I get exasperated listening to cable news these days. I understand they must fill 24 hours of programming, but I think they sometimes try to make news instead of just reporting it. A good example of this is their reporting of a "war" between factions in the Democratic Party. They would have you believe it's "moderates" vs. "progressives".

If you buy that, then you might be inclined to stay home on election day if your particular faction loses the nomination. That's what happened in 2016, and it resulted in the disastrous election of Donald Trump.

I think Democrats are smarter than that this year. I hear from the supporters of all candidates (including Sanders supporters) that they will vote blue this year -- no matter which Democrat wins the nomination. They know that any of the candidates would make a much better president than Trump, and that the country needs to be saved from Trump.

But I submit it goes further. All of the candidates are really progressives. Some might be more progressive than others, but all of them would be a progressive president that would propose/sign bills to make this a better country for all citizens -- if they are given a Democratic Congress to work with.

Don't buy that? Then consider the following:

* All of the candidates would sign a bill covering all Americans with decent health insurance. They might bicker over how to do it, but they would all cover everyone.

* All of the candidates would sign a bill allowing the government to negotiate the price of drugs with pharmaceutical companies (which is currently illegal).

* All of the candidates would sign a bill raising the minimum wage to $15 and hour.

* All of the candidates would sign a bill to fix the funding problems of Social Security -- without cutting benefits or raising the retirement age.

* All of the candidates would sign a bill raising taxes on the rich and corporations.

* All of the candidates would sign a bill strengthening labor unions and making it easier for them to organize workers.

* All of the candidates would sign a bill to remove the corporate tax breaks for sending good American jobs to other countries.

* All of the candidates would sign a bill to protect the voting rights of all citizens.

Those are all progressive values. And regardless of who we nominate to beat Trump, our next president will be one of the most progressive presidents in many years.

Vote for your favorite in the primaries. But in November, we must all stand together and elect a (progressive) Democrat as our president.