Bernie Sanders: 'The Current Model of the Democratic Party Obviously Is Not Working'

[DonViejo]

Source: Mediaite




by Josh Feldman | 11:57 am, September 17th, 2017

After pushing back against Hillary Clinton‘s claim about his support for her in 2016, Bernie Sanders criticized the Democratic party at large on Meet the Press this morning.

Clinton has made a point of saying that Sanders is not a Democrat and doesn’t even ID as one.

Sanders told Chuck Todd, “The current model of the Democratic party obviously is not working. Republicans control the House, the Senate, they control the White House, they control two-thirds of the governors’ offices.”

He said Democrats should do more to reach out to independents.

###

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/tv/bernie-sanders-the-current-model-of-the-democratic-party-obviously-is-not-working/

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Sanders fires back: 'I worked as hard as I could' to elect Clinton

BY MALLORY SHELBOURNE - 09/17/17 11:03 AM EDT

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday pushed back on criticism from former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, arguing that he worked as hard as he could to help her win the White House.

“I worked as hard as I could to see that Hillary Clinton would be elected president,” Sanders told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Sanders said that it is “the nature of politics” that some of his supporters declined to support Clinton in the general election. “That’s what happens in politics,” he said.

Clinton, whose book “What Happened” about her election loss came out last week, has blamed Sanders for inflicting “lasting damage” on her campaign.

more
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/351069-sanders-i-worked-as-hard-as-i-could-to-elect-clinton

[dlk]

1. There Is an Undercurrent to Bernie's Comments

[FakeNoose]

43. Wait, did somebody ask Bernie what's wrong with the party he doesn't belong to?

I'm having trouble with this. It's getting real old.

[DeminPennswoods]

91. LOL! True

nt

[trixie2]

95. Thank you!

I thought, "Did I miss something?"

I have stayed out of the Sanders fray because I am confused as to what the hell is going on.

[DrToast]

86. Arrogance?

God he's annoying.

[onetexan]

123. Yes, and self-aggrandizement

He just won't let go of his 15 minutes of fame. Just go away already.

[samnsara]

111. to me he just seems so angry all the time.

...and lordy I don't need another angry old white guy telling me what to do lol

[George II]

2. Does he have any constructive comments on what to do to improve the Democratic Party?

Seems all he does is criticize it without presenting positive, realistic alternatives.

[DURHAM D]

4. That would require not being intellectually lazy. nt

[ihaveaquestion]

23. I heard him recommend three very specific items ...

$15 / hr minimum wage

Outreach to working people, young people and independent voters

Putting $1 trillion into infrastructure spending

Sorry you missed that.

[George II]

27. Nothing new. The $15 min. wage and infrastructure spending....

...are in OUR 2016 party platform. The second has been ongoing. Sorry you and he missed that.

Perhaps he should read the platform (https://www.democrats.org/party-platform) before claiming our model is not working?

[ihaveaquestion]

32. These items which wouldn't be in Dem platform without Bernie.

Him remaining in the primary race after it was obvious he couldn't easily win the nomination gave him influence to mold the platform. He was playing the long game and got pilloried for it.

[George II]

36. The only thing that's in there due to him is the $15 number, everything else (including raising...

...the minimum wage) was already there. The platform represents the "model" of the Democratic Party. So why is he criticizing us (again)?

[Eliot Rosewater]

37. Why dont people know that most of that was in there already?

[George II]

52. Because it's easier to criticize than be positive and constructive.

[ihaveaquestion]

39. I haven't seen anyone in the Dem party touting this "model"

much recently - would be nice to hear it from someone other than Bernie.

Dems be always hedging.

[George II]

51. Are you serious? Have a good afternoon.

[lapucelle]

107. Read the 2012 platform.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/papers_pdf/101962.pdf

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

58. It's one thing for certain issues to show up in the party's platform...

it's quite another to have LEADERS who will go out and actually ADVOCATE for those issues.

[pangaia]

60. Lots of violinists can play many of the 'pieces' of the Mozart A major violin sonata.

But how many can actually see all the 'pieces' and put them together?
Not many.

Eh, that's not the best example of what I am trying to say.....

Erase that...

It's more complicated..

Anyway, you're right.

[bettyellen]

68. Have seen Harris Kolbacher Franken Booker and Scumer talk about all these issues. Same bs

Was said about HRC.

[pnwmom]

104. Hillary strongly advocated for those issues, and in the general election

she campaigned on the $15 wage. But from the very earliest primary she always had a strong platform for the working class and middle income workers, and investments in infrastructure and green energy.

