FDR was the establishment. Truman was the establishment. JFK was the establishment.

[RBInMaine]

Establishment, establishment, establishment...bla bla bla...


Bernie Sanders has been in ESTABLISHMENT politics for about 30 years in positions in Vermont and the Congress.

Hillary is brilliant, qualified, and no more ESTABLISHMENT than FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ, Carter, Bill Clinton, or Obama.

She is a DEMOCRAT. Sanders isn't, and has a history of trashing the party. I like Bernie a lot on most of the issues and believe his heart is in the right place. But this nation will NEVER accept a self declared socialist. Hillary is PROGRESSIVE and will WIN.

[FreakinDJ]

1. The effects of the DLC establishment on the Democratic party

[RBInMaine]

2. There is no DLC anymore. FDR interned the Japanese. Truman dropped the bomb. JFK wanted Castro dead.

LBJ did Vietnam. ... NONE were pure. JFK also tried to take out Castro. Enough of this "establishment" shit.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Who the flying fuck is demanding purity? Strawman much?

Nixon was distinctly to the left of Obama and both Clintons. That is how far the establishment of the democratic party has veered right. While the official DLC is no more its replacements are doing just fine, thanks, and the name or names of the various organizing groups of the corporate wing of the party are irrelevant, it is the fact that the people controlling the party organization are determined to keep the Democratic Party a center-right cleanup crew for the mess the far right Republican Party makes that is the problem.

But carry on, and good luck with the latest Clinton. I'm sure her administration will be swell. Don't say we didn't warn you.

[FreakinDJ]

25. Is that why the DNC gives away state and local elections

[virtualobserver]

26. Debbie Wasserman Schultz learned how to do that in Florida

[Warren Stupidity]

28. Yeah they don't give a rat's ass about anything but the presidency.

[wyldwolf]

3. Who is this?

After a major election year loss, he distanced himself from the liberal/progressive wing of the party, declaring, “I’m not a liberal at all... I’m not comfortable with those people.”

His father told a leading national magazine, “How could any son of mine be a god damn liberal? Don’t worry about him being a weak sister. He’ll be tough.”

In a Senate race, he refused to endorse the Democratic candidate and instead endorsed the Republican!

As president-elect, he appointed high level Republicans to prominent cabinet posts!

His most well-known catch phrase was a rebuke of the welfare state and a promotion of individual responsibility.

Another phrase was a Woodrow Wilson-like call to arms for “Liberal Internationalism.”

He alienated Labor Unions by not siding with them on a number of issues, saying disputes must be settled with what is best for the public’s interest.

He considered our tax system obsolete and advocated massive tax cuts.

A leading Republican characterized him as “a Democrat by accident of birth; he is more of a pragmatist than a Democrat.”

Congressman John Lewis (D, GA) a civil rights hero, said his civil rights actions were "too little, too late"

[DemocratSinceBirth]

27. If you don't know who that candidate is all I can say is college failed you.

I would add this

-His brother voted for Dwight Eisenhower because he felt Adlai Stevenson was weak.

[wyldwolf]

31. I would also add...

His brother had a welfare reform policy proposal that was suspiciously like Clinton's in the 90s.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. He also had Republicans at the Department Of Treasury and Defense.

Hid dad made a $20,000.00 cash contribution to Richard Nixon.

Politics ain't bean bag.

[Fumesucker]

4. I'm glad you are comfortable with a candidate who was fooled by the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

[Cha]

8. people saying bernie isn't part of the establishment no matter what he calls himself look silly.

he has Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry's campaign manager.

He's a rebel with a pollster. he as much a politician as anyone. he's not quite as pure like his supporters insist.

[Cha]

11. Yeah yeah yeah.. "bernie is so pure". I don't like him. I thought he was okay and then his

supporters started campaigning in his name and turned me completely off.

[VanillaRhapsody]

20. Not to mention that he is running in OUR Primary...

but refuses to BE one of US!

[Renew Deal]

13. Party bosses haven't picked nominees since FDR

Some people need to acknowledge that Hillary is the most popular candidate with Democratic voters in the race. Forget about bosses, Super-Delegates, etc. Actual voting Democrats like her the most at this time. There are people that struggle with that.

[Cha]

7. LOL.. don't attempt to take away one of their fave insults.

[mmonk]

10. Your post just shows how much the establishment has changed fundamentally.

[Renew Deal]

12. I don't understand why Sanders supporters allow this argument to take place

Too many are not willing to acknowledge that he is not a member of the Democratic Party. Sanders party enrollment is not a distortion of any sort. Yet people here get defensive about it and start spinning. That's when the feeding frenzy begins.

If the Sanders people were wise they would acknowledge what Sanders is happy to admit. He is not a member of the Democratoc party. It would end a lot of pointless arguments. They seem unreasonable and sometimes misinformed when they argue about that simple fact.

[kelliekat44]

14. What is untrue about it? FDR, HT, JFK? nt

[Renew Deal]

15. Did you read what I posted?

I didn't say anything about JFK, Truman, etc.

[VanillaRhapsody]

21. Well has he declared he is no longer a Socialist yet?

he said so as late as 6 yrs ago.

[Warren Stupidity]

29. So you are opposed to the Democratic Socialist programs of the New Deal?

[sufrommich]

16. Every democrat who has endorsed Hillary has been trashed here

by some Bernie supporters as cowardly or opportunists. I think some think there's no good democrats.I can't be bothered with them.

[eomer]

17. Saying that JFK was establishment is grossly misleading.

Read The Devil's Chessboard by David Talbot if you'd like to have a clue what you're talking about.

JFK was bucking the establishment from start to heinous finish.

[mmonk]

22. +1

[Warren Stupidity]

30. no really he was shot by lone gunman who happened to be a marine who spent a few

years in Russia and then hung out with anti-castro Cubans in New Orleans, but we aren't allowed to discuss why he was shot or who had him shot because --words--

[Fumesucker]

18. FDR was a racist, Truman visited nuclear fire on Nagasaki and Hiroshima

Not my arguments mind you, but ones I have seen on DU, generally from your side of things.

[BootinUp]

19. What made you think this forum was for adults? nt

[pinebox]

24. Hillary is NOT a progressive

Can we please stop this bullshit re-branding already?
Who cares if Bernie isn't a "Dem" as Hillary supporters always yell. Policy is MORE important than party. Issues matter. People matter. And yes Bernie has trashed Dems. Look at the 89 Dems who voted to gut SNAP.

These are NOT progressive stances.

KXL
TPP
DOMA
DADT
Supporting a $12 minimum wage which is NOT a Living Wage.
Threatening countries like Iran with war
Syria
Libya
Opposing single payer

On and on.

[Hortensis]

32. Bernie's establishment, too. Check the action, not just the rhetoric.

He does want to CHANGE the establishment substantially, but from the inside -- which is exactly what the other Democratic candidates want.

Bernie's difference is that while others want to correct what's gone wrong and mostly return to the sort of liberal progressivism that worked well for us before, he would prefer to move even farther to new, experimental territory he hopes would be even better.