A plea

Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #111696
    waterfield
    Participant

    If you truly believe, in good faith, that Sanders has the best shot at eliminating Trump-then I say go for it with gusto ! Rallies, calls, donations, -whatever it takes-just do it. OTOH if you don’t feel he has the best chance but will do all of this based on the fact that your views fit with his ideology than I say you are a pie in the sky political fool. It’s simple. If Trump is in office for another 4 years we will lose the House; the Senate will be more empowered with Mcconnell; the judiciary-both federal and state -will continue to move further and further to the right; women’s rights will continue to be pushed back (abortion !); minorities will suffer far greater than they do even now- in terms of voting power (gerrymandering), loss of medicaid, the gutting of medicare; the environmental concerns will be pushed back and will suffer dramatically; the present economic inequality will only widen; on and on.

    And please keep this in mind. Once again this will all come down to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Trump wants Sanders as an opponent because he knows he can beat him in those decisive states. Nevertheless, if he is the nominee I will fight for him like I’ve never fought before. I only hope if a “moderate” is nominated each of you will do the same. The stakes are really high here. For some of us older voters its no longer about us-its about our children and their children.

    #111698
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    Waterfield NONE of us knows if Bernie or ANYONE else could beat Trump. No-One knows. No-one…knows.

    But from what the polls show, Bernie has as good or better chance than any of the other Dems. But who knows.

    At any rate, SINCE we cant possibly KNOW, who will win (its gonna be close)
    why not just vote for the one who mostly closely represents yer views.

    If Bernie wins California (which he will) and Texas (?) then he’s gonna be the nominee barring typical DNC-corrupt-tactics.

    PS — fwiw, one leftist’s opinion — i think the DNC ‘uses’ all this “bernie isnt electable’ crap, as cover for its disgusting undemocratic pro-corporate tactics.
    The DNC tells itself its got a noble purpose
    , ie., ‘stopping an unelectable candidate’ — to cover up the disgusting tactics it uses. Thats what humans do, you know. There’s always a ‘noble purpose’ behind the disgusting stuff.

    “The brain is a self-justifying organ”
    Dan Wile

    w
    v

    w
    v

    #111699
    Avatar photojoemad
    Participant

    Trump wants Sanders as an opponent because he knows he can beat him in those decisive states. Nevertheless, if he is the nominee I will fight for him like I’ve never fought before. I only hope if a “moderate” is nominated each of you will do the same. The stakes are really high here.

    Trump has already beat a moderate in those decisive states…. the question is, will HRC, Biden, Bloom, Pocahantas, Mayor Pete etc stand behind and rally behind Bernie, like he did with HRC in 2016?

    #111700
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    Trump wants Sanders as an opponent because he knows he can beat him in those decisive states. Nevertheless, if he is the nominee I will fight for him like I’ve never fought before. I only hope if a “moderate” is nominated each of you will do the same. The stakes are really high here.

    Trump has already beat a moderate in those decisive states…. the question is, will HRC, Biden, Bloom, Pocahantas, Mayor Pete etc stand behind and rally behind Bernie, like he did with HRC in 2016?

    ===================

    Can you imagine how much fun Trump would have against:

    Biden — the bumbling, fumbling, doddering, drooling, dull, same-old-same-ole Corporate Dem. Good Lord. Biden — Mr Excitement. Heck John Kerry was more exciting. Gore, was more exciting.

    Bloomberg — The most disgusting Weasel in the field. A nightmare. Oh yeah, can you see Latinos and Blacks and young voters coming out for Bloomberg? Another corrupt Billionaire. Jeezus.

    Buttachex? — He’d be like a lamb to the slaughter against Trump. Zero gravitas. He’s like a little weasely altar boy. Trump would chew him up and spit him out.

    Warren? — I dunno. Her star has fallen so far, I just dont see it. Seems like another Hillary.

    Klobachar? — Really? Please.

    That leaves the guy who has already been thru the Wars. There’s nothing Trump can throw at him that he didnt see in 2016.

    w
    v

    #111701
    Avatar photojoemad
    Participant

    I agree WV, I think Bernie can kick Trump’s ass…..

    #111704
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    I agree WV, I think Bernie can kick Trump’s ass…..

    ——————–

    Ok, but i have no idea, if Bernie can kick the Donald’s ass. I assume it will be REAL close, either way. Real…close.

    Could go either way.