[LostinRed]

67. And yesterday I had a post removed for saying

He takes every opportunity to bash the Democratic Party and that he in it for himself. Of course that was a pro Bernie thread refighting the primary so I should have known better

[samnsara]

110. also hes not even a dem....

[athenasatanjesus]

3. The electoral college,Russian hacking,voter suppression and the media all helped Republicans

I don't love Democrats , I voted for Sanders, but this is why they lose, not their current model.

[dajoki]

8. Don't forget Comey n/t

[Voltaire2]

53. If we aren't winning doing what we are doing, we should probably change what we are doing.

Just whining that the other side is not playing fair is not going to change anything.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

88. So true... Bernie has some good ideas, as do others... why not at least listen?

[Me.]

5. So Tiresome

someone said the other day something like he should join before trying to rearrange the furniture in someone else's home. I'm at the point where he should join or mind his own business.

[George II]

7. That was Jonathan Capehart on AM Joy yesterday morning. He said, "I wish he would join....

....the Democratic Party before rearranging the furniture in OUR house".

[Me.]

11. Thank you

Couldn't remember but completely agree

[George II]

12. Joy got a laugh out of that one and warned him to stay off twitter for 24 hours.

[Me.]

15. I Remember That Now That You Mention It

[zentrum]

6. Glad someone

...interrogates why Dems have lost so much local power and state power. Congressional power. It's not all about the WH.

[DallasNE]

71. Citizens United & Gerrymandering

Democrats cannot compete financially all of the way down the line but the State and local level is the foundation so maybe they need to be more strategic in their focus. Off-year turnout is awful for Democrats, speaking of being more strategic. With effective social media use this thing can be turned around but it will take a dedicated core of individuals to pull it off.

[NurseJackie]

9. Attacking and smearing the Democratic Party again. Surprise surprise. (Will it ever end?)

This type of behavior only causes distrust. It opens old wounds. It inflames resentment and stokes bitterness.

Someone needs to let him know that it's NOT helping. It's divisive and it WEAKENS THE PARTY. It really needs to stop.

[George II]

10. +1,000,000

[Me.]

14. I Don't Think He Cares

we should stop expecting someone who's not a Dem to have respect for the party who allowed him in under their umbrella for his presidential run.

[Eliot Rosewater]

41. Why wont Bernie join the party? anybody know?

[Me.]

44. The Only Game In His Town (so to speak) ?

Has anyone asked him and if so what did he say?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

66. Because he plays to an independent Vermont voting block, as many well know...

What you should be asking is: does Bernie's positions on a whole range of progressive issues, many of which were adopted by Hillary WELL after Bernie espoused them, position him well within the range of Democratic Party views. The answer is a resounding YES!!!

[Eliot Rosewater]

70. So show us a list of all the positions Hillary didnt take until he did

[kstewart33]

77. Agree.

This is getting so tiring, deeply frustrating, and heading for infuriating.

So tired of any politician who yacks on and on about what the problem is, but is completely uninterested in actually doing the work to solve the problem.

[displacedtexan]

90. What is the freaking end game?

Are Dems supposed to exit quietly and hand the keys and the money to the Not Democrats who think they have all of the answers but can't win elections? Not going to happen.

[DallasNE]

98. Are You speaking About Your Own Post? n/t

[Promee]

13. His "new model" seems to be...

"Do as I command."

I like a lot of his ideas, but his approach has always been...wanting and seems to be driven, in part, by his own ego.

If he wants the Democratic party to change, he should actually join it and go from there, otherwise he's just on the outside finger pointing like a lot of other people.

[ihaveaquestion]

24. What are the Dems ideas which are better?

From the clip, Bernie's suggestions were:

$15 / hr minimum wage

Outreach to working people, young people and independent voters

Putting $1 trillion into infrastructure spending


And then there's healthcare for all, of course.

These all sound good to me... what is wrong with them?

Seems to me these ideas are not pooh-poohed by Dems because Bernie suggests them and for no other reason.

[George II]

29. Once again, read our Democratic Party Platform, all of that is in there. The platform is...

...."The Current Model of the Democratic Party"

https://www.democrats.org/party-platform

[lapucelle]

87. Here's the 2012 platform,

just in case people think that these ideas are new.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/papers_pdf/101962.pdf

[emulatorloo]

30. Dems aren't "pooh-pooing" them. The basic concepts are core values of the Dem party for a long time

Sanders is a very articulate advocate which is one of the reasons he is so great. However he didn't invent these issues.

