I am proud to have a candidate who is not afraid to call himself a democratic socialist

[Bjorn Against]

Many people have been trying to suggest that the fact that Bernie Sanders calls himself a democratic socialist is a negative against him, this could not be further from the truth.

I don't know about everyone else, but I am happy to be able to vote for someone who speaks the truth about what socialism is and does not allow the fear of right-wing propagandists make him run away from speaking that truth.

I am proud to support a candidate who openly talks about redistributing the wealth because the reality is that a massive redistribution of wealth is desperately needed. We have a few billionaires at the top hoarding our nation's resources while others can not even afford to buy food or pay the rent. We have people working full time and still living in poverty while racist assholes like Donald Trump sit on billions of dollars without making any sort of positive contribution to our society.

As a Bernie supporter I will not run away from the socialist label, instead I will embrace that label.

I will embrace that label because the people who have worked so hard to poison that label have continually shown us that their system of cut-throat capitalism has not benefitted the people. Their system has created an economy where nearly all the wealth is concentrated in the hands of a very few while the workers who created that wealth struggle to get by. They have produced a system where racist hiring practices are common and people of color are often unable to find a job. Their system has brought us into unnecessary wars which have left millions of people dead and countless lives shattered.

The right-wing forces who have told us that socialism is such an awful thing have brought harm to our nation and to our planet in so many different ways, they have been wrong about damn near everything and they are wrong about socialism as well.

The fact that we have a candidate who will not accept the right-wing propaganda and will embrace a term that has been unfairly demonized should not make us afraid, it should make us proud.

I want a socialist in the White House, I want the wealth to be redistributed so all of our nation's people can live with economic security, and I want a President who understands that if we want a better world we can not keep living in fear of the right-wing propagandists who demonize those who want to break free of a system that only works for the wealthy interests.

[FiveGoodMen]

1. So am I!

It's probably the main reason I want him for President.

(That, and I think he means what he says -- haven't seen THAT in a while!)

[daleanime]

2. Yeahup.....

[RufusTFirefly]

3. Instead of vilifying him, people are supporting his plain spoken courage and candor. n/t

[Bjorn Against]

4. And that is what makes me even more proud

[SoapBox]

10. "his plain spoken courage and candor"

Love that about him.

Vote the Bern!

[Jack Rabbit]

5. As things have progressed since 1980, socialism is no longer a dirty word

On the other hand, neoliberalism is.

[colsohlibgal]

6. I'm One As Well

As John Fugelsang said, we celebrate a socialist Jew each December 25th, why a problem with Bernie?

We need desperately to turn the talking points around. In reality, the biggest entitlement, along with insane defense spending/perpetual war, hurting our bottom line is tax breaks for ultra wealthy people and corporations who don't need it.

[jwirr]

8. I heard him say that. LOVE it.

[passiveporcupine]

7. Bernie has a better way to say this

"because the reality is that a massive redistribution of wealth has already happened, and it's gone to the 1%".

It's time to bring it back to a more functional economic system. The country is not strong when the majority of people are weak (struggling economically).

[JDPriestly]

9. That's the view I take. I am not a Socialist in the American definition of the word.

But I think our economy is out of balance, and Bernie seems to be the only candidate who is even admitting that fact and proposing ways to get it back in balance.

When our productivity is growing and even our employment statistics are growing, but our wages are not even beginning to grow in proportion to our productivity, then something is wrong and our consumption is headed in a downward spiral.

Now, environmentalists, I should say short-sighted environmentalists might see that as a good thing. But the fact is that ordinary people have to have the income to be able to adopt the new technologies that will help us cut back on our use of fossil fuel. Solar panels and windmills and electric cars cost a lot of money. Just putting new windows into a house or insulating it better costs money.

And even more than more money in the pockets of middle-class consumers, getting our economy back into a healthier balance will mean more accessible tax revenue for our government and more money for education, infrastructure repair and the defense we need against environmental damage (and that damage is coming).

I just don't see Hillary as an independent (from the corporate status quo of D.C. and New York), strong enough (personally strong enough) to do what is right.

I think that Sanders has demonstrated in his life that he has the courage to stand up for his convictions even when the majority is too short-sighted to see the wisdom in his views.

It's time for free pre-school and college education in this country.

My grandfather made a big choice to go to high school instead of just straight to work and farming. That choice made all the difference in my family, all the difference. An education blesses not only the person who acquires it but that person's descendents.

