Sanders 2016!!

[FORD]

Bernie Sanders To Announce Presidential Run
By Bob Kinzel • 14 minutes ago





Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a luncheon at the National Press Club on Monday, March 9, 2015 in Washington. VPR has learned that Sanders will announce his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday.
Andrew Harnik AP

VPR News has learned from several sources that independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders will announce his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday.

Sanders will release a short statement on that day and then hold a major campaign kickoff in Vermont in several weeks.

Sanders' entry into the Democratic race ensures that Hillary Clinton will face a challenge to win the support of the liberal wing of the party.

Sanders' basic message will be that the middle class in America has been decimated in the past two decades while wealthy people and corporations have flourished.

His opposition to a proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal (T.P.P.) shows how he plans to frame this key issue of his campaign.

"If you want to understand why the middle class in America is disappearing and why we have more wealth and income inequality in America than we have had since the late 1920s, you have to address the issue of trade,” Sanders said in a phone interview on April 23.

As the longest-serving Independent member of Congress, Sanders has been a vocal critic of the influence that large corporations have on the political process.

"All of the major corporations want to continue with this trade policy. Wall Street wants to continue this trade policy. The drug companies want to continue this trade policy. But organizations representing American workers and the environment do not want to continue the trade policy. They want new trade policies,” he said.

And Sanders says it is imperative that all the Democratic presidential candidates address the issue of trade and income inequality.

"So, I think that Hillary Clinton and every candidate out there should in fact address whether or not they support this T.P.P.," Sanders said.

In the past few months, Sanders has been actively visiting many of the early presidential primary states. Just last weekend he traveled to South Carolina to address the state Democratic Party and news reports indicate that his economic message drew a lot of support at the state meeting.

[twonabomber]

So is this your pick, or are you waiting for a better candidate?

[FORD]

Well, if Howard Dean jumped into this thing, it might be a tough decision.

But Bernie over Hillary, absolutely!

A Sanders/Dean ticket would work, but they're both from Vermont, so that would be illegal (much like it was when Chimp & Cheney, both Texas residents at the time, ran in 2000)

[Baby's On Fire]

So is this your pick, or are you waiting for a better candidate?

Bernie might have a communist slant....but he seems like an honest guy.

So unless Jesse Ventura runs....count me in.

I'm not a dumbass American and can't vote.....but I'll be there in spirit.

[FORD]

I'm not sure how well Bernie and Jesse get along, but a Sanders/Ventura ticket would be interesting. There's probably a lot they would agree on, but not everything.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

I'll take whoever wins the nomination, but I'm looking forward to hearing how Bernie articulates his positions vs. Hillary....


And let's face it, the worse thing that could have happened for Hillary would have been if she was unopposed.

[Baby's On Fire]

I'm not sure how well Bernie and Jesse get along, but a Sanders/Ventura ticket would be interesting. There's probably a lot they would agree on, but not everything.

As far as I know they share almost the exact same beliefs on most issues.

I know Jesse does not advocate government sponsored higher education....but aside from that they seem the same.

The only thing I disagree with Jesse about is border security. He's in fantasy land saying there should be no borders in the world.

If earth was a utopia....I would agree. But humans are a fucked up mess and the idea of no country borders is delusional and flat out stupid.

[FORD]

Jesse's views on border security are no doubt influenced by the fact that he spends a lot of time in Mexico these days. Much easier for him if there's no hassle at Nogales, or TJ, or where ever he crosses over.

[lesfunk]

I'd vote for that guy. He seems reasonably unpretentious and sincere. I'd vote for anybody else over Clinton.

[Seshmeister]

73!!?? So he would be pushing 80 at the end of his term trying to remember why he walked into the war room?

These people are too old to be Wal-Mart greeters never mind running the Western World.

In his mid 60s McCain seemed pretty sound and now at 78 he's a gibbering lunatic.

[FORD]

On one hand, it's somewhat risky to have a President who could die in office of natural causes.

On the other hand, it's getting to the point where we will have to elect somebody who can't remember what the US was like before 1980. And why we need to go back to that.

Hillary remembers, but denies it. Bernie gets it.

[Seshmeister]

He's already second term Reagan age.

Matters less to me but your next president could be choosing 3 or 4 supreme court people as the walking dead in there start to finally die off.

When they meet to plan for that he's going to be worrying more about having to rush off to the restroom because his prostate is shot.

[FORD]

Not that long ago, Senator Sanders had an 8.5 hour filibuster on the Senate floor, so I'm not worried about him needing frequent potty breaks.

[jhale667]

Not that long ago, Senator Sanders had an 8.5 hour filibuster on the Senate floor, so I'm not worried about him needing frequent potty breaks.

I'd be more worried about natural causes. Still, the best thing that could (and will never) happen to the country would be a Sanders/Warren ticket and eventual administration.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Matters less to me but your next president could be choosing 3 or 4 supreme court people as the walking dead in there start to finally die off.

