Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign megathread v2 (pg 77 - declares victory in Iowa)

[ElectionsGuy]

Unidentified Man, who also ran for prez in 2016, joins HRC in the Sanders criticism game:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/01/bernie-sanders-iowa-democrats-martin-omalley

“Bernie’s still being given a bit of a free pass by the national media,” [O'Malley] says. “I do not believe that he would be a strong candidate for our party in the fall. And, except for three months out of every four years, he’s not even of our party.”

Sanders sits in the Senate as an independent, a democratic socialist, the “d” very much lower-case. He may be 78 but he’s popular with the young. Since leaving office, O’Malley has taught at Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Boston College and Carnegie Mellon.

“I would frequently tell my students, ‘Look, I know in my own generation we fell for the Nigerian prince scam, but how do you all fall for the Bernie Sanders scam?’ I don’t get that.

“Here’s a guy who has been a kind of stalwart of the National Rifle Association, a man who said immigrants steal our jobs right up until he ran for president, a guy who said the sound of John Kennedy’s voice made him nauseous.”

In what world?

Luckily no one cares what Martin O'Malley has to say. Not even his students.

[Roblox]

Unidentified Man, who also ran for prez in 2016, joins HRC in the Sanders criticism game:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/01/bernie-sanders-iowa-democrats-martin-omalley

“Bernie’s still being given a bit of a free pass by the national media,” [O'Malley] says. “I do not believe that he would be a strong candidate for our party in the fall. And, except for three months out of every four years, he’s not even of our party.”

Sanders sits in the Senate as an independent, a democratic socialist, the “d” very much lower-case. He may be 78 but he’s popular with the young. Since leaving office, O’Malley has taught at Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Boston College and Carnegie Mellon.

“I would frequently tell my students, ‘Look, I know in my own generation we fell for the Nigerian prince scam, but how do you all fall for the Bernie Sanders scam?’ I don’t get that.

“Here’s a guy who has been a kind of stalwart of the National Rifle Association, a man who said immigrants steal our jobs right up until he ran for president, a guy who said the sound of John Kennedy’s voice made him nauseous.”

This will surely crush Sanders amongst the 10 people that voted for Martin O' Malley in 2016.

[Devout Centrist]

Sanders is crucial because he has the potential to provide much needed reform to this systemic failure. I don't think he's going to single handedly 'fix' the Party, but the shock is necessary. You would think 2016 would be that shock, but apparently the leadership still doesn't get it. It's an absolute joke and things need to change, fast.

He's shocking it in the wrong direction.  The only reason we were able to accomplish so much in 2009 (yes, still not enough) was because we had a supermajority composed of moderate democrats and conservadems.  Even one more moderate democrat and we'd have a public option.  A handful more and we'd have comprehensive immigration reform and cap-and-trade.

Are you out of your goddamn mind?! Getting to 60 votes was a herculean task by itself and that only lasted for a couple of days. There is no conceivable way we could've gotten to 63 or 64 Senators.

Fact is, they had more than 50 votes for the vast majority of bills that were passed by the House. Getting to the filibuster proof 60 votes was the problem. The Obama Administration could have used reconciliation to pass some legislation, but opted not to do that. The Administration could have ended the legislative filibuster as well, but again, it chose not to do that. This was a mistake and cost the Party dearly in the years that followed.

I say, let's take the dozen or so policies from the Democratic Platform that the vast majority of America supports, such as:
Universal background checks and an assault weapons ban
Reduced drug prices and a public option
Increased border security paired with a pathway to citizenship
Raising the minimum wage
Making college affordable and community college free
Cap-and-trade national dividend program
Criminal justice reform
Campaign finance reform

This was the platform in 2016. I don't think I need to tell you how that worked out.

Policy isn't the problem. The Republican Party regularly wins elections despite many of their policy proposals polling very poorly. The problem is perception. On issue after issue, the Party plays defense and allows the Republicans to control the conversation. By letting the Republican Party control the narrative of a story or a policy proposal, the Democratic Party puts itself at perpetual disadvantage.

When a person votes, they are asking themselves, "Who cares about me," and, "Who wants what I want?" Many people see the Democratic Party as a moribund institution that stands for nothing (or worse, stands against them), and that the Party only cares about niche interests. As a consequence, voters outside of major metros have a strong aversion to voting Democratic.

The people of rural America are not rubes who voted for Trump out of deep seated racism nor are they 'concerned citizens' who wonder how America can pay for social programs. They just see the Democratic Party as an adversary that could never represent their interests.

This is what happens when you let the other side control the narrative. This is what happens when you perpetually neglect Party infrastructure. Sanders' campaign is a reaction to this organizational rot.