We owe it to our children and grandchildren to make sure that they have the blessing of educational opportunity.

[passiveporcupine]

15. Excellent post!

[BrotherIvan]

20. I know this is an old post, but I love this line

"An education blesses not only the person who acquires it but that person's descendents."

What a perfect way of putting it. How very true. How could anyone argue with that?

[Babel_17]

23. Well said

And in a dog eat dog economy, one of "I've got mine and that's all that matters", people will tend to care less about buying the more expensive, eco-friendly, alternatives.

When your school taxes have gone up, and your rent has gone up, and your utilities are costing you more, and you can't envision a secure retirement, that's when you tend to walk past the pricier, better for all of us, choices.

Because, didn't you get the memo?, it's a dog eat dog economy. But when people feel part of a caring society, they tend to act more like caring individuals. In my opinion.

Long term investment, building for the future, is something that good capitalists do. But for a nation, those investments involve a shared sacrifice, we have to allocate what we could have used today, for tomorrow.

In a nation that has abandoned shared sacrifice, where the only trust you have is that the rich won't play by the rules and that they own the government, you have an uphill struggle to get people to put their trust, their votes, behind long term investment.

It's the nations that have good social programs, nations that have the trust of their people, that can get their people behind allocating funds for long term investments.

Sanders, as President, will be able to get the nation behind a program of growth, a program of expanding the pie so we all get a bigger cut. That's how capitalism is supposed to work in a great nation.

[retrowire]

11. they also produced a system

in which women are consistently underpaid.

Sexism! its more common and widespread than racism. think about it.

[secondwind]

12. Me, too! GO BERNIE!!!

[mckara]

13. Hear! Hear!

Well done Happy Independence Day!

[brooklynite]

14. Would it hurt to point out that you are not average?

You are politically active enough to post on a political blog, specifically one with a liberal focus. Your pride at supporting an avowed socialist is in no way reflective of the average Democratic voter, much less the average General Election voter. And your desire for a socialist in the White House is irrelevant if the socialist can't get the average voter to vote for him.

[passiveporcupine]

16. You might want to check that last sentence

Freudian slip?

I understand your point, but I think you underestimate the mood of this country.

[Bjorn Against]

17. Many average people are disgusted by our current system

Millions of Americans are fed up with a system in which a small handful of people are able to hoarde the wealth while working people struggle to get by.

Millions of Americans are fed up by a system that sends people off to fight in unnecessary wars.

Millions of Americans are fed up with politicians who charge outrageous speaking fees to tell the wealthy what they want to hear.

There are millions of Americans who share my views, I am much closer to the average American than most people in the DC political establishment are.

[AgingAmerican]

24. Bernies positions are supported by the majority of Americans

They are supported widely across the political spectrum. His positions are far more 'average' than those of every other person in congress.

It's the word certain people have problem with, not the substance.

[Babel_17]

18. The average voter is receptive to the mood of people they associate with

When they see the cheerful enthusiasm of the supporters of Sanders it's human nature for them to want some of that.

It's why Reagan won twice, and Bush Sr. only once. That (mostly based on BS and the running of record deficits) sunny optimism of the Reagan campaign was something Americans wanted to be part of. Dour Bush Sr. couldn't pull that off.

Bill Clinton had a bit of "the happy warrior" about him, and that helped to dispel the policy wonk air that he also had. His campaign was about the enthusiasm it had to get the economy working again. People wanted to be part of that.

I guess we all remember all the feel good BS of the campaign of "the guy you'd like to have a beer with" so I'll say no more about that.

The genuine, wide spread, enthusiasm of the Obama campaign definitely needs no refresher course.

There's a reason the campaign to nominate Sanders is catching on. The campaign isn't relying on buying ads, it's counting on the message of the Sanders campaign being so manifestly authentic that it will ignite peoples enthusiasm and they will share that. That strategy is working exceptionally well. It's a winner.

[Vattel]

21. nice post

[rhett o rick]

19. Sen Sanders, the people's candidate not the billionaires candidate. nm

[HereSince1628]

22. The debate over the label returns consideration of the common good as a standard of governance

to compete with the neoliberal 'business of government is business bullshit

[L0oniX]

25. K & R

[Paka]

26. Beautifully stated.

I proudly support Bernie and the democratic socialist ideals that he promotes.