Bernie Sanders!

flbride2015

Anyone else out there a huge Bernie fan???

thisismynickname2

Actually, nope. 

monkeysip

I admit, I don't know enough about him to say I'm a HUGE fan, but I do like a lot of what I've read from him.  I think I would vote for him over Hillary or any of the republican candidates at this time.  I feel like he's got some DIFFERENT ideas, but in a good way

flbride2015

monkeysip said:

I admit, I don't know enough about him to say I'm a HUGE fan, but I do like a lot of what I've read from him.  I think I would vote for him over Hillary or any of the republican candidates at this time.  I feel like he's got some DIFFERENT ideas, but in a good way

Yeah, I'm not a huge Hillary fan. If it were her against the current GOP candidate hopefuls, I'd vote for her, but I wouldn't be happy about it. Lol. I'm excited Bernie is catching her in the polls though. It's refreshing to be able to support a candidate who isn't sponsored by a large corporation or billionaires. 

thisismynickname2

I mean, Bernie's heart seems to be in the right place. None of his soundbites hold up to scrutiny though. This guy's all good in theory, but not in execution. You can't disagree with anything he says, but I can certainly disagree that he'd be able to solve all the problems that he preaches about. 

Signed,

A Libertarian. 

MyNameIsNot

I like him, but I don't think he could get elected in the general. 

But it's nice to have someone out there that actually is a liberal while the GOP is racing to the right and the middle seems to be following. 

flbride2015

thisismynickname said:

I mean, Bernie's heart seems to be in the right place. None of his soundbites hold up to scrutiny though. This guy's all good in theory, but not in execution. You can't disagree with anything he says, but I can certainly disagree that he'd be able to solve all the problems that he preaches about. 

Signed,

A Libertarian. 

How so? Which policies specifically don't hold up to scrutiny?

I would agree that he'll have trouble instituting a number of his policies if Republicans retain control of Congress. That being said, if you read the bills he's submitted to Congress for consideration, they are realistic and capable of providing results. For example, the College for All Bill. It would essentially make college free, lower interest rates on college loans, expand the work study program, and the costs would be offset by imposing a Wall Street speculation fee, that is estimated to raise hundreds of billions yearly. More than enough to fund the bill long term.

Also, his policies have been successful in Burlington where he was mayor. As mayor he:

*developed the Burlington waterfront; it now has a community boathouse and other facilities for small boats. There's also a sailing center and science center, a fishing pier, an eight-mile bike path, acres of parkland, and public beaches.

*provided new firms with seed funding, offered technical assistance, helped businesses form trade associations, focused attention on helping women become entrepreneurs, funded training programs to give women access to nontraditional jobs, and lobbied the state government to promote business growth.

*When Sanders took office, Burlington had no supermarket in the downtown area. The major grocery chains told city officials that they would invest in a new store only if they could build a mega-market that residents believed was too large. Instead, the Sanders administration put its hopes in the local Onion River Cooperative. With 2,000 members in its former location, some thought it was a risky venture. It turned out to be a good investment, and under Sanders's successor it became City Market, a thriving enterprise with more than 9,000 members.

*cleaned up a largely derelict floodplain north of the store; helped arrange the purchase of the area and provided the capital for irrigation systems, farm vehicles, and washing stations for vegetables. It's home to a dozen urban farms, annually producing over 500,000 pounds of food for local homes and stores and today generates over 10 percent of the food sold in Burlington.

*adopted policies to create permanently affordable housing. The city channeled a large portion of its federal block grant funds to nonprofits committed to that goal, and cultivated a constituency of these small development organizations. The Champlain Housing Trust now has over $290 million in assets; manages a portfolio of 2,800 price-controlled houses, condos, co-ops, and rentals; and owns over 120,000 square feet of commercial space and nonprofit facilities.

