How Many "Sanders Supporters" On the DU Are Just Republican Trolls?

[Doctor Jack]

I can certainly understand passion for a candidate during a primary season, even to the point of being a bit irrational, and I could understand Sanders appeal (before his ego seemed to get the best of him) but a large number of the people here with Sanders as their avatar and oddly stereotypical liberal user names seem to be psychotically irrational. They seem to just stir up shit for no reason, on unrelated threads, throwing out fringe right news stories, and seem beyond illogical. I'm sure some are just 19 year old college students that are hellbent on "revolution" at any cost but how many are just jackass republicans pretending to be Sanders supporters trying to cause trouble?

I'm sure the DU is a major target of unemployible rednecks with nothing better to do during the day, so I do wonder how many of these Sanders supporters are operating under false flag attacks?

[beachbumbob]

1. More likely from anarchist circles...WTO protester crowd

[Doctor Jack]

4. So people that would see the Green Party as a hardcore right wing organization?

I've seen some of these sanders people call some of the most respected and reliably liberal voice in the country "neo-liberal corporatist sellouts!". Basically people that would never vote Democratic anyway?

[TwilightZone]

8. And Planned Parenthood is part of the establishment.

I think the reality train just skipped a few stops.

[beachbumbob]

9. The very left wing extremist look thru their purity glasses...

Similar to the way hardcore communists would...any deviation from the party line you shot in courtyard...the fringe left...the anarchist...all fall into that area....

[Doctor Jack]

22. They remind me of Dennis Kucinich supporters

Psychotically loyal to someone with a lot of nice sounding ideas, no chance of winning, and really, dare i say, hasn't done that much in government.

I like Sanders a bit more than dennis kucinich but both seemed to quickly devolve into "this is all about me" as opposed to actually making any real changes.

[Historic NY]

56. Another 0 win 24 loss Congressman

http://www.c-span.org/person/?denniskucinich

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. From my experience around here I'd say that some of the worst

Of these people are old time DUers that have hated Hillary and Bill since the early days of DU. They were at least as ugly in 2008.

[TwilightZone]

7. Agreed.

I posted similar sentiments below. Some of them have been here nearly as long as DU has been around. They've been anti-Democrat pretty much the whole time and yet somehow survived.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. No, they were very pro Obama, back when they believed

That Obama was a radical progressive.
Now they hate Obama. I suffered more insults from that bunch then than now. However, I posted a lot more back then.

[TwilightZone]

15. A few of the ones I had in mind have been playing the anarchy game since at least '04.

They didn't like Obama or Clinton in '08. Some were Paulites, which was laughable. The only person less likely than Bernie Sanders to lead an anarchist revolution was Ron Paul.

[Starry Messenger]

3. I know a few people like them off DU.

They aren't Republicans. Ultra-left sectarians using the election to sow discord. They've been at it for months.

[kjones]

35. I know, it's weird right? Where did all this faux-intellectual political apocalytes come from?

It's eerily appropriate they chose "Feel the Bern" since "Burn it down" is what they really want.

[sarae]

44. If you find out, please let me know. :)

There sure seems to be a lot of manufactured outrage these days - between the email controversy to the paid speeches. Politicians have been doing much worse for decades, but suddenly a private server is cause for a witch-hunt and prison time. I don't buy that any of these people (H.A. Goodman? ) are truly scandalized by this stuff.

[TwilightZone]

5. Quite a few. Some of them are pretty obvious about it. That being said...

there are also a few long-term DUers who have been anti-Democrat shit-stirrers for years and have somehow survived this long. In a way, they're almost worse because everyone jumps on whatever bandwagon they're pulling without much thought, and they're allowed to get away with pretty much anything.

[kimbutgar]

6. I got banned by Bernie supporter and I support bernie

By just asking a hypothetical question.

[grossproffit]

11. You're now part of the establishment.

[Doctor Jack]

12. I voted for Sanders during the primaries too

But I am just a "DLC oligarch" now.

There is certainly something to be said about people that can't handle others with even slightly different opinions than themselves. I'm sure I agree with Sanders on about 95% of issues but I am also not a moron that thinks that the whole world should burn because Sanders didn't become the democratic nominee.

Hillary wasn't my first choice this year or in 2008 but she would make a good president. I don't understand how someone can be so blinded by partisan rage that they think Trump and Clinton are the same person. I'm not sure I would want to live in a world run by people that do think so.

[beachbumbob]

13. Deviated from the sanders zealot purity requirement

In the beginning of primary season...I ventured back into DU...and asked about sanders electability and got banned immediately...kinda pushed into a Hillary supporter

[sarae]

29. Every candidate has a few asshole followers

but I've never seen harassment from HRC people that comes even close to being as bad as the Bernie Or Bust crowd. I think Bernie's supporters are good people, it's just the Bernie Or Bust crowd that seem overly hostile and aggressive. They seem to be on a mission to harass every Dem they come across, even the ones who voted for Bernie but have said they will support Hillary.