Which makes it even more insane that the Republicans refuse to budge from their message, even after getting their asses kicked in the last two elections....

In fact, they've gone even more right-wing, alienating even more people....

Can you imagine a Supreme Court after a Republican wins the Presidency and 3 of them retire or kick off?

But they just refuse to budge.....

[Kristy]

Another old white guy who claims to have a liberal bias, but like Obama (and Hilliary) has "Corporate" written all over him. Looks like he could not more out of touch with the American people. No question, armchair liberals like Ford will love him because, you know, he's not a woman.

[FORD]

Another old white guy who claims to have a liberal bias, but like Obama (and Hilliary) has "Corporate" written all over him. Looks like he could not more out of touch with the American people. No question, armchair liberals like Ford will love him because, you know, he's not a woman.

I have no problem voting for women. Hell, for several years, I had a female governor and 2 female senators, and I voted for all three of them more than once. Sadly none of the three were all that liberal (though not as right wing as Hillary, thank God) I would have voted for Jill Stein in 2012, if she hadn't entered the race after I was already in the Rocky Anderson camp. Still say they should have run on the same ticket.

And since Elizabeth Warren seems determined NOT to run against Hillary, maybe Bernie should choose Jill Stein as his running mate? I'm sure he would be on board with every bit of her "Green New Deal" platform.

[cadaverdog]

A Sanders/Dean ticket would work, but they're both from Vermont, so that would be illegal (much like it was when Chimp & Cheney, both Texas residents at the time, ran in 2000

It's not illegal. The 12th Amendment says that electors may not vote for a President from their state and a Vice President also from their state.
Therefore if running mates from the same state carried their home state, there could be a problem. The electors would probably vote for their presidential candidate and vote for some unknown for vice-president. This could cause the vice-presidential candidate to fail to get a majority.
Vermont has 3 electoral college votes.

[Kristy]

I have no problem voting for women. Hell, for several years, I had a female governor and 2 female senators, and I voted for all three of them more than once. Sadly none of the three were all that liberal (though not as right wing as Hillary, thank God) I would have voted for Jill Stein in 2012, if she hadn't entered the race after I was already in the Rocky Anderson camp. Still say they should have run on the same ticket.

And since Elizabeth Warren seems determined NOT to run against Hillary, maybe Bernie should choose Jill Stein as his running mate? I'm sure he would be on board with every bit of her "Green New Deal" platform.

I'm weary off all of them. Sanders may act like he has a pulse on America's social ills and can possibly run a good campaign much like Obama did. It'll be interesting to see what corporations back him and which ones he chooses. As for a female running mate, that would too obvious and may piss a lot of Hilliary supporters off.

Which may be a good thing.

[FORD]

The only corporation likely to back Bernie would be Ben & Jerry's. Corporations don't like him very much. Which IS a good thing.

[Kristy]

I've heard all the anti-corporate rhetoric before - Obama ran on it and now he is their biggest tool. I'm so cynical anymore when it comes to any political office in this country. The left and right can whine all they want while the oligarchs are the ones running things.

[Seshmeister]

Which makes it even more insane that the Republicans refuse to budge from their message, even after getting their asses kicked in the last two elections....

In fact, they've gone even more right-wing, alienating even more people....

Can you imagine a Supreme Court after a Republican wins the Presidency and 3 of them retire or kick off?

But they just refuse to budge.....

You would probably end up with religious police beating women for not going to church.

[FORD]

The left and right can whine all they want while the oligarchs are the ones running things.

And Bernie says the same thing.... every Friday on the Thom Hartmann show. Only downside of him announcing for President is that he probably won't be able to do the "Brunch With Bernie" thing anymore, or somebody will insist that Thom give an hour of airtime to Hillary, or even the Repuke candidates in the interests of "equal time".

[FORD]

You would probably end up with religious police beating women for not going to church.

Or daring to open their mouth while in church (which would be against Paul's writings in the Bible for women to cover their heads, sit down, and shut the fuck up - that's the FORD testament paraphrase, of course)

[Kristy]

Doesn't matter. Someone will back him. The campaign trail is not cheap. A US President is a figurehead anymore. Who will win in 2016? Walmart? Raytheon? GE?, Exxon, Encana...?

[DavidLeeNatra]

You would probably end up with religious police beating women for not going to church.

there are moments when I really miss Elvis...

c'mon sesh...nuff is nuff...bring the fucker back to life...

[Kristy]

c'mon sesh...nuff is nuff...bring the fucker back to life...

Like I said before, if you miss him that much why not go to his trailer park and suck his dick?

[DLR'sCock]

I'm down with Bernie. God it's been a long time since I posted here in the front line.

[FORD]

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says he's running for president
Associated Press By DAVE GRAM
12 hours ago



MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Promising to fight what he deems "obscene levels" of income disparity and a campaign finance system that is a "real disgrace," independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Wednesday he will run for president as a Democrat.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Sanders confirmed his plans to formally join the race Thursday.

