By his own admission, Bernie Sanders is fighting Planned Parenthood and Human Rights Campaign

[Cali_Democrat]

For months now, Bernie has been saying that he's fighting the establishment.

One example from his own website.

In my view, the American people are sick and tired of establishment politics, establishment economics and the establishment media telling us that it is impossible to bring about real change. They are sick and tired of the establishment telling them that we cannot afford to make it easier for families to send their kids to college; that we cannot afford to create the millions of jobs that the American people, particularly young African Americans, desperately need; that we cannot guarantee healthcare as a right of citizenship to all Americans; that we cannot expand Social Security and lift millions of senior citizens out of poverty; that we cannot provide free and universal childcare to all of our children; and that it is just too hard to end structural racism and reform our criminal justice system.

I don’t believe that for a second, and neither should you. But, in my view, the only way we can bring about real change in this country is to build a political revolution of millions of Americans who are prepared to stand up and fight back against the establishment and the billionaire class and say enough is enough!

https://berniesanders.com/statement-of-senator-bernard-sanders-to-the-national-urban-league/

Bernie Sanders now says Planned Parenthood and Human Rights Campaign are part of the "establishment":

Sanders dismisses major women’s group as ‘establishment’

Asked by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Tuesday evening about the fact that Planned Parenthood, NARAL and the Human Rights Campaign endorsed Clinton, Sanders replied, “We’re taking on not only Wall Street and the economic establishment, we’re taking on the political establishment. So I have friends and supporters in the Human Rights Fund [sic], in Planned Parenthood. But you know what, Hillary Clinton has been around there for a very, very long time and some of these groups are part of the establishment.”

<...>

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/sanders-dismisses-major-womens-group-establishment

So Bernie is essentially saying that he's fighting Planned Parenthood and Human Rights Campaign.

They are the "establishment" according to Bernie Sanders.

[Yupy]

1. Bernie 2016! That's fine with me! 100% Support him!

[Cali_Democrat]

7. I don't think anyone running for the Democratic nomination should be going after these groups

[NorthCarolina]

15. And I don't think Democrats should be attacking Democrats over Single Payer Healthcare

but....Oh well.

[roguevalley]

52. he's fighting the fix that is in. When these groups become actually

'democratic' then I'll feel different but until then they deserve a call out. Go, Bernie

[Ron Green]

2. Of course; the entrenched and sometimes corrupt "leadership" in many otherwise worthy

organizations will of course protect their own interests when they (often mistakenly) feel threatened.

[hopemountain]

57. yes, the american cancer society comes to mind. nt

[virtualobserver]

3. By your own spin, you mean.

[randys1]

4. I think the endorsements came too soon, do we know when these entities usually endorse?

[morningfog]

8. Hillary, the quintessential establishment candidate, called in her political favors early.

And the group leaders obliged, despite the rank and file members' disagreement.

[randys1]

11. Do you have links to credible sources showing when these endorsements came in

2008?

[Bluenorthwest]

24. Why are straight folks who don't even know about their endorsement history kicking that ball around

at all? Are you not capable of looking up those facts? It's amazing that people pick up issues that are not their own and use them as if they were their own without even bothering to get up to speed on the background information, which takes moments in the internet.

[randys1]

38. Why do you insist on continually giving me shit for no reason? I asked when the endorsements

usually come out as a reason to understand the anger of the Bernie supporters and maybe of Bernie himself.

That it appears Hillary is pressuring these entities to come out early, something they dont normally do.
And do not tell me I am not involved with Gay rights, because you have no clue.

It does appear that you are saying that if I am not Gay myself, I cant be, which is pretty bizarre coming from a Gay person.

I dont know ANYONE who would talk like that...

And I can ASK for information if I want, thank you very much, if I dont have time to look it up.

You dont care about that, you dont like me and that is fine.

I am an OUTSPOKEN and LOUD advocate for Gay rights and minority rights, that rubs some folks the wrong way, I get that.

