Struggling people are not looking for hope and belief. They are looking for action that will turn around the devastation of deregulation and right-wing policy that are driving the race to the bottom for the majority in this country. There is nothing silly about left wing politics and plans. That is what is needed.

that the candidate will take action to solve voters' perceived problems if they're elected.

But for many, the problems are not perceived. The problems are very real and the results over several decades leave much to be desired. Talk is cheap. The proof is in the pudding. Pragmatism and working with the other side are dead on arrival. Trump has managed to install much of his reactionary right-wing agenda despite the claims that nothing can be done. Time for the left to do the same.

This year we have three women-- each of whom has done more than Bernie already and are on the brink of doing so much more if one of them, any one of them, gets into the White House.

Bernie Sanders has brought a left wing working class program back into the spotlight and has been consistent more than any other candidate in the race.

The CFPB is far more of an actual acheivement than "shining a spotlight," and she has had far more influence among her colleagues since before she was elected Senator. Perhaps that's because she doesn't expect everyone to behave like she's the smartest person in any room, and doesn't immediately consider anyone who doesn't agree with her to be corrupt.

Can you quantify "Brought a left wing working class program back into the spotlight?" and "has been consistent more than any other candidate in the race?"

Certainly, his party affiliation, or lack thereof, isn't consistent.

... why do I like Warren so much and Bernie not? (Posted several days ago.) You are a good therapist. And free, too!!!!

Bernie Sanders has always been on the left spectrum of ideas that resonate with the grievances and daily struggles of the working class and the poverty stricken. Enough said.

She also shows the capacity to rexamine her ideas from time to time, and learn from new data - likely because of her career as an educator. She doesn't assume that she has nothing to learn, nor does she assume that she has all the answers to any given topic. And she actually gets progressive ideas into reality.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Can you point out where Senator Warren has ever said anything like the following:

"You don’t change the system from within the Democratic Party.”

“My own feeling is that the Democratic Party is ideologically bankrupt.”

“We have to ask ourselves, ‘Why should we work within the Democratic Party if we don’t agree with anything the Democratic Party says?"

If someone who has said those things, and more, then decided to run as a Democrat, could that be described as being "consistent more than any other candidate in the race?"

Enough said.

In regards to consistency this is what I said.Bernie Sanders has always been on the left spectrum of ideas that resonate with the grievances and daily struggles of the working class and the poverty stricken. The Democratic Party also includes conservatives and centrists who do not answer that call.

He has not been a consistent Democrat, unlike the other candidates, so no, consistency doesn't apply there especially in your comparison to all the other Democratic Candidates.

And this is Democratic Underground, yes?

And I don't think that someone running as a Democrat after saying those things about the Democratic Party could be called "consistent." I also don't equate rigidity to consistency.

The Democratic Party has been the only place where that call actually got answered. "Shining a spotlight" doesn't hold a candle to actually getting progressive results that address the grievances and daily struggles of the working class and the poverty stricken.

SCHIP
The ACA
The Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act

What you also don't mention are social justice issues. Granted, those issues aren't ones that direcly affect white straight males, who have issues that can be solved with more money, but they matter to many nonetheless. Democrats were on the Edund Pettus Bridge. Democrats were in the South registering voters at the risk of their safety and very lives, while others left for the rural white areas of the country where no civil rights activism was going on... and never left. Democrats were in Mississippi going under cover in the 70's to investigate how children of color were being kept out of public schools. Democrats were protecting reproductive health care and protecting LGBTQ rights when others were complaining that Democrats were getting "hung up on abortion and gay marriage." Democrats were working to protect voter rights for all citizens.

Democrats were opening the doors of this country to immigrants, while others claimed they were a threat to natural born citizens jobs.

Democrats were fighting for universal health care in 1971, while others were writing essays. Later on, Democrats managed to actually got free health care to poor children, when no one else was getting anyone health care.

