Michael E. Dyson: Bernie Sanders is surging because there’s ‘a little bit of socialist’ in everybody

[peecoolyour]

Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson asserted over the weekend that Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (I-VT) had an unexpected amount of support because socialist policies are secretly very popular with voters.

During a Sunday panel discussion on ABC’s This Week, host George Stephanopoulos wondered if the “huge crowds” that Sanders was seeing at events would be a problem for former Gov. Martin O’Malley’s campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

“It’s a huge challenge to O’Malley,” author John Heilemann observed. “Six months ago, if you had said, would Bernie Sanders become the primary alternative to [Hillary] Clinton, no one would have thought that was possible. He has an incredible degree of authenticity, and he has incredibly strong, distinctive economic proposals, which are very appealing to the populist, far-left wing of the party.”

“If you’re a mainstream liberal, you’re going to like Hillary Clinton,” he continued. “If you’re further to the left, Bernie Sanders is your guy.”

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/05/michael-eric-dyson-bernie-sanders-is-surging-because-theres-a-little-bit-of-socialist-in-everybody/

[BrotherIvan]

1. Why are people using incorrect terminology

"Mainstream liberal" has lost meaning as has "moderate Republican." If you support center-right policies, the label should not include the word liberal at all.

[TheNutcracker]

2. Exactly, The DLC that Clinton started was for CENTURIST, not liberal.

more false reporting trying to help Hillary.

[BrotherIvan]

3. Yes, if one is a centrist, one should own the label proudly

The universal law of "you can't have it both ways" applies to everyone and most especially to political candidates.

[cui bono]

8. Yep. I say that all the time. I'm proud to be called a liberal. Even a bleeding heart liberal.

I think it's a good thing and that's why I have liberal ideals. The centrists argue for centrist policy but want to be called liberal. Doesn't make any sense unless they are ashamed or know that the policy they are arguing for isn't that great so they want to fool people.

[BrotherIvan]

11. They claim to be liberal when it sells

And by all three of the candidate's speeches, you can tell that economic populism must be the word of the day for all Washington Democrats. It's not just Bernie. Perhaps it was the Elizabeth Warren phenomenon, not sure. I'll bet there are quite a few internal polls that are forming the message. But everyone is trying to compete for who can sound the most like the Warren/Sanders wing of the party.

The lesson we should never forget in a moment of temptation, that those who just put on the costume of a liberal, once they are in office, they feel need to show to Republicans just how tough they are by punching left, being tough on crime, and acting like Rambo with military adventures to up their cred with the MIC. Not to mention starting a sordid affair with Chamber of Commerce and Big Oil, Big Ag, Big Pharma, and Monopoly Media. Time and time again. And if America lets themselves get fooled again, we are all in a world of hurt. How on earth did we go from controlling Congress and the WH to the Republicans controlling Congress again in six years? Centrists in sheep's clothing.

(P.S. I know you know all this )

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Unless it's Neoliberal

The late, great Granny D came close to getting it right when she said Neoliberalism is the colonialism department of neoconservatism. I think she got the cart before the horse, but otherwise it explains why the Republicans, not the Democrats, are helping President Obama push obscene, anti-democratic trade deals.

[Orsino]

4. If his message resonates at all with the public, that'll be why.

Sanders knows we are stronger together than apart. Corporate candidates of all stripes are working to divide us.

[tech3149]

5. I am constantly amazed at the narrow frame of discussion

On every matter the discussion is always in some manner channeled into viewing everything from the viewpoint of the power structure.
What in the hell is a "mainstream liberal" and what qualifies Clinton as being the valid and acceptable choice?
I have always and probably will always be apolitical. I'm only willing to be pragmatic and lend support to those who would do less damage than the alternative. When you have to fight the political battle to actually implement policy in our system that reality has to be considered.
Sanders has a challenge that is the fight of the century. The fight should not be on his shoulders alone. He entered this fight not just because he recognized the need but felt it was time for a great uprising.
That uprising is you and me! It's on our shoulders to bypass the corporate media and spread a bit of enlightenment to those we meet on the street.
I'll admit that I am waaaaay further left than Clinton, hell I'm even further left than Sanders.
In the primary my vote will go to the candidate that best represents my views, I'll do the same in the general election

[Carewfan]

6. They call us far-left...

It's because they have gone far to the right..

We are but just a mainstream Democrats who wants the same principles that FDR and JFK put together...

[RobertEarl]

7. ‘a little bit of socialist’ in everybody

That is the truth.

Because our whole system is based on ‘a little bit of socialist’ in everybody.

No one is an island, we are all connected. We all need each other. We all need each other to get along and do their part in creating society. And that is why the best people to operate the controls of government are socialists. Like Bernie.

[L0oniX]

9. DLC IS NOT Democratic LIBERAL Council. More like Democartic Leadership Centrists.