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Showing Original Post only (View all)Because America Needs an Electoral Left: Why Bernie Sanders Should Enter the Presidential Primaries [View all]
https://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/04/11-1f Sanders runs, everything will probably not go the way we might want, writes Gallagher, but that's no reason not to support the independent socialist senator from Vermont. (Photo: DonkeyHotey / cc / Text added)
So Bernie Sanders has posed us the American left the question: Should he run for president? Well, lets imagine what we will likely do in 2016 if he doesnt run for president. Barring the appearance of some other surprise candidate of the left, we will, in our various ways, bemoan the inadequacies of the politics of Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, or whomever else the Democratic Party establishment puts forth, while also being alternately horrified and amused by the Republican contenders. We will lament the fact that our point of view remains absent from the televised debates and, for that matter, from almost all mainstream discussion. In short, we will simply not be a factor in the great quadrennial debate about Americas future. It will, in other words, be business as usual.
And what if Sanders does run? Since he already has substantial national recognition, it will be very difficult to deny him access to the televised debates. So, if and when we tune in, we might actually hear something about the problem of the countrys drift toward an oligarchy of billionaires and corporations buying elections. Or about how we could have rebuilt our highways five times over on what weve spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Or a call for a national jobs program to rebuild the infrastructure. Or a Medicare-for-all, single-payer program to supplant the Obamas administrations Affordable Care Act.
If Sanders runs, we may not agree with him on everything. And we will almost certainly have issues that we wish he would speak to or emphasize more. And yet the difference between him and the Biden/Clinton/Kerry/Obama mainstream Democratic Party point of view will likely be obvious across the board. A left point of view will enter the discussion in all sorts of places it usually doesnt, well beyond the debates themselves.
If Sanders runs, everything will probably not go the way we might want. We may even learn that some of our favorite ideas dont actually play as well before a larger audience as we might have hoped. Some of them may even have to go back to the drawing board. At the same time, far larger numbers of voters will become aware that a dramatically different approach to governing the country does exist.
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Because America Needs an Electoral Left: Why Bernie Sanders Should Enter the Presidential Primaries [View all]
xchrom
Apr 2014
OP
If He Does Not Get The Party's Nomination, Sir, He Absolutely Should Not Do That
The Magistrate
Apr 2014
#10
If we had instant runoff voting the specter of a puke president would not be an issue
srican69
Apr 2014
#12
I agree. He should not, and will not, run as an independent candidate in the General.
Jackpine Radical
Apr 2014
#20
Right, he should just lay down and let the oligarchs walk all over him and us.
rhett o rick
Apr 2014
#57
He has already said he will not be a spoiler - if he loses the primary and then runs against Hillary
jwirr
Apr 2014
#15
If he should enter the presidential primaries, would it be better for the nation for him
Cal33
Apr 2014
#3
I think they are saying that he only run in the Democratic primary, but not to "pose" as a Democrat
cascadiance
Apr 2014
#39
We will never get a strong majority of common-sense liberals in Congress or a common-sense
JDPriestly
Apr 2014
#26
You have plenty such observers informing you about how wrong your argument is
Scootaloo
Apr 2014
#53
nader was a contributing factor to be sure. 300,000+ registered dems that voted for bush in FL..
frylock
Apr 2014
#75
he didn't give us bush singlehandedly, but he sure was one of several factors!
dionysus
Apr 2014
#65
Ah yes the scapegoat Nader whine. If you dont want that to happen again dont pray
rhett o rick
Apr 2014
#58
If Sanders ran, perhaps we would get someone who makes the case for the left
mindwalker_i
Apr 2014
#17
If he won't cut any deals with globalists as Obama did, they'll make sure he doesn't win primaries.
ancianita
Apr 2014
#24
No. You're right. The money that it takes to win will have to come from independent sources.
ancianita
Apr 2014
#30
The power to reshape the Supreme Court bears no resemblance to "softball".
Trust Buster
Apr 2014
#32
"Softball" as in D and R candidates of the Corporate Party debating each other.
closeupready
Apr 2014
#33
His running would make the race 10 times more compelling, ginning up our voters interest
Rowdyboy
Apr 2014
#34
But, but, if Senator Sanders runs then the Third Way will have an excuse to whine about
rhett o rick
Apr 2014
#56
President Sanders, Vice President Warren both fully backed/blessed by Bill and Hillary Clinton.
chknltl
Apr 2014
#62
you are using the purity word, conservative talking point, don't be so blindied that
pragmatic_dem
Apr 2014
#71
if democratic leadership doesn't want competition for ideas, if they won't represent liberals then
pragmatic_dem
Apr 2014
#73
if Bernie runs as a dem, it will be interesting to see if the librul media tries to Kucinich him..
frylock
Apr 2014
#76
The Country DESPERATELY needs a viable, non-Corporate, Progressive, Left-of-center political Party
blkmusclmachine
Apr 2014
#78
My question to those who know him better - Can he lead? Can he promote followship?
aikoaiko
Apr 2014
#79