*nurtured neighborhood planning assemblies (NPA) in each of the city's six wards, providing them with modest budgets to deliberate and advise on projects affecting their neighborhoods. Today, Burlingtonians credit the NPAs with raising the level of resident participation and discussion in local politics.

http://www.thenation.com/article/208849/bernies-burlington-city-sustainable-future

Those sound like very real results to me; not just lip service.

 

[Deleted User]

YEEEEES!  #feelthebern   I am so glad he's running.  I'm supporting the campaign with my first ever donations and I hope to do some campaign work for him after my wedding this year.

[Deleted User]

thisismynickname said:

I mean, Bernie's heart seems to be in the right place. None of his soundbites hold up to scrutiny though. This guy's all good in theory, but not in execution. You can't disagree with anything he says, but I can certainly disagree that he'd be able to solve all the problems that he preaches about. 

Signed,

A Libertarian. 

No one should expect a candidate (and/or eventual (or any) POTUS) to solve all of the problems in the world.  Bernie is representing the people, and I think he expects people to work with him to solve problems, no to be the knight in shining armor.  People check out of politics (generally) once the race is over.  Frankly, that's when the REAL work starts.

We also need to vote in better candidates in the House & Senate; the President doesn't make laws.

What I like is that he's willing to TRY, and he has a track record of putting bills into motion and not just giving lip service to things.

#feelthebern

STARMOON44

I think he has zero chance of winning and knows it.

flbride2015

 

STARMOON44 said:

I think he has zero chance of winning and knows it.

I think he has a great chance of winning. Republicans have no viable candidates right now. I mean, let's be honest, Ted Cruz? Rand Paul? Trump? Actually, since we're on the subject, if any Republicans are reading this, I would love to know who you actually consider a viable candidate.

Bernie's biggest competition is Hillary. And Hillary is basically a Republican in blue clothing. She's taken a more progressive stance because she's been forced to by Bernie. He's catching her in the polls and I'm confident he'll outpoll her by the time the primaries roll around.

HeatherKat

I like a lot of what Bernie has to say, but I think he's too out there to win the general election. I'm sorry, but a self described socialist isn't going to pull the majority of voters. (And I'm saying that as a super left leaning, blue blooded Democrat myself.)

I do like the fact he's running, though. I think he's opened up a lot of conversations that we need to have as a country. I also think he'll pull Hilary a little farther left than she has been in some issues.

chibiyui

HeatherKat said:

I like a lot of what Bernie has to say, but I think he's too out there to win the general election. I'm sorry, but a self described socialist isn't going to pull the majority of voters. (And I'm saying that as a super left leaning, blue blooded Democrat myself.)

I do like the fact he's running, though. I think he's opened up a lot of conversations that we need to have as a country. I also think he'll pull Hilary a little farther left than she has been in some issues.

Everything she said except I probably actually identify as a socialist. 

flbride2015

chibiyui said:

HeatherKat said:

I like a lot of what Bernie has to say, but I think he's too out there to win the general election. I'm sorry, but a self described socialist isn't going to pull the majority of voters. (And I'm saying that as a super left leaning, blue blooded Democrat myself.)

I do like the fact he's running, though. I think he's opened up a lot of conversations that we need to have as a country. I also think he'll pull Hilary a little farther left than she has been in some issues.

Everything she said except I probably actually identify as a socialist. 

I think if more people understood what democratic socialism actually is, they would identify with it. As a country we've been convinced that socialism is this huge evil that would turn us into the collectivism society in Ayn Rand's Anthem. No, democratic socialism is not the same as communist Russia. It's not a dirty word. It's actually a pretty successful system currently used in countries like Denmark (where despite having high taxes, their small businesses are thriving) and Finland (who has the best education system and one of the highest standards of living in the world).

HeatherKat

chibiyui said:

HeatherKat said:

I like a lot of what Bernie has to say, but I think he's too out there to win the general election. I'm sorry, but a self described socialist isn't going to pull the majority of voters. (And I'm saying that as a super left leaning, blue blooded Democrat myself.)

