2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumA few questions for Sanders supporters
I am a Sanders supporter, so I'll share my answers.
(1) If Sanders wins the nomination, he might need Super PACs to be competitive since the Supreme Court basically made it legal to buy elections. Would you support Sanders using Super PACs in the general election? (I would.)
(2) If Sanders loses and gives the Democratic nominee a strong endorsement, and I'm guessing he would given the alternative, what effect would that have on your support for the Democratic nominee. (I will actively support the Democratic nominee no matter what since the Republican candidates are nuts.)
(3) If Sanders loses, the Democratic nominee will very much want his support. What should he demand from the Democratic nominee? (If we have a Democratic Senate, I think he should get to choose the next SC justice, but if we don't have a Democratic Senate, I'm not sure.)
(4) Obama generated a lot of enthusiasm but unfortunately didn't create a movement with much staying power. Do you think between Sanders, BLM, and OWS, a new left or progressive movement can be established in our country that lasts awhile? (I hope so, but have no idea.)
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)1. If he wins the nomination, I honestly believe he'll be able to win the election without any super PACs. But I wouldn't think less of him if he used them. After all, Obama originally said he'd do all public financing, then changed his mind.
2. If he does not win the nomination, I'll probably still vote for the Democrat, but completely without enthusiasm. Unless it's Elizabeth Warren.
3. Why in the world would he make demands of the nominee? And if he does, how likely are we to know what those demands would be?
4. Not a direct answer here, but I've been noticing that ever since he entered the race, his supporters have felt like the Howard Dean supporters of 2004, especially in terms of their enthusiasm and willingness to stand behind him. It was the Deaniacs, us relative newcomers to active Democratic Party politics, who tended to stay in, stay active, even though we weren't especially appreciated by the party establishment. I think the same thing is going to be the case with the Bernie supporters. Especially the ones who are being pulled into real involvement for the first time ever.
If he loses the nomination and the nominee would be Hilary I will reluctantly vote for her but for me it would be like voting for a corporate Republican but just not as crazy but still owned by the corporate mafia
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)it will most likely be Hillary, unless she totally self-destructs in the very near future, and O'Malley comes on strong enough to get the nomination himself.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)any of the Democratic nominees.
Making perfection the enemy of the good is not my cup of tea.
Vote Democratic or you are voting for fascism.
litlbilly
(2,227 posts)HerbChestnut
(3,649 posts)1. If Sanders wins the nomination he will have already beaten a candidate who has millions of dollars in SuperPAC money. I see no reason why that can't be repeated a second time.
2. I will probably support the Democratic nominee regardless if they're endorsed by Sanders. However, if Bernie endorses someone else, say a 3rd party candidate, then I'll have to reconsider.
3. I agree with the SC justice idea. I also believe the Dem nominee should, at the very least, advocate for single payer national healthcare, racial justice, and paid family leave. I would add free public college tuition to that list, but the other candidates have already released college tuition plans so that's pretty much off the table.
4. Yes, absolutely. Sanders has made it part of his campaign to create such a movement, and with the addition of BLM we have some seriously motivated folks out there. I think at the very least millenials are rising to the occasion and will be the driving political force within the next 10-20 years.
Autumn
(44,762 posts)!. I support whatever he decides to do in that regard.
2. It would have no effect on my support. I support Bernie. I will vote but that's as far as it goes.
3. I don't think he would make demands.
4. Sanders won't set aside the supporters he has garnered. If Bernie is elected I have no doubt that a new progressive movement will be established in our country. As to it lasting that is up to the voters.
(1) If Sanders wins the nomination, he might need Super PACs to be competitive since the Supreme Court basically made it legal to buy elections. Would you support Sanders using Super PACs in the general election?
I don't know. I hope I wouldn't have to. I'd like to see where the surge we're riding takes us before having to concede anything.
(2) If Sanders loses and gives the Democratic nominee a strong endorsement, and I'm guessing he would given the alternative, what effect would that have on your support for the Democratic nominee.
