@Freedompath From what I have seen especially his followers he is far left. Last election we had a caucus here and 80% supported him. I know a lot of these people and their views are, shall we say, naive. Remember, we live on an island and many (really) haven't gotten out much in the real world. lol

@JackPedigo Are you calling me naive? He he...Bernie has just never been ‘far’ politically. He really is an independent in his thinking, because how many other independents did he have to work together with? He has always related to the way I think about government. You may lean another way, though.

@Freedompath Uh oh sounds like I've backed myself into a corner, again. I speak in general terms. Many of the Bernie supporters were so infatuated with him they did not vote. I have also read a editorial on our political system in the "Atlantic". I could send you the link but one thing that really hit home was that Bernie goes for the populist vote. Here, on our little island, many questioned the use of super-delegates. I looked into this and ended up writing a letter (which was published) about this important aspect of our system. The system is broken and we need someone who can help heal it. The number one agenda must be to fix what ails the system. There is serious talk among top people that Bernie's agenda will not pull in enough centrist republicans to defeat our mad-man-in-chief.

@JackPedigo I think he will do fine and if he chooses a female for VP, that would up the ante. I am not so sure that any one of the present candidates cannot beat trump. Trump cannot win with 40% of Americans.
I agree the electoral system does not add up. I guess if Americans don’t rise up and demand that it get fixed...it will plague us indefinitely.

@Freedompath In a way I agree. We should have a woman in the office. Maybe if it happens she might expand the office of VP. Presently presidential duties are too many to handle and there needs to be more sharing. Besides, in 2024 Bernie will be really old and maybe Warren can run with experience on her side. So who would be her VP, male or female???

@JackPedigo That is something to consider for sure. I hate it that Bernie is the age that he is, but heck there are people who remain sharp as they age, they just are not the norm! I happen to know a man who did not give up his military recycling business until he was 85, and was still sharp at 95....Jewish too.

@Freedompath Just read a story about Grandma Moses. She didn't start painting until her late 70's and was still painting at 100. She died at 101.

@JackPedigo Folk artist, Alice Mosley was still creating art at 95. She lived in Bay St Louis, MS, still worked at the Welcome Ctr. She died some time later. So maybe we need not to spend to much time worrying about Bernie or any of the candidates that are up in years? (I am not worried about my years, we will be here, until we are not!)

@Freedompath I think what's important is less the span and more the quality.

Same point I tried to make

If Bernie could win, I would be quiet although I don't think he is a good candidate. But I am sure with Bernie's nomination, the defeat will be huge, it will embolden conservatives nationwide and the Democratic Party will not recover for another 20 years. America will have changed forever by that time.

@St-Sinner you underestimate the effects of groundswell support. I thought marital equality was shot for all after DOMA. Same with marijuana legalization in many jurisdictions (especially Oklahoma). when it shifts it shifts hard. I think it is with this youth movement.

@JeffMesser The groundwell is only in Vermont and what you see in the primaries will evaporate in the general. The groundswell is only among the Occupy Wall Street activists. It is overblown. It is not a ground well. It is just a pimple on Vermont. It will go away.

@St-Sinner thats either an outright lie or complete ignorance. either way it's delusional because I know better firsthand. now begone.

@St-Sinner that just might be a good thing! Everything needs overhauling from time to time! Do you think your position is bringing out dormant fears? That is a good thing too!

@Freedompath
My fear is real if Bernie is nominated. Here it is:

