Bernie Sanders wants to unite Tea Party and progressive voters in 2016 White House run

[Playinghardball]

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said he’s prepared to run for president in 2016 because he doesn’t see anyone willing to stand up for progressive values.

“This country faces more serious problems than at any time since the Great Depression, and there is a horrendous lack of serious political discourse or ideas out there that can address these crises,” Sanders told The Nation. “That somebody has got to represent the working-class and the middle-class of this country in standing up to the big-money interests who have so much power over the economic and political life of this country.”

Sanders said he would offer a more progressive choice than presumed Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

“[She] is a very, very intelligent person, no question about it, but I don’t know what her political future is, whether she’s going to run,” Sanders told TIME. “I don’t know what she’s going to say, but if you talk about the need for a political revolution in America, it’s fair to say that Secretary Clinton probably will not be one of the more active people.”
While he’s not actively organizing and raising money for a White House bid, Sanders said he has been traveling around the country and asking Americans about their concerns.

“I think it’s premature to be talking about a campaign when we still have a 2014 congressional race in front of us,” Sanders told The Nation.

Although he generally caucuses with Democrats, the senator said he would have to run an unconventional campaign because he is listed as an independent – although he suggested that could be an advantage.

“I think there is profound disgust among the American people for the conventional political process and the never-ending campaigns,” Sanders said. “If I run, my job is to help bring together the kind of coalition that can win—that can transform politics. We’ve got to bring together trade unionists and working families, our minority communities, environmentalists, young people, the women’s community, the gay community, seniors, veterans, the people who in fact are the vast majority of the American population. We’ve got to create a progressive agenda and rally people around that agenda.”

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/06/bernie-sanders-wants-to-unite-tea-party-and-progressive-voters-in-2016-white-house-run/

[cali]

1. sloppy. he doesn't "generally caucus with Democrats" He caucuses with them

period. And I don't see where he says one damn thing about uniting with the Tea Party.

Shitty article, Raw.

[giftedgirl77]

6. It was the last paragraph of the article:

“In terms of fundamental economic issues: job creation, a high minimum wage, progressive taxation, affordable college education — the vast majority of people are on our side,” he said. “One of the goals that I would have, politically, as a candidate for president of the United States is to reach out to the working-class element of the Tea Party and explain to them exactly who is funding their organization – and explain to them that, on virtually every issue, the Koch Brothers and the other funders of the Tea Party are way out of step with what ordinary people want and need.”

[Blue_Tires]

2. Talk about building your foundation on quicksand...

Ron Paul failed miserably in his attempt despite all his money and hype, but Rand Paul, Brian Schweitzer and now Bernie Sanders think it's a viable election strategy? Good luck with that shit...

[DonViejo]

3. Can't wait to hear Senator Sanders...

introduce himself to Tea Partiers: "I'm Bernie Sanders from Vermont. I'm a Socialist.." KABOOM!!! Teaparty brains begin exploding. KABOOM, KABOOM

[HappyMe]

4. Unite with the tea party?

If he runs, he has my vote.

[demwing]

5. If Bernie runs as an independent,

many DUes will face a challenge- ignore DU's rules, or ignore their own values.

What say you, Admiins? Will you bend the rules for Bernie?

[OilemFirchen]

11. There are other discussion boards on the internet.

Thousands of them. Why should the admins "bend" the rules here?

[demwing]

14. Because they can

And because Bernie Sanders, despite his Party affiliation, is more representative of liberal Democratic Party values than Hillary.

[OilemFirchen]

15. Put a lot of thought into that, huh?

Once again, this is not Liberal Underground. That's here, I guess.

If the admins choose to "bend" the rules, then that there's prerogative. Meanwhile, this is from the TOS:

Vote for Democrats.

Winning elections is important — therefore, advocating in favor of Republican nominees or in favor of third-party spoiler candidates that could split the vote and throw an election to our conservative opponents is never permitted on Democratic Underground.

Should the admins continue to adhere to the TOS (which is guaranteed) what WILL you do? Where WILL you go?

[demwing]

17. No, actually. The answer was so self-evident

That I was surprised you even asked.

If there's no support allowed for Bernie on DU , I suppose I'll have to adapt to getting my posts hidden.

What do you do when you have to choose between an abstract rule and a concrete value?

[OilemFirchen]

18. You can support Sanders on DU.

You simply can't advocate for him during the election. That rule won't change.