[junior chįmp]

The loser who couldn't beat Bush thinks Sanders might lose:

John Kerry overheard discussing possible 2020 bid amid concern of 'Sanders taking down the Democratic Party'

[Adam Griffin]

The loser who couldn't beat Bush thinks Sanders might lose:

John Kerry overheard discussing possible 2020 bid amid concern of 'Sanders taking down the Democratic Party'

Sitting in the lobby restaurant of the Renaissance Savery hotel, Kerry was overheard by an NBC News analyst saying "maybe I'm f---ing deluding myself here" and explaining that in order to run, he'd have to step down from the board of Bank of America and give up his ability to make paid speeches. Kerry said donors like venture capitalist Doug Hickey would have to "raise a couple of million," adding that such donors "now have the reality of Bernie."

I was a Kerry fanboy for a long time, but...JFC. Just read all of that.

[junior chįmp]

On the plus side.....Bloomberg is indicating he will be supporting Sanders:

https://twitter.com/CGasparino/status/1224069194830041089?s=19

[ElectionsGuy]

The loser who couldn't beat Bush thinks Sanders might lose:

John Kerry overheard discussing possible 2020 bid amid concern of 'Sanders taking down the Democratic Party'

Sitting in the lobby restaurant of the Renaissance Savery hotel, Kerry was overheard by an NBC News analyst saying "maybe I'm f---ing deluding myself here" and explaining that in order to run, he'd have to step down from the board of Bank of America and give up his ability to make paid speeches. Kerry said donors like venture capitalist Doug Hickey would have to "raise a couple of million," adding that such donors "now have the reality of Bernie."

I was a Kerry fanboy for a long time, but...JFC. Just read all of that.

Kerry is right. He is deluding himself, hard.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It's amazing seeing all these losers lose their sh**t that Bernie could win and make them look really bad.

[Progressive Pessimist]

On the plus side.....Bloomberg is indicating he will be supporting Sanders:

https://twitter.com/CGasparino/status/1224069194830041089?s=19

Very good news! I hope he supports down-ballot Democrats too.

Say what you want about Bloomberg, but he really seems to have his priorities straight when it comes to wanting to defeat Trump and the GOP. We all should maintain that goal.

[Bumaye]

Kinda've unimportant, but what does WOW stand for? Something about white women?

It's a term I've coined here on Atlas over the past few weeks (Well-Off Whites)!

Give me a like every time you see one of these in Twitter replies whining:



#CHRISTINE
#MAIDENNAME-MARRIEDNAME
#50YOWOW

WOW on this forum stands for Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, which is an actual place instead of a stereotype of a large group of people based on unrepresentative anecdotes.

Ok, Karen.

[Pouring Rain and Blairing Music]

On the plus side.....Bloomberg is indicating he will be supporting Sanders:

https://twitter.com/CGasparino/status/1224069194830041089?s=19

Very good news! I hope he supports down-ballot Democrats too.

Say what you want about Bloomberg, but he really seems to have his priorities straight when it comes to wanting to defeat Trump and the GOP. We all should maintain that goal.

Idk, crippling disunity seems easier and more fun.

[DrScholl]

I don't see how Bloomberg supporting Sanders can work. He certainly can't donate to his campaign, because Sanders hates billionaires and even sent back a check that the wife of a billionaire wrote him. And you know he's not going to let him campaign for him.

[Mehmentum]

I don't see how Bloomberg supporting Sanders can work. He certainly can't donate to his campaign, because Sanders hates billionaires and even sent back a check that the wife of a billionaire wrote him. And you know he's not going to let him campaign for him.

He'd be able to fund his own independent PAC.  Could do anything from voter registration to ads.

[NOVA Green]

I don't see how Bloomberg supporting Sanders can work. He certainly can't donate to his campaign, because Sanders hates billionaires and even sent back a check that the wife of a billionaire wrote him. And you know he's not going to let him campaign for him.

He'd be able to fund his own independent PAC.  Could do anything from voter registration to ads.

Dude--- Bloomberg has already pledged that even if he loses the DEM Party nomination to fund an army of some 1,000 people and XXX dollars to support indirectly the DEM candidate that catches the nod...

Can't believe you haven't been following this stuff....

Man, time to not put all of your eggs in one basket....

Seems like you are obsessed with the whole "Class War" element and somehow have an obsession regarding any Center-Left DEM candidate who might win the nomination....

If you want to vote Trump in '20 to "protect America against Socialism" that is your choice, but meanwhile down in Subvert City...

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

https://twitter.com/swalker06/status/1224030176591433733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ct...

