Bernie Sanders' truly awful answer on his newfound millionaire status

[BlueFlorida]

Bernie Sanders is (finally) going to release his tax returns. But questions over how he handles his wealth in the context of his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination remain. And the early returns should be concerning to Sanders' backers.
In an interview with The New York Times on Tuesday, Sanders said that "April 15 is coming," adding, "We wanted to release 10 years of tax returns. April 15, 2019, will be the 10th year, so I think you will see them." (Sanders, despite effectively running for president without pause since 2015, has released only a single, two-page summary for one year of his tax returns.)


In each episode of his weekly YouTube show, Chris Cillizza will delve a little deeper into the surreal world of politics. Click to subscribe!
Reminded by the Times reporter that he is now someone of considerable means, Sanders retorted: "I wrote a best-selling book. If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too."

Uh, what? Sanders got a pass on some of his acerbic-ness during the 2016 presidential campaign because a) most people didn't think he could win and b) others found it part of his cantankerous but righteous personality. But let's think about that campaign for another minute. Close your eyes and imagine if Hillary Clinton, who beat Sanders for the Democratic nomination, when asked about the extent of her wealth, said "I wrote a best-selling book. If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too."


https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/10/politics/bernie-sanders-taxes-millionaire/index.html

[madaboutharry]

1. Let's face this fact: Sanders is not a very likable person.

He has an awful personality and I think it will be a big factor once the debates start. The negativity of the Trump era has worn Americans down. Honestly, there are a number of other candidates that bring a lot more optimism and positivity to the race.

Sanders has had a pretty good life. I wonder why he is such a crabby guy.

[whathehell]

42. Um, that's a matter of opinion,

not 'fact' I'm afraid.

[madaboutharry]

44. He is cantankerous and has a sharp tongue.

I don't really see it as an opinion. It would be hard to say that Sanders is warm and fuzzy.

[DoctorJoJo]

48. I Guess Since He's Going On 78, Some Accept His Acerbic Personality--I Don't!

[Cheap_Trick]

91. And some accept Joe Biden's handsy personality. I don't.

[fleabiscuit]

176. He's no different. nt

[Eliot Rosewater]

207. So you wont vote for Joe in the election?

[Hortensis]

189. :) His personality is over seven decades old also. I don't either.

He dismisses most people with contempt. Worst of all, aside from counting us in gross numerical terms, I doubt he sees much difference at all between people like me and those who admire him.

The unkindest cut of many!

[Eliot Rosewater]

208. He is well known for this in the Senate the way someone in the R party is also

[Hortensis]

211. I've read some of those stories,

and each time they've made me long for the ones they tell each other. There must be some real doozies.

I'm remembering the video of Sanders, incredibly, knocking 80s-year-old Senator Feinstein aside as he pushed past her on the floor of the senate even though there was plenty of room -- and of her swatting at his back in response.

I am laughing remembering his astonishing boorishness, and thank goodness he didn't knock her down, but my goodness! As far as some are concerned, I really think he could knock Feinstein down "in the middle of Fifth Avenue" and he wouldn't lose any of those voters.

[whathehell]

50. Many are like that, at times -- That doesn't mean it comprises

his entire personality.

[onit2day]

65. Why was that an 'awful' answer? Oh, Bernie bias.

[whathehell]

73. Huh?...You got the wrong poster, dude

I never called anything an "awful answer".

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

202. It's not... Bernie is literally and figuratively "right on the money," as usual!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BlueFlorida]

210. He may be

but he is far more tone deaf than right.

[we can do it]

179. It's apparent to most people.

[whathehell]

182. Not to his (many) supporters

it seems.

[onit2day]

46. Nonsense. That's not a fact. People who know him love him I resent your

unfounded characterization. He's not "crabby" except to the lying vultures in the repub party. He's extremely dedicated doing town halls for years on a national radio where you could call in and ask questions. Your "opinions" are not facts and imagine if You were to see Sanders answer like Hillary why He was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to speak at republican functions and wall street banker's get togethers. "That's just how much they were willing to pay" yet refuse to release transcripts to the public. blah blah blah... You see how stupid my comment was by this strawman innuendo. Maybe it will serve as an example so you will refrain posting such innuendos yourself, like you know Sanders well enough to say "he's crabby". Are you a Russian troll joining those here with Bernie derangement syndrome or what? Never fails, mention Bernie at DU and the Hillary people who resent him for running against her flood the boards with hateful comments. I love Bernie. I voted for Hillary. Some respect please.

[madaboutharry]

100. I am not a Russian troll, LOL!

I have been on DU from nearly the beginning and have almost 30,000 posts.

I think Bernie has some issues with his personality. I saw him at the very beginning of the 2016 campaign in a high school auditorium and after an excellent speech, he was rather rude to the people who tried to talk to him.

If he is the nominee I will of course vote for him. I don't have to think he is a nice guy.

[WeekiWater]

106. I have my good eye on you.

I’ve known you were working with the Russians since my first day here.

[Hortensis]

212. I don't even mind him not being a nice guy as

long as he was a competent one and that his goals are restricted to what he claims they are.

