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[Tiggeroshii]

This message was self-deleted by its author (Tiggeroshii) on Tue Jun 11, 2019, 04:48 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[Jose Garcia]

1. He has frequently admitted to being a socialist

[Tiggeroshii]

3. Wrong

Cut it out. He has admitted to being a democratic socialist. Smearing him as a socialist is uncalled for.

[LongtimeAZDem]

12. "I am a sociallist"

At the 24 second mark:

[NurseJackie]

15. And... BOOM!!

[OnDoutside]

137. Lol !

[sheshe2]

17. On camera, yet.

[NurseJackie]

20. And on a non-stop loop in every GOP ad!

http://tinyurl.com/yypkwh55

[sheshe2]

34. Oh my!

[NurseJackie]

44. "I Am A Socialist" ... the animated gif! (Endless loop!)

Again... HIS words, not mine.



Here's the YouTube original link: click here to watch the original video

[sheshe2]

79. And I believe him.

From his own lips.

[trueblue2007]

133. I believe him. I believe him. I believe him. I believe him. I believe him.

[Chin music]

61. This here.

[Kahuna7]

76. If you think the gop isn't salivating over this video...

it's they need.

[sheshe2]

153. Aloha, Kahuna.

They are indeed salivating.

[Kahuna7]

158. Aloha to you, my Dear....

Yes indeed. That's why they've fanned out to push for Bernie's nomination.

[SouthernProgressive]

47. Someone has a bone to pick with him.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287123193

[MineralMan]

60. Straight from the horse's mouth.

Now, that's settled.

[LongtimeAZDem]

70. It's unfair to refer to him as a horse, as he doesn't fully embrace equine policies

[Hortensis]

159. But he's promised that horses will be an integral part

of what his campaign and his administration is about.

[BannonsLiver]

78. Ahahahahaha!!!!!

Epic fail by the OP. Wow!

[LongtimeAZDem]

25. "I am a socialist; of course I am a socialist"

"I am a socialist; of course I am a socialist," he said. "To hold a vision that society can be fundamentally different, to believe that all people can be equal — that is not a new idea."

- Bernie Sanders, 1983

[marybourg]

69. I'm sorry. This isn't my horse race and

I have no interest in the candidate, but when someone goes around in this world proclaiming that he is a “democratic socialist”, he and his friends should not be surprised or offended when others call him a “socialist”.

[Honeycombe8]

89. Yep yep yep. nt

[Dennis Donovan]

4. He's a fair market capitalist, which is what he is...

I don't care who declares what. Reality is his proposals are fair market capitalism.

[oldsoftie]

52. Nonsense.

[Dennis Donovan]

57. Why is this nonsense?

I'm sure you can tell us what is wrong with the statements made by Russian trolls?

[oldsoftie]

71. Russian trolls? Huh? everyone repeating Sanders own words is a troll?

[sheshe2]

154. Who are you calling a Russian troll on this thread?

You outright called SOME DUers Russian trolls.

Dennis Donovan

57. Why is this nonsense?

I'm sure you can tell us what is wrong with the statements made by Russian trolls?

I think you should delete your post. Most unbecoming of a DUer.

[Jose Garcia]

63. Then why does he call himself a socialist?

[earthshine]

85. Because he defines it differently than you do.

You can split hairs about definitions, if you like, but your opinion is irrelevant. You're not going to vote for him anyway.

Bernie is thinking Norway, while you think of the USSR.

[Honeycombe8]

93. The OP didn't make that distinction. She just said "Calling Bernie a socialist is a RW talking pt."

When as a matter of actual fact, saying Bernie is a self-identified socialist is an actual fact. Not any kind of talking point. Like saying he's male, from Vermont, 5'11" tall, made good grades in school, etc. Facts are facts.

My question is...why is the OP ashamed of Sanders being what he says he is?

[Dennis Donovan]

2. Kick and Rec

He's a Fair Market Capitalist, like every other Dem candidate.

