policy decisions in the future.

As well as securing the Presidency in 2020, however it is equally as important for us to get the three or four seats in the Senate that we need to be effective.

So, no matter whose face we have at the head of the ticket, I am sure that the ideas which are surfacing during the primaries will gain momentum.

For me climate change is the most critical issue we all face. The recent report coming from Australia advises us that we have three decades to avert the worst. This does not mean we won’t warm by at least 2 degrees Celsius — that door is already closed. What it does mean is that we have a chance to avert a warming of 3 to 4 degrees if we act now.

In my mind all of the democratic candidates for President have strong platforms and policy ideas on how to stop man made climate change and enable a green economy. My hope is that no matter who wins the nomination, we wholeheartedly support them.