I do like the fact he's running, though. I think he's opened up a lot of conversations that we need to have as a country. I also think he'll pull Hilary a little farther left than she has been in some issues.

Everything she said except I probably actually identify as a socialist. 

I think if more people understood what democratic socialism actually is, they would identify with it. As a country we've been convinced that socialism is this huge evil that would turn us into the collectivism society in Ayn Rand's Anthem. No, democratic socialism is not the same as communist Russia. It's not a dirty word. It's actually a pretty successful system currently used in countries like Denmark (where despite having high taxes, their small businesses are thriving) and Finland (who has the best education system and one of the highest standards of living in the world).

I don't disagree, and I've got some pretty socialist leanings myself. But to much of the general public, socialist is a bad word. And that's not something I see changing soon. Baby steps.

kimmiinthemitten

chibiyui said:

HeatherKat said:

I like a lot of what Bernie has to say, but I think he's too out there to win the general election. I'm sorry, but a self described socialist isn't going to pull the majority of voters. (And I'm saying that as a super left leaning, blue blooded Democrat myself.)

I do like the fact he's running, though. I think he's opened up a lot of conversations that we need to have as a country. I also think he'll pull Hilary a little farther left than she has been in some issues.

Everything she said except I probably actually identify as a socialist. 

Table for two:)  I Bernie!

I live in Michigan where a super unpopular Governor won reelection because the Dems in this state are too busy apologizing for it instead of defending it.  I'm sick and tired of p***** Dems!  Bernie for Life!!

lachattefatale

Huge Bernie fan, but I am also concerned that he won't win a general election. The best possible outcome, of course, would be that he win the presidency, democrats in general overtake congress, Citizens United is overturned, single-payer healthcare (including full access to reproductive health for EVERY SINGLE WOMAN) is implemented, military waste is cracked down on, and our education system (both k-12 and higher education) is totally overhauled into something resembling oh...I dunno...education.

What I think is more likely is that Bernie wins the primary and then loses the general election to someone ridiculous. Or, preferably, that Bernie loses the primary by a hair, pushing Hillary farther and farther to the left, and she wins the general election. And then we spend another 4-8 years fighting the increasingly obstinate GOP because first a black man, and then a woman, and they just cannot even.

hellohkb

I will be voting for Bernie Sanders or Jill Stein. If for some reason Sanders doesn't get the Dem nomination and Stein drops out (unlikely that she will) I'll vote for Hillary. 

I don't agree with any of the Republican or Libertarian nominees on just about any issue, so those are my 3 options it seems.

justsie

hellohkb said:

I will be voting for Bernie Sanders or Jill Stein. If for some reason Sanders doesn't get the Dem nomination and Stein drops out (unlikely that she will) I'll vote for Hillary. 

I don't agree with any of the Republican or Libertarian nominees on just about any issue, so those are my 3 options it seems.

Same here

HeatherKat

I can't lie, I'm incredibly excited for an election or two from now when Cory Booker has some more experience under his belt and runs. I love him!

kimmiinthemitten

HeatherKat said:

I can't lie, I'm incredibly excited for an election or two from now when Cory Booker has some more experience under his belt and runs. I love him!

I started following him on social media after Hurricane Sandy after hearing about he had his neighbors stay with him in his home since he was Mayor and had a generator for power. Politicians who walk the walk are so few and far between and he is truly so dedicated to the disenfranchised of this nation! I love him!

emmaaa

If any of y'all haven't done so, take this quiz: http://www.isidewith.com/political-quiz 

redheadbride15

emmaaa said:

If any of y'all haven't done so, take this quiz: http://www.isidewith.com/political-quiz 

This is pretty good! I will point out that it showed a 5% agreement with Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum, however. And I think that's WAY too generous.

flbride2015

HeatherKat said:

I can't lie, I'm incredibly excited for an election or two from now when Cory Booker has some more experience under his belt and runs. I love him!