[Tiggeroshii]

5. Thank you :)

[Dennis Donovan]

7. Some keep fighting the last primary.

...and, apparently, have no clue what a Democratic Socialist is.

[brooklynite]

48. Like 99% of the electorate...

[Dennis Donovan]

51. Link to stats

My fellow DUer, surely you have a link to that stat of 99%?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

101. Like

"Democratic socialism is a political philosophy that advocates democracy alongside direct social ownership of the means of production", is it not?

It is not capitalism. In capitalism the means of production are , of course, in private hands.

This is POS 201 stuff.

There's nothing inherently wrong with being a socialist. a democratic socialist, or a social democrat. They are all different approaches to organizing an economy.

[George II]

19. Has he evolved?

[Dennis Donovan]

33. Of course, that is, if you don't enter it from a pre-conceived notion.

[Gothmog]

6. Does Prof. West know this?

Link to tweet

[Tiggeroshii]

8. So because more people repeat a falsehood, it suddenly makes it true?

Have you seen his proposals? What about them are actually socialist? I'll wait.

[Gothmog]

9. Prof West is a sanders surrogate and supporter

[Tiggeroshii]

11. And I'm sure Sanders has corrected him on this

Surrogates say lots of things that may not be true about the candidate they support Regardless, if you cant present evidence that his proposals are anything but fair market capitalism, then there isnt much to say.

[mcar]

143. Is there a link to Sanders stating

he is a fair market capitalist?

[brooklynite]

49. So, you're saying he's an incompetent Socialist?

[brer cat]

96. ...

[LongtimeAZDem]

10. Calling Benie Sanders a sociallist is a Bernie Sanders talking point

In Vermont, everybody knows that I am a socialist and that many people in our movement, not all, are socialists. And as often as not—and this is an interesting point that is the honest-to-God truth—what people will say is, “I don’t really know what socialism is, but if you’re not a Democrat or a Republican, you’re OK with me.”

– Bernie Sanders (1989)

[Tiggeroshii]

13. Evidence that his policies are actually socialist? I'll wait.

[LongtimeAZDem]

22. Sanders has called himself a socialist numerous times

?itemid=9264828

[Tiggeroshii]

24. And are his policies actually socialist?

The same people who just elected a republican governor seem to know the difference. We should too.

[LongtimeAZDem]

27. Give it up; you've been caught in a falsehood. Obfuscating won't help you.

[Tiggeroshii]

28. You have nothing to support the idea his policies are socialist.

Yet you repeat the smear. You should give up such disingenuosity. Because you know better.

[LongtimeAZDem]

30. Just his own words, out of his own mouth.

To say that he is not what he has specifically, repeatedly professed to be, is a lie.

To say that it is a right-wing talking point to call him what he calls himself is patently absurd.

[onetexan]

55. Exactly

Why any Dem would vote for a man who claims he's a socialist yet run under the Dems ticket is beyond me. Its hypocritic as hell.

[Skya Rhen]

129. And, unfortunately, this arrangement opens up the Dem Party to be painted with the same brush...

That's why Joe must not waver in presenting himself as a true Democrat - he must be the standard-bearer. We cannot allow the Democratic Party to unfairly be branded as socialist, thereby handing Trump the win...

[Chin music]

64. OMG. That's hysterical!!!

Great post.

[mcar]

144. He calls himself a socialist

You are splitting hairs here. How can you say it's a RW talking point when the Senator says it about himself?

[SouthernProgressive]

14. It would be so much better if he were a Democrat...

Instead of referring to himself as a Democratic Socialist. Try telling the average American that a Democratic Socialist isn’t a Socialist. Of course he is a capitalist. He doesn’t help his own cause among the populace by his own branding.

[Tiggeroshii]

16. Vermont recently elected a republican governor

They also elected this "socialist" by 70%. Clearly it hasn't hurt him.

[SouthernProgressive]

23. It hasn't hurt him with the populace of Vermont. I agree with that.

You seem to be talking in more broad terms in your op.