    But i like bernie’s chances. The Progressives have waited so long. It’s their turn to try, for a change. Ya know. If the Country rejects it, so be it.
    But its time to try. They’ve waited since….McGovern? How long is that?

    w
    v

    #111708
    Avatar photoZooey
    Moderator

    Polls show Sanders with the widest margin of polling advantage of all the potential opponents to Trump. But I agree that those polls are not meaningful right now. There are months to go, and…whatever.

    I also agree that Sanders is a better debate match up to Trump than any of the other candidates.

    That aside…W’s central point is to encourage us to vote blue no matter who because…Trump.

    And I will preface what I say by first pointing out that, thanks to the electoral college, it makes no difference whatsoever whom I vote for, or if I vote at all. I am in California, and the corpse of Hubert Humphrey would beat Trump in this state by at least 4 million votes.

    I’m not sure where my heart will be on that day, though. It depends in large part on how the nominee gets named.

    If it is apparent that the Democrat establishment conspires to prevent Bernie from getting the nomination, that will be the end of it for me. Because if – as polls suggest – Bernie wins the plurality in nearly every state, and the plurality of delegates by a substantial margin – and they deal him out…

    I don’t know how I can possibly interpret that other than that the Democrat establishment itself prefers to run the risk of another term of Trump, to running the risk of a Sanders presidency. That conclusion is inescapable because they KNOW what Waterfield knows, that the votes of Sanders supporters are very much in doubt. That will be undeniable proof that they would rather lose to Trump, but retain control of the party (and, btw, wrap their arms around the coffers of money that will pour into the party in opposition to Trump) then to risk Sanders winning, and his likely reconfiguration of the party away from corporate fealty. The Democrats will have told all of us to go to hell. In my view, they will have spit in the face of W’s sentiment: “The stakes are really high here. For some of us older voters its no longer about us-its about our children and their children.”

    #111712
    waterfield
    Participant

    “That aside…W’s central point is to encourage us to vote blue no matter who because…Trump.”

    Of course that is my point ! Can’t see how that was missed. Once the Democrats pick a nominee ideology becomes irrelevant in my mind. It could be Bernie, Ho Chi Minh, or Mr. Magoo for all I care. That is how dangerous I see Trump. My problem is that Trump sees Bernie as an easy target. Less so for the others. And I think he is right. If he’s the nominee I pray I’m wrong.

    #111715
    TSRF
    Participant

    I may be giving him too much credit, but maybe Trump is using reverse psychology here. As in, by saying he wants Bernie, he is hoping the DNC does the opposite.

    By the way, Ho Chi Minh would need to provide papers that he was born in the USA. I’m not sure, but that may be a problem for him.

    Isn’t Mr. Magoo already VP?

    #111723
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    y problem is that Trump sees Bernie as an easy target.

    Trump’s illusions about that shouldn’t be taken seriously, W.

    The center has shifted. Sanders and his FDR style policies just don’t sound extreme.

    #111727
    Avatar photoZooey
    Moderator

    I think Sanders is a bigger threat than any of the other candidates to Trump. And I think that is because Sanders competes with Trump in the one category of voters that put Trump over the top, and that is anti-establishment votes. People pissed off with the establishment put Trump in the White House.

    Not only do I think the center has shifted, as zn pointed out, I think the division in this country is no longer the same old Left/Right division. I think it is undergoing a kind of Hegelian shift from that to Establishment/Anti-Establishment.

    Sanders will bring out different voters than Clinton did, and then ALL of his competitors will. He will bring out more voters. And…he will peel away some of the Anti-Establishment voters who went for Trump the first time, but did so for economic reasons rather than racial reasons. Those people wanted a shake up, Trump promised it to them, and he broke that promise. Sanders appeals to those people. It would only take a few thousand of those to tip the election into Sanders’ hands.

    One other thing about Sanders. He isn’t a hypocrite. He has not been duplicitous in his career. All of the other candidates have been, and that is the kind of vulnerability Trump has a nose for, and will exploit endlessly. Trump defines his opponents. Every single one of them. He can’t define Bernie because Bernie is what he is, always has been, and owns it.

    #111728
    waterfield
    Participant

    “And I think that is because Sanders competes with Trump in the one category of voters that put Trump over the top, and that is anti-establishment votes.”

    There is truth to that. Except I heard a podcast where James Carville called this group the “I am a victim” segment not “anti establishment”. I also think most of you guys continue to forget about Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. That’s where this election, again, will be decided and I find it hard to fathom that these hard working people are going to go for someone who wants the government to take care of them. Furthermore, the Republicans-not just Trump-but up and down on the ballot will turn the democrats arguments for 2018 on its head and make the exact same argument-you will lose your precious private health care and your own personal physicians. And those voters in those precious three states will buy it.

    Nevertheless, I will support Bernie if he is the nominee just as much as I would Biden, Bloomberg, whoever. Why? Trump. And in that light if Hitler was the President and Hillary was running against him would any of you guys vote for Hillary ? Or would you stick with your ideology and not vote. And that is precisely the point. And yes I think Trump is every bit as rancid as Hitler.

    #111731
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    “That aside…W’s central point is to encourage us to vote blue no matter who because…Trump.”

    Of course that is my point ! Can’t see how that was missed. Once the Democrats pick a nominee ideology becomes irrelevant in my mind. It could be Bernie, Ho Chi Minh, or Mr. Magoo for all I care. That is how dangerous I see Trump. My problem is that Trump sees Bernie as an easy target. Less so for the others. And I think he is right. If he’s the nominee I pray I’m wrong.

    ========================

    Nah, I wont vote for a pro-one-percent-Dem, if he is the nominee because the pro-one-percent-DNC cheats Bernie, AGAIN. I’m sure a lot of progressives will go ahead and hold their noses and vote for a pro-corporate-dem, but a lot of progressives will just stay home, vote Green Party or….move to Thailand.

    w
    v

    #111733
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    One other thing about Sanders. He isn’t a hypocrite. He has not been duplicitous in his career. All of the other candidates have been, and that is the kind of vulnerability Trump has a nose for, and will exploit endlessly. Trump defines his opponents. Every single one of them. He can’t define Bernie because Bernie is what he is, always has been, and owns it.

    ==================

    I think this is HUGE. Cant be underestimated.
    I’ll keep going back to Joe Rogan. Because i think he represents a type of voter that the Dems NEED. He switched to Bernie because he said he TRUSTS Bernie.
    He didnt talk a lot about Bernie’s policies. He wasnt even sure Bernie’s policies were the right ones — but…he…TRUSTS Bernie. He’s used words like that over and over. Its an ’emotional’ thing. People….trust…Bernie. They dont trust establishment politicians anymore.

    None of that means i think Bernie ‘will win.’ Who the fuck knows if Bernie will win or Trump will win or if the DNC-Cheat-Candidate will win. Who knows.
    Things are confusing nowadays. In flux. Dogs and Cats raining from the skies.

    w
    v

    #111745
    Cal
    Participant

    “And I think that is because Sanders competes with Trump in the one category of voters that put Trump over the top, and that is anti-establishment votes.”

    There is truth to that. Except I heard a podcast where James Carville called this group the “I am a victim” segment not “anti establishment”. I also think most of you guys continue to forget about Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. That’s where this election, again, will be decided and I find it hard to fathom that these hard working people are going to go for someone who wants the government to take care of them. Furthermore, the Republicans-not just Trump-but up and down on the ballot will turn the democrats arguments for 2018 on its head and make the exact same argument-you will lose your precious private health care and your own personal physicians. And those voters in those precious three states will buy it.

    I am probably a little too old to say “Ok, Boomer” but that’s a damn good response to James Carville’s horseshit.

    Anyone who has any experience with college costs in the last 10 years or is looking at college costs for their kids in the near future know that Carville’s “victim” rhetoric is BS.

    Looking at my local university and what I payed 20 years ago, college costs have tripled in 20 years. Have wages kept pace? Hell,no.

    Millions of young people are emerging with $$20,000 in student loans (if they’re lucky). Who benefits from that? Banks.

    And then these kids can’t buy a house so they’re stuck paying ridiculous rent that also benefits the rich. Because they, of course, own the houses and are benefiting from the ridiculous spikes in housing costs.

    And this isn’t a problem only in California or New York. It’s happening everywhere including Wisconsin and Michigan. That’s why Bernie won the democratic primary in those states in 2016.

    Millions of normal people know the system is rigged against them. All of them might not understand the specifics, but they can feel it and they’re right.

    Banks are making are killing off the high price of college tuition. Guess what happens if your a college grad who goes to buy a house without 20% to put down? You get to pay the bank a higher interest rate AND you get to borrow more money from the bank because you have to pay $200 every month for your student loans.

    If the Democratic establishment wants to keep saying dumb things they just might lose to Trump in 2020. People know this current system is stupid and BS.

    • This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Cal.
    #111750
    Avatar photoBilly_T
    Participant

    Cal,

    Good post.

    I paid a few hundred a semester during my first go round in college back in the 1970s. I went back two more times, in two separate decades, and the price skyrocketed.

    This was a direct consequence of state and federal governments retreating on their support for Higher Ed. The wave of tax cut fever forced them to choose what to fund and what to de-fund, and education was all too often one of the main victims — that and programs for the poor, especially.

    This isn’t rocket science. We can reverse what we did and add a bit of support on top of that. And this is a must. Most of Europe offers free college tuition to its citizens, and a few of its countries will even cover costs overseas.

    We’re the richest nation on earth and we can’t at least do the same?

    #111751
    waterfield
    Participant

    “That aside…W’s central point is to encourage us to vote blue no matter who because…Trump.”

    Of course that is my point ! Can’t see how that was missed. Once the Democrats pick a nominee ideology becomes irrelevant in my mind. It could be Bernie, Ho Chi Minh, or Mr. Magoo for all I care. That is how dangerous I see Trump. My problem is that Trump sees Bernie as an easy target. Less so for the others. And I think he is right. If he’s the nominee I pray I’m wrong.

    ========================

    Nah, I wont vote for a pro-one-percent-Dem, if he is the nominee because the pro-one-percent-DNC cheats Bernie, AGAIN. I’m sure a lot of progressives will go ahead and hold their noses and vote for a pro-corporate-dem, but a lot of progressives will just stay home, vote Green Party or….move to Thailand.

    w
    v

    And by doing so you are actually equating any democrat except Sanders to Trump ! That’s just being silly. (“if you can’t play by my rules I’m taking the ball and going home”). You simply do not see how dangerous Trump is and will continue to be when it comes to the protection of the environment, the plight of the less fortunate, the health and safety of minorities and disabled, the continued destruction of our judicial system, the widening of the economic inequality,etc. You simply do not appear to care about these things.

    #111753
    Cal
    Participant

    Cal,

    Good post.

    I paid a few hundred a semester during my first go round in college back in the 1970s. I went back two more times, in two separate decades, and the price skyrocketed.

    This was a direct consequence of state and federal governments retreating on their support for Higher Ed. The wave of tax cut fever forced them to choose what to fund and what to de-fund, and education was all too often one of the main victims — that and programs for the poor, especially.

    This isn’t rocket science. We can reverse what we did and add a bit of support on top of that. And this is a must. Most of Europe offers free college tuition to its citizens, and a few of its countries will even cover costs overseas.

    We’re the richest nation on earth and we can’t at least do the same?

    Yes, I shouldn’t say the system is stupid. It’s operating exactly like the rich want it to. The rich and the political leaders have created a system where millions of nurses, teachers, policemen, etc. have to pay an extra 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 hundred bucks a month because it would be crazy to fund higher education by spending ONLY 10 times what Canada spends on our military.

    The middle class is absorbing the costs of the rising costs of college and housing and a ton of that money is flowing directly to the banks. Young people get this. Just look at Bernie’s popularity with the young voters.

    #111754
    waterfield
    Participant

    We may be the “richest” country Billy but we are also the most selfish-meaning we don’t want to pay taxes for education and most anything else for that matter. Republicans know this and they pander to the “don’t tax me” crowd. To them taxes are evil. We will never have affordable higher education until we restructure our taxation system. That means everyone-not just the middle class but everyone-pays. Yes-that means that the richest among us will have to pay their fair share and yes the middle class will likely also have to pay more. Unfortunately we seem to be too selfish to move forward on this. Its all about looking out for yourself and forgetting about the “others”.

    #111755
    waterfield
    Participant

    y problem is that Trump sees Bernie as an easy target.

    Trump’s illusions about that shouldn’t be taken seriously, W.

    The center has shifted. Sanders and his FDR style policies just don’t sound extreme.

    But they do sound extreme to Trump supporters. Believe me-I talk to them every day ! It just seems so very simple to me: this is a contest. The idea of a contest is to win. Sanders will not win Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania-game over.

    #111756
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    <
    And by doing so you are actually equating any democrat except Sanders to Trump ! That’s just being silly. (“if you can’t play by my rules I’m taking the ball and going home”). You simply do not see how dangerous Trump is and will continue to be when it comes to the protection of the environment, the plight of the less fortunate, the health and safety of minorities and disabled, the continued destruction of our judicial system, the widening of the economic inequality,etc. You simply do not appear to care about these things.

    ========================

    Well, thats not exactly true, but there’s enough truth to it, that i wont argue with your characterization.

    I would phrase it like this — Trump is driving us all off a cliff at 90 miles per hour. A corporate-centrist, like Obama/Clinton/Kerry would drive us off the cliff at 75 miles per hour. Is there a difference? Yeah. 15 miles per hour.
    Would that difference matter in the long run — Not when we go over the cliff.

    So, yeah, i liken the Corporate-Dems to the Corporate-Reps. Trump is a Corporate-Rep. Remember the Corporate-Reps are all right there with him. Its not like any of them are fighting his agenda.

    You say i dont see the danger in Trump. I say, you dont see the danger in the Corpse-dems. Ah well. Nothing personal here, for me. Just a political difference. I used to take this shit personally, but i just dont anymore. I’m resigned to the apocalypse.

    w
    v

    #111757
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    <
    But they do sound extreme to Trump supporters. Believe me-I talk to them every day ! It just seems so very simple to me: this is a contest. The idea of a contest is to win. Sanders will not win Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania-game over.

    ==========================

    Waterfield thats just silly. You dont talk to ALLLL the Trump supporters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. You dont even talk to one percent of them.
    You….dont….know how those States are going to go. No-one does.

    Its going to be close.

    Bernie could win, if the same voters who voted for Obama, vote for Bernie. And thats just ‘one’ path.

    w
    v

    #111752
    Avatar photoBilly_T
    Participant

    “That aside…W’s central point is to encourage us to vote blue no matter who because…Trump.”

    Of course that is my point ! Can’t see how that was missed. Once the Democrats pick a nominee ideology becomes irrelevant in my mind. It could be Bernie, Ho Chi Minh, or Mr. Magoo for all I care. That is how dangerous I see Trump. My problem is that Trump sees Bernie as an easy target. Less so for the others. And I think he is right. If he’s the nominee I pray I’m wrong.

    ========================

    Nah, I wont vote for a pro-one-percent-Dem, if he is the nominee because the pro-one-percent-DNC cheats Bernie, AGAIN. I’m sure a lot of progressives will go ahead and hold their noses and vote for a pro-corporate-dem, but a lot of progressives will just stay home, vote Green Party or….move to Thailand.

    w
    v

    And by doing so you are actually equating any democrat except Sanders to Trump ! That’s just being silly. (“if you can’t play by my rules I’m taking the ball and going home”). You simply do not see how dangerous Trump is and will continue to be when it comes to the protection of the environment, the plight of the less fortunate, the health and safety of minorities and disabled, the continued destruction of our judicial system, the widening of the economic inequality,etc. You simply do not appear to care about these things.

    Not trying to speak for WV, but if he votes for a Dem, it’s gonna be cancelled out anyway. His vote won’t have any impact on the election.

    West Virginia is going to go overwhelmingly for Trump. As long as we have the EC, voting for the “losing” candidate in that particular state is basically like not voting at all.

    #111767
    Avatar photoZooey
    Moderator

    But they do sound extreme to Trump supporters. Believe me-I talk to them every day ! It just seems so very simple to me: this is a contest. The idea of a contest is to win. Sanders will not win Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania-game over.

    You lost me there. Biden is too extreme for Trump supporters.

    #111768
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    y problem is that Trump sees Bernie as an easy target.

    Trump’s illusions about that shouldn’t be taken seriously, W.

    The center has shifted. Sanders and his FDR style policies just don’t sound extreme.

    But they do sound extreme to Trump supporters. Believe me-I talk to them every day ! It just seems so very simple to me: this is a contest. The idea of a contest is to win. Sanders will not win Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania-game over.

    I dunno man. How many Sanders supporters do you talk to every day? You even seem to think they’re a small minority when in fact, it’s a movement with wide support.

    Talk to more people, W.

    #111786
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    Corporatist-Dems might prefer Trump to Bernie.

    Would some Progressives prefer Trump to a Corporate-Dem who was nominated by “super-delegates” ? Maybe.

Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Comments are closed.