I'm a Cory Booker fan too and also follow him on FB. I don't agree with everything he says, but I also disagree with Bernie on some things. There just isn't a perfect candidate. However, it is nice to see that there are still some out there who are trying to do the right thing.

kimmiinthemitten

98% Bernie Sanders - you don't say LOL

I got 1% with Ted Cruz and threw up in my mouth a little.  This was the one thing we agreed on:
Should the US provide incentives for heavy duty trucks to run on natural gas or alternative fuel?

vikinganna87

flbride2015 said:

 
I think if more people understood what democratic socialism actually is, they would identify with it. As a country we've been convinced that socialism is this huge evil that would turn us into the collectivism society in Ayn Rand's Anthem. No, democratic socialism is not the same as communist Russia. It's not a dirty word. It's actually a pretty successful system currently used in countries like Denmark (where despite having high taxes, their small businesses are thriving) and Finland (who has the best education system and one of the highest standards of living in the world).

I'm all for Bernie but agree that it's unlikely he'd be elected; he's too far left.  The candidates that generally end up winning are moderates who move towards the middle.

As for democratic socialism, I'm a fan in theory but not in practice.  My family left Sweden to escape the ridiculously high taxes and culture of everyone striving toward mediocrity.  Sure, the "universal" health care is great and education system is very good.  But you may have to wait for several months to get a screening for cancer or some sort of specialty treatment - so a lot of people end up paying out of pocket for private healthcare.  If you're highly motivated and go to school for several years to earn a degree (or multiple degrees) and pocket the same amount of money as someone with a trade specialty, the Scandinavian countries are not for you.  If you, however, want a decent job, decent family life, lots of vacation, one year paid maternity leave, decent healthcare for common ailments, it's heaven.

Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland are very small countries with a long history and cultural dedication to a strong social security blanket.  I'm not convinced that these social democracies would work in the US, where there's a general unwillingness to pay more than 30-40% of your income in taxes and flexible labor market (for bad and for good - easy to hire and fire).

These are also countries where - in spite of Sweden's 15% foreign-born population - everyone looks the same, dresses the same and anything out of the ordinary will draw lots of stares and negative comments. In Sweden, for example, it's not uncommon for a complete stranger to tell you that you're raising your kid totally wrong based on their short interaction with you.  Meanwhile, across the street someone's getting beaten up but none of the passersby will intervene because it's uncomfortable and they don't want to get involved.

The icing on the cake is something called dagsböte.  It's a certain type of fine used very often in Finland and regularly in Sweden.  The fine is a percentage of your gross income.  So if you make a lot of money, pay a lot in taxes, you can end up with, for example a $10,000 fine for speeding.  The cops don't like your flashy car and they're much more likely to slap this fine on you. Conversely, if you're a university student with no income you can end up with a fine that's essentially zero.

Don't get me wrong, I love Sweden.  I go every summer, ride the train, hang out with my relatives, speak Swedish, drink awesome coffee and take advantage of the peace and quiet.  I'd love to raise my kids there.  But in the long term it's too small, too insular, there's not enough opportunity and I don't feel as "free" as I do here, excuse the cliché.

But I would like to see our society move towards supporting better infrastructure, better care for the mentally ill, better public transport and employers support a more natural work-life balance.

ohmrs2014

flbride2015 said:

HeatherKat said:

I can't lie, I'm incredibly excited for an election or two from now when Cory Booker has some more experience under his belt and runs. I love him!

I'm a Cory Booker fan too and also follow him on FB. I don't agree with everything he says, but I also disagree with Bernie on some things. There just isn't a perfect candidate. However, it is nice to see that there are still some out there who are trying to do the right thing.

