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[wierd]

Theres a misconception on the kind of socialism he favors though.

Popularly, the US has an incorrect view that "socialism == USSR hellhole", and not "Modern nordic countries Europe."

Sanders loves the latter, not the former-- but politics is about conceptions and misconceptions, and feelings more than it is about literal accuracy. The GOP cronies would paint Sanders with the "Loves former soviet russia" brush as broadly as they could. I would bet money on that.

[penguinofhonor]

It certainly is about misconceptions. I think most of the people here arguing that Sanders' socialism is a political liability would like to see it get supported.

[mainiac]

It's a problem with the two party system.  In a multiparty system the socialist candidate would just need to get third place in order to get enough media exposure to brand themselves.  You can win by being part of the ruling coalition without getting majority support so there is no political cost to taking the time to communication to voters like that.

[smjjames]

Theres a misconception on the kind of socialism he favors though.

Popularly, the US has an incorrect view that "socialism == USSR hellhole", and not "Modern nordic countries Europe."

Sanders loves the latter, not the former-- but politics is about conceptions and misconceptions, and feelings more than it is about literal accuracy. The GOP cronies would paint Sanders with the "Loves former soviet russia" brush as broadly as they could. I would bet money on that.

I think only the older generation believes the incorrect view. It's mainly those born after the fall of the USSR, who don't have that view.

Sanders getting the nomination is very unlikely anyway. Sure he can rack up delegates, but Clinton already has a significant lead in regular delegates and Clinton would have to lose many states by as bad a margin as Sanders lost in the southern states in order for Sanders to catch up.

Edit: I wish more sites would split the superdelegates from the regular delegates when they list who has how many.

[Reelya]

I think we can look at the previous issues with Obama to get an idea of the effect of Bernie's policies. e.g. remember "Death Panels"? That's categorically worse than the Bernie doctor thing. "Death Panels" was literally believed by about 40% of the USA's adult population in polls only 6 weeks before Obama's re-election in 2012. And those polls had held steady since 2009, so the number seems reliable. So, uh, since Obama survived almost half the eligible voters holding a steadfast belief that he was literally instigating forced euthanasia for the sick and elderly, I think they'd have to go pretty damn far to smear Sanders on healthcare.

Also, on the Sanders thing with how we pay for Family Leave: Sanders is supporting the existing legislation which would create a social insurance scheme similar to Social Security to pay for it. That is: every pays in, and everyone is eligible for support if they need it. So the message is "you worked for this, it's your entitlement". Whereas Clinton is keen to push her populist line about not raising taxes 1 cent on the middle class, so she is attacking the existing legislation that is being considered, and wants to make here own one, where it's paid out of general revenues and they raise taxes on just the wealthy to pay for it. But payments made out of general revenue are much more easy for a future government to just snatch away, especially when they can argue "someone else paid for this, you didn't earn it". Sanders is supporting FDR-style legislation and Clinton is supporting populist-style legislation. Her version is a vote-grab and it's basically flawed because it codes it as "someone elses money" rather than a social insurance entitlement that nobody can take away, because YOU paid into the scheme.

EDIT: and here's a theory: just perhaps the sheer intensity of the "Obama = socialist" rhetoric itself has made it possible for an actual socialist to consider running. By not holding back whatsover on the anti-Obama rhetoric, the Republicans might have actually blurred the lines between moderate progressivism and actual socialism enough that it's now viable to run as one.

[Strife26]

The Republican Party dug (and continues to dig) their own damn hole. I'm kinda excited to see what gets released.

[mainiac]

I think we can look at the previous issues with Obama to get an idea of the effect of Bernie's policies. e.g. remember "Death Panels"? That's categorically worse than the Bernie doctor thing.

Oh well then isn't it great how that is literally the worst possible thing they will say about Sanders?  Sure puts my mind at ease.

That's categorically worse than the Bernie doctor thing. "Death Panels" was literally believed by about 40% of the USA's adult population in polls only 6 weeks before Obama's re-election in 2012.

40% is less then the percentage that voted republican.  That is successful rebranding.  You get the persuadable voters not caring and ignore what the angry base on the other side says because no one is listening.

Look I'm not talking in absolutes here.  I'm not saying that it's impossible for these people to be convinced to vote for a self avowed socialist.  I'm saying that these are things that are going to matter in a general election.  Time Sanders is spending getting the "cares Sanders calls himself a socialist" down to 40% is time he is not spending on something else.

[RedKing]

Just got phone banked by the Sanders campaign -- first and only contact by any electoral campaign so far. The young lady on the other end sounded thrilled when I told her I already planned to vote for Sen. Sanders tomorrow. I conceded that we're unlikely to deliver the state for the Sanders campaign, but perhaps a delegate or two more than expected.

It's a bit like the banter guards on the castle wall must have before the final, terrible onslaught comes, burying all hope beneath a wave of pantsuits and grandmothers.

[wierd]

About a week before my state did the election, I got polled. I hate that political campaigns are exempt from no-call, and cold call restrictions, so I was very terse.

They asked who I was going to vote for, said sanders, and hung up as the guy tried frantically to keep me on the line.

I probably added to the difficulty in my state doing that, but damn do I hate cold callers.

[Shadowlord]

I haven't heard anything on the 'take away your doctor' thing, but yes I've heard about his increasing taxes all over, but it would somehow be easier on the middle class and poor. I don't know how his tax plan is supposed to work like that.

By getting rid of or reducing other costs by a greater amount, of course.

But I came to post this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/03/14/reporter-who-says-she-was-manhandled-by-trump-campaign-manager-resigns-from-breitbart/?tid=ss_tw

[Strife26]

It's a bit like the banter guards on the castle wall must have before the final, terrible onslaught comes, burying all hope beneath a wave of pantsuits and grandmothers.

"What good is escaping? Or were you even thinking that? Even if we do escape, we'll get caught sooner or later and be in their power! We must make it so our children don't have to go through what we did. A small stone may only make a small ripple at first, but someday it will be a wave. Even if we have to rust away here!"

[Loud Whispers]

By getting rid of or reducing other costs by a greater amount, of course.
But I came to post this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/03/14/reporter-who-says-she-was-manhandled-by-trump-campaign-manager-resigns-from-breitbart/?tid=ss_tw

Ben Shapiro got bullied on Twitter by people calling him a cuckservative, so he made a statement for buzzfeed to remove bully pls

[martinuzz]

My Dutch newspaper has developed a tool which can help you Americans decide on your vote.
http://www.volkskrant.nl/kijkverder/2016/trump/

Oh come on for question 7, that's going to lead to trump no matter what. lol.

Duh, that's the whole idea. Every answer, no matter hw contradictory, is a statement by Trump. All answers lead to Trump. To a specifically dated Trump. They take all your answers, look at which dates Trump said those, then average out the dates to give you your own personal best Trump, the Trump of DD-MM-YY.

[Loud Whispers]

All answers lead to Trump.

And so the cult was born

[wierd]

Excuse me Sir and Madame, Tonight, for your dining pleasure, we have a nice vintage 1979 Trump vignette, but if the sir prefers, we have a fine selection of modern trump in stock as well.

All should go nicely with tonight's fine selection of political intrigue.


(sorry, the idea of "vintage Trump" just overpowered me for a moment there.)