1. Trump will win a second term
2. Trump will complete his second term (because Democrats will not win a majority in the Senate)
3. Trump will build the best and the largest Presidential Library in Florida that will also be a symbol of the greatest narcissist ever lived in America
4. The admission will not be free to the library. We all, our grandchildren, foreign tourists will buy tickets to go see it
5. Our grandchildren will go to Trump schools and colleges, drive on Trump highways, take off and land on Trump national and international airports
6. Our grandchildren and their children will not complain about a national holiday for Trump's birthday
7. Bernie's candidacy and defeat will galvanize the conservatives base, the conservative state legislatures, school boards
8. Natural evolution lessons will be removed from school books and intelligent design will be included, American history will be revised, Christian prayers will be introduced at schools and at the beginning of all legislative sessions
9. Ten Commandments monuments will be installed in front of all state houses
10. Citizens vs. United will continue but Roe vs Wade will be overturned
11. Anti-abortion will be the law of the land
12. Gender based bathrooms laws will spread nationwide like wildfire
13. All state and federal courts will be packed with ultra conservative and religious appointees
14. Gun lobby and second amendment protections will get stronger
15. Federal funding to Christianity in the country and overseas will increase
16. The defeat lesson of the Democrats in 2020 will be taught in political science classes in Harvard
17. Democrats will change parties in droves
    18.. It will be embarrassing to be called a Democrat in streets
18. The Republicans, religious right and religion will have a grip on Washington for the next 30 years.
19. Racism will rise
20. Civil Rights progress will be set back 50 years
21. Racial hatred crimes will rise
22. Biases and hatred against immigrants will rise
23. America will lose further respect around the world
24. Many Americans will move to Canada
25. Many highly educated, qualified and successful immigrants will move back to home countries and to other countries (Canada, UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland)
26. The religious right will call Trump's victory as the second coming of Jesus
27. America will not remain a super power. China will.

@St-Sinner I agree that your ‘fear’ is real.’ Keep in mind that this will ‘cloud’ how you assimilate your information to find a conclusion. Just saying...this is the same for everyone who has a brain.

Don't be just angry. Let us talk about what is most likely to happen. I do not think Bernie can be president.

@St-Sinner there is nothing more to talk about.

@St-Sinner you can have that opinion...I have knowledge of watching what someone is capable of for years...I base my opinions on that.

@Omnedon
I listen to NPR daily, but since government funding has been decreased, there has been a shift in their reporting (or lack of reporting) that’s more favorable to corporate America, where more of their funding is now coming from.

Exactly

@Haemish1 Agree about the shift. Supposedly they don't run ads, but of course they do.

There you go. Deny all reports, all facts, all news from all sources that say Bernie is a bad idea. I will try to wake you up in December 2020. Will that be a good time to take the head out of the sand?

@St-Sinner I am ASKING for sources......you nor the poster have None, apparently, or you would have replied with one

@AnneWimsey
Is NPR interview of today not a good source? Do you want to do the interview yourself in Australia?

@St-Sinner No NPR(Nice Polite Republicans) is not a good source on Democrats these days. I do agree with your idea that the GOP, with the help of Faux news, CNN, NPR and the rest of the Trump fan club will be flashing red with the socialism word & low info voters will eat it up. OTOH, if Democrats and never Trumper GOP still for the Dem candidate in the end then we'll still be rid of the awful evil Orange troll.

@ronnie40356 So when will it be a good time to ask you to take the head out of the sand? December 2020 or December 2024?

@St-Sinner I'm honestly not sure what you're looking for here. I'll try once more, Bernie is not one of my top candidates BUT if he's the Dem candidate in the fall I'm voting for him. About as clear as I can make it. You're exhibiting signs of a troll.

@ronnie40356 I am not a troll but I am beginning to like you.

@St-Sinner That remains to be seen. The troll part..

@St-Sinner Your citation isn't fact or anything close to it. You cite NPR to give it a modicum of credibility, but... what you're actually citing is just the opinions (backed with no facts) of a democratic strategist, brought to us by NPR. This is essentially citing opinion as fact, not even fact-based opinion.

@bingst What truth will you accept?

@St-Sinner it is 109% OPINION, and stupid opinion at that...cannot imagine why anyone would jump all over it...oh, wait, it IS you....

No, it won't be. I will cry but in Canada. I will miss the U.S. I like it here.

Trump will win guaranteed but still we nominating a socialist will embolden the conservatives nationwide and the mayhem will begin....

@Novelty I will lose hope for some time, sad for some time but I must... I must gather courage and wits to help all. That is my life's mission. I am a truth teller but I am attacked by extremists for doing it. How would Galileo and others must have felt like when they said the Earth was not flat? The truth always wins in the end. That's the hope I live on. One day at a time. Help one life at a time.

