to describe Bernie. I had complained again about 'Democratic Socialist' last night so I thought I should do something constructive and find a better phrase. Noam's ‘Decent, Honest New-Dealer’ is a lot better than what I've come up with so far.

his previous identity as a Democratic Socialist and claim he was always a traditional Democrat. Like me, apparently; I'm a huge New Deal fan. Not that I think he will or should. He has always been proud of his ideology, and I expect that includes approving of FDR's New Deal, at least in general.

not going to happen. Sorry about that.

Let's see if Bernie thanks him for pretending he's really just a nice old mainstream Democrat.

Frankly, I like him better as a barn-burner. Wouldn't vote for it, but at least I respect his conviction. He has never lied about who he is.

On domestic policy, he is very much like FDR and LBJ, just not like center right Democrats.

He's right, but that only applies to the transition period.

Where Bernie is a Dem Socialist is as he progresses through his term. As employees are given legal first rights of purchasing companies that are for sale, with the aid of federal assistance, the economy does actually become worker owned.

This is the configuration of our society that is not being talked about much, but is crucially important in terms of the benefits to workers. I doubt this will ever make it to tv since it's just too good for us, and not for the owner class as it sits.

we often see references made to the soup kitchens, yet the other day, I read that millions of Americans actually died of starvation !

Since The Grapes of Wrath is the only book I've ever come across or heard mention of, dealing with that subject, I must have assumed on some dumb, subliminal level that the fate of the Joad family and their fellow sod-busters must have been highly anomalous, virtually unique, a village of the damned.

So, I was bound to ask myself how such an epoch-makingly depraved evil on the part of its uber rich and their bought and paid for politicians, could have remained virtually unchronicled, so that it would only be a matter of time before the same cataclysm, indeed worse, threatened.

I've only managed to come up with two theories :

1) The war, its boost to the economy and its being front and centre of people's minds ; the public, generally, being moreover inclined to be optimistic, particularly, when things are 'looking up', as provided by the New Deal. Plus the enormity of the sense of shame, both for being poor (as per the immemorial condemnation of the poor by the rich !), and for being a citizen of such a wicked country ; blanking it out as surreal, a bad dream, rather than an accurate memory.

2) The immemorial depravity of the MSM in furthering the aims of the monied, upper class to the detriment (if only - though it never is - by exclusion of the poor from its consideration) : the rentier sector, the stockholders living on their income from dividends.

It's also made me wonder about Britain at that time. My mother who started her working life as a nurse at the Great Ormonde St Hospital, told me that she risked instant dismissal by sometimes giving food to women fainting from hunger, who presumably called at the kitchens. So...

The Tories never change their spots, and more and more people are today dying premature deaths as a result of the targeted 'austerity' they always impose under whatever euphemism they care to describe it.

I read yesterday that the baby-boomers, my generation have a major drink problem. I'm not surprised : with consciences like theirs, who wouldn't want to anaesthetize their brain ? So many of us having profited from a health service not subject to a stealth privatization, free education, council housing and so much else provided - and rightly so - by our then welfare-state. Cameron is a Thatcherite to his fingertips. Though circumstances allow him to wreak so much more havoc.

There would be a lot of details to work out and power doesn't willingly concede anything as we all know.

But it's ultimately all about the money with the owner class and if they could be bought at a fair enough price...

You get one of my few remaining hearts for that one.

I think it's very possible, but you do make a point about the resistance. This is why a revolution of citizen participation is required.

By the way, that example was only one. I'm sure there are many more ideas being generated. Some economists have entire lifetimes dedicated to working this out.

I can't see much resistance to this since it's working within the system. If sellers can get a fair market value, then it shouldn't be a difficult job of setting up new legal rules. It might even work to the benefit of those selling, as well.


I wondered where that new heart came from.

And, if you live in, say Massachusetts, vote for whomever you like. He lives in the real world and thinks it's most important not to have a Republican president.

That said, I will vote for the Democratic nominee in November--after voting for Hillary Clinton in the Florida primary by absentee ballot.

Bern Track Record for his congressional service is almost none existent. An Independent trying to hoodoo the Democratic Party.

'During his first year in the House, Sanders often alienated allies and colleagues with his criticism of BOTH political parties as working primarily on behalf of the wealthy. In 1991, Sanders co-founded the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of mostly liberal Democrats that Sanders chaired for its first eight years.'[8]

He was calling out the Reagan agenda/legacy over two decades ago!!! Remember that's the blueprint for Bill Clinton's Presidency. Oh snap! Maybe that's why Bernie has such great appeal. Ya think? I do!!!

bern averaged sponsoring 4 bills a year during his time in Congress. Most of those bills were bill concerning bring home the pork to Vermont. 30 years in Congress and he has done squat to farther Progressive casues. He is not Presidential Grade,he is a congressional slacker

.....FDR had ZERO experience in Congress. He went from the NY Governor's mansion to the White House. So your basic premise is irrelevant.

If you're going to use that logic, don't mind me if I use it against you.

Bern avg sponsoring 4 bills a year
HRC avg 43 bills / yr

that about 10 times more than Bern.
while u looking .
look at whae the bills were pertaing to.....
All the Data says Bern is a slacker,

Let's take a look shall we?
Well well well..... http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/21/413141/-Hillary-Clinton-Empty-Pantsuit-Her-Track-Record-from-the-Senate

https://pplswar.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/what-bernie-sanders-got-done-in-washington-a-legislative-inventory/

Maybe you can explain to us why Hillary voted for more arctic drilling and a border fence, we can add Iraq in there too because she should never be allowed to forget the millions of deaths she is indirectly responsible for.

The only slacker is Hillary, the one who votes with Republicans and has horrible judgement

I'll take the official congressional record as to who did what. If u aint drink at the Head u are drinking somebody's chit

Allow me please.

You want to see how they voted? Let's do a side by side comparison on where they voted differently while they both served, shall we?

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/28/upshot/the-senate-votes-that-divided-hillary-clinton-and-bernie-sanders.html

My oh my would you look at all those conservative votes Hillary did.

Facts matter.

... then Bernie Sanders is more of a Democrat than many in Congress with a 'D' as their party affiliation.

no data to support that BS

Bernie is ranked the #1 progressive http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/3/31/1374629/-Hillary-Clinton-Was-the-11th-Most-Liberal-Member-of-the-Senate Hillary 11th and Obama ranked even lower.

the Congressional Record says otherwise
https://www.congress.gov/search?q={%22source%22%3A%22legislation%22%2C%22search%22%3A%22Bernie+Sanders%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22bills%22%2C%22house-sponsor%22%3A%22Sanders%2C+Bernard+[I-VT]%22}

and she isn't as progressive as Bernie.
The data I posted also here proves that

....thanks to the lies of Ronnie Rayguns. Bernie is a common sense FDR-type. Go Bernie!!! Most of those Reagan Democrats have passed on. Bye Bye.....Dumbasses!

criticize the policies if you want, don't disparage the man.

socialist many many times.

And also denied being a liberal democrat.

Is Bernie trying to rebrand?

Bernie freely identifies, not as a socialist, but as a "democratic socialist."

I see no signs of his backing down on this. Nor do I see it at odds with Chomsky's characterization. FDR was essentially a democratic socialist, too.

he's not a socialist... not how he always talks about Scandinavia - which ain't socialist. He's a Democratic Socialist, which is just another way to say he believes int he Nordic Model.