[NOVA Green]

https://twitter.com/swalker06/status/1224030176591433733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ct...

Any idea of which City / Metro Area???

[DrScholl]

November 2020 can't get here fast enough. Regardless of the outcome this election needs to be over.

Some people who are skeptical of Sanders aren't even centrist. I believe that government should provide alternative energy to the public at a discounted rate and that government should make an eco friendly car, things that would help the environment and create jobs, something that Sanders has not proposed. Everyone not supporting Sanders is not a centrist and some are more liberal than he is.

[Anti Democrat Democrat Club]

If he retired to his lakehouse tomorrow and I never had to hear again about how awful and evil the Democrats are

You don't seem to get it. The Party has been horribly mismanaged by a cavalcade of shameless hacks and incompetents for over a decade. Years and years of neglect have led us to abysmal results across the country. The Party apparatus needs serious overhauls or we will continue to see our hopes dashed year after year.

We won in 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2018.  We lost in 2010, 2014, and 2016.  That's a 4-3 record for the last 7 cycles including the most recent one.

On the surface, this sounds good, but diving beneath the surface unearths some truly horrific developments over the course of the past 14 years.

The Party's successes towards the end of the Bush Administration were never fully utilized. Despite back to back victories, Obama and the Party leadership failed to use their new power for anything beyond watered down healthcare reform, despite having the ability to accomplish much more. Certainly these problems were exacerbated by the Blue Dogs, but they were not the fatal flaw; that lay in the Senate. The sheer number of bills passed by the House that went onto die in the Senate is staggering. Card check, Cap and Trade, the Public Option...I could go on, but you get the picture.

Then 2010 happened and that was the ball game. Seriously, the Party's failure in 2010 cannot be understated. This was the election. Redistricting was up for grabs and the Party blew it. By losing that election so spectacularly, it ensured long term disaster in many key areas.

Whatever success has occurred after that is irrelevant. Nothing has gotten done since.

Do I think the party needs to make lots of improvements?  Absolutely yes.  I think DWS was one of the worst party chairs in living memory.

But it's not just DWS. It's the entire Party leadership and culture. The Party has deliberately chosen to invest more in media consultants than in the state parties and it shows. Many of the state parties are total jokes and can't win races at the local level. 2016 was a complete f[inks]cking disaster, in part because the leadership and ClintonWorld turned the primary into a coronation rather than an actual contest.

I think Obama neglected party infrastructure and lost touch with the fundamentals of on-the-ground retail politics.

This is true; the problem here is that down ballot races don't get as much attention as they deserve. You end up with Presidential campaigns telling the state party what to do, rather than working with them. This was especially true in 2016, when the Clinton campaign effectively took control from the state party and failed to communicate with local leadership.

I think Democrats have repeatedly bound their hands and shot themselves in the foot on issues where Republicans continue to take political advantage, especially data mining and social media.

Eh, data isn't the big issue. People have crowed about Trump's data operation, but I don't think that's why he won. Handing control over to the RNC and state Republican parties really helped him out.

None of these problems will be solved by nominating a self-proclaimed socialist who aggressively espouses widely-unpopular policies, lies about the party's priorities and accomplishments, and condemns the entire party and its entire history leading up to his political awakening.

Sanders is crucial because he has the potential to provide much needed reform to this systemic failure. I don't think he's going to single handedly 'fix' the Party, but the shock is necessary. You would think 2016 would be that shock, but apparently the leadership still doesn't get it. It's an absolute joke and things need to change, fast.

That "watered down healthcare" is the only reason I'm alive right now you purist...

Me too. My medication is over $1000, so Medicaid has really a lifesaver for me. Four years ago my epilepsy was diagnosed after I was able to go to Cedars-Sinai and be properly tested. The ACA isn't perfect, but it has helped a lot of people.

And you'll still throw all that away to get revenge on Bernie.

[DrScholl]

If he retired to his lakehouse tomorrow and I never had to hear again about how awful and evil the Democrats are

You don't seem to get it. The Party has been horribly mismanaged by a cavalcade of shameless hacks and incompetents for over a decade. Years and years of neglect have led us to abysmal results across the country. The Party apparatus needs serious overhauls or we will continue to see our hopes dashed year after year.

We won in 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2018.  We lost in 2010, 2014, and 2016.  That's a 4-3 record for the last 7 cycles including the most recent one.

On the surface, this sounds good, but diving beneath the surface unearths some truly horrific developments over the course of the past 14 years.