[Tiggeroshii]

26. Vermont's demographics match flyover country.

Every indication shows "socialist" will not hurt him in a general election.

[SouthernProgressive]

29. "Every indication shows "socialist" will not hurt him in a general election."

Can you point me to these indications.

I also didn't know you were only boiling it down to states with similar demographics to Vermont. That said, many flyover states are about as opposed to the idea of socialism as you can get. Kind of interesting that you are now arguing for the word socialism considering what is written in the op.

Can you show me these "indications" that "socialist" won't hurt him in "flyover country."

[Tiggeroshii]

99. Not sure you know vermont was a conservative state and still has a repug gov

Where he wins 70% of the vote. Also winning places like Michigan after being down in the polls to Hillary by 40% is another indicator. The primaries reflected his success among those demographics as does every Vermont GE

[SouthernProgressive]

120. "and still has a repug gov"

What do you mean “and still?”

Who was their last governor?

Out of their last ten governors, how many have been Democrats?

What party is it’s senior senator from?

Who holds a majority in the state senate?

Who hold a majority in the state house?

[Tiggeroshii]

121. Fact is they are a purple state who elect a "socialist" regularly

Proving he isnt as out of sync with the electorate as you suggest

[SouthernProgressive]

122. You make an argument, it falls flat, and then you make another one.

This is very unique. You have avoided backing up any of your claims and then you question my knowledge of Vermont politics where you made another claim you are backing away from.

Before long we will be addressing the merits of ear wax among the populace.

[Tiggeroshii]

123. No evidence suggests he is actually socialist

Those who claim he is need to back up their claims, and cannot. I am not the one who is meandering for ways to smear another Democratic figure.

[SouthernProgressive]

124. I haven't smeared any Democrat.

You have now gone full circle.

[Tiggeroshii]

125. K

I'll take that into consideration. Godspeed

[SouthernProgressive]

127. "I'll take that into consideration."

Thank you!

[Tiggeroshii]

128. ...

Welcome

[TwilightZone]

140. Here you go.

Sanders: "He didn’t use the word ‘socialist’ at all, because everybody in the state knows that I am that."

And several other references:

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2015/aug/26/bernie-sanders-socialist-or-democratic-socialist/

"Sanders Socialist Successes" - from his own website

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/sanders-socialist-successes

More from WaPo:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/04/29/bernie-sanders-is-an-avowed-socialist-and-democrats-are-actually-pretty-ok-with-that/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f7b6596514b7

It seems the only person who doesn't know that Sanders has long called himself a socialist is you. Perhaps you should research your candidate before you make silly assertions and attack others for their lack of knowledge.

[Tiggeroshii]

151. This is a strawman folks keep grasping

Whether there are socialist policies proposed is the real question, and the answer has a strong consensus of "no."

[FBaggins]

149. They are in no sense "purple" for National office

Reagan was President the last time they voted for a republican presidential candidate... and no recent national elections have been close.

Comparing them to “flyover country” is ridiculous in the extreme.

[Tiggeroshii]

155. Demographics are important.

They match the demographics of flyover country, and yes lots of expats from NYC also live in the midwest. The quality of the candidate also affects the direction the state goes. Having Bernie has lead VT to be more solidly liberal than neighboring NH whether you want to believe it or not.

[mcar]

145. Vermont is a conservative state?

[pnwmom]

131. No, there are lot more NY ex-pats there like Bernie, than in the flyover states. n/t

[pnwmom]

130. Vermont is its own unique little place. What works there won't work everywhere. n/t

[Tiggeroshii]

135. We will see

The primaries are far from over.

[pnwmom]

141. We haven't had a single debate yet, much less a primary.

Most of the popularity of the top two is due to name recognition. Bernie was in the last primary, and Joe was the last V.P.

[Tiggeroshii]

142. Agreed

[DownriverDem]

18. Exactly

I only support true members of the Democratic Party.

[msongs]

21. so how is calling him something he calls himself a smear? pretzel logic nt

[LongtimeAZDem]

32. Next we'll be told that calling him "Bernie" is a right-wing talking point

[The Mouth]

73. LMFO

I did not know that beating a dead horse could be so entertaining.