Democrats implemented policies that protected the environment, and others, well not so much. Democrats were calling such harmful legislation that shunted toxic waste to areas where the poor lived, fast tracked by others during an election year "environmental racism." I'd say that the Democrats - Paul Wellstone and John Kerry - were way to the left of the authors of that legislation, wouldn't you?

And certainly one's choice of advisors figures into where they fall on the political spectrum, wouldn't you say?

Democrats actually got progressive policies in place:

Pro-choice legislation
Marriage Equality
Voting rights protections

Looks like Democrats have actually been achieving progressive policies that were to the left of mainstream America more successfully and before than anyone else claiming to be more left, but unable to get elected to office (and didn't bother to vote unless they were on the ballot), or get much progressive legislation passed once in.

"Spotlight" or no.

Enough said.

You speak for me. Every thing you said.

Despite all of what you've written, the fact remains that nothing was accomplished without the force of left movements on the ground forcing that change. Bernie Sanders understands that more than any other candidate. Beyond that, "we" are not all a few tweaks away from prosperity for all. We can sum this up quite easily with a quote from Dr. King from 1967 :

“For years I labored with the idea of reforming the existing institutions of society, a little change here, a little change there. Now I feel quite differently. I think you’ve got to have a reconstruction of the entire society...a radical redistribution of political and economic power.”

You're welcome.

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Certainly you can provide current examples in regards to validating your claim:

You indicated plural Democrats.

From May 2015 through July 2016 (15 months)
From April 2019 to date (8 months)

POTUS.

I'm not supporting anyone yet, but you dissing a candidate sucks.

that Gabbard deserves it.

means no more now than it did then.

in this case it is true.

wrote her off when David Duke backed her.

I have no idea how genuine her complaint was, but getting out of the more approved thought lines anywhere in the ME is asking for trouble.

No matter, though. You are claiming the right to write her off because of the actions of one or two tricksters, but will not write off Bernie because of Jill Stein and other such characters.

Betcha can't explain why Bernie gets breaks others are denied.

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to be granted a cabinet post if he's sincere enough in campaigning for her.

No? So you're simply pretending an argument exists to argue against a position no one actually holds?

Seems about as effective as yelling at the rain to stop... but then again, it's your choice and right to remain wet and go hoarse.

It's an attack on left wing politics ("silliness&quot ) and ideology in deference to the mere platitudes of feel good hope, belief, and illusions. That's my take and opinion on it. You're certainly welcome to yours.

Country! In the 50s a decade republicans love, the tax rate for rich people was huge! If we go back to that and give more education free to our kids, we will all be richer and live better. Higher minimum wage would also help that. Stop giving tax break after tax break to rich people and corporations. Stop letting health insurance companies steal us blind. Our country would be so much better off you wouldn't believe it.

It's the underlying corruption and it must be addressed!

And Elizabeth is clearly focused on that!

Thank you!

... I don't think of her older stance as "silliness." At some point we've got to have a sea change. One of those historic tipping points. Warren believes this, and for me she represents the possibility. But she can't make it happen. We're either on the point of tipping or we're not. But her new emphasis on "my first day in office" will make it easier for her to be our leader. (I'll be interested to hear HOW the president can lower prescription drug prices all by themselves. No doubt that she's telling the truth. Just waiting with interest.)

The new poll (reported, I'm told, in Wall Street Journal and NYT) that 77% of Dems and 57% of Repubs support her wealth tax is a real good bit of news. Maybe we are approaching a tipping point. Possible if a significant number of Trump voters are just plain mad.

the election will be corrupted, the GOP will cheat, Russians will hack the machines, and the Dems will lose, no matter how many vote. IMO, everything turns on the Senate GOPers. They can abandon the Constitution, and they likely will. After that it’s all over but the shouting.

Please define it. If it has anything to do with "we can't afford it," "how will we pay for it," or any of the other rightwing propaganda points I'm going to puke.

I think she badly fumbled the MFA thing. She's still trying to find her footing. But I like he better than either Sanders or Biden, so I hope she can recover.