None. I don't base my support on endorsements of any kind, whether from people I support and respect or other. I have enough confidence and trust in myself to determine who I should support, or not, on my own.
(3) If Sanders loses, the Democratic nominee will very much want his support. What should he demand from the Democratic nominee?
I don't think those who lose primaries are in any position to make demands. I think Sanders, if he loses, will keep fighting in the Senate, and I hope that his fellows in that body will fight with him, based on the messages they are getting from their constituents. That the movement powering his campaign will occupy Congress.
(4) Obama generated a lot of enthusiasm but unfortunately didn't create a movement with much staying power. Do you think between Sanders, BLM, and OWS, a new left or progressive movement can be established in our country that lasts awhile?
Sure. There has to be some determination behind the enthusiasm to create a movement with staying power. The people had it, but the poliltician didn't. OWS, BLM, and Sanders have it, and their supporters need to understand, as Sanders keeps saying, that nobody does it alone, and be prepared to mobilize regardless of who is nominated and who wins the GE.
djean111
(14,255 posts)any damn thing if Bernie is not the nominee.
artislife
(9,497 posts)And if he doesn't make it to the WH, everyone from the WH down through the congress, to the state, county and city hall better believe that we will make demands. Or force them.
The business as usual model has sailed.
Old Codger
(4,205 posts)(1) If Sanders wins the nomination, he might need Super PACs to be competitive since the Supreme Court basically made it legal to buy elections. Would you support Sanders using Super PACs in the general election? (I would.)
If he wins I would be perfectly fine with him using whatever it takes to be competitive in the general it would be somewhat insane to give it away based on any lesser attempt.
(2) If Sanders loses and gives the Democratic nominee a strong endorsement, and I'm guessing he would given the alternative, what effect would that have on your support for the Democratic nominee. (I will actively support the Democratic nominee no matter what since the Republican candidates are nuts.)
I would hope he would then strongly back whoever the nominee where, I will vote for whomever the nominee is.
(3) If Sanders loses, the Democratic nominee will very much want his support. What should he demand from the Democratic nominee? (If we have a Democratic Senate, I think he should get to choose the next SC justice, but if we don't have a Democratic Senate, I'm not sure.)
Not too sure what would or should be done here...without a democratic senate and house it will remain a stalemate government by radicals
(4) Obama generated a lot of enthusiasm but unfortunately didn't create a movement with much staying power. Do you think between Sanders, BLM, and OWS, a new left or progressive movement can be established in our country that lasts awhile? (I hope so, but have no idea.)
We need someone who will stick to their beliefs and fight for them ala FDR. When the opposing factions are so entrenched in their need to be in the spotlight they will do or say anything regardless of it's effect on the rest of us someone needs to just state the obvious and stand by their beliefs.
pinebox
(5,761 posts)1) I'm not sure. I don't think Sanders would do that though considering that getting the money out of politics is such a huge stance he has.
2) Nope. If it's Hillary then no I won't. She doesn't represent me and I won't go down with the whole "lesser of 2 evils" BS when there's others people running who represent me and my interests better.
3) Sanders, if he loses, should demand a great deal but the problem is that if Hillary is the nominee, much of that won't and isn't going to happen and some of that will be because of the polarization which she causes with the right. They'll block her every move and protest her entire presidency on a far greater scale than what they've done to Obama. Also, she is to the right of Bernie on so many issues. I simply don't see her doing much of anything as far as Bernie and his ideas are concerned.
4) Yes. I believe Sanders can do that and is currently. However I think much of it is more rooted in OWS than BLM. Bernie is bringing a fire far the left which is energized by indy voters.
Ino
(3,366 posts)I'll echo herbchestnut's excellent answer here...
"1. If Sanders wins the nomination he will have already beaten a candidate who has millions of dollars in SuperPAC money. I see no reason why that can't be repeated a second time."
2. I'll let Hillary know if she can count on my vote... after the election.
3. I don't think Sanders would make any demands, and I don't think Clinton would agree if he did.
4. I think the country is slowly moving left, and Sanders/BLM/OWS is helping that process in a big way.