2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe biggest show on earth: Bernie Sanders could be the miracle America needs
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Sanders, who looks like everyones benign uncle, has been known as a democratic socialist for decades. In America, socialism used to be a damning label for a politician, but Americans are no longer as naïve as they used to be during the cold war. One survey conducted recently showed that forty nine percent of the voters, under the age of thirty, had positive views of socialism.
Bernie Sanders is a senator from Vermont a small, fairly conservative state. It was a long and arduous struggle for him. He had run twice for senate and twice for governor and never got more than six per cent of the votes. His appetite for campaign, however, made him try again and again. He at last got elected as a mayor of Burlington in 1981, the first 39 year old, newly-elected mayor, who did not own a suit.
As a mayor, he did some sterling work like providing creative solutions for providing affordable houses including a community land trust that enabled low-income residents to buy homes. He resisted a developers plan to turn a derelict lake waterfront into a cluster of high rise building. Instead he made the entire area open to public. His ascent to the Senate in 2006 was stunning because he trounced a Republican candidate, one of the wealthiest men in the state of Vermont.
Since joining the Senate, Sanders has made a name for himself for gestures of defiance. His oration against tax cuts for the wealthy has since been published in a book form.
Corporations and multi-national networks come under heavy attack in Sanders addresses to the public. America today he declared recently, is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. But most people dont know that, most people dont feel that, most people dont see that because all of the wealth is in the hands of a tiny few. This grotesque level of income and inequality is immoral.
http://tns.thenews.com.pk/bernie-sanders-biggest-show-earth/#.VlqEvUc76rU
brooklynite
(94,598 posts)Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)That would go a long way to regaining our standing after all the shit wars we've started and continued.
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)Since there are so many countries in "the rest of the world" surely you have a link.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)Shame on you.
Then called The News on Friday (TNF), it had introduced many firsts to mainstream journalism in Pakistan. It did this not just by going in-depth into serious political issues, but also by recognising the significance of fringe issues like art, culture and fashion as integral to the countrys socio-political realities. TNF always took these issues seriously, long before they became lucrative businesses and therefore not to be scoffed at as frivolous pastimes in their own right in Pakistan.
The readers today may recognise TNS for its liberal, progressive and secular leanings. They cant be blamed for doing so. In a bid to help build a democratic, cultured, tolerant and aware society, it has sometimes followed the norms and at other times broken them; it has created boundaries and pushed them too.
In terms of specialisation, TNS has been a trailblazer be it literature, culture, travel, fashion or sports. Yet there are times it is criticised for not doing cookery or gardening or health or lifestyle. But it can only do as much and cannot claim to cover everything under the sun.
Meanwhile, it is constantly struggling to live up to the expectations and standards of excellence that it has set for itself, trying to wed them with a dash of creativity. For those who work here, TNS is a tough assignment.
http://tns.thenews.com.pk/about-us/
Oh yes and the author: Zia Mohyeddin
mountain grammy
(26,624 posts)It's easy to understand their enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders.
George II
(67,782 posts)That's where I stopped reading.
Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)In fact, it was one of two states that never went for Roosevelt (the other one is Maine).
So yeah: fairly conservative in a New England way.
And since the New England conservatives are now mostly independent voters and / or seeking shelter with the Democratic Party, Vermont is now solidly blue.
George II
(67,782 posts).....second only to the District of Columbia.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/167144/wyoming-residents-conservative-liberal.aspx?version=print
Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)Because if being liberal is defined as "in favour of common sense policies and in favour of necessary and morally compelling changes" then New England conservatives are a very liberal bunch these days.
If "liberal" is defined as "opposed to reactionary policies espoused by the majority of Wyomingans" then any kind of philosophic moderate is already included as a liberal by Gallup.
George II
(67,782 posts)Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)So anyone who does not want to be associated with gay-hating, women-oppressing, bible-thumbing, constitution-trampling, rich-favouring, middle-class-eradicating, war-mongering idiocy is likely to describe themselves as liberal.
