Alternatives to Trump

I like your reasoning there - great to see such heartfelt and genuine reasoning for supporting someone. I’ve noticed that’s sanders doesn’t seem to have the numbers to become the main democrat pick for the election though - does he have downsides that make him less popular?@BlueVeins

@Chrisy1 Well, there are a few things working against Bernie. For one thing, his policy positions are very similar to Warrens', which splits the social democrats between him and her. Biden is kinda the main corporate democrat shill game in town, so he doesn't suffer from this problem as much.

Generally, Bernie has a lot of enemies in high places. CNN and MSN constantly smear him and his policies because he's farther left than their little darlings and more cynically, because his positions would defund the Hell out of the industries that are probably bankrolling the DNC and these media outlets. It's harder to do well in polls when major "respected" media outlets are calling your super normal plans fantasies and doctoring photos of you (true story!) day in and day out.

Bernie Sanders also suffers from a perceived lack of electibility; lots of people think Biden is more likely to win the general election that Sanders is (cough cough Hillary Clinton) and nobody wants to nominate a guy who's gonna lose.

Other than that, Bernie is kind of just... a lot. It's one thing to vote for a guy who's gonna do a UBI or a guy who's gonna forgive student loan debt; you can debate those issues and largely win. But Bernie is a guy who wants to do universal healthcare, free college, guaranteed jobs, a wealth tax, reach 100% renewable power, universal housing, and on and on ad infinitum.

Because humans are wired with a bias towards fear and doubt, Bernie Sanders is always gonna have a tough time winning. Because even if you agree with two or three of those proposals, you really have to agree with ALL of them or at least most to be able to vote with great confidence. Because even one horrible policy could drive the country into the ground, at least in the eyes of the public.

His strategy is very bold and very aggressive, but that's also part of what makes him so damn strong. He has more enthusiasm among his base than any other candidate and that just might get 'im over the hump.

Very interesting response there - I liked reading it :)

One thing I get from your response is that Bernie very much fights for the people that don’t have too much. That’s very noble and lots of people would say good on him, however - my personal thoughts are that in the US, most people are competitive, like to try to present themselves as having more than the guy next door - I don’t get the impression it’s a land where people would be happy to have an even spread of wealth?

Just my thoughts - I may be wrong but it could also explain why he doesn’t get more votes? @BlueVeins

@Chrisy1 There's definitely a very... meritocratic, competitive arm of the American populace, no doubt, and challenging those kinds of values is going to be a key challenge for the candidate. I'd like to think though, that having to watch their paychecks go up and down, up and down for the past couple of decades might've poked holes in whatever ego boost that the meritocracy myth gives people.

And it also...

hmmm

I'm almost ashamed to say this, but we all know that the economy is a house of cards. One gust of wind and it all comes tumbling down. We don't know when it's gonna crumble again, but when it does, people are gonna be feeling frustrated and hopeless and they're gonna feel like someone has got to be at fault. The brain is naturally wired to place that blame on someone else's shoulders. The dream that Trump is selling will shatter in everyone's face, and that situation favors support for the Democrats over support for the Republicans. It's why Obama won in 2008.

So knowing that a crash will come eventually regardless, it's kinda weirdly sensible to hope that that happens [i]before[/i] November 2020 rather than after. The timing just lines up better to bring about positive change. And then hopefully, Sanders will be able to get bank reform passed and we won't have to deal with this again. But of course, then the whole cycle will start again when the Republicans deregulate Wall Street. It's just a clusterfuck.

TLDR; You're right, but that's not necessarily gonna be the death of 'im.

@BlueVeins LOL, bernie the rich white guy pretending to be in the poor folks corner. Amazing how many of them there are in the democrat party

Compared to Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders is practically in the poor house, it’s not unreasonable for a guy in his late 70’s to have $2m if he’s had a successful career when you factor in house price rises of the last 40 years.@sunsporter1649

@Chrisy1 Successful career doing what exactly?

An individuals interpretation of ‘success’ can of course vary, however I’m guessing the proceeds from two books and being a senator for a long time would earn you quite a bit of money. I’m not necessarily supporting or defending him, just saying I don’t think his wealth is necessarily OTT. @sunsporter1649

@Chrisy1 So that is why he entered politics, to get rich and sell books?

You seem to have me mistaken for a Bernie Sanders supporter! I was just making a simple point at the start there! He’s like 77 years old, it’s not unreasonable to have acquired some wealth over time, that’s all I was saying.

As for why he entered politics, how the hell do I know, I haven’t got a direct line to the guy have I!?! @sunsporter1649

@sunsporter1649 The amount of spazzing that goes on about Bernie's book money is always hilarious.

Writing books is literally what we expect successful and unique politicians to do. That's the accepted and above-board way of cashing in on a long career in politics, while sharing something with the people in the process.

And yes, Bernie had a very successful career, even if your chronic reality distortion doesn't allow you to see this obvious fact.

@QuixoticSoul Successful at doing what? What legislation has he introduced that was adopted?

Reasonable point. Do you know anyone who has bought the book? I do not. @QuixoticSoul

@jackjjackson Have you really specifically asked everyone you know if they've bought Bernie's book? Do you expect Quixotic to have done that? I sure haven't asked anyone that question.

My friends and relatives share the books they have bought and no one has said anything where they did say about the Hillary book 😖 @BlueVeins