[ihaveaquestion]

34. Seems they were forgotten over the years.

Many examples of this forgetfulness are available and this is why Dems lost trust of the people.

[emulatorloo]

50. Dems lost because they voted for universal healthcare and saving the economy. Koch Bros

ran a very effective propaganda campaign that defamed Obamacare and the Stimulus. They LIED and convinced voters those things were evil and Democrats were evil. IMHO that's what started the losses since then.

Only lately have voters come around and seen the light about Obamacare. Since Trump has been elected my feeling is that voters are becoming less succeptible to those Koch Bro-style lie campaigns

In our very recent history, Kerry, Obama, Clinton campaigned on fixing the economy, helping working people who have gotten displaced by dying industries with training for new jobs, cutting taxes on the middle class and raising them on the 1%, putting money into infrastructure to both improve it and to create good paying jobs for people.

I can't remember Kerry's campaign on healthcare but I certainly remember Obama campaigning on Universal healthcare.

Obama did not get everything he wanted in the ACA. It could not pass without Lieberman's vote. Lieberman would not vote for the ACA if it had a Public Option. Others Democrats proposed opening up Medicare to people 55 and older. Lieberman killed that as well. Lieberman broke faith with the people. Not "Democrats." They were fighting for something more, and Bernie was right there along with them.

In the 90s when Clinton couldn't get her goal of universal healthcare, she got kids insured. In 2016 she campaigned on fixing the ACA by adding in a Public Option, which would be administered by the federal government. Basically a cousin to Medicare.

I think Bernie has done a really good thing by calling this "Medicare for All" because it is a simple way to get the idea across to voters. It really advances the cause.

[lancelyons]

74. The use of Dems is alarming here.

Last edited Sun Sep 17, 2017, 11:57 PM - Edit history (1)

All of the folks on the right will also use this word Dems.

Im guessing that you arent who you pretend to be.

[ihaveaquestion]

79. Just using shorthand - Jeeze!

Are abbreviations suspicious now?

Talk about paranoid!

[lancelyons]

73. Wrong.. get your facts straight.

$15 / hr minimum wage

Minimum wage has been a democrat thing forever. Just because he said 15 and Hillary said 12 or whatever doesnt make Bernie the owner of this idea. Get real.

Outreach to working people, young people and independent voters...

Democrats have been reaching out to working people, young people, miniorities, etc for years. This isnt a Bernie thing.

Putting $1 trillion into infrastructure spending

Again, you are misguided.. this has been a traditional democratic party thing to boost up infrastructure. Obama was doing this well before Bernie started running for the nomination.

[ihaveaquestion]

80. Never said that these were exclusively Bernie's ideas.

Just that the Democratic Party (gotta use the correct term) seems to have strayed.

If that's not the actual fact, it is the perception and to deny that is to be deluded about what needs to be done.

[lapucelle]

108. "Gotta use the correct term..."

What does that mean? What is the incorrect term for the Democratic party?

[trixie2]

96. In case you haven't noticed

The GOP has complete control of the government. His ideas are not new. President Clinton tried for healthcare for all when he was president and did get healthcare for children. Even then the GOP states redirected those funds for their own purposes and had to be taken to court.

The Dems are putting out fires left and right and where is Sanders? Adding fuel to the fire. I used to like and respect him but now he seems bitter. He is doing nothing for those of us, which includes or should include Independents, to take back our government.

Here is a line from Franken's book that I love:
"What if I had lost the race someone else could have won?"

[Initech]

16. No it's working. We have the worst opposition party possible.

Who won't let us do anything or even cross the aisle to do anything.

[Voltaire2]

54. Then it isn't working.

[Promee]

18. Did he actually say...

"women's issues are distractions?"

LOL. Wow. I can't say I'm shocked.

[Bradical79]

84. Not as far as I can tell

Couldn't find an exact quote of him saying that, though the way he responded to a Trump abortion comment last year led to some inferring that. Also it's a common criticism to the "rising tide lifts all ships" economic philosophy of his.

[pnwmom]

105. This Burlington Free Press article says he "famously" said that.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/opinion/my-turn/2017/02/15/opinion-womens-issues-distraction/97871298/

"Bernie Sanders famously stated that 'women’s issues were a distraction.'”

[Me.]

45. Made Me Laugh NewComer

[Gore1FL]

19. He's right.

We've been fighting for people on the right of the 50 yard line instead of engaging people on the left. It's a stupid strategy largely in reaction to 1984.

We need to quit hiding from our ideals.

[lancelyons]

21. That is idealogical

However, you cant just appeal to the left. Your have to appeal to the center and even a little right center. Going straight left leaves you without the support from the middle. Bad idea.

[Gore1FL]

89. It's more than ideological.

It's years of a failed "play it safe" strategy that we are rutted into. Playing it safe helped us win in 1992 and 1996.

A big chunk of Americans don't vote. They aren't motivated to. Doing what we are doing leaves us without them AND the left. Worse idea.

[Promee]

28. Sanders said "Independents"

In agreeing with him you actually illustrated the real problem: energizing the base.

Democrats don't need so-called independents to win. That's as essentially a waste of time as trying to convince a Trumper he was wrong. While an "Independent" might cross the aisle for a candidate here or there, the term is a an ego stroke. Their values are generally left or generally right. It's harder to reach a lot of them than most people think.

Democrats need to get Democrats passionate about the chance to vote based upon their issues.

Left leaning independents will show up without the begging. The righties, you weren't going to reach anyway.

[lancelyons]

20. Why does it seem like Bernie supporters and Bernie think they are the answer to the democratic party

Why does it seem like Bernie supporters and Bernie think they are the answer to the democratic party.

just because you guys have other ideas dont make you right. Just because you have another approach doesnt make the democratic party model a bad one? This is ridiculous that you guys would even stoop to that.

I personally like some of Bernie;s ideas but see others causing problems for the left. Just because old Bern suggests something doesnt mean he is correct.

[Pugster]

49. They also thought single-payer was the answer in Vermont

The rest is history.

[Luka Boyd]

114. Hes talking about winning elections

"just because you guys have other ideas dont make you right. Just because you have another approach doesnt make the democratic party model a bad one? This is ridiculous that you guys would even stoop to that."

No, losing elections is what makes the democratic model a bad one. Why are we wasting time debating minutiae or arguing about who came up with whatever first. If we dont win elections none of it will be implemented so what difference does it make who came up with it first. Why are people posting on here to tell other people what the democratic platform is? Why do people not already know this? Why is it not being shouted from the rooftops? Why arent democratic leaders getting the message out there? Why arent they saying posssible criminal DT every time they talk about him like the repubs and especially DT did every time they said "crooked" Hillary? Bernie has the audience and the pulpit because people like his ideas and want to hear what he has to say, Polls tell us that single payer is popular with the people, why arent dems embracing it? The Dem model of messaging is definitely not working. If the people hear their message and like their message they should never have to worry about winning elections. But if the average person doesnt even know what their message is.......

[lancelyons]

116. so Bernie is somehow better at winning elections?

so Bernie is somehow better at winning elections?

Somehow the democratic party is now bad at winning elections because they lost one?

Nothing to do with voter supression, gerry mandering, russian influence, comey... none of those..

Its just a bad democratic model that is causing this and Bernie is the answer? The guy who couldnt win the primary?

please.

[billpolonsky]

22. Short attention span....

Continuing to bash Bernie Sanders because he is not a "pure blood" Democrat is foolish.
He caucuses with the Democrats and ran as a Democrat in the Primaries.
Calling out his ego ( because politicians never have egos) is just plain lazy.

Oh, and he is a WORKING SENATOR. Bringing forth progressive legislation.

Is it wrong to critique the Democratic Party in a democracy?
Is asking the Democratic Party to assess their own weaknesses and seek solutions divisive?

[lancelyons]

26. Nobody is bashing him because he isnt a blue blood democrat.. you might be making that up.

Nobody is bashing him because he isnt a blue blood democrat.. you might be making that up.

They are bashing Bernie for coming out and criticizing the democratic party as if its not working now.. and that his way is clearly better.

That will offend people. Everybody has different ideas. That doenst make the democratic party model wrong.

[emulatorloo]

59. I would love to hear you talk about Canadian Politics because I bet you have a lot of expertise.

However I don't think you have a real grasp on US Politics though.

Are you aware of Sherrod Brown and other progressive/left liberal Democratic Senators who have fought hard for progressive policy?

It doesn't appear that you are.

[The Wizard]

25. The leadership hasn't figured out

that victory involves using state of the art communications. Say what we may about Trump, but he used social media and manipulated broadcast media to his advantage.
The old model of raising corporate cash to run TV ads is obsolete. People have remote controls and use them when a political ad comes on. Billboards, stationary and mobile, are more effective and cost far less. The Internet is where people go for information or affirmation. The middle ground that was where the loose votes could be harvested has shrunk to be nearly inconsequential because of the deep polarization in politics today.
The name of the game is get out the base, not ignore it at the behest of corporate profits.
When clearly articulated, single payer healthcare is a winner. Keep the message simple and don't get into the weeds. The few votes gained by appealing to a narrow middle pales in comparison with health care for all embraced by the base. Give people a reason to vote other than we're not as bad as Republicans.
Trump didn't waste his resources on excessive TV ad buys. He said outrageous things and managed to dominate the news cycle.
Keep the message simple and win.

[NBachers]

31. It would help more if he'd be constantly complaining about the Republican party, not the Democrats.

Pushing us down won't make things any better.

[Promee]

33. He wants his way

...and nothing else.

[StevieM]

35. I know, remember the drubbing that President Obama took at the hands of Mitt Romney in 2012? (eom)

[SunSeeker]

38. If Bernie would share his email list with the Democratic Party, that would help us.

Criticizing the Democratic Party on Meet the Press is not helping.

[SharonClark]

40. Not this crap again - Is Sanders clueless on how to deal with the media?

[WhiteTara]

42. And we consider him to be a Democratic supporter?

When is he considered unhelpful? We're trying to save the ACA and he is nattering on about a plan that can not happen unless Democrats retake Congress with a veto proof majority. Bernie's push seems to be a real distraction to that cause.

My question. When do facts trump cult personality on a democratic board?

[FairWinds]

46. So you establishment Dems are asking us progressive Dems . .

to choose between you and Sanders?

For me that is an easy one.

And by the way, many of us (including me) wrote on DU and elsewhere
that Trump was riding the trade issue with great success.

The Dem establishment did not catch on to that until way too late.

The TPP was a rotten deal for Americans (mostly because of the corporate
governance clauses), and I am glad it is toast.

[pnwmom]

65. Democratic underground is full of progressive Dems, the vast majority of whom supported

the progressive nominee, Hillary Clinton.

It is a joke to pretend that anyone who has been a US Senator for decades isn't part of the "establishment." Bernie is NOT a 30-something unemployed Vermont hippie, and he's not even the most progressive, judging by his voting record. He's as much of the Washington establishment as anyone.

progressivepunch.org

[mcar]

115. This Hillary supporting liberal Democrat asks

Please define "establishment Democrats."

[FairWinds]

118. I supported HRC with thousands of in-kind donations to . .

her field workers - but I get trashed by the DU Dem Establishment anyway.

I know that your question is disingenuous, and that you won't pay the
slightest attention to any answer I make, . . but nonetheless.

The Dem establishment backs the TPP (still!), won't challenge Big Pharma,
doesn't do much about predatory student loans, or other "extractive" non-industries
like pay-day lenders, they back the militarists' policies in Syria and brag about
wrecking Libya, they look for ways to oppose universal health care and the
Fight for $15, they have no interest in taking on the banksters or the ONE
PERCENT, they are fine with the party taking in tons of corporate cash. I could go on . .

OK, so let me ask YOU a question. Now that Schumer and Pelosi are working with
the GOP, does that mean we can rehabilitate Nine Turner for doing the same thing?

[mcar]

121. Nina Turner advocated supporting Rs running against Ds

Apples, oranges. But nice try.

"DU Establishment Dems?"

[FairWinds]

130. As I suspected, you have zero interest . .

in an honest exchange of ideas.

You are what the establishment looks like.

[FairWinds]

119. Here is a good article on the establishment Dems . .

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/06/15/power-or-principles-how-establishment-branch-democratic-party-choosing-lose-both

[Pugster]

47. No Bernie, you didn't work as hard as you could to elect Hillary

You didn't even attempt to rein Susan Sarandon and other troll followers of yours.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

61. How do you know this? Just curious.

[pnwmom]

64. He didn't endorse her in May after it was mathematically impossible for him to win.

And he didn't do a single campaign event for her till SEPTEMBER, when he did two, followed by a handful in October.

He was too busy writing the book that came out on the day after the election.

[More_Cowbell]

48. Now that CA will vote earlier andrequire people to release their tax returns to be put on the ballot

I have my doubts that Bernie will run again. I'm sure other states will also enact this important legislation.

[kimmylavin]

55. Then JOIN the party and work to fix it, Bernie.

Or you work to bring the independents and the Democrats together.
But this finger-wagging from the outside, and never against the Republicans, is getting old.

[Zorro]

56. Bernie continues to carry water for the Republican Party

Just as Nader did in 2000.

I'm sure McConnell and Ryan get great pleasure out of his persistent dissing of the Democratic Party.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

63. Maybe Bernie is just trying to cure what ills the Democratic Party? ...

It's not like it's been dominating lately, as sad as that realization is. Perhaps, there's a reason Bernie is the most popular politician today.