The self-described "democratic socialist" enters the race as a robust liberal alternative to Hillary Rodham Clinton, and he pledged to do more than simply raise progressive issues or nudge the former secretary of state to the left in a campaign in which she is heavily favored.

"People should not underestimate me," Sanders said. "I've run outside of the two-party system, defeating Democrats and Republicans, taking on big-money candidates and, you know, I think the message that has resonated in Vermont is a message that can resonate all over this country."

As he has for months in prospective campaign stops in the early voting states, and throughout his political career, the former mayor of Burlington, Vermont, on Wednesday assailed an economic system that he said has devolved over the past 40 years and eradicated the nation's middle class.

"What we have seen is that while the average person is working longer hours for lower wages, we have seen a huge increase in income and wealth inequality, which is now reaching obscene levels," Sanders told the AP.

"This is a rigged economy, which works for the rich and the powerful, and is not working for ordinary Americans. ... You know, this country just does not belong to a handful of billionaires."

The son of an immigrant from Poland who sold paint for a living in Brooklyn, Sanders has for decades championed working-class Americans. He lost several statewide races in the 1970s before he was elected mayor of Burlington in 1981, and went on to represent Vermont in the U.S. House for 16 years before his election to the Senate in 2006.

An independent in the Senate, he caucuses with Democrats in Washington and he is likely to attract some interest from voters who have unsuccessfully sought to draft Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren to join the race.

But Sanders rejected the idea his appeal is limited to voters on the left, boldly predicting Wednesday that his message would appeal to both fellow independents and Republicans.

Sanders said he would release "very specific proposals" to raise taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations, as well as offer tuition-free education at all public colleges and universities. He touched on his past opposition to free-trade agreements, his support for heavier regulations of Wall Street and the nation's banking industry, and his vote against the Keystone XL oil pipeline as a preview of his campaign.

"So to me, the question is whose views come closer to representing the vast majority of working people in this country," Sanders said. "And you know what? I think my views do."

The 73-year-old Sanders starts his campaign as an undisputed underdog against Clinton. Sanders said he has known the former first lady, senator from New York and secretary of state for more than two decades. "I respect her and like her," he said.

He noted he has "never run a negative ad in my life," but still drew a distinction with Clinton in the interview, promising to talk "very strongly about the need not to get involved in perpetual warfare in the Middle East."

"I voted against the war in Iraq," he said. "Secretary Clinton voted for it when she was in the Senate."

Clinton is hosting a series of fundraisers this week, starting what could be an effort that raises more than $1 billion. Sanders said he will make money and politics a central theme of his campaign, including a call for a constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision, which he blames for unleashing a torrent of money from wealthy donors into politics.

"What you're looking at here is a real disgrace," he said. "It is an undermining of American democracy.

"But can we raise the hundreds of millions of dollars that we need, primarily through small campaign contributions to run a strong campaign? And I have concluded that I think there is a real chance that we can do that."

Sanders is the first major challenger to enter the race against Clinton, who earlier this month became the first Democrat to formally declare her intention to run for president. He is likely to be joined in the coming months by former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb and ex-Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee.

[Kristy]

More talk.

Heard this rhetoric back in 2007 with Obama you know, how he was going to change shit from the banking system on down. Now he corporate drones innocents in Pakistan. Bernie is no different - a Jew with a stage name. That's all he is. And someone should show this fucker what a comb is.


We won't get fooled again right, Ford?

[FORD]

Bernie has a track record of supporting the people. Barry just had rhetoric. Same with Bill Clinton in 1992, and Hillary's following that same game plan now. Bernie's been walking his talk though.

[FORD]

As far as Bernie being Jewish.... it will be interesting to hear how the uber-Jew Sheldon Adelson, the "Republican Jewish Coalition", and all the "God Bless Israel" hypers in Congress (and the Religious Reich) justify their opposition of the first "major party" Jewish candidate. (yeah, Holy Joe was technically in the race for about 5 minutes in 2004, but everybody is trying to forget about that)

[FORD]

[jacksmar]

The only corporation likely to back Bernie would be Ben & Jerry's. Corporations don't like him very much. Which IS a good thing.

money talks and





do the the dems have any other old women to trot out?.............................

[Kristy]

That made no sense.

[FORD]

You expected a Jerksmear post to make sense?

[Kristy]

Hey asscrackasmr, let me know when the Rethuglicons can offer anything better than a white, old, white guy who loves to be a puppet for corporate dick.

[FORD]

[FORD]

Our friend in the red suit did an informal poll over at a political board with all the currently announced candidates. Looks like Bernie is walking away with it, so far!

http://www.discussionist.com/1015438373

[Nitro Express]

"Nothing is going to change without major bloodshed. The game is just too rigged and the shit is too deep." --George Carlin--