[NurseJackie]

161. Wait until they find out that some people call him by his initials.

[Tiggeroshii]

37. Calling him something that isnt accurate, actually

If you know better you shouldn't repeat it. Repeating it bobbin bad faith with the purpose of smearing him is just assisting Republicans.

[LongtimeAZDem]

43. He calls himself a socialist; if he isn't one, is he lying, or an idiot?

[SouthernProgressive]

132. There is a third option.

A career politician.

[LongtimeAZDem]

134. So, both?

[qazplm135]

58. So he smears himself?

Are you kidding me?

[NurseJackie]

68. I wonder what Bernie has to say...

Calling him something that isnt accurate, actually

I wonder what Bernie has to say...

[samnsara]

31. agreed. NO LABELS except that of President!

[SidDithers]

35. So Bernie smears himself?...

Sid

[Dennis Donovan]

41. Oy...

<-Sid

[Buzz cook]

36. And why is socialist a pejorative?

Because of years and decades of slander and false comparison by the right wing.

According to the right wing any socialist is synonymous with bolshevik, synonymous with the Khmer Rouge. Of course liberals and democrats are more nuanced than that /sarcasm.

So the bald label of socialist is a right wing slur.

[oldsoftie]

56. Because everywhere actual total socialism is tried, it fails miserably.

You cant point to Europe or the Nordic countries and say THEY are Socialist. Because even THEY do not describe themselves as such. Because they're not. Do they have some socialist systems? Yes, as does the US.

[Laelth]

38. If only he didn't use the term, himself.

Bernie's no socialist. Neither are any of our other Presidential candidates, but he does use the term, and I think he does liberals a disservice when he does so.

-Laelth

[Gothmog]

39. The GOP had a large oppo file on sanders and there are more stories like this

Trump had a two foot thick book of oppo research on Sanders http://www.newsweek.com/myths-cost-democrats-presidential-election-521044

They ignored the fact that Sanders had not yet faced a real campaign against him. Clinton was in the delicate position of dealing with a large portion of voters who treated Sanders more like the Messiah than just another candidate. She was playing the long game—attacking Sanders strongly enough to win, but gently enough to avoid alienating his supporters. Given her overwhelming support from communities of color—for example, about 70 percent of African-American voters cast their ballot for her—Clinton had a firewall that would be difficult for Sanders to breach....

So what would have happened when Sanders hit a real opponent, someone who did not care about alienating the young college voters in his base? I have seen the opposition book assembled by Republicans for Sanders, and it was brutal. The Republicans would have torn him apart. And while Sanders supporters might delude themselves into believing that they could have defended him against all of this, there is a name for politicians who play defense all the time: losers....

The Republicans had at least four other damning Sanders videos (I don’t know what they showed), and the opposition research folder was almost 2-feet thick. (The section calling him a communist with connections to Castro alone would have cost him Florida.) In other words, the belief that Sanders would have walked into the White House based on polls taken before anyone really attacked him is a delusion built on a scaffolding of political ignorance.

trump and the GOP would have a great deal of fun using the videos of sanders declaring that he is a socialist if sanders was the nominee

[DownriverDem]

54. Clearly

trump wants to run against Bernie and not Biden.

[Skya Rhen]

40. Bernie proudly refers to himself as a socialist so why would anyone get defensive

when someone else refers to him as such?

[LongtimeAZDem]

42. The OP's point seeems to be, "he calls himself one, but he's not very good at it, so

we shouldn't call him one."

[NurseJackie]

45. I believe you've nailed it. That's what I was thinking too.

[LongtimeAZDem]

46. So, when he say's "I'm a socialist, we should say he's not. When he says "I'm not a Democrat",

we should ignore him and say he is.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.


Edited to add: archiving this mess in case it gets deleted.