[morningfog]

29. HRC endorsed Obama on June 10, 2008, 3 days AFTER HIllary ended her campaign.

http://www.advocate.com/news/2008/06/10/hrc-endorses-obama-president

[morningfog]

32. PP endorsed Obama in 2008 on July 8, 2008.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2008/07/planned-parenthood-endorses-obama-010150

[randys1]

39. So it is now understandable why Bernie and his supporters would be angry...

Even if many of them didnt even think about this angle, the timing.

And many I dont think did, many just reacted because they saw a chance to bash Hillary.

I however, am not happy about these endorsements coming out this early

[morningfog]

40. It would be one thing if Hillary's challenger were a bigot, but he is not.

The only rationale behind these endorsements is the optics at play with establishment politics.

[randys1]

41. The allegation made by the OP is of course off base at least to the extent to say Bernie is

fighting Women and Human Rights, etc.

He is not, but he is fighting a DC establishment mindset that can get people to do endorsements earlier than usual.

Which should NOT be done.

[Punkingal]

13. +1

[morningfog]

5. Technically, he said "some" of the groups that have endorsed Hillary are part of the political

establishment. He doesn't identify which ones he considers part of the political establishment.

But, there have been lengthy discussions on how these groups, including PP, HRC and some unions, endorsed Hillary without considering the members of the groups. The heads of these powerful political groups made political endorsements without, or despite, input from the members.

That is the kind of political establishment manipulation he is referring to.

He is fighting against it in his campaign, which is separate from fighting against what they stand for. Hillary is wielding her political influence to gain the endorsement from these groups' leaders. Bernie has o fight that to win the nomination.

This isn't hard to understand.

[earthside]

6. The boards of these groups ...

... are mainly filled with people who can raise money and lobby.

We all know the difference between a group's board of directors and the average people who are on salary or volunteer.

It is just true, the insiders on the boards of these groups are pretty much giving a nod to a longtime Washington insider elitist and shoulder-rubber: Hillary Clinton.


Big deal.
We all know the score.

[Kalidurga]

9. Wouldn't it be better if their services were not necessary?

Don't you think everyone everywhere should have access to a doctor and not have to rely on PP because they do a sliding scale thing? Wouldn't it be better if LGBT had economic justice and complete access to housing? That is what we are fighting for. And if we get that we can then move on to other issues and there are a whole lot of them.

[Wilms]

10. .

[beam me up scottie]

14. I second that.

[Gothmog]

12. I stand with Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign

[Cali_Democrat]

16. Same here. nt

[Gregorian]

17. That might be an exaggeration, at best.

I predict that if he is questioned he will respond how I believe he meant it, and that's to say that there are establishment programs. Just because Planned Parenthood, and HRC were in the same statement did not (I believe) mean he was naming them specifically.

He said, "Some of these programs".

[comradebillyboy]

53. Since he only named PP and HRC it's pretty clear who he's talking about...

[msongs]

18. had PP endorsed Sanders his crowd would be ecstatic and celebrating the great endorsement lol nt

[madfloridian]

35. Planned Parenthood is a medical group.

When I was donating to them, that is why. I admired the work they have been doing.

I can not separate in my mind now the PAC and the group itself. They are both Cecile Richards.

Since I don't want my money going to Hillary's campaign, it will be a while before I donate again.

But then I am sure now that doesn't matter to them at all.

[Warren Stupidity]

19. Lol.

[Bluenorthwest]

20. Human Rights Campaign is the Establishment, the self congratulatory snob circle of LGBT politics

I've been fighting the entrenched atavism at HRC for years. Bernie's description of HRC is pretty much what I'd say about them. They are the LGBT equivalent of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the indispensable top draw of an entity out of touch with those they serve and unresponsive to any needs other than their own.

Straight people yammering about them? I dislike that far more than I dislike them. One thing is family, the other is just more exploitation by straights with an agenda of their own. This has become a defining feature of the more aggressive boosters of both candidates. It is something that they all need to reconsider.