[lancelyons]

72. To suggest that Bernie is the cure for the democratic party is what pisses off people.

Get off your freaking high horse.

He has some good ideas. So do others. Some of Bernies ideas are bad for the democratic party.

Please stop acting like Bernie has arrived just in time to save the poor old democratic party. Bernie still leans to much left and is considered a socialist and not a democrat. IN fact with him talking bad about the democratic party, I believe he is trying to tear down the democratic party.

Bernie is not the most popular politician. I would say that he lost the primary (even with super delegates thrown out) so that would make Hillary more popular.

I would also say that Obama is more popular.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

83. I simply said Bernie is the cure for what ILLS the Democratic Party...

not for the Democratic Party itself and, certainly, not him ALONE... saying Bernie has some good ideas - like YOU just said - and should be listened to, not scorned.

Your rude "freakin' high horse" comment to me is a PERFECT example of how people here are unwilling or unable to listen to each other.

BTW, have you checked the polls lately?... Bernie IS the most popular candidate today. Please research... you'll see. (Apology accepted in advance.)

[frazzled]

57. If he worked that hard ...

shouldn't he have to explain why he failed to get her elected? And why some of his supporters didn't vote for her? ("That's politics" is not a good answer.)

Something's obviously not working in Sanders's message and approach. He failed to get nominated himself and failed, though he apparently worked so hard, to get Clinton elected. He's failed to get other candidates he's endorsed since that time elected as well. (We won't go into the failure to get any substantive legislation passed.) I think before he tries to dispense advice he should consider his own problems first.

[pnwmom]

62. His definition of working hard is very strange. He didn't work for her in May, after it was

mathematically impossible for him to win. (Meanwhile, the other Rethugs had already endorsed DT.)

He didn't work for her in June.

He didn't work for her in July, even after his convention endorsement.

He didn't work for her in August -- not a single day.

He did 2 events in September, and a handful in October.

What was he doing instead? He was writing the book he had contracted to be published the day after the election.

[chowder66]

69. I hate wading into this but here goes

Personally I think he has a point but it's a bit off.

I like Bernie well enough but I did get a little tired of hearing the same talking points over and over and over nearly verbatim. He could use a little tweaking himself. BUT he is getting his message through to a large extent. Bernie is great at speaking about issues - he puts a lot of fire behind what he says as does Elizabeth Warren but notice who is sustaining the attention. I haven't seen Elizabeth out there as much for awhile now. The platform is already inclusive of much of Bernies ideas and many of our ideas are shared with Bernie and his supporters. We may not all agree on every detail but the substance is there.

I get extremely frustrated when people say Hillary never pushed for this or that ....and that seems to be the end of the message they take from her or any dem. They don't know that she or other democrats supported and pushed so much of our platform. Dems have got to speak a with more conviction, with fire in their belly or at least with an edge. People pay attention to radical ideas and radical delivery.

If many don't hear the platform ideas themselves or even know what they are it's because they don't watch or read news 24/7. If they missed an interview here or there and they didn't hear it, it didn't happen. People do not dig into issues unless it's salacious or controversial. But if it is pounded day in a day out it will make it's way into the atmosphere at minimum and that's at least a start.

More and more there are those that need red meat to sink their teeth into. Dems need to provide the red meat going forward when they are giving interviews, etc.

It would be good to see a rotation of elected officials, branding the issues with fire or edginess and pounding it during interviews. They should come armed to the hilt with facts and figures, crush the republican ideas with facts and figures and do not let the interviewer knock them off topic. End it with the positive impact that issue can bring about but throw in how it's good for us vs what it would be like without it. There needs to be a contrast. That contrast should be where the fire and passion lives when discussing issues that matter to the democratic party.

Then they can go on but each interview they should be able to talk about one or two ideas and the next person should pick up one of those ideas and add another, rinse and repeat.

They are doing this right now with the Russia investigation and we need them to double up on that media presence and put another person out there to cover the rest. Howard Dean is really good at this but we need more like him and Bernie and Elizabeth pushing hard, hard enough that it actually breaks through to the conservative media. Maybe they need to get a tad bit controversial, maybe they need to go so far left it causes the media on the right to say whoa, slow down the middle sounded better.

I don't know exactly what this should look like but if we are not trying we won't know.

I applaud the Democrats for taking their jobs seriously and I can't imagine the time they have to put in to keep our democracy from completely failing and this may have something to do with why we don't get the same level of media presence from them. And there's that problem of news programs NOT booking dems regularly.

