Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumBernie Sanders starts off with a bang
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All this shouldnt come as a surprise, yet it often seems to, at least in the Acela corridor. In a world where income inequality continues to soar, common sense says Sanderss populist message appeals to many. Millions of Americans support Sanderss agenda, or at least parts of it. Poll after poll after poll shows solid majorities of all ages say they want to see Medicare-for-all, a $15-an-hour minimum wage and higher taxes on the wealthiest among us.
But there is something else, too. Sanders either deliberately or accidentally has figured out a way to make his relatively advanced age work in his favor. In American society, we often brush off the elderly. But there remains a long-established trope, something Ill dub the Golden Girls appeal after the 1980s-1990s hit television show. These people are who they are, and they remain committed to their passions. They dont talk down to the young people, but neither do they scold, or blame them for their woes. At the same time, they dont sugarcoat their critiques. They dont pretend to share their taste in music, but they share something more important they share their idealism and their belief we dont need to settle for realism, or second best. They are, you might say, brass-tack dreamers.
Sanders, who, in an age of polished video, often turns up looking as if he forgot to brush his hair, makes zero effort to modulate his distinct New York City honk despite decades of living in Vermont and released a campaign commercial in 2016 featuring the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel, fits this profile perfectly. He tells a generation of Americans indebted by student loans that college tuition can once again be an inconsequential expense. It wouldnt take a magic genie, as Klobuchar claimed Monday, just a society willing to support it. And he doesnt just say he would like to see a $15 minimum wage. He all but shamed Amazon into raising its minimum hourly pay last year to $15 an hour, after he debuted legislation named in honor of Jeff Bezos, that would have required large companies to pay the government back if their employees still need government benefits to get by. (Bezos owns The Post.)
(snip)
But Sanders comes with the formidable muscle. He has passionate supporters who remain committed, years of experience in grass-roots organizing, and a political environment that has only become friendlier to his views since the last time he ran. And no candidate who can raise so much so quickly from so many small donors can be dismissed so cavalierly and quickly.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/02/20/bernie-sanders-starts-off-with-bang/?utm_term=.ebde4c5f6ed1
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Autumn
(45,107 posts)I don't know how it is that we became a nation that is comfortable seeing people do without and are fine with our tax dollars going to the most wealthy among us.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)have become most adept at dividing the American People along every conceivable category under the sun to keep the people fighting among themselves.
Divide and conquer is still the rule of the game in their playbook and Trump is the ultimate culmination of them playing that game for at least since the late 70s and early 80s.
Whether they did it intentionally or not could be debated but he's the end result.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
RKP5637
(67,111 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,107 posts)Had they not covered him the way they do he would already be gone. Going into 2020 I still see that as a threat. No matter who the Democratic nominee is.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)Perhaps Trump's threats against the media have now woken them as to the dangers of of riding the dumbing down the people tiger and playing fault line politics for all it's worth instead of consistent, substantive covering of the critical issues affecting nearly every American particularly the weakest among us.
The preeminent question now being, how do they get off the tiger before it eats the nation?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)Divide and conquer with hate and racism.
This shit has been around since the beginning. You think people would be wise to this by now but vast propaganda outlets like Fox news, hate radio and the GOP keep suckering the working class masses into it.
Imagine a unified 99% against the billionaires. We would be living in a golden age.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)to the individuals' financial strength while conflating business with a democratic republic government.
Dividing and conquering becomes child's play to the most powerful while the quote on the Statue of Liberty succumbs to "merit" base.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)I also think it's humorous that the GOP rails against socialism.
They are 100% for socialism when it benefits the filthy rich as in tRump's tax giveaway to the rich and corporations.
But it's hardcore libertarian capitalism for the rest of us poor saps!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)They're only tools to be pulled out when the need arises if the people are divided and distracted it becomes easy to hoe the field.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)Sad to say.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
RKP5637
(67,111 posts)are pleased our tax dollars go mostly to the wealthy ... and many corporations pay no taxes at all. I don't know if many are now just stupid in the US, naive, brainwashed ... or simply don't give a F unless it affects them. Many tRump supports appear to extensively enjoy inflicting harm on others.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,107 posts)in "pissing off the libs", even when they get harmed. Our politicians, even a few on our side, are fine giving bailouts to the wealthy and corporations and balanceing the books on our backs and people, even people on our side go along with it. We have seen that in every deficit fight.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
RKP5637
(67,111 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,107 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,330 posts)We better start making some real bold reforms or we are going to end up with a real right wing populist who isnt a dim witted lazy slob like trump.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Autumn
(45,107 posts)we might as well kiss our asses goodbye.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Quixote1818
(28,946 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Nanjeanne
(4,961 posts)Faiz Shakir of the ACKLU as Campaign Manager
Analilia Mejia of NJ Working Families Alliance as National Political Director
Sarah Badawi of Progressive Change Campaign Committee's (BoldProgressives.org) as Deputy Political Director
And as National Co Chairs:
Congressman Ro Khanna of CA
Nina Turner from Our Revolution
Ben Cohen from Ben & Jerrys who lately has been working on getting money out of politics
Carmen Yulin Cruz - the fabulous mayor of San Juan who was so great at blasting Trump
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
romainetarra
(51 posts)Whats the Acela corridor?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)Washington D.C. New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and others.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided