Bernie Sanders

[yellowwoodII]

Just listening to "Here and Now" on NPR talking about his new book.

I've heard a lot of anomosity expressed toward him here. Too old. Not a Democrat. Hurt Hillary's campaign.


But I still like him. He says just what I want to hear from a Democratic candidate.

Oh, yes. I voted for Hillary in the general election.


This is just a plea to some prospective Democratic candidate to listen to Bernie.

[kimbutgar]

1. Watching him on the View now

Bernie your time has passed. Keep being a great senator but you’re too old and we need new blood.

[MuseRider]

3. I sadly agree.

I would love to vote for a person who is not an old, white male. He is doing wonderful things right now and working really hard to get info out in the media that should be very helpful in the next election cycle. I would die to have someone like him in the office.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

4. Bernie may be old in age, but he has the passion, energy, and vitality of men 20 years younger...

Besides, why shouldn't Bernie be given a second shot at the presidency, just as Hillary was rightfully given... it's his turn now to give it one last go of it. If Bernie fails again this time, then sure, maybe it's also time for him to ponder giving up the dream of ever becoming President... seems only fair.

[TexasTowelie]

5. Nobody is denying Bernie the right to run again.

However, Democrats have justifiable concerns about him since he joined and quit the party twice since 2015. The "what about Hillary" comparison with Hillary is not valid since she never quit the Democratic Party after she joined it.

[Adrahil]

13. Well, he's not a Democrat, soo......

How many times does this guy get to say he's not a Democrat, but try to run for our party's nomination?

This is starting to look more and more like ego.

[MrsCoffee]

2. Hope his book does great and he retires from politics.

[KPN]

6. Good post.

[andym]

7. I like Bernie's policies with the exception of his economic populism, which is not well-grounded

economically. Trump's tariffs will soon convince many Americans of just how problematic that kind of economic policy is.

Some folks blame him for Hillary Clinton losing, but I don't. It's time to let bygones by bygones. Why do I think he played little role in Trump's election? Two reasons: the media kept reporting on the email investigations which far overshadowed any criticism from Bernie. Also, Sander's most fanatical supporters were never going to vote for Hillary anyway-- they are on the left fringe and would never support Hillary if only because she is married to Bill who was rather moderate.

As for the coming election, I don't think Sanders will run, but if he does, I think his support peaked in 2016 and many of his mainstream supporters will be seeking someone new.

[ProfessorPlum]

22. what do you think Bernie's position on economics is?

"populism" can mean a lot of things to different people.

I've heard Sanders talk for years and years and years on the Thom Hartmann show, and his economic policies are super-well thought out, based on evidence, and Keynesian.

What exactly do you think is "not well grounded"?

[Tarheel_Dem]

8. I heard him too, only because I was in the shower and couldn't shut it off. I noticed he doesn't...

mention "millionaires" anymore. It's all about the "billionaires" now. What got millionaires off the hook?

[LexVegas]

9. He is now a millionaire?

[Tarheel_Dem]

11. Well, that explains it.

[Hortensis]

10. Yellowwood, I read and listened to everything available

when Sanders first stepped forward to fill the vacuum left when Elizabeth Warren decided not to run. I wanted to know if he was the candidate I was looking for. I also read, heard and personally experienced what happened after that. It's nice that you've discovered him. But a lot of people are already informed about him, so don't worry if they don't have the same level of interest you do. You should just continue to inform your own evaluations. And enjoy. These 2-year and 4-year campaigns can be long, dreary hauls.

[realmirage]

12. Good post. If people listened to his ideas there's not much to dislike

There's a lot of emotional reaction against him but none of it is aimed at his ideas. He would be a great president

[Adrahil]

14. Weeeeeeeelll.....

His trade positions are straight out of the 30's, lacking in sophistication.

Also, he tends to have very big plans with basically no plan how to actually get there. His history in the Senate is to mostly propose pie-in-the-sky plans, rather than policies that represent a realistic transformation.

[realmirage]

15. All of this is absolutely FALSE

He has solid plans for implementing his ideas. The man has been in government for decades and knows exactly how to make these ideas work in the real world. He knows how government works. More than 99.9 percent of the population.

[Adrahil]

20. No offense, but nonsense.

His plans are usually of the order of "add a transaction tax for equities trades." That's an idea, not a plan. He rarely spends a great deal of time on such ideas because he KNOWS his ideas are pie-in-sky and won't even make it to the floor. He's a gadfly. Always has been, always will be.

I'm glad you have faith in him, but I do not agree with your assessment. I personally have a hard tme understanding the cult of personality he has built. We have plenty of progressives in our party. We don't need him. He's certainly made it clear he doesn't want us.

[Wintryjade]

21. I agree. I think he has shown us this clearly for at least four decades.

[Small-Axe]

16. Right. His populist protectionism would sink the world economy IMO.

He has slogans, but where is the substance?

He is dead last on my list of potential nominees.

[Wintryjade]

18. Because it is the same our Democrats have been saying since at least Obama.

Gore and Kerry, there were different issues. Our Democrats have been well in front of Sanders.

[Wintryjade]

17. Most all Democrats say what he says, for at least a couple decades, well before we heard anything

from Sanders.

[Marrah_Goodman]

19. I love Bernie

I hope he keeps doing what he is doing.