There are no grey areas with them; it's black or white, you're pure or you're corrupt. The fact that they're so judgmental makes me think they haven't been forced to make hard decisions in their lives yet.

[SharonClark]

47. Judgemental and self-righteous are not my favorite qualities in faux-Dems

Seem to much like repugs.

[sarae]

49. Yep.

Judgmental, self-righteous people are always the biggest hypocrites.

[thucythucy]

54. Same here.

I got banned for saying, basically, let's tone down the rhetoric some. I voted for Bernie in the primary, but will vote for whichever candidate is the Democratic nominee in November. The prospect of a Trump presidency scares me beyond words.

[NanceGreggs]

10. A LOT.

They're easy to spot. They post anti-HRC/anti-Dem posts, often lifted from RW sources.

They rarely, if ever, say anything about Bernie, one way or the other.

The problem has been that too many honest-to-God Bernie supporters have been easily manipulated by the fake BSers, and are quick to adopt their rhetoric and their talking points.

[BlueCaliDem]

19. K&R! ^^^This!^^^ Exactly, Nance. Exactly. Most BS supporters are cordial, generous, studious, and

understanding. Those traits are found only among a few among BS supporters on DU, but I know a few BS supporters in real life, and they're actually very thoughtful and kind people.

[NanceGreggs]

25. My experience with BS supporters ...

... in real life is the same.

They are pro-Bernie, but never anti-Hillary. They see Bernie as the politician they prefer, but never as a saviour of the Party.

They have never seen themselves as part of a "revolution", but merely as voters who supported one candidate over another.

NONE of them have ever even considered NOT voting for the Democrat in November, regardless of who it is.

[BlueCaliDem]

42. As we've seen today in San Jose, California, at the tRump rally, those were self-identified Sanders

supporters and anarchists. This is not what the Democratic Party has ever been about and I'm certain that the vast majority of Sanders supporters are nothing like those OWS holdovers who are not putting their candidate in a favorable light with their antics.

[SharonClark]

48. My experience as well...

[TwilightZone]

26. Agree entirely.

Some of them seem so obvious that I'm not sure how "real" Bernie supporters don't see through them, as well. People see what they want to see, I guess.

[NanceGreggs]

28. Exactly.

I've watched as some long-time DUers - logical, intelligent people - have twisted themselves in pretzels trying to defend/explain the idiocy that is BernieMath.

[Cha]

30. "The problem has been that too many honest-to-God Bernie supporters have been easily manipulated by

the fake BSers, and are quick to adopt their rhetoric and their talking points."

Huge problem for them.. and everybody.

Thanks Nance~

[realmirage]

16. They are here, anyone with eyes can see it. But a lot are just very sore from losing, the rest are

extremists on the left that have no idea how government works. They think tearing down the one party that protects them from GOPzilla is a great idea. That's how clever they are.

[Doctor Jack]

20. But he is up by 10 points in the polls and the republicans certainly wouldn't attack Sanders

He's too pure. They wouldn't dare try to tear him down. He may be the 2nd coming of Jesus.

[realmirage]

21. It's easy to stay up in the polls when no one is attacking you because you aren't winning

[Doctor Jack]

23. I can't remember the last time Clinton even talked about Sanders

I'm sure she "attacked" him at some point during the entire campaign but it seems like a long time ago and always was really benign. And the republicans have said virtually nothing about him.

[BlueCaliDem]

17. Too many. eom

[Doctor Jack]

18. And so much shit about those stupid emails

Every other thread on here for the past year about those emails and the chargers from the FBI that are right around the corner. Just you want....any second now.....

Sure, I agree, it was probably a bad idea for Clinton to have a private email server or whatever but they act like it is on equal footing as Hitler ordering the Holocaust. And that is going to somehow save the Sanders campaign. Its not just desperation, its flat out delusion. Its such a lame "scandal". So fucking tired of hearing about it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

24. The reality about this is that there are 1000's

Of these servers being used by government people/agencies that can't or won't abide by the crazy IT rules that have been imposed by mindless cover your ass regulators. I've seen this myself.

[Doctor Jack]

27. Yeah but this is Hillary Clinton, the root of all evil

100 million angry republicans can't be wrong

[Aristus]

31. The way they bellow and bloviate,

not to mention the way they talk about the presumptive Democratic nominee, a lot of them must be.

[Walk away]

32. It's difficult to tell because I believe they have always been here.

It's the nature of the place.

[Legends303]

33. No I think most of them just drunk the kool-aid

its his way or the highway, sounds a bit cult like if you ask me.

[4now]

34. At least half of BS supporters on DU are trolls

[Princess Turandot]

36. FYI this was alerted on...2-5 to LEAVE IT.

The results even have a special shout-out (ahem) to HRC group members.