I don't believe he is or that they are. I believe his contempt for what mainstream Democrats say they want suggests he's significantly more extreme than the public would support or than it would be safe for him to admit. His proposal to actually make it illegal for people to offer or obtain health insurance through work is just one confirmation of my notions.

[Madtown]

132. This

[Cha]

163. It's a "Fact" for many of us. BS is

Too Divisive.

You need to look in the mirror before you start hurling Insults at other DUers because they don't like BS.

[Cha]

164. How Dare you Ask "madaboutharry" if she's a "Russian Troll"..

just because she doesn't like BS.

You know what?.. you're a terrible advocate for him.

[ehrnst]

190. Projection?

[namahage]

217. You earn respect. It is not just given.

And calling other DUers Russian trolls with “Bernie Derangement Syndrome” do themselves, and their candidate, no favors.

Gandhi’s quote about Christ and Christians comes to mind.

[still_one]

218. David Sirota, Nina Turner, and Briahna Joy Gray. All who voted for Jill Stein, and encouraged

others to do likewise, and all appointed to high positions in the Sanders campaign

[lapucelle]

227. BS was pretty crabby to the reporter who asked him about his status as a millionaire one percenter.

Is she a Republican vulture?

[CentralMass]

53. Having witnessed him speak with 20,000 other supporters with another 8 000 in

An overflow area at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon back in 2016, I can tell you first hand you are very wrong. Bernie is liked by millions. His style, however you care to characterize is an asset.

[Cha]

175. I don't care how many you witnessed. BS

is too Divisive.

She's speaking from her perspective and she speaks for many of us.

[Cheap_Trick]

74. Neither was Hillary

So what?

[Cha]

174. Yes, she is. BS is too Divisive.

[apcalc]

94. Agree. Who in Congress works with him?

[LakeArenal]

108. That's a matter of opinion. Mine.

I agree. No one dislikes his message. Now we have (also my opinion)so many “nicer” folks to make the message better.

[Thekaspervote]

131. Couldn't have said it better!! Thx

[JonLP24]

225. He looks like a crabby guy

But I have totally different view on his personality he is very likable and it is based on substance.

[WeekiWater]

2. A bit of a funny part about it.

Without Clinton he wouldn't have a best selling book.

"I wrote a best-selling book. If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too."

That's awesome. On many levels.

[BlueFlorida]

3. It is the hypocrisy

He attacked others for speaking fees and book royalties. It was not ok then.

Now it is suddenly perfectly fine.

From the article:

She would have been pilloried! People would have blasted Clinton for being out of touch with the average person who, obvi, doesn't have the opportunity to write a book -- best-selling or not. Telling the average middle-class American that they too can be rich if they only write a best-selling book is like telling them that if they would just star in a movie then they could be a big star, too. Yes, it's true. No, for almost everyone, it's not realistic.

That is so right on the money!

[progressoid]

8. I could be mistaken but

I don't remember him attacking others for book royalties. Clearly he did attack others (Hillary et. al.) for speaking to Goldman Sachs.

[bahrbearian]

11. Private speech's, which the public cannot be allowed to hear.

[luvtheGWN]

99. Yes, bah, they WERE private speeches,

paid for by the companies that engaged her to speak to them. Those companies didn't expect the speeches THEY paid for to be made public, nor should they have.

[BlueFlorida]

141. It is lost on some people

If an artist gives a private concert, the entity that pays for the concert owns all rights.

Same with speeches.

[Cha]

12. Yes, set himself up as mr perfect..

"Pull yourself up by your book royalties"

[crazytown]

16. "Pull yourself up by your book straps"

[Cha]

64. "Pull yourself up by your book flaps.."

[dalton99a]

27. Pretty sure the millionaire saint declined to partake in the GOP tax heist,

as a sign of solidarity with the proletariat

[progressoid]

34. "We know we've got to attack poverty by making sure the economy works for everybody. "

"I want us to raise the national minimum wage, because people who live in poverty should not - who work full-time should not still be in poverty."

"Help the poor, like how you would want to be helped if you were in their position."

Are saying these things being "Mr Perfect"?

[onit2day]

68. His book doesn't change his ideology. It encourages it. What is wrong with U

[Cha]

71. Backatcha "what is wrong with you?"

[WeekiWater]

104. "What is wrong with you"

That was great. You and I had a pretty aggressive debate over a certain topic and you still reply to me kindly and I hope I do the same. I greatly appreciate your posts and can’t imagine going “what is wrong with you.” I will say that is a sign that someone does have a personality issue.

[Cha]

168. Oh yeah.. I agree!

I remember what that was about and I appreciated your civility, too.

I know sometimes I can get mad when reading posts but I try real hard not to insult people. Not cool.

[Lefta Dissenter]

134. Cha...

is obviously another Russian troll, playing the long game.

The really, REALLY long game...

[Cha]

170. Obviously!

For those who need it.

I've seen of couple of those accusations in the last 2 days.. Simply because their candidate isn't "liked" by others.