@St-Sinner do you think it is time to find a different ‘crystal ball?’ If your current one is modern, try rebooting it...

@Freedompath I think he might have a magic lamp to rub...

@godlessinal Do you think the ‘magic’ has been used up in that ‘lamp?’

@Freedompath it would depend on how many times he rubbed it. Probably alot of rubbing during the impeachment...

@godlessinal maybe he just has a ‘god’ complex? He has not yet learned, that we each have a Universal ability to make up our minds!

@Freedompath
A Different Crystal Ball? It is not time to crack jokes. We are going through very serious, very dangerous times. The country's future is at stake. Our democracy is at stake. This year will decide if we will give the country in Far Right Extremists' hands or in Far Left Extremists' hands. We are talking about real people, real lives.

@Freedompath Apparently not..

@Freedompath, @St-Sinner what do you think this last election was? Supreme court justices, healthcare, etc...

@St-Sinner I completely agree, and Bernie (if he is the nominee), will be what this Country needs. He truely is an Independent...a person who believes in and has always worked for the good of this Country. If he ends up as our President, I am...for certain that we will be in good hands. At least, for every person that is not stuck in his own ‘mind.’ Bernie has high integrity and I do not see that changing if he should become President! And he would not be dismantling our democracy! A man’s life long behavior counts for something! His dismantling of our democracy could only be classified as a ‘conspiracy theory!’ He cannot be compared to trump in any way shape or form.

@Novelty he won't be allowed in. We are building a wall, paid for by americans, to keep people like him out of canada

@demifeministgal the trick is getting American soldiers to build it off you....

Ok

You we welcome. But at any given time time, the online members here are under 300, not more. Lol

@St-Sinner
And you don't preach anywhere else?

@skado
No, I have been so distraught these days that I have started drinking. I am really worried about the future of our democracy. On one hand, it is far right crazy nationalists and white supremacists taking over and on the other, it is far left socialists trying to take over. The common man is going to suffer in the middle but I must fight on with the mission of enlightening the American voter and save our democracy.

@St-Sinner
You should get out more. By world standards, Bernie is barely left of center, and Trump is off the charts to the extreme right. The only far left socialists are in your fevered dreams.

@desertastronomer

Let me make it very simple for you:

1. Bernie said since 2016 that he is a socialist. This cannot be undone
2. The damage of that saying is already done. That cannot be undone
3. Trump, Republicans and Conservatives have already capitalized on this stupidity and branded Bernie as a socialist. That cannot be undone
4. Voters have now a perception of who Bernie is with enough information out there of his communist and socialist misadventures. Perceptions matter for the masses. That damage cannot be undone
5. You can continue the academic discussion of the difference between the two but the voter is not a student of political science, politics or a professor like some are here. It is does not matter what the difference is to voters." The damage has been done and it cannot be undone.

@skado

Get out more?
On one hand it is far right nationalists and white supremacists and on the other... it is far left socialist and communists angry about the Billionaires and Millionaires. I dress well and am an immigrant. I am worried that each side would think I am to blame...

@desertastronomer I have noticed that people don't like truth tellers.

@St-Sinner
There is no far left movement in the U.S. The political spectrum has shifted so far to the right in the last 30 years that what was moderate Republican is now thought to be Communist! No one (NO one) is campaigning to nationalize the means of production. Wake up! Bernie is about as far left as Dwight Eisenhower.

@St-Sinner and saying you are a socialist is bad in & of itself because........walked on any sidewalks lately, driven on any roads?

@skado
You are trying make light of the worries about Bernie. Do you really believe the American presidential race is the race of ideas, policies and programs? I am only arguing about how bad and flawed his candidacy is. We have so much polarization with the Democratic Party with Bernie's name even before the nomination. Trump has not even gotten started on Bernie yet but he has said many times that Bernie against him would be a dream come true.

@St-Sinner
The reason for that polarization is that values are changing. On both sides. The establishment candidates, both red and blue, couldn’t make any headway in 2016. Jeb Bush couldn’t beat Donald Trump, and Hillary Clinton couldn’t beat anybody! The Bush and Clinton dynasties were ineffective in this new environment, and we are not going back. Establishment candidates of the very highest pedigree were, and are, no longer appealing to voters.