The Party's successes towards the end of the Bush Administration were never fully utilized. Despite back to back victories, Obama and the Party leadership failed to use their new power for anything beyond watered down healthcare reform, despite having the ability to accomplish much more. Certainly these problems were exacerbated by the Blue Dogs, but they were not the fatal flaw; that lay in the Senate. The sheer number of bills passed by the House that went onto die in the Senate is staggering. Card check, Cap and Trade, the Public Option...I could go on, but you get the picture.

Then 2010 happened and that was the ball game. Seriously, the Party's failure in 2010 cannot be understated. This was the election. Redistricting was up for grabs and the Party blew it. By losing that election so spectacularly, it ensured long term disaster in many key areas.

Whatever success has occurred after that is irrelevant. Nothing has gotten done since.

Do I think the party needs to make lots of improvements?  Absolutely yes.  I think DWS was one of the worst party chairs in living memory.

But it's not just DWS. It's the entire Party leadership and culture. The Party has deliberately chosen to invest more in media consultants than in the state parties and it shows. Many of the state parties are total jokes and can't win races at the local level. 2016 was a complete f[inks]cking disaster, in part because the leadership and ClintonWorld turned the primary into a coronation rather than an actual contest.

I think Obama neglected party infrastructure and lost touch with the fundamentals of on-the-ground retail politics.

This is true; the problem here is that down ballot races don't get as much attention as they deserve. You end up with Presidential campaigns telling the state party what to do, rather than working with them. This was especially true in 2016, when the Clinton campaign effectively took control from the state party and failed to communicate with local leadership.

I think Democrats have repeatedly bound their hands and shot themselves in the foot on issues where Republicans continue to take political advantage, especially data mining and social media.

Eh, data isn't the big issue. People have crowed about Trump's data operation, but I don't think that's why he won. Handing control over to the RNC and state Republican parties really helped him out.

None of these problems will be solved by nominating a self-proclaimed socialist who aggressively espouses widely-unpopular policies, lies about the party's priorities and accomplishments, and condemns the entire party and its entire history leading up to his political awakening.

Sanders is crucial because he has the potential to provide much needed reform to this systemic failure. I don't think he's going to single handedly 'fix' the Party, but the shock is necessary. You would think 2016 would be that shock, but apparently the leadership still doesn't get it. It's an absolute joke and things need to change, fast.

That "watered down healthcare" is the only reason I'm alive right now you purist...

Me too. My medication is over $1000, so Medicaid has really a lifesaver for me. Four years ago my epilepsy was diagnosed after I was able to go to Cedars-Sinai and be properly tested. The ACA isn't perfect, but it has helped a lot of people.

And you'll still throw all that away to get revenge on Bernie.

I simply believe he won't get elected. It is that simple. It's not about revenge, it is about being realistic and setting realistic expectations.

[Anti Democrat Democrat Club]

Boo hoo. It's either us or Trump. I don't care if you live in California. I don't care what you think his chances are. You vote for Bernie, or you cast your lot in with the enemy. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from NYCMM.

Oh wait. At least NYCMM is a bit.

[DrScholl]

Boo hoo. It's either us or Trump. I don't care if you live in California. I don't care what you think his chances are. You vote for Bernie, or you cast your lot in with the Deplorables.

I think you are missing the point of what I was saying. I don't believe he will win, so it's more of an expectations game for me than anything else. Whether I vote for him or not the outcome is the same. At this point I'd rather prepare for the worst than pretend as if a landslide is coming.

[Donerail]

Supporters of the #resistance twitter account "The Hoarse Wisperer" have raised nearly $50,000 for Bernie through hoarsewisperer.com. Great!

[Bidenworth2020]

Boo hoo. It's either us or Trump. I don't care if you live in California. I don't care what you think his chances are. You vote for Bernie, or you cast your lot in with the enemy. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from NYCMM.

Oh wait. At least NYCMM is a bit.

Whole-heartedly agree, and hope Bernie supporters would say the same about Biden.

[Xing]

Boo hoo. It's either us or Trump. I don't care if you live in California. I don't care what you think his chances are. You vote for Bernie, or you cast your lot in with the enemy. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from NYCMM.

Oh wait. At least NYCMM is a bit.

Whole-heartedly agree, and hope Bernie supporters would say the same about Biden.

Many of us do.

[Bidenworth2020]

Boo hoo. It's either us or Trump. I don't care if you live in California. I don't care what you think his chances are. You vote for Bernie, or you cast your lot in with the enemy. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from NYCMM.

Oh wait. At least NYCMM is a bit.

Whole-heartedly agree, and hope Bernie supporters would say the same about Biden.

Many of us do.

Obviously most do. The issue is there is absolutely no room for dissent regardless of who the nominee is.