Good way to be an advocate

Mahalo, Lefta Dissenter

[ehrnst]

192. No fair!! You used full words! And punctuation!!!

[TCJ70]

70. You keep sharing that like it's a negative or something...

...but it falls apart when you stop to think that his policies would likely have a negative financial effect on himself. That’s not a strike against him.

[Cha]

76. BS can drop

haranguing on "millionaires" now.

[TCJ70]

79. Why? Why would his financial status...

...which we don’t exactly know yet, as a millionaire discredit any of his statements about wealth/income inequality?

[BlueFlorida]

186. His financial status

is incongruent with his rhetoric.

[TCJ70]

194. Its absolutely not. N/t

[Hassin Bin Sober]

19. You are not mistaken. And they know it.

[George II]

32. He never got into how millionaires and billionaires got there, just that they were....

....millionaires and billionaires. And curiously toward the end of 2016 he conspicuously dropped the "millionaire" part of his criticism.

[thesquanderer]

43. If he's willing to raise taxes on himself, it's not hypocrisy. (n/t)

[George II]

55. How do we know he's willing to raise taxes on himself? That's precisely why Americans....

....demand that we see his and every other candidate's tax returns.

[thesquanderer]

105. non sequitur

Seeing his tax returns tells us nothing about whether he's willing to raise taxes on himself.

He should absolutely release his tax returns.

But even before he releases his tax returns, we know he's become a millionaire, he's said so.

He never promised he would never make a million dollars. But he has always put forth that people who do should be paying higher taxes. Unless he changes that position, and no longer proposes and/or votes for tax plans that raise the taxes on people who make a million dollars, there's no hypocrisy.

Sanders has never said it was wrong to make money.

[revmclaren]

167. Bookmarked (U)

[we can do it]

181. This exactly. It deserves its own thread.

[Cha]

6. Yeah, did he thank Hillary?

[onit2day]

82. Yes he did by campaigning for her more than any other elected official

[WeekiWater]

147. This is highly inaccurate.

That is the most polite way I can put it.

[lunamagica]

158. What?

[redstateblues]

9. Why can't poor people just write a best selling book?

Bernie’s solution to income inequality?

[dalton99a]

25. +1

[Lucky Luciano]

67. I think he is being a little sarcastic with that comment. nt

[onit2day]

87. Never said that and never said it was poor people's solution to income inequality

[UniteFightBack]

124. Why didn't he donate all the money? Redistribute the wealth. nt

[dubyadiprecession]

205. You could say BS is one wealthy socialist!

[Lazy Daisy]

162. You mean like J K Rowling?

There are many ways out of poverty. Most require a stroke of luck to go along with the hard work otherwise everyone would be a millionaire.

Nothing wrong with Bernie's response. He's very popular, he wrote a book, people bought it. Poof, he's made a good amount of money off it.

[Politicub]

90. "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, kids!"

"And you, too, can be a millionaire. Just like me."

Insulting.

[redstateblues]

4. I guess it makes you grumpy to be a 1%er

[LovingA2andMI]

154. Is it Bernie one of the Millionaires He Complained About When....

"We're not going to let the United States continue to have one of the highest rates of childhood poverty in the industrialized world in - at a time when we're seeing a proliferation of millionaires and billionaires." - Bernie Sanders

"If jazz education in our colleges were free to all it would provide thousands of good jobs in the music industry which has been taken over by corrupt millionaires and billionaires." - Bernie Sanders

"We don't need to drive up the national debt by giving tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires." - Bernie Sanders

"I do believe that billionaires and multi-millionaires should be paying more in taxes." - Bernie Sanders

So....Bernie, what about now? You're a millionaire now so you're going to fix all of this right now, right?

[Cha]

5. "Pull yourself up by your

book royalties".

I just saw that on twitter.

[PADemD]

20. Book straps, like this?

Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose

https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Me-Dad-Hardship-Purpose/dp/1250171679/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3MIQYV4P6DOLW&keywords=joe+biden+book+promise+me+dad&qid=1554925947&s=gateway&sprefix=joe+biden&sr=8-1

[BannonsLiver]

35. Probably a better read than anything Bernie has written.

Especially if his repetitive, dull stump speeches are any indication.

[PADemD]

135. Not that I'll ever find out.

I wouldn’t waste my time or money.

[Tipperary]

183. Lol, good one!

I see what you did there.

[Stuart G]

7. This is not the smartest answer? "If you write a best selling book,.."

Sanders retorted: "I wrote a best-selling book. If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too."

He should have kept his mouth SHUT ....

WELL.............................................................................................................

....is there someone out there who also needs to keep his mouth SHUT?

you tell me...................................................................... ....... .......

[onit2day]

95. His answer wasn't awful or serious and of no consequence. Only those with

Bernie derangement syndrome are taking issue with it. That's what's wrong with this whole post. But of course you will vote for Bernie if he becomes our candidate right?

[Stuart G]

142. I will vote for our nominee. Yes, if Bernie is our candidate, I will vote for him.

I have voted for every democratic candidate since 1968.

And no, I do not have Bernie derangement syndrome I do not think he will win the presidential election. That is really what this is about.