And while you can "adapt" to having your posts hidden, you won't be able to do so for very long. Five posts in 90 days and you're on vacation.

I don't get the "abstract rule". That edict in the TOS is written in plain English and leaves no room for interpretation.

This is not the public square. There are rules by which we must abide. You are not obligated to remain here. You can, of course, post here within the rules and post elsewhere where the rules are different. Lots of options... just not the one you're suggesting.

Have you considered starting your own BB?

[demwing]

21. Has it harmed you personally

That I asked the Admins to bend their rules? If they ignore me, oh well, no problems for you If they bend for Bernie, then your problem isn't with me, it's with them..

So chill....

[OilemFirchen]

22. I'm chill, brah.

Just chatting with a fellow DUer.

[Hoyt]

7. Can't imagine him appealing to TParty.

[cali]

9. He's always done amazingly well with

"red necks" here in the Northeast Kingdom. And this is gun, truck and hunting country. Of course he also appeals to the other side of the Kingdom which is hippie and hippie kids and artist/craftspeople/bread & puppet types.

[Hoyt]

12. I'd have to think long/hard about voting for anyone who appeals to rednecks/bigots where I live.

Kind of sounds like what folks blame Obama of -- trying to appeal to right wing.

[Erose999]

8. The Tea Party exists solely because of racism. Bernie will not do well trying to outreach to them.

[geek tragedy]

10. awfully naive of him to think the Teahadists can be reasoned with.

Then again, Obama was once that naive himself.

[bigdarryl]

13. Sanders running as an Independent is bad news for the democrats

It could tip the Presidential election to the republicans

[treestar]

16. Why would it be OK for him to reach out to the tea party?

That would lead to alliances with people against gay rights, etc. Why would that be OK with the left here?

[demwing]

20. The only way it would work for me

Is if Sanders were acting on a belief that there are Tea Party voters who just want a populist candidate, and who will gladly abandon the TP, given an alternative.

I'm assuming the man has integrity, because his past actions have earned him that benefit.

Why not ask;

Why would it be OK for Hillary to reach out to corporate interests?

That would lead to alliances with people against workers rights, economic injustice, etc. Why would that be OK with the left here?

[treestar]

23. It isn't. They criticize Hillary here daily.

That's already established, thus my question. Why should Bernie be immune from having his feet held to the fire?

[demwing]

25. I've answered the question already

Let me sum up...

Sanders has solid liberal, progressive, populist credentials. He's earned some leeway to try a dubious approach without an immediate smack down.

Does anyone here doubt Sanders' street rep?

[Rex]

19. Goodluck with that!

I guess he doesn't know any Tea Party people! If he did, he would NEVER have made that statement!

[SomethingFishy]

24. Misleading headline...

Seriously.. If you are going to post that Sanders is courting the Tea Party at least you could print the relevant part of the fucking article.

"In terms of fundamental economic issues: job creation, a high minimum wage, progressive taxation, affordable college education — the vast majority of people are on our side,” he said. “One of the goals that I would have, politically, as a candidate for president of the United States is to reach out to the working-class element of the Tea Party and explain to them exactly who is funding their organization – and explain to them that, on virtually every issue, the Koch Brothers and the other funders of the Tea Party are way out of step with what ordinary people want and need.”

[winter is coming]

26. Deliberately misleading headline, IMO. Good post. n/t

[Maedhros]

29. The very first incarnation of the Tea Party was concerned with the same thing we are:

our elected officials represent corporate interests, not the people's interests. Their take on it was from a tax reform stance, but at least they seemed to understand that the problem was corporate influence on politics. Of course, the movement was nearly immediately co-opted by moneyed Republican organizations such as Freedom Works and re-purposed as a conservative attack platform.

I could see building a coalition with the early, populist Tea Party types along the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend lines. The current batshit-crazy Tea Party? Not so much.

[idendoit]

27. I already advocated for him running on another thread.

I said I'd vote for him if Keith Ellison was his running mate. The post wasn't hidden and no caution given. Wonder if there will be now.

[sadoldgirl]

28. In that case he may think of some TP members

who are misinformed. At any rate this seems to indicate that he will run as an independent and will not join the Democrats. That would be a pity, because he could not get enough of Dems to join him. I hope that he changes his mind on that, because we need a serious debate.