[OilemFirchen]

21. If, when the piglets in my ass learn to fly, and Sanders becomes President,

he also becomes the "establishemnt". Writ massive.

Good luck with that, Berniacs.

[wendylaroux]

27. omg!!!!piglets in your ass! do you have health coverage?

or maybe PP could help.

or with healthcare for all,you could just go to your doctor. RIGHT???

[OilemFirchen]

30. My insurance does not cover ass piglets.

I guess it was a rider I overlooked.

[Warren Stupidity]

56. That's why we need universal comprehensive

health care!

[beam me up scottie]

31. LMAO!

[kath]

22. Rofl.

Another thread that is just ridiculous in its desperation.

[libdem4life]

23. It's Pretzel Time, boys and girls. Notice how cleverly they go in and out yet no

one can figure out where they started or where they end. But they sure are clever little things.

[m-lekktor]

26. It's entertaining!!

It's too fucking absurd to get angry over!

[ejbr]

42. That's why I support Bernie!

He's anti-abortion, abstinence only, and believes men and women of little means can survive without PP!

Isn't that why we ALL support him?

[m-lekktor]

25. LOL omfg!

[Dawson Leery]

28. I stand with PP and HRC.

[progressoid]

33. OFFS. And rec'd your own thread to get it on the greatest page?

[kath]

34. Yes, as others are saying, another hilarious thread. I think we need to start an

award - Hilarious Hillarians of the Week (or Month or Year)

Some of the threads over the past week or two have been comedy gold.

[snoringvoter]

45. I would recommend the following:

Hilarious Hillarians of the Hour
Hilarious Hillarians of the Day

[morningfog]

36. And, if Sanders is the Democratic nominee, they will endorse him.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

37. I stand with women who want to control their own bodies and my lgbtq brothers and sisters.

That's what a real liberal does.

[hobbit709]

43. Our energy problems would be solved if we hooked generators to this latest spinning.

[Cali_Democrat]

44. Still think the last Democratic debate took place at the same as the NFL game?

[hobbit709]

48. Which has fuck all to do with this.

I never thought it did but expecting people to watch a political "debate" right after a whole day of football playoffs wasn't good timing.

[Cali_Democrat]

49. You never thought it did yet you posted a picture claiming it did

You're hilarious.

[hobbit709]

50. You're the Hillarious one.

[beam me up scottie]

46. You haven't seen the latest push poll.

Look into my eyes...

[JonLeibowitz]

54. Pssstthhh, I hassssth a sssecretth for you

Is a communisstthh electhable in a thyme when Puthin isss sso powerfful?

[beam me up scottie]

55. Listen to Claire: Hammer and thhhickle, dude!

[frazzled]

47. Without "establishment" groups like NARAL, PP, and the HRC

Roe v. Wade would already have been dismantled, and we would never have achieved Marriage Equality and the repeal of DADT. I'll take these hard-working establishment groups any day over vague promises of utopia.

So go ahead and rail at the so-called "establishment." If people despise it so much, why do they want Sanders to become the ultimate establishment figure? Indeed, with a career spent entirely within politics, he is solidly part of the establishment already. What fools these mortals be.

[last1standing]

51. If it's your desire to split progressives from Planned Parenthood and HRC, please continue.

It appears you want to force us to choose between helping a few interests or helping everyone. In that case, most of us will choose the latter.

Smart move there, buddy.

[RedCappedBandit]

58. This is pathetic, disingenuous garbage.

Some nonprofits are among the largest corporations in the country and contribute millions to establishment politicians. That's a simple acknowledgement of fact and it in no way is a value judgement on the good work those organizations do every day.

Bernie's record says plenty about how he ACTUALLY supports the work that Planned Parenthood does. This coordinate attack on him just before the Iowa primary is a laughable display of the establishment machine's desperation.