Bernie must win Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Bernie won't win Texas. He also must win Colorado and Michigan. I believe Bernie is not our strongest candidate to win those states. What about Arizona?. Can he win that? Arizona and Nevada are not Vermont.
... It is going to be a very tough election. Anything can happen.

[ehrnst]

191. "Bernie derangement syndrome"

Nice try.

[thesquanderer]

107. I thought it was funny. But I have a New York sense of humor. (n/t)

[ehrnst]

193. Is that why he's changed his criticism of "millionaires" to "billionaire class?"

And is it OK now that the Clintons made millions off book sales?

Or are they still "suspect" by many because they made a whole lot more millions from their books?

Can someone catch me up?

[LAS14]

10. 1 million or multi-millions doesn't make you a 1 percenter. And I don't see the answer as awful. n

[WeekiWater]

18. His annual income has been at one percent status for a couple of years.

That will be clear if he releases his taxes.

[whathehell]

37. Big deal...He's in his late 70's and, unlike a few others in the party,

this is his first time.

[WeekiWater]

39. Apparently the other poster thinks it means something.

They are the one who brought it up.

There was a first time for everyone reaching the one percent annual earnings mark.

I'm not sure why you are responding as you are. I wasn't the one who posted incorrect information. Sanders is a one percenter. I agree with you. Big deal.

[whathehell]

41. The intent of your post wasn't clear to me,

I guess, sorry if I misread yours.

[Maven]

22. Uh, what now? Multi-millions doesn't make you a 1 percenter?

"To be among the top 1 percent of U.S. earners, a family needs an income of $421,926, a new report from the Economic Policy Institute finds."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/27/how-much-you-have-to-earn-to-be-in-the-top-1percent-in-every-us-state.html

[LAS14]

31. 8 point something for wealth is required. Two or three or five million doesn't get you there. nt

[namahage]

150. And where did you get that number?

Me, I think I’ll take this agency’s word for it:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/18taxstatscard.pdf

[LAS14]

195. Underline mine

"The Times had estimated the threshold for being in the top 1 percent in household income at about $380,000, 7.5 times median household income, using census data from 2008 through 2010. But for net worth, the 1 percent threshold for net worth in the Fed data was nearly $8.4 million, or 69 times the median household’s net holdings of $121,000."

https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/measuring-the-top-1-by-wealth-not-income/

[George II]

120. So he's been a "1%-er" for two years going on three?

[Kahuna7]

13. Surely Bernie is going to redistribute that wealth, right?

He hasn't???

[BlueFlorida]

15. Of course he has not

But he wants other rich people to do so.

"Do as I say, not as I do" is a classic example of hypocrisy.

[Kahuna7]

30. I'm going to tweet that question to him.

[whathehell]

38. "Of course" you know nothing of what he has done or will do

with his money, but never mind.

[WeekiWater]

148. Over a half a million dollar lake front vacation home.

Lake Champlain, I believe.

If I write a best selling book I can have one too.

Maybe he will be transparent with his finances and we will know more soon. I’m pretty sure the household hit one percent status some time ago. They are holding out to get just past Jane Sanders cash out at what once was a University in Burlington.

[whathehell]

161. He's not entitled to this?

After a lifetime of public service, he writes a a best selling book, and this means he's NOT entitled to a vacation home for himself and his family?

[WeekiWater]

178. Yes, he's entitled.

Well said.

[Kahuna7]

180. That's why I was asking. Because I don't know...

But never mind...

[Gothmog]

233. I want to see if sanders has made any charitable donations

Link to tweet

?s=20

[LovingA2andMI]

155. Waiting On That...

Think it will be a LONG wait....

[melman]

14. .

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. Lol

More of the same

[Maven]

17. Goddammit. Now I have to agree with Cilizza on something?

Ugh.

[aikoaiko]

24. At least the book and the contents are available to everyone.

[happybird]

26. Noticed yesterday that the wording isn't very firm

"We wanted to release 10 years of tax returns. April 15, 2019, will be the 10th year, so I think you will see them."

Why not just say, "we'll be releasing 10 years of returns on April 15?"
Maybe I'm too cynical, maybe that's just the way he talks, but I won't be holding my breath for those returns come tax day.

[BlueFlorida]

28. You're exactly right

There is likely to be a new excuse on Monday or some stunt of showing only a couple of pages of each return.

[stonecutter357]

29. BS the millionaire !

[murielm99]

33. I THINK you will see them????

Uh huh.

[jalan48]

36. When he starts giving speeches for half a million dollars a pop to big Wall Street banks like

Goldman Sachs I'll get concerned.

[whathehell]

40. Exactly,

He clearly hasn't spent his life chasing money, but oh well.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

45. The same people raised questions about why wasn't he more wealthy.

[BlueFlorida]

47. What about Old Towne Media, LLC?

https://vtdigger.org/2016/07/15/sanders-campaign-millions-go-to-mystery-firm/

[jalan48]

111. Meh, chicken feed. He can make tens of millions giving "speeches" to big corps and banks.

[BlueFlorida]

116. lol

Banks and corporations are not going to have him lecture them.