[namahage]

50. So it's fine when he used it as a selling point,

but now it's not?

https://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/14-things-bernie-sanders-has-said-about-socialism-120265

4. In an interview with Catherine Alison Hill for a master’s thesis she wrote at Cornell in 1989: “Socialism has a lot of different messages to different people. I think the issue of socialist ideology and what that meant or means is not terribly important. I think the positive of it is that it indicates to people that I am not a conventional politician. If they are not happy with the status quo, then that is a positive thing. The negative of it obviously is that there are people who equate it with totalitarianism and the Soviet Union.”

[Thomas Hurt]

53. Anyone who is not a RWNJ is a socialist...

Law and order DOJ folks who dis or have participated in the investigation of Trump are socialists.

Socialist is the new N word for the bigot RW.

[Hortensis]

59. Sorry, not in the slightest true. Maybe find out what it is.

Besides democratic socialism allowing electoral systems to exist alongside government owned and run means of production, the main difference between democratic socialism and the basic form is in at what level they'd be managed after the government seized ownership of private institutions. Democratic socialism would theoretically have less centralized, more dispersed management.

When younger, Sanders advocated seizure of almost everything. He's become more discreet over the decades, but I think we can safely assume most or all private enterprise would be against the law, with a tremendous diminution in the citizenry's right to "pursuit of happeness."

I take his MfA plan, which would very unnecessarily force everyone into one non-choice and make employer-provided insurance literally illegal, as an indicator that he hasn't changed all that much. Extreme.

Btw, you'll find on reading that the VA is our only big socialized system, outside the military itself of course. Social Security and all the rest are NOT socialized, in spite of claims. They're capitalism-based and merely government regulated.

[LongtimeAZDem]

66. I'm pretty sure that's wasn't Thomas Hurt's point

[Hortensis]

95. I see your point.

Sorry I took you for one of the clueless, Hurt.

[Hortensis]

160. Btw, you made me actually read this

thread, and thanks for that. As The Mouth said, who would have thought beating a dead horse could be so entertaining?! For the “might as well laugh” crowd, of course

[MineralMan]

62. So, since Bernie himself has called himself a socialist,

that means he's a Right-winger? I'm really confused here.

[LongtimeAZDem]

65. Geroge Orwell would be shaking his head

[MineralMan]

67. Who? LOL!

And

[Honeycombe8]

92. I know. It's confusing. 2+25 ? If you say it often enough, you'll believe it? nt

[honest.abe]

72. So we all know he calls himself a "Democratic Socialist"

That would be a type of socialist... no?

[NurseJackie]

80. Why I'm Not a Socialist

[crazytown]

74. KFC is Not Chicken

It’s Fried Chicken

[NurseJackie]

81. LOL!

[Kahuna7]

75. He says he is. So I'll just take his word for it. Remember..

this is the man who has been consistent for over 40 years or so his fans like to claim.

[BannonsLiver]

77. That's what he calls himself so....

Oh yeah he’s a Democratic Socialist. Good luck explaining that to a country that doesn’t do nuance at all in a general election. The good news is Bernie won’t be the nominee so it’ll never come up.

[Tiggeroshii]

84. Vermont, made up of largely conservative white men who elected a republican recently

Also seems to get it. It isnt difficult.

[BannonsLiver]

87. Yeah, in your world I'm sure that translates to everywhere else.

Never mind the polling data that says otherwise. Ah well, you’ll figure it out eventually. My guess is by late February, early March at the latest.

[LongtimeAZDem]

88. So, to conservative white male republicans "democratic socailist" is better than "socialist"?

You're just embarrassing yourself.

[BannonsLiver]

90. That was my thought as well.

This is supposed to be a new selling point, I guess.

I’m frankly surprised the OPis still tending to the thread after you posted that video completely invalidating the latest talking point. But alas...

[Tiggeroshii]

97. The embarrassment is clearly not knowing the difference and priding yourself of the ignorance

[LongtimeAZDem]

98. If you want to keep this going, be my guest; we're all having a good laugh with it at this point

[Tiggeroshii]

100. As am i

Fair market capitalism and socialism are two very different things. Not rocket science...

[LongtimeAZDem]

102. Sanders: "No, I am not a capitalist"

At 6:37

[Tiggeroshii]

104. Labels are meaningless. Still waiting on policy evidence

Which you are still failing to provide.

:rof:

:rof:

:rof:

:rof:


:rof

[LongtimeAZDem]

106. No need, since you've allready called Bernie a liar

Why would I even bother trying to prove you wrong?

[Tiggeroshii]

107. Still needed

Since you maintain he still falls under that category policy wise. But I will take your failure as an admittance that you know he is not actually socialist. Thank you for admitting it.

[LongtimeAZDem]

109. No, I'm willing to concede he's a liar; you've convinced me

[Tiggeroshii]

110. Thanks for conceding he is not a socialist

By failing to provide evidence policy wise to the contrary.

[LongtimeAZDem]

111. Oh, no, he still calls himself a socialist, you just showed that he's lying because he sucks at it

I'll be quoting this thread in the future.

[Tiggeroshii]

113. Still cant provide evidence of it. so you admit. Thanks!

No socialist policies makes it hard to call someone an actual socialist. Thank you for admitting it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

115. Then why does he call himself a Democratic Socialist?

[LongtimeAZDem]

116. Because he's lying; Tiggeroshii said so

[Tiggeroshii]

118. So he isnt actually a socialist because he lied about it?

So you admit he isnt a socialist. Thanks for admitting it!
There is a reason, you might notice, he usually calls himself a "Democratic Socialist"

[mcar]

147. This has gone in an interesting direction

[LongtimeAZDem]

148. It started off through the looking glass, and made a right turn at Albuquerque

[mcar]

150. And the carrot festival therein

[cynatnite]

82. He can call himself whatever he wants...it will stick and he'll be un-electable...

The RW smear machine will plaster his face everywhere with a giant gold hammer and sickle on his forehead.

It doesn't matter if it's true or not. I felt the same when he ran in '16.

[revmclaren]

83. From an article published in 2015...

......snip.....

About Sanders


In a speech he gave at the National Committee for Independent Political Action in New York City on June 22, 1989, reprinted in the December 1989 issue of the socialist publication Monthly Review: “In Vermont, everybody knows that I am a socialist and that many people in our movement, not all, are socialists. And as often as not — and this is an interesting point that is the honest-to-God truth — what people will say is, ‘I don’t really know what socialism is, but if you’re not a Democrat or a Republican, you’re OK with me.’ That’s true. And I think there has been too much of a reluctance on the part of progressives and radicals to use the word ‘socialism.’”

......snip....

https://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/14-things-bernie-sanders-has-said-about-socialism-120265

Better start telling Sanders (I-VT) he's using rw talking points.



ONLY!!! 2019 and beyond.

[Cha]

86. "And I think there has been too much of a reluctance on the part of progressives

"And I think there has been too much of a reluctance on the part of progressives and radicals to use the word ‘socialism.’"

Sanders.. https://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/14-things-bernie-sanders-has-said-about-socialism-120265

Thanks Rev.. I knew it wasn't Just a "rw tp.

Good find!

[NYMinute]

91. ...

[LibFarmer]

94. This is Joe McCarthy in reverse

[Fresh_Start]

103. Nope, Bernie didn't want to be a democrat, he wanted to a socialist of some form

so its not a right wing talking point.

Its BS's choice about how he portrays himself to the world.
He made up a political philosophy that doesn't exist anywhere except in his own mind.
He chose Democratic Socialist as a description....so he chose to be a socialist.

It's like a liberal Democrat or moderate Democrat....they are both Democrats...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

112. Social Democracy/ Democratic Socialism

Social Democracy=/= Democratic Socialism

[DemocratSinceBirth]

105. He calls himself a democratic socialist.

[LongtimeAZDem]

114. Yeah, but Tiggeroshii says he's lying about it

[DemocratSinceBirth]

117. This is pure sophistry.

If he didn't call himself a Democratic Socialist then the charge that those who are calling him one are engaging in red baiting would have merit.

