"Bernie isn't a Democrat"

[SHRED]

We all hear that from the conservadems.

What they are really saying is he shouldn't be running for President at all because I tell you what...if he was running as an Independent the howls would be even louder.


..

[RoccoR5955]

1. Just remind them that he registered as a Democrat to run for president.

Then when they tell you that he hasn't always been a Democrat, inform them that Hilliary was a Goldwater Girl, and probably still is.

[Duval]

9. Also, they can check his record. He has consistently voted with the Democrats.

[Half-Century Man]

2. Bernie said he wouldn't run unless as a Democrat.

But, if the establishment Democrats throw him out after a hell of a run as a Democrat; I consider that promise broken for the establishment's side and something no longer binding to Bernie.

Considering the current climate in American politics. Bernie Sanders could very well be the first independent candidate in American history to win the Office of President.

[SHRED]

3. I'm not sure he'd be able to get in the ballots as an Independent

But I don't know.

[Half-Century Man]

5. I don't know either.

Just trying to point out that even though third party candidate have been, so far, unsuccessful. Bernie's appeal could be wide enough, strong enough to break through that ceiling.

I've long said that we American aren't so different from the European parliamentary systems as we would like to believe. The major difference is instead of many niche parties forming coalitions to share power; We start with the left and right coalitions and fit ourselves in as best we can. We tend to gather into niche subgroups once in the overall "party".
That is why the Labor Democrats, Democratic Socialists, Progressive Democrats, Civil Rights Democrats, and Corporate Democrats, all are Democrats.
Both the pre-established left and right coalitions are currently in flux. It seems like a grassroots restructuring is about to take place. Where we might end up, I don't know.
At the moment it seems like bobbing for apples in the piranha tank.

[LiberalElite]

6. I'm not a student of politics but it's seemed to me

for some time that parliamentary systems represent people better than the two-party system and winner-take-all elections we have.

[Martin Eden]

4. That all depends on how you define "Democrat"

If the definition is based on values and policies the Democratic Party is supposed to stand for, Bernie Sanders is more of a Democrat than most of the politicians with a D next to their name.

[Ino]

7. ^^^ THIS ^^^

Some people can't look past labels to see what really matters.

[surrealAmerican]

8. The whole "brand loyalty" thing only works when both the "consumer" and ...

... the "seller" are loyal to the product.

If they keep the same label, but replace the product with something inferior, why would they expect the same people to keep buying it?

We're Democrats because we believe in the principles the party stood (and hopefully still stands) for. If the party leadership decides against those principles ...

... well, we'll see.