[jalan48]

127. Ya think?

[BlueFlorida]

129. He wants to nationalize them

I doubt they would want him lecturing

[Lazy Daisy]

165. Ding Ding Ding

Think you stepped in it there.

Banks & Corps only want to hear from people who can and will do something FOR THEM.

Bernie's policies aren't going to make them any money, therefore why pay him to tell them that?

[KitSileya]

173. Besides, he's a sitting Senator, so it would be ILLEGAL to pay him to speak

How law-abiding of them to refuse to pay him to speak when it would violate the law to do so. That certainly wouldn't make them any money, would it?

It's too bad, because I am sure they, like the rest of us, would like to know exactly how Senator Sanders plans to break up the banks. He didn't have an answer to that in 2016, but perhaps he's found a way in the intervening three years? He must have done something to keep him too busy to deal with the sex harassment charges from his 2016 campaign.

[betsuni]

209. +1

[BlueFlorida]

187. You are wrong

Banks and corporations want to hear from people who have interesting speeches that their employees are enlightened by, people who make eloquent speeches which are informative.

A yelling curmudgeon with scissor hands who talks about destroying them and has nothing interesting to say except one stump speech is not at the top of their list.

It sort of works like this -- a KKK grand wizard is never invited to speak to the NAACP.

[lapucelle]

220. How could BS earn money making speeches? Politicians who are still in office are prohibited.

It was a smart money move to cash in quickly by working hard on that book in the summer - autumn of 2016. I don't think any of the other books in his series have done as well.

[jalan48]

221. Good point. Bernie should be sucking up to the big banks and corps now so that he can make those

six figure speaking fees when he retires. Or, maybe even a nice spot in a K Street lobbying firm with a nice fat salary to go with it.

[lapucelle]

222. No need. The folks at Lockheed Martin are already familiar

With his work.

[sheshe2]

223. +++

[lapucelle]

224. Or infomercials: Anyone Can Be a Millionaire! (just write a bestselling book)

[jalan48]

230. Look for Bernie to be making those $500,000 speeches when he retires?

[Gothmog]

234. I am curious about this also

[BlueFlorida]

235. Remember how $29 million from the Trump Inaugural

went to Melania's friend?

There are parallels.

[Cheap_Trick]

86. BINGO!

[George II]

117. What does that have to do with the discussion?

[lapucelle]

226. One percenter BS gave a tone-deaf answer to a question about his wealth.

The only recourse some of his fans have is to try to deflect and distract.

[Buzz cook]

49. FDR was worth 60 million when he took office.

The article doesn't say whether that's in 1932 dollars or current dollars, but either way a fair amount of money.
https://www.therichest.com/celebnetworth/politician/president/franklin-d-roosevelt-net-worth/

Obviously FDR couldn't and didn't do anything to help poor people.

Al Gore has a big house.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/aug/2/al-gores-nashville-estate-expends-21-times-more-en/

Obviously Al Gore doesn't care about the environment or global warming.

Hillary Clinton couldn't find files from the Rose law firm. Obviously she is a criminal.

And so on.

I'm not a Sanders fan by any means. But I find it disturbing that people on DU are using the same tact that republicans have used against democrats for many years.

[BlueFlorida]

56. FDR and Al Gore

did not rail against rich people and portray themselves as poor.

Being rich is no sin, but being a hypocrite is.

[Buzz cook]

113. Perhaps

But FDR didn't subject himself to the tax hikes he gave to others. Or at least that was/is the accusation.
https://reason.com/blog/2010/01/28/fdr-tax-increases-dont-apply-t

Al Gore did/does rail against things which contribute to global warming, or at least that was the charge, yet he built a large wasteful house.

The charge in both cases was hypocrisy, made by their enemies.

That is the case here, your charge is hypocrisy.

IMHO there are a host of reasons to not support Sanders. He is not able to defend basic tenants we all stand for. Questions about, civil right, abortion, the minimum wage have left him stuttering. He is disorganized, not being able to meet the requirements of campaigning in 2916 without pleading for special treatment. He use mud slinging against his 2016 opponent after promising to campaign on the issues. Finally where are the policy papers that outline his proposals? He gets an E for effort for proposing positive initiatives, but has never shown his paper work.

[BlueFlorida]

115. ...

[BannonsLiver]

57. A nice effort

But it falls apart when one looks at Bernie’s past comments about millionaires and billionaires. Bernie is rich, his response to this question was terrible and when juxtaposed against the backdrop of his refusal to release his tax returns, it’s a really bad look for him.

[Buzz cook]

118. But Sanders has not refused.

He has set a date on which he will release his tax forms. It is not a refusal until after that date.

This is the same thing that happened in 2016 with the Clintons. They set a date on which they released their tax returns and yet their enemies claimed there was something wrong because they didn't release them earlier. That included Sanders supporters if I recall correctly.

"It's a really bad look for him". It your concern really the optics?

[BannonsLiver]

140. It is a refusal until they are released.

And it is a bad look for him. Your acceptance of that is not required. Does Liz Warren know you're more interested in Bernie than her own campaign?

