Can anyone explain to me

[hootinholler]

Why voters are going to reject a candidate who aligns so closely with their opinions?

Why would you reject a candidate that has been consistent with those positions their entire career?

How does that work?

[immoderate]

1. It's mental!

--imm

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. most people are followers. they do what they are told..

Church...teevee...ads.

[polichick]

14. True - they don't want the responsibility of thinking for themselves.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

3. people, on the whole, are stupid

and that they are selecting in a popularity contest... rarely are the actual issues the determining factor.

oh, and it doesn't hurt if the media has declared a winner already...

sP

[Buzz Clik]

4. Voters often vote against their best interests.

Would a single Republican be voted into office otherwise?

Not saying that Sanders is the perfect candidate for all voters...

[marym625]

5. money, honey

[hootinholler]

12. I hope not n/t

[MaggieD]

6. Electability

He calls himself a socialist.

[okaawhatever]

7. You are assuming people will actually know and understand Bernie's positions. People who are

aligned politically with Bernie, but don't vote for him, will likely do so out of ignorance. That is why it's so important to have a huge campaign fund, you want to be able to get your message across to as many people as possible. Of course you also need the money to counter all the negative (and probably untrue) ads put out by the right.

[hootinholler]

10. There are many sporting the Harrow

That do know Bernie's positions and mostly agree with them, yet they say they will vote for Hillary anyway.

[Agnosticsherbet]

8. People will vote for a candidate for individual reasons

and not on who they measure to other individuals, unless marching in line with American's as a whole is a critical factor in their decision.

[99Forever]

9. Those you reference are personality fans, not policy voters.

They vest their entire ego into trusting someone, then refuse to even acknowledge that the subject of their idolization has any sort of negatives and will fight, tooth and nail against truth and anyone who dares point out that their idol is a false one.

[RKP5637]

11. Many Americans are like putty and can easily have their views shaped to vote in their

worst interest. Many Americans are naive and gullible and are fodder for manipulation. And greatest of all, few practice introspection. Hence, IMO, many just do a knee jerk and vote.

[polichick]

13. Most people are followers and easily brainwashed.

[brooklynite]

15. Assume you're talking about Sanders?

Maybe because politics is reality? And reality says one candidate may lose, even if he agrees with you?

[hootinholler]

16. I take it you didn't look at the first link.

It's not that he agrees with me, it's that on many issues a majority agree with him.

[brooklynite]

17. And my point stands.....

...People vote for any number of reasons besides issues. Perceived electability is one of them.

[hootinholler]

18. If as you claim politics is reality

Then according to the polls cited in the OP, Bernie wins.

So, people are rolling over and giving up because someone said he can't be elected? Seems a little unreal to me, but thanks for your input.

[brooklynite]

20. What poll was that?

I saw polling on issues, which I've already stated people don't vote based on exclusively.

In Colorado last year, voters rejected a Personhood Amendment...and then voted for a Republican Senate candidate who supported it.

[lovemydog]

19. I can't speak for other people.

For me, I look at issues, yes. I also look at who I think would be most effective in dealing with Congress. Who I think will be most effective in helping shape foreign policy that I'd like to see implemented. Who will build an effective administration and appoint good judges that will have a strong chance of being approved. Who has experience in actually persuading the majority not just hectoring them. Who has a proven track record of winning people to their side of things. A whole lot of factors.

I see a lot of people here attempting to speak for others and failing miserably. I find it presumptuous, arrogant and condescending. It sometimes makes me want to vote for some other candidate just as a way of saying 'screw you' to those who would attempt to presume they know better than me how I should vote. Perhaps some people just vote against those types of people who continually belittle them by continually claiming to know what's 'best' for them. Maybe their vote is kind of like 'You don't speak for me. I speak for me.'

For example, continually bashing President Obama and Hillary Clinton, two of the democratic party's most effective leaders of the past decade, is not a good way to win support for your candidate. You need to build coalitions of broad support. I agree with Sanders on most every issue. I'm a democratic socialist. I also believe in working with effective leaders and strong constituencies that may not agree with me on, or have the coalition required for, things that I want like single payer health care and breaking up the biggest banks and taxing derivative trading to relieve the tuition costs of college. Those things require broad coalitions. I don't even think those coalitions will be built by continually calling all republicans rethugs or idiots.

If I vote for Sanders it will be in spite of his most vocal supporters, not because of them. Same goes for any candidate. On a local state and federal level I vote for the most progressive candidate on every ballot.

[Skittles]

21. they like pretty, shiny things

yes indeed

[Recursion]

22. Because people vote for candidates, not positions

This has been pretty well-known for years.

I'll even add, people may have a better sense than some activists at the relative powerlessness of the Presidency in the face of institutional inertia.

[Major Hogwash]

23. He's not presidential material.

He's way too old.
He just doesn't have what it takes to make it to the White House on one of his good days.

Before you pop your cork, he may not even live long enough to make it to the first primary.

[hootinholler]

24. WOW

I'm not popping my cork, just pointing and laughing.