Finally, we can't do this short-term. It has to be part of how the party operates going forward.

[crosinski]

76. Thank you for putting that into words. And let me add a few of my own.

Dems need to talk about about issues with heart and passion, and healthcare is one of them. I'm not a Bernie fan, but he certainly did draw attention away from two hurricanes and back to that issue in Washington. I can't think of many other people who could have done that with a few tweets.

The repugs have had this country's gerrymandering planned ahead for the last twenty years, and are planning what to do in the next generation. Jeebus, do Dems even do planning like that? if we have a plan, and our spokespeople are receiving training on how to deliver a message, it's not obvious to me!

So, yeah, our party needs some work, but not because we lack a good platform, people with heart, or a good voter base. We need better leadership.

[chowder66]

81. The republicans rolled the dice on winning over governing and it shows ...dramatically.

They focused on flaunting the law and rules and it has paid off for them.

Our side has focused on governing and even more so since Obama took office because the Republicans have decided to throw all rules under the bus along with any residue of decency.... and now the Democrats have to govern like never before due to the current Fiasco in Chief and the dereliction of duty by an entire party. An ENTIRE party. It's a clusterfuck...excuse my language but that really is the best word for it.

So I think the quickest and easiest way forward is via the media and getting reps or well known advocates in front of cameras and microphones and really master the messaging to the viewing audience. Maybe Bernie can train them. I don't know but they have to make the platform the focus and be heard. They are doing it on Russia so that is a template but they have to make the issues intriguing, sexy, radical and/or edgy.

All democratic supporting agencies need to offload as much as they can from the reps so that our reps can govern and deliver the message.

Dems should also do more town halls and maybe a bi-annual televised townhall. Hell, quarterly.

I personally think we have great leadership however it's seriously underutilized. We DO need a plan as you say. A better plan, a winning plan. An onslaught of Democratic principles plan.
We have to get into the psyche of every group and every person that we can possibly get to. We need a unending democratic deluge.

We need every local official to get involved with this as well. And we have to come up with something that lulls people out of the mundane to vote in every election however big or small. We can beat the gerrymandering if we can sell our platform and get people to vote. Again though, no one seems interested outside of the base to pay attention to democrats. It isn't "fun" or "of interest" to many. How do we change that?

That's where we need to look to Bernie and unfortunately the republicans, to understand how they are getting so many groups to pay attention to them and in regards to the republicans how are they getting so many different groups to BUY what they are selling. I know it's fear in many cases but dressed up in radical ideas and anger. We need to find the equivalent and balance it in a way that Bernie is doing. We can take that a step further and make it even better.

Fight fire with fire but make our fire bigger, badder and better. We should get some young blood out there alongside our long time reps that know politics and governing like the back of their hand.

[crosinski]

93. This subject would make a great post of its own.

You have some really sensible ideas about how to use our current strengths and players.

[JohnnyRingo]

75. Sanders implies people vote for far right republicans...

...because democrats are too moderate.

I remind him that his agenda only attracted a minority on the far left that couldn't even get him through the primary. Sanders does nothing to "reach out to independents" himself. Indeed, he can't even connect with moderate dems, let alone those truly in the middle of the political spectrum.

[scipan]

120. That's false. Bernie did very well with independents.

[JohnnyRingo]

131. Misleading statement

He did well with far left liberals who didn't want to identify with either major party. They registered, most for their first time, as independents because they were inspired by Sanders' socialist agenda.

Those "independents" were not the middle of the spectrum moderates Sanders is now calling for Democrats to reach out to.

[INdemo]

78. I agree with Bernie Sanders. Many Democrats in Congress are

eating from the same Corporate trough as are the Republicans and have investments in the same Corporations that they pretend to oppose publicly.
If they don't have investments in Corporations such as Insurance companies their spouses do or are on the Bord of Directors.

Many Democrats believe the only way to win is to have PACs supported by Corporations,so tell me how is the Democratic Party still the party of the working class?
They will go on news shows and talk about how they disapprove of certain issues but when it comes down to the vote they vote the way the Corporate $$ want them to.
The Obama Care fight was of course demanded by the Majority of Americans but Im talking about issues that would affect banking laws or similar legislation that doesn't get much attention this is where the PAC money reminds them how to vote.

Right now Democrats in Congress should be screaming about Trumps bullshit that he is pulling and the election should have been challenged as soon as we knew the Russians probably hacked the results but just like 2000 and 2004 they kept their mouth shut,.