[Buzz cook]

206. I hate that I have to defend Sanders.

When I see what I think is a silly attack made by democrats, the people who used to be known for reason and logic, I think I should point it out.

That is specially true when they use the same tactics I've seen used bu republicans against other democrats.

I plan to be a delegate for Elizabeth Warren at least to the county level, as I was for Clinton and Dean.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

72. That's not the argument at all. It's not that it's inherently wrong to be a millionaire -

I'd be surprised if someone who had pursued a professional career for five decades and also had a professional spouse didn't have a family net worth of at least $1M. Bernie should be a millionaire by now. Most members of Congress are; it's almost impossible to run for federal office these days if you don't have substantial assets to make up for the fact that you have to spend months, if not a couple of years, campaigning. Most financial advisors think that a couple will need at least $1M that much in order to live comfortably in retirement. The problem, as applied to Bernie, is that Bernie's mantra for years has been the evildoing of "millionaires and billionaires," and if he's revealed as one of them he might risk disillusioning his Purity Brigade whom he has convinced of the irredeemable evils of capitalism.

[Buzz cook]

121. Is the purity brigade

going to abandon Sanders because he's wealthy or are they more likely to rally around the flag at what they see as unjust attacks?


If past is prologue to the future the latter seems more likely. Emotionally identifying with a person or cause seems to lead to stronger identity when that person or cause is attacked, because the person sees that as a personal attack against themselves as well as against the thing they are attached to.

[Politicub]

92. But he didn't run around acting like a miser in a bad suit

That's the difference. Sanders, whether intentional or not, put on airs of being someone who is not of means.

I don't begrudge his wealth. Good on him.

[Buzz cook]

123. So has Sanders been claiming to be a pauper?

Given his position and that of his wife, it would be silly of him to do so, don't you think?

Given the recent attacks on Sanders is it not more reasonable to assume people are putting words in his mouth. IMHO this sounds like Al Gore's big house over again.

[Politicub]

136. I haven't paid close enough attention to him to know

It's how he comes across to me, though.

[George II]

122. That's current dollars, he was worth a lot less than that (but a millionaire) In current dollars....

....James Madison was worth $101 million.

But neither of those ever spent years railing against millionaires.

[Buzz cook]

125. FDR

"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as government by government mob"

[George II]

128. That's a lot different than what we've been seeing/hearing the last few years.

[Buzz cook]

137. Sadly

Starting with Carter and continuing to Obama there has been a rejection of FDR at least to some degree by the Democratic leadership. It reached a point where I heard democrats using anti-FDR tropes to justify some action or lack of it.

Its refreshing to have people rediscovering FDR style democracy.

[lgrnwd]

51. Bernie just went bust

That response is going to be toxic for him going forward.

[comradebillyboy]

69. I hope you are correct.

Welcome to DU.

[Me.]

52. "so I think you will see them"

what, dodgeball again?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

54. Is the Purity Brigade going to freak out when they discover that Bernie has a lot of money?

And is that why Bernie has been sitting on his tax returns for so long?

[BlueFlorida]

58. On the contrary

I just read a post where someone compared him to FDR who was worth $60 million

It is suddenly ok to be rich now.

[paulkienitz]

62. it's always been okay to be rich

Remember Chris Rock's bit about "rich" vs "wealthy". "Shaq is rich. The white man who signs Shaq's check is wealthy."

[BannonsLiver]

60. Most will just ignore it

Or think the media is out to get him It’s become a cult of personality at this point.

[TCJ70]

77. The only "Purity Brigade" around here...

...is the one that’s been screaming about him not having a D next to his name for the last three years.

Snarky comment aside, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that someone would advocate policies that would have a negative effect on themselves financially. That is, if his tax returns show something significant.

[paulkienitz]

59. wait, what is the problem here?

I don't see what I'm supposed to be offended by. To me his answer seems entirely reasonable.

[BlueFlorida]

61. Ever heard Marie Antoinette?

“Qu'ils mangent de la brioche”

Loosely translated as "Let them eat cake."

[paulkienitz]

63. sorry, there's no way you can fit Bernie into that mold. Comparison does not compute.

[BlueFlorida]

78. It fits perfectly

"If you're poor, just go write a book and make millions"

[Lucky Luciano]

80. It's a sarcastic comment clearly. In other words upwards mobility in today's society is...

...mostly a pipe dream.

[kcr]

145. Except he made a lot of money writing a book.

So he's the wrong person to make such a "clearly" "sarcastic" comment.

[Cheap_Trick]

89. Keep up the good work

You'll get Trump reelected for sure.

[snort]

66. My new novel: How I went from being a Sanders supporter to undecided.

[BlueFlorida]

75. lol nt

[Blue_true]

146. You will find undecided to be more comfortable.

Initially you will wonder why you won't pick one of the people that you favor, but after a while you will find yourself listening to other posters arguments on pros and cons of different candidates more.

[rebe303]

81. Seeing through Bernie

Sanders is a disruptor. It's all about him and the double standard doesn't bother him at all; he took forever to "endorse" Hillary when she won the nomination, whereas she immediately and vociferously got behind Barack Obama after he did. He won't even join the Democratic Party.
We need unity and to vote Blue no matter Who but please don't let him divide us.

