Bernie Sanders 2016!

[Lalaki]

For many weeks now I've defended Hillary Clinton on a pragmatic basis for the Democratic nomination. Edit: And I stand by my support for her centrism. But she has received some competition from the Senator of Vermont.

VPR News has learned from several sources that Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders will announce his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday.

Sanders will release a short statement on that day and then hold a major campaign kickoff in Vermont in several weeks.

Audio from this story will be posted at approximately 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 29.

Sanders' entry into the Democratic race ensures that Hillary Clinton will face a challenge to win the support of the liberal wing of the party.

Sanders' basic message will be that the middle class in America has been decimated in the past two decades while wealthy people and corporations have flourished.

His opposition to a proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal (T.P.P.) shows how he plans to frame this key issue of his campaign.

"If you want to understand why the middle class in America is disappearing and why we have more wealth and income inequality in America than we have had since the late 1920s, you have to address the issue of trade,” Sanders said in a phone interview on April 23.

As the longest-serving Independent member of Congress, Sanders has been a vocal critic of the influence that large corporations have on the political process.

"All of the major corporations want to continue with this trade policy. Wall Street wants to continue this trade policy. The drug companies want to continue this trade policy. But organizations representing American workers and the environment do not want to continue the trade policy. They want new trade policies,” he said.

And Sanders says it is imperative that all the Democratic presidential candidates address the issue of trade and income inequality.

"So, I think that Hillary Clinton and every candidate out there should in fact address whether or not they support this T.P.P.," Sanders said.

In the past few months, Sanders has been actively visiting many of the early presidential primary states. Just last weekend he traveled to South Carolina to address the state Democratic Party and news reports indicate that his economic message drew a lot of support at the state meeting.

http://digital.vpr.net/post/bernie-sand ... ential-run

I originally stood behind the Sanders campaign, but have redacted my support because I am much more centrist and am aligned with the policy positions of Clinton.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

He's the Ron Paul of the left: An older gentlemen who has certain policies that appeal to college kids and a few fringe members (including me), but is seen largely as a crank by the rank-and-file.

[Roosevelt and Truman]

He's the Ron Paul of the left: An older gentlemen who has certain policies that appeal to college kids and a few fringe members (including me), but is seen largely as a crank by the rank-and-file.

We know we'll end up having to support Hillary in the general election, but we should support Sanders while we still can.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

He's the Ron Paul of the left: An older gentlemen who has certain policies that appeal to college kids and a few fringe members (including me), but is seen largely as a crank by the rank-and-file.

We know we'll end up having to support Hillary in the general election, but we should support Sanders while we still can.

Despite the fact that we share many political perspectives, there's something about him that I find off-putting. I can't quite put my finger on it.

[New Werpland]

I thought Lalaki was a "New Democrat", why is he/she supporting Bernie?

[Atlanticatia]

I'm happy to hear this. Although it's unlikely Bernie will win, it will make the debates a lot better and force Hillary to the left.

[New Werpland]

I'm happy to hear this. Although it's unlikely Bernie will win, it will make the debates a lot better and force Hillary to the left.

So that the Democrats lose the election?

[Atlanticatia]

I'm happy to hear this. Although it's unlikely Bernie will win, it will make the debates a lot better and force Hillary to the left.

So that the Democrats lose the election?

Democrats won't lose the election if Hillary becomes more progressive.

[New Werpland]

So that the Democrats lose the election?

Democrats won't lose the election if Hillary becomes more progressive.

Why are you so sure?

[Ifreann]

I always think of Bernie Madoff when I read Bernie Sanders' name.

[The New Sea Territory]

[Atlanticatia]

:rofl:

Hmm?

[Eastern Equestria]

I always think of Bernie Madoff when I read Bernie Sanders' name.

I always think of Deion Sanders, which is even more odd.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

:rofl:

Hmm?

"I wished to attempt to convey my total disregard for Senator Sanders and my low estimation of his chances for success, but do not wish to exert the effort required to communicate my detailed reasons for said disregard and low estimation."

[The New Sea Territory]

:rofl:

Hmm?

I sincerely doubt he'll win.

[Page]

I will volunteer for his campaign. Even though the chances of him prevailing are slim to none, I'd love to help out someone who I really believe in for once.