While Cory Booker is definitely personable and down to earth, I have no respect for him and how he left Newark when he was Mayor.  Once the opportunity came calling for him to run for Senate he jumped on and left his city in a transition and since he left and the way he left, Newark has a higher crime rate and is more dangerous than ever.  Sorry, he doesn't get my vote for President or anything for that matter.

hellohkb

vikinganna87 said:

flbride2015 said:

 
I think if more people understood what democratic socialism actually is, they would identify with it. As a country we've been convinced that socialism is this huge evil that would turn us into the collectivism society in Ayn Rand's Anthem. No, democratic socialism is not the same as communist Russia. It's not a dirty word. It's actually a pretty successful system currently used in countries like Denmark (where despite having high taxes, their small businesses are thriving) and Finland (who has the best education system and one of the highest standards of living in the world).

I'm all for Bernie but agree that it's unlikely he'd be elected; he's too far left.  The candidates that generally end up winning are moderates who move towards the middle.

As for democratic socialism, I'm a fan in theory but not in practice.  My family left Sweden to escape the ridiculously high taxes and culture of everyone striving toward mediocrity.  Sure, the "universal" health care is great and education system is very good.  But you may have to wait for several months to get a screening for cancer or some sort of specialty treatment - so a lot of people end up paying out of pocket for private healthcare.  If you're highly motivated and go to school for several years to earn a degree (or multiple degrees) and pocket the same amount of money as someone with a trade specialty, the Scandinavian countries are not for you.  If you, however, want a decent job, decent family life, lots of vacation, one year paid maternity leave, decent healthcare for common ailments, it's heaven.

Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland are very small countries with a long history and cultural dedication to a strong social security blanket.  I'm not convinced that these social democracies would work in the US, where there's a general unwillingness to pay more than 30-40% of your income in taxes and flexible labor market (for bad and for good - easy to hire and fire).

These are also countries where - in spite of Sweden's 15% foreign-born population - everyone looks the same, dresses the same and anything out of the ordinary will draw lots of stares and negative comments. In Sweden, for example, it's not uncommon for a complete stranger to tell you that you're raising your kid totally wrong based on their short interaction with you.  Meanwhile, across the street someone's getting beaten up but none of the passersby will intervene because it's uncomfortable and they don't want to get involved.

The icing on the cake is something called dagsböte.  It's a certain type of fine used very often in Finland and regularly in Sweden.  The fine is a percentage of your gross income.  So if you make a lot of money, pay a lot in taxes, you can end up with, for example a $10,000 fine for speeding.  The cops don't like your flashy car and they're much more likely to slap this fine on you. Conversely, if you're a university student with no income you can end up with a fine that's essentially zero.

Don't get me wrong, I love Sweden.  I go every summer, ride the train, hang out with my relatives, speak Swedish, drink awesome coffee and take advantage of the peace and quiet.  I'd love to raise my kids there.  But in the long term it's too small, too insular, there's not enough opportunity and I don't feel as "free" as I do here, excuse the cliché.

But I would like to see our society move towards supporting better infrastructure, better care for the mentally ill, better public transport and employers support a more natural work-life balance.

Thank you for your perspective! It's interesting to learn more about the Scandinavian culture.

flbride2015

 

ohmrs2014 said:

flbride2015 said:

HeatherKat said:

I can't lie, I'm incredibly excited for an election or two from now when Cory Booker has some more experience under his belt and runs. I love him!

I'm a Cory Booker fan too and also follow him on FB. I don't agree with everything he says, but I also disagree with Bernie on some things. There just isn't a perfect candidate. However, it is nice to see that there are still some out there who are trying to do the right thing.

While Cory Booker is definitely personable and down to earth, I have no respect for him and how he left Newark when he was Mayor.  Once the opportunity came calling for him to run for Senate he jumped on and left his city in a transition and since he left and the way he left, Newark has a higher crime rate and is more dangerous than ever.  Sorry, he doesn't get my vote for President or anything for that matter.

Speaking of Cory Booker, he endorsed Hillary yesterday on FB and about 95% of the comments were how he screwed up and should be endorsing Bernie instead. I will admit it brought a smile to my face.

Edited because I'm not sure where that first quote and comment came from.