[ihaveaquestion]

82. Save your breath, no one here wants to discuss objectively.

Any mention of Bernie being right about anything brings out the knives.

The Democratic Party is doomed if they don't get their act together and from what I can see on this forum, they've a tendency to be purists and very defensive about any critique.

Open dialog? Introspection? Nuts!

[TomCADem]

100. Bernie Sanders Going Ted Cruz Again. Attacking Allies...

...in order to proclaim his purity.

Democrats should not trust Bernie Sanders. He is a political opportunist who will promise to work with you and caucus with you, then turn around and stab you in the back pushing the false equivalency between Republicans and Democrats because they are part of the "establishment."

Pathetic.

[INdemo]

124. What is Pathetic is the fact that your post is based on hatred for Bernie Sanders and not

on facts. Bernie Sanders a political opportunist? BS

[TomCADem]

126. Fake News? Bernie Himself Answers That With Repeated Attacks On Democrats

People seem to ignore Bernie's words, actions and votes in defending him. It is no different from the Trump administration screaming fake news in response to facts and Trump's own words.

Who is trying to repeal the ACA? Republicans.
Who is denying climate change? Republicans.
Who is trying to deny the right to vote? Republicans.
Who is trying to pass huge tax cuts to the rich? Republicans.

Who does Bernie Sanders say is failing as a party? Democrats. That, my friend, is BS.

Quite frankly I support Democrats over Republicans, and if you don't then perhaps you are on the wrong board.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

129. Don't understand all the hate for the most popular politician of our time, according to polls.

Makes no sense. Bernie is showing us the way out of the political wilderness... would be wise to follow his lead.

[DarthDem]

85. When Is He Going to Realize?

That he's just hurting the Democrats, and the whole country, with this nonsense? Does he care? Can he just quietly work on his agenda and stop helping Republicans?

[harun]

92. The "Hey, we aren't as mean as them model". I tend to agree.

[4bucksagallon]

94. You tell them Bernie.. What should have been an easy victory has turned into a National tragedy.

[YOHABLO]

97. What part of Democratic Socialist is not Democratic?

[FairWinds]

99. Both Bernie and my former Congress-guy . .

Dennis Kucinich are in the tradition of FDR.

They did not leave the Dem Party - the party left them.

[TomCADem]

101. NY Times - The Fake Americans Russia Created to Influence the Election

Posters attacking the Democratic Party on Democratic Underground. Interesting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/us/politics/russia-facebook-twitter-election.html?_r=0

Several activists who ran Facebook pages for Bernie Sanders, for instance, noticed a suspicious flood of hostile comments about Mrs. Clinton after Mr. Sanders had already ended his campaign and endorsed her.

John Mattes, who ran the “San Diego for Bernie Sanders” page, said he saw a shift from familiar local commenters to newcomers, some with Eastern European names — including four different accounts using the name “Oliver Mitov.”

“Those who voted for Bernie, will not vote for corrupt Hillary!” one of the Mitovs wrote on Oct. 7. “The Revolution must continue! #NeverHillary”

While he was concerned about being seen as a “crazy cold warrior,” Mr. Mattes said he came to believe that Russia was the likely source of the anti-Clinton comments. “The magnitude and viciousness of it — I would suggest that their fingerprints were on it and no one else had that agenda,” he said.

[FairWinds]

102. When I spoke with Mr. Kucinich a few months back . .

he did not look at all like a bot.

[Jose Garcia]

117. Perhaps Bernie can get a cushy job with Fox News like Kucinich did

[Sunlei]

103. here it is again- the hill, mediate & a couple posters telling Ds what was said on 'meet the press'

leaving out almost the entire show,slanting enough to make Ds keep fighting their own party. Come on Hillary and Bernie, team-up on these news shows, don't let medias like trumps , constantly-tweeted'the hill' set the table for D party.

Meet the Press - September 17, 2017 Bernie Sanders
https://www.nbc.com/meet-the-press/video/meet-the-press-september-17-2017/3585775

[samnsara]

109. he needs to become a dem first

[harun]

113. Corruption always must be fixed from the outside.

[romanic]

125. Damn straight.

Too bad saying such a thing is "blasphemy" in these parts. :I

[harun]

132. Correct

Have to pick my words very carefully or the Corporate Dems will shoot the post down.

[Blue_Tires]

122. So what is Bernie doing about it? He's the dude with all the clout in the party right now...

[Baconator]

127. 'The Current Model of the Democratic Party Obviously Is Not Working'

In other news... Water is wet...

More at 11...

[maxrandb]

128. President Lincoln's plan is not working

- John Wilkes Booth