Voters on all sides are wanting something the establishment moderates can’t deliver. That means that Bernie is the only Democratic candidate who could possibly beat Trump. Your campaigning against Sanders is a campaign for Trump.

If you let anything Trump says about the situation influence your thinking, you haven’t understood that what comes out of his mouth has nothing to do with reality, his or ours. His mind is not connected to reality, it’s just a random noise generator.

No candidate that the DNC (establishment) chooses for us (like they did in 2016) will have any chance of beating DJT. The only chance, and even then an outside chance, of getting Trump out this time is running a candidate against him who is at least equally an outsider in the minds of the voters. Establishment politics is finished in America. Nothing could be plainer to anyone who is paying attention. If you want to beat Trump, and you can’t stomach Bernie, you’re going to have to run a candidate who is more radical than Bernie, not less. Those days are gone.

I don’t think it’s a race of ideas, policies and programs. I think it’s a race of attitudes toward human beings who don’t happen to be rich and powerful; people who are being left behind in our race to kiss corporate butt. Bernie gets that. Nobody else does... except the voters.

@skado

But towards the end, you are again saying what Bernie thinks, what Bernie gets and what Bernie understands. My point was Bernie as a candidate is weak and vulnerable to stand strong against Trump's whirlwind. You said yourself how Trump destroyed Jeb Bush and other strong candidates.. coming out of nowhere in 2016.

The issue here is not what Bernie believes in. It is about if he can sell the product. I think Bernie has a likable and feel-good message but he is a bad messenger.

I always thought Bernie could either teach politics and start a think tank to further his cause. I believe Bernie will not be president. This running for president is a personal ambition and delusional misadventure.

@St-Sinner
I’m starting to think we may see things differently.

@St-Sinner I thought you spent your free time with a personal harem for some strange reason. Don't drink too much, it's bad for you...My friend who has experience as senior campaign manager with both Gore and Obama says Bernie is unelectable against Trump. The nation has moved too far to the right. It will be painful to vote for Bloomburg if it is between him and Sanders in a primary. Bloomburg may be able to buy the election somehow. But, we'll hold our noses and do it. You take a beating well, my friend.

@UrsiMajor

1. You must have a spooky talent of reading into somebody's dreams
2. Bernie is not electable is written on the wall and all over his face and waving hands in the air.

I have been telling his supporters that Bernie will not be president. If they are still surprised in November 2020, I will be right here every day to remind them that St. Sinner told you so. I am the red devil on the shoulder that your grandmas warned y'all about.

@St-Sinner
There's a Chris Hedges quote, that I probably don't remember perfectly, but it's something along the lines of... We don't fight this battle because we are certain we will win; we fight it in order to maintain our integrity and our sanity.

If everyone I've heard say "I like Bernie's ideas but I won't vote for him because he can't win" would just vote for him, he'd win in a landslide.

Trump didn't win because his opponents were weak. He won because voters are tired of same ole same ole (and the DNC wouldn't allow Bernie to compete). It's not a wrestling match; it's an election. The voters' preference for novelty is what put Trump in office, not Trump's strength. They would have preferred Bernie, but the Democratic establishment preferred Trump to Bernie because they knew Trump wouldn't endanger their cash cow.

It won't surprise me in the least if Bernie is never president; everything is stacked against him, and against fair treatment of the disadvantaged. It's been that way for ten thousand years. But that isn't going to stop me from supporting what I think is fair and humane.

The so-called "moderate" Democrats are worse than Trump, because all they do hold the status quo until the next Republican comes back and pushes everything further to the right. We need someone who will push back.

@skado

Very well said.

My hat is off to you.

No, I will not vote for Trump. With Bernie's nomination, this is what is most likely to happen.

1. Trump will win a second term
2. Trump will complete his second term (because Democrats will not win a majority in the Senate)
3. Trump will build the best and the largest Presidential Library in Florida that will also be a symbol of the greatest narcissist ever lived in America
4. The admission will not be free