[LongtimeAZDem]

119. Oh, I know, but there's no point in trying to apply logic to this nonsense

[Gothmog]

108. Bernie's mystery Soviet tapes revealed

In addition to the Oppo that the GOP already had accumulated, this comes out with even more material that will show up in ads if sanders is the nominee

Link to tweet

Sanders’ opponents, though, will likely find much in the tapes to call outlandish. And in a campaign season in which Democrats are concerned about nothing more than defeating President Donald Trump, there’s plenty of material that Democratic voters might worry the Republican Party could spin into a 30-second negative ad.

[Politicub]

126. I wish Bernie's supporters would just own the term socialist.

Instead of running from it. If you treat it like a pejorative that's what people will think of the word.

It looks ridiculous to say that a self-described democratic socialist is not socialist. Uhm, okay. And if you do say he's not socialist, then please describe what a democratic socialist is. It's not that easy to figure out. I'm not confident that I have figured it out, tbh, and I've been wonky on politics for a long time.

There are a lot of posts in this thread asking people to post Sanders' proposed policies that are socialist. That's a silly way to define what someone or something is by relying on what it or he is not.

Whee! Through the looking glass we go.

tl;dr - Running from the word socialist is nonsensical after a politician has spent a career being a democratic socialist.

[Eko]

136. He says he is a socialist. Is he using right wing talking points on himself?

[OnDoutside]

138. Would Millionaire Socialist be more current ? I'm more of a Champagne Socialist myself....

[BannonsLiver]

146. I'm a Kobe beef socialist myself

[OnDoutside]

156. That's on my bucket list !!!!

[TwilightZone]

139. He's been calling himself a socialist for decades.

You should probably learn more about your candidate.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=123725

[Maru Kitteh]

152. You might want to let Bernie in on this bit of info

He seems to disagree with you

PS - This really isn’t about Bernie. I totally swear. I know sometimes folks think •everything • is about Bernie but really, it’s not. This is about educating people to understand Grandma gets a socialist check every month, and farmers get socialist subsidies every year, they send their kids to socialist schools, they drive on socialist roads. . . Etc., etc. and so on.

[Hortensis]

157. Sanders himself really wishes his followers

Last edited Sat May 18, 2019, 08:47 AM - Edit history (1)

would get this straight, finally!

He seemed to make a little progress when Ocasio-Cortez was elected. There was a brief run of some DUers calling themselves democratic socialists, and then...that just went away.

I wondered what was up with that. Did a few read about what it was and back off? Did a few not and end up uncomfortable because they didn't know what it was they were claiming to be? Both?

And now this. Could the joke that these deniers all headed down the rabbit hole and took a right turn at Arizona be the most insightful of all? Those aren’t liking that word socialism any more than our Georgia neighbors do. Now anyway.

Could those odd little claims that Sanders is “the real centrist” be the socialism deniers’ next version? Sanders is starting to remind me of the guy who needed to find out where his followers were going so that he could lead them.

[Gothmog]

162. Less Than Half in U.S. Would Vote for a Socialist for President

This polling would make it very difficult to win with a socialist candidate on the ballot https://news.gallup.com/poll/254120/less-half-vote-socialist-president.aspx

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Less than half of Americans (47%) say they would vote for a qualified presidential candidate who is a socialist -- the same percentage Gallup found in 2015. A socialist candidate is the only one among a dozen hypothetical candidates about whom a minority of Americans say they are willing to give their vote....

In spite of the expanded tolerance for diversity, candidates labeling themselves as socialists may struggle to gain traction in a presidential race, as Americans have not become more open to such a candidate. Even as political figures advocating socialist ideas have gained popularity in Democratic circles in recent years, less than half of Americans remain willing to give an avowed socialist candidate their vote. This creates a challenge for the Democratic Party, as it seeks to avoid alienating the Democratic socialists within its rank and file, while still aiming to win a national election.