[BlueFlorida]

84. +1,000,000 nt

[TCJ70]

88. He endorsed Clinton two weeks BEFORE the convention...

...hardly the “forever” you mention:

https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/politics/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&rm=1

[rebe303]

96. Endorse whomever please

Did he? Good.

[LovingA2andMI]

156. This....

Bye Bernie and no we WON'T have to vote for him because HE WON'T win the nomination. Hands down!!

[Freethinker65]

93. Idc how much money Bernie makes. I do care a bit how nominees earn their money and taxes they pay.

Does a nominee take advantage of loopholes in legislative policies he/she pushed for?
Does the nominee invest in companies and securities they have inside information on because of their position.

Does the nominee set up Foundations, Trusts, LLCs, offshore fronts and accounts to avoid taxes? Does the nominee use methods only the wealthiest can take advantage of to shield their wealth upon inheritance? Does the nominee give to any charities consistently, or just when running for higher office?

I am more interested in answering questions like that than how much money they earned any one year.

[jg10003]

97. Someone 65 or older who has had an average salary of $165,000 for 25 years, and has conservative

investments in real estate and/or mutual funds will be worth about 1.5 - 2.5 million. This means they can have comfortable retirement. But they are not rich. No yachts, private jets, or Bentleys. Just a nice upper middle class life that was earned honestly and without screwing workers, consumers, or the country.

[zentrum]

98. I can't believe

...the spiteful stuff that is allowed to be said about Sanders here.

He is not a Repug. Let's remember that.

The Democratic platform has now adopted many of the policies he made widely known in '12. Thank you Bernie.

He's flawed. But he's helped the Party grow in the direction it needs right now.

[rebe303]

103. Not Spiteful just not blind

Why then is he still an Independent? Joining the Democratic Party would help strenghten it; A united opposition Party is the only way we can beat the Orange Menace. Unless and until he does at least that much for his country, he's just in this to inflate his ego.

[zentrum]

110. Well, I'm sure glad

....he inflated the possibility of single payer medicare for all, along the way.

Glad this egoist released his plan for accomplishing same, today.

[BlueFlorida]

114. His single payer proposal is just a stunt

It won't go anywhere in the senate.

An overwhelming majority of Americans want their private health insurance and won't go for MFA.

A Kaiser Foundation poll showed that people like MFA until they know the details -- then they oppose it 70-30.

[zentrum]

144. Wow. Just wow.

We have the most expensive health care in the industrialized world. With the worse health outcomes. Hightest infant mortality rates and maternal death rates.

If everyone loves their high insurance and co-pay amounts which, by definition, are higher than single payer would be --then I salute their ignorance! They have truly had their thinking co-opted by for-profit health care.

Why is anyone profiting from our illnesses?

But never mind.

[BlueFlorida]

149. People start medical practices and hospitals

to make a profit .... even for non-profit hospitals, they have margins for expansion and acquiring more equipment.

No one provides anything "at cost."

[zentrum]

184. You're missing the point.

Government paid for health care (paid for with taxes) is not profit driven.

We should have what every other industrialized country has---which is health care for the people, not for the profit of some individual executive or for private investors. Those entities want to wring the most money out of it--not the most health care.

BTW--14 others have signed on as co-sponsors of Bernie's Medicare for All Plan. Also Gillibrand, Warren, Booker and Kamala Harris have all endorsed it.

Wait until private for-profit companies own and control our access to water. Then you'll see why some things should never be for profit.

There are some collective, basic, human needs which should never be in private hands. Health is one of them.

The ACA was always meant to be the first step towards universal non-profit health care.

[BlueFlorida]

185. Government payments are not profit driven

but medical practices, clinics, imaging centers, surgery centers, emergency rooms are.

I have read all the socialist manifestos and socialist dreams. They never work and have never worked.

And don't give me Bernie's talking point "Denmark and Sweden" - they are not socialist. They are just small countries with a homogeneous population and their budgets don't have debt repayment issues nor do they need a large military expenditure.

Denmark and Sweden are not the US.

Decentralizing tasks leads to efficiency. This is why most oil companies don't own gas stations or car manufacturers don't own dealerships or fast food chains don't own all the restaurants.

[Mike Nelson]

101. Strange...

… I assumed he was wealthy without the book. He's had a high-paying job for decades. His wife is successful, too. I assume they are not hurting. On the answer... I'd love a book deal!

[at140]

102. If Sanders was NOT a millionaire at age 78

after years of elected positions in politics and writing books, he would not rate very high in my book.
So he is a millionaire, which means he is a good money manager, and that is a plus if he is gonna be the president.

[yaesu]

109. Oh, so MSM is deciding who we vote for, again

Howard Deans scream, HRC's emails, Bidens hugs, Bernies taxes, I guess the circular firing squad is really, really busy these days.

[aidbo]

112. Chris Cillizza isn't the dumbest pundit out there, but he's trying to be!

[BlueFlorida]

126. As the old saying goes

When one can't attack the message, attack the messenger!