On Thu Jun 2, 2016, 10:19 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

How Many "Sanders Supporters" On the DU Are Just Republican Trolls?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1107153191

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

This is the most abusive and damaging attack on Sanders' supporters yet. "psychotically irrational"? "unemployable rednecks"? Outrageous and simply disruptive. Please send a signal that this is over the top.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Thu Jun 2, 2016, 10:29 PM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: lol LEAVE IT. Leave it as a tribute to the allegedly "rational" "fair" AND democratic process by
some here:
7 members have recommended this thread (displayed in chronological order):
niyad Kingofalldems peggysue 2Kelley Dneedledriver BlueCaliDem bravenak
A very telling thread all about reconciliation. Good luck in November too. ha ha ha ha ha
ha ha ha.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: He's describing trolls who post Breitbart links, not legitimate Sanders' supporters. Leave.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No personal attack or violation here.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This is a totally offensive post. But much as I hate to do it, I don't think it violates the TOS.
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given

[Doctor Jack]

38. Juror 3 has it right

People can be over the moon with Sanders until the day they die and I respect that with little issue. But I refuse to accept anyone saying that Trump and Clinton are basically the same person or posting links found on the Free Republic without wondering what their true motivation is.

I have no issue with people that love Sanders or the man himself (although some of his tactics lately are starting to bug me) but people talking about ripping apart the democratic party because sanders won't be the nominee, I mostly wonder if they are just Trump Trolls trying to fuck with us.

[TwilightZone]

40. Juror #2 should get a timeout from jury duty.

Calling out DUers in a jury comment is a little silly.

[SharonClark]

50. LOL - Juror #2 is trying too hard to prove the the original post correct

[Cha]

55. Guilty conscience.

Mahalo, Turandot

[RussBLib]

37. not me

She's not perfect; neither is Bernie, but I'm awfully glad I'm on their side, and vice versa.

Hillary deserves nothing but kudos today. Using his own words against him is a good strategy. He'll probably come back and say he never said any of those things, and his ignorant followers will believe him again. Just how stupid is America? Or I should say, how many stupid Americans are there? I think we will find out in this election, which worries me a little, since Bush 43 was such a fucking moron, yet he served two terms. I didn't say he was elected for two terms, just that he served.

[Doctor Jack]

39. Bush was horrendous but I would take him over Trump any day of the week

Bush at least knew how to play the game and had a vague idea of how the government worked. And he never started a nuclear war because someone criticized his hair. Its like the difference between dealing with a member of the mafia and a crazed naked lunatic with a knife. He was a corrupt, fucking idiot that was only in government to help his friends and to steal as much money as possible. You can't play the system if the system suddenly falls apart. Bush and his lackeys knew how to at least keep things functioning at a minimal level so they could exploit it. He knew how to play the system, trump wants to destroy it and everything else because he has severe insecurities caused by his daddy not giving him enough hugs. I could see how bush could squeak out "wins" twice against rather anemic democratic campaigns but trump is a different beast. I have no clue how trump could rally enough people to actually win anything.

Trump is playing with fire everyday and likely has burned himself at least a few dozen times already.

[Jitter65]

41. I hope it's a lot. Because if they are true Democrats for Bernie that would make me sad.

I respect true differences of political positions but folks who represent Dems of any stripe should be respectful too.

[samson212]

43. I think it's clear there's trolls on both sides

though, I'm not sure they're Republican. This has been posted / referenced a few times, but I'll mention it anyway. Some 4chan users (and probably lots of other anarchist / nihilistic trolls) are definitely actively doing this. I think that nihilistic is the operative word there. They're Trump supporters because they think the whole system needs to be burned down. They may be libertarians, or anarchists, or whatever, the point is that they want to increase discord, not talk about how government should work.

3. Even if a few or a lot of us were caught, it would increase distrust tremendously among ANYONE on the opposing side.

This is happening all over. I think it's safe to say that there are quite a few such trolls posing as Hillary supporters on here as well (bought and paid for). I've seen a lot of nonsensical stuff on all kinds of comment threads this cycle.

The thing I want to point out is that, if there are trolls on DU, the only way to fight them is by being rational and calm in replies. If somebody says something that makes you crazy, consider the possibility that that's the point. If we keep our discussion based in logic, not talking points, then we all win. I am trying to do this, but it's hard. Trolls make sam mad.

I think we should all agree to respect each other (and each other's views) more. At least those of us that aren't trolls.

PS. I'm a long time lurker, pretty new poster, please don't get the idea that I'm a troll trying to act rational to throw you off the scent.

[Hekate]

45. Surprisingly good discussion. Kick and Rec.

Thanks all.

[RBInMaine]

46. Few to none are R's. They are Tea-Left extremists, simple as that.

[LannyDeVaney]

51. My opinion

[link:|

[Walk away]

52. It's difficult to tell but...after Tuesday it will be very easy!

[Her Sister]

53. The good thing is that we recognize their distinctive "smell"!

People/Humans give themselves away by what they "DO" and by what they "DON"T DO".

And by what they "SAY" and by what they "DON"T SAY"

People hiding/trolling cannot help it but "BE CREEPY"