[Atlanticatia]

Hmm?

I sincerely doubt he'll win.

That's probably true. But having him, at the very least, make his message heard on a national platform, in contrast to someone like Hillary Clinton, is a good thing.

lol Bernie vs. Hillary's top campaign contributors.

[Tyrandel]

I will support him so that Hillary Clinton has to take further left positions during the primaries. I don't expect him to win though.

[The Romulan Republic]

Glad to hear this. He's my top choice out of those who are running.

[MERIZoC]

Has pretty decent name recognition, could do reasonably well. I'm doubtful of a win though.

[Atlanticatia]

Although, I can imagine the media's reaction when they say how Bernie Sanders is a fan of Noam Chomsky and supports libertarian socialism. And worker co-operatives and such.

But it will be interesting to see him and Hillary debate. Many in the Progressive wing see Bernie as a progressive champion like Elizabeth Warren, so if she disagrees with him too much she'll risk pushing the left away.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Although, I can imagine the media's reaction when they say how Bernie Sanders is a fan of Noam Chomsky and supports libertarian socialism. And worker co-operatives and such.

But it will be interesting to see him and Hillary debate. Many in the Progressive wing see Bernie as a progressive champion like Elizabeth Warren, so if she disagrees with him too much she'll risk pushing the left away.

Jesus, he makes Warren look like Murray Rothbard in comparison.

[Atlanticatia]

Although, I can imagine the media's reaction when they say how Bernie Sanders is a fan of Noam Chomsky and supports libertarian socialism. And worker co-operatives and such.

But it will be interesting to see him and Hillary debate. Many in the Progressive wing see Bernie as a progressive champion like Elizabeth Warren, so if she disagrees with him too much she'll risk pushing the left away.

Jesus, he makes Warren look like Murray Rothbard in comparison.

I think Warren is more a symbol of quintessential New Deal American liberalism, whereas Bernie is an actual democratic socialist (or old school social democracy perhaps). For example in the WW2-era, FDR and Clement Attlee did a lot of similar things and had similar ideas but had different ideologies and goals.

Warren is more about regulating banks and the economy, expanding Social Security, empowering collective bargaining, taxing the wealthy, opposing NAFTA-like trade deals etc. I think Bernie is, obviously, interested in all of those things, but he's also probably interested in social ownership, while also fundamentally criticizing capitalism. A lot of overlap between strong New Deal liberalism.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Jesus, he makes Warren look like Murray Rothbard in comparison.

I think Warren is more a symbol of quintessential New Deal American liberalism, whereas Bernie is an actual democratic socialist.

Agreed. I thought that he was more of a Social Democrat, like most in America who call themselves Democratic Socialists seem to be. Fuck it. I'm in.

[Dejanic]

Jesus, he makes Warren look like Murray Rothbard in comparison.

I think Warren is more a symbol of quintessential New Deal American liberalism, whereas Bernie is an actual democratic socialist (or old school social democracy perhaps). For example in the WW2-era, FDR and Clement Attlee did a lot of similar things and had similar ideas but had different ideologies and goals.

Warren is more about regulating banks and the economy, expanding Social Security, empowering collective bargaining, taxing the wealthy, opposing NAFTA-like trade deals etc. I think Bernie is, obviously, interested in all of those things, but he's also probably interested in social ownership, while also fundamentally criticizing capitalism. A lot of overlap between strong New Deal liberalism.

I haven't seen anything to suggest that Bernie Sanders is an actual Democratic Socialist. As in, he calls himself one obviously, but from my understanding he actually means Social Democracy, and simply makes the American mistake that Social Democracy/Mixed Capitalism=Democratic Socialism. He's said before that his idea of "Socialism" would be a society resembling Sweden. So I really think he's just a typical Social Democrat who believes in a mixed economy, and is using a very loose definition of the word "Socialist". I've never seen him really say that he wants to abolish Capitalism, end wage Labour, etc.

From a foreigners eyes, Warren just comes off as a social Liberal who seems left wing in comparison to the new democrats/blue dogs of the Democratic party, where as Sanders is a genuine Social Democrat who would fit nicely into any European Labour party.