[aidbo]

152. Exactly zero Sanders supporters care that he's a millionaire.

To think that it matters to them is to be monumentally dumb.

And I’m not the first to call Cillizza dumb. He was persona non grata around here when he was writing things about Hilary in 2015/6.

[BlueFlorida]

153. Yes .. it is more about idol worship

than actual policy

[aidbo]

159. Precisely the opposite.

He is not going to do something so obvious as to change his policies towards high earning people just because he happens to be one.

Do I have to explain that he’s not against the people that are “millionaires and billionaires”?He’s against the policies that afford them incredible (I would call obscene) amounts of wealth and influence. He wants to tax them. And he wants to tax himself too. So he is consistent.

[BlueFlorida]

188. Then why did he drop "millionaires" from his shouts?

He modified his speech to drop "millionaires"

[aidbo]

200. His shouts? Gimme a break.

[BannonsLiver]

197. +1

There are obvious parallels.

[Sapient Donkey]

119. Maybe I am dense, but I don't see the problem with that answer.

That's whether Sanders, Clinton, or any other person said it. If sales of his book is what earn the majority of the income, then it is what it is. Unless that's bullshit, then I don't know how else that could be answered.

[samnsara]

130. yes you are right...Hillary would NEVER have said that...

[BlueFlorida]

133. Hillary, Bill, Obama, Biden, Beto, Kamala, Warren, Klobuchar, Mayor Pete

Castro, Swalwell and Cory Booker have one thing in common -- they have EMPATHY. It comes through. They "feel" for the people and it shows.

They don't campaign on anger and railing at corporations, millionaires (well not millionaires anymore) and billionaires and slogans to offer free stuff with no details about how it could ever become law or be paid for.

[Blues Heron]

138. "free stuff"

where have I heard that slam before? hmmmm

[Stuart G]

143. For all to know.The orignal title of this post (at the top) is taken directly from the story at CNN.

I am guessing that Chris Cillizza wrote the headline of the story because he wrote the story. He is the political editor at CNN.

[MaryMagdaline]

151. I thought it was funny in a "Is this a great country or what?"

Sort of way ... sarcastic and bemused at the same time. America’s too weird not to laugh sometimes

[LovingA2andMI]

157. How Time Sure Changes a Person -- And A Bit Of $$$....

[Cha]

171. BS sounds..

"Establishment" or something! lol

[BlueFlorida]

204. He has become a "corporate Democrat" nt

[KPN]

160. Chris Cillizza is an ass. Sorry. He's as biased as they come when it comes to Bernie.

But he was an ass well before Bernie hit mainstream.

When it comes to Cillizza, ignore him. He's isn't a friend.

[BannonsLiver]

196. None of that means he's wrong about this particular issue.

[KPN]

198. That's your opinion. Mine is different. He is wrong in my opinion.

This is just another hit piece by a "corporatist" journalist who has always been a "corporatist" journalist but parades as a progressive. He is an arrogant ass.

[BannonsLiver]

199. Oh sure, Cillizza is all of those things and more.

A real POS.

But Bernie’s answer was still terrible.

[KPN]

201. I guess when I heard it, I didn't take it that way. It was Bernie being Bernie. Straightforward

and to the point. He's not one for sugar-coating when giving an explanation. Unfortunately, many prefer the sugar-coating. I don't mind a straight-forward explanation.

[BlueFlorida]

215. Bernie being Bernie

[ucrdem]

172. LOL, I've seen the book. It knocks Democrats. That's how he made his nut

and the fact that he's still at, and will very possibly achieve the same result as in 2016, is a problem.

[fleabiscuit]

177. I dout he will get far into the debates.

I expect an early exit. The campaign attack dog just bounced off an easy target. Oh my, there will be lots of bouncing off of bright youngish articulate candidates. Some of them wrote books as well.

[ucrdem]

236. He'll stick around long past the point of no return

if past is prologue.

The weird thing with the book is how circumspect he is. Usually writers are proud of their books and if they make a buck or two they're bouncing off the walls. And Bernie isn't exactly shy so wherefore the tight lips? Add the fact that a million bucks for a nothing-special vanity book -- it reads like a collection of HA Goodman articles with a few stale press releases tossed in, nothing any DUer hasn't seen repeatedly -- seems like a lot. So I have to say that the whole business strikes me as dubious.

[dubyadiprecession]

203. With that kind of money...

Bernie can afford to send a few exceptional students to college for free.
But, I guess he’d rather keep all that money.

[Gothmog]

213. Can you imagine if Hillary used such a bad answer??

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

214. sanders has not yet reported what happened to 2016 campaign funds

Link to tweet

[BlueFlorida]

216. Very important point

Where did that money go?

[Gothmog]

219. For this thread

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Turbineguy]

228. For a comment like that,

we'd better keep trump.

[Cha]

229. KICK!

[SFnomad]

231. BS has become the person he's been fighting against for decades n/t

[George II]

237. Bazinga!

[artislife]

232. I didn't find it awful

Write a best selling book and make money. No different from giving speeches at $250,000 a pop and making money. People want to buy what you are saying.

[Cha]

238. Mahalo, BlueFlorida..