There is a good case for New England conservatives to self-identify as liberal.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)He's our only hope.
newfie11
(8,159 posts)Response to UglyGreed (Original post)
Live and Learn This message was self-deleted by its author.
randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]No squirrels were harmed in the making of this post. Yet.[/center][/font][hr]
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)monster of corporate control. The longer we go the harder it will be to fight them.
randome
(34,845 posts)But the numbers are still firmly on Clinton's side. I don't see that changing. We'll get there. The GOP is on a long slide into irrelevance. It can't happen soon enough, of course.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]No squirrels were harmed in the making of this post. Yet.[/center][/font][hr]
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)I am going to fight harder than I ever have before. The 1% may be successful once again but we will maintain our momentum and get more progressives into Congress. As far as the GOP, IMO they are far from irrelevance. They are where they are, not by accident but by design. They preform a very useful function. The have been groomed to be the worst of evils. Our two party system has become one Conservative Democratic Party vs. a total disaster. Progressives have been disenfranchised.
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)LWolf
(46,179 posts)in the sense that overcoming propaganda feels like it takes a miracle. It's definitely a David vs Goliath situation. Or, maybe even better, this, which takes not a miracle, but being smarter.
I thought it was a good article. It backs up the "miracle" claim by buying into that same propaganda.
It is not just the out of work youngsters or the blacks and Hispanics who find life to be unbearable because of poverty. Many lower middle class Americans who have had the advantage of a university education are feeling the pinch. There are white couples husband and wife working full time who own a home, work more than forty hours a week but can barely put oil in their heating tanks in the winter.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)I had never seen that animated sequence before either.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)economic democracy.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)appalachiablue
(41,146 posts)stave off full on fascism. Destructive neoliberal, free market Reaganomics-Thatchernomics gotta go!
Amazing how in Europe the terms fascist and socialism are fairly common. The US is such a different country in that regard; but things are changing, whether it's fast enough is my concern.
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)with regard to the use of the word "miracle". other cultures may use "miracle"as it pertains to their personal and cultural experience.
it is my experience many americans are jaded and insensitive when they interpret how people from other cultures may use and translate a descriptor such as the word "miracle" into english.
we could all use more sensitivity when understanding and interpreting what writers and speakers from other cultures may mean when using particular forms of speech translated into english. they could stand to humble themselves to learn and understand other cultures. period.
it is gross when the majority of us come from arrogance entitled superiority rather than making an effort to acknowledge we are not the only dwellers on this earth and we are far from superior to anyone.
The Blue Traveller
(60 posts)Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)I am guessing this gentleman from Pakistan has never been there.
Eric J in MN
(35,619 posts)...is Hawaii, where he was born.
Hawaii 71%
Vermont 67%
Obama also got 91% in DC, which should be a state, but isn't.
http://elections.nbcnews.com/ns/politics/2012/all/president/#.VluQ6V42ffc
Karma13612
(4,552 posts)Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)Never went for Roosevelt. Conservative in a New England way.
And since most New England conservatives have abandoned the GOP, it has turned into a no go area for Republicans.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)And today it is one of of the most liberal states in America.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Obama was a big improvement over George W. Bush.
But Obama got tripped up in Libya and Syria trying to clean up the GWB mess.
We shall see how Bernie does, but his message is for the world, not just for America.
The conservative backlash against FDR populism has worked for the oligarchs of the world and their corporations, but not for most of the rest of us.
It has meant war, war, war as the US exports weapons, weapons, weapons. What else do we manufacture that is cheap and plentiful and popular enough to export?
Gman
(24,780 posts)One single person is not, never has been and never will be a miracle for the country. To believe so will lead to nothing more than bitter disappointment and disillusionment. Get real.
Fearless
(18,421 posts)Gloria
(17,663 posts)this is way over the top....really. He's a career politician, for goodness sake!
I can't wait for his followers to say he walked on water. I like Bernie, and I would vote for him if he were to be the nominee, no doubt about it, but sometimes there are posters here who really, really go to far in their opinion of him, and the ironic part is many of those followers were the ones who complained that anyone who supported president Obama were "authoritarians", "Obamabots", "blind followers", "worshipers", etc. Pretty ironic if you ask me.
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)This thread should put that to rest.
What a ridiculous op.
The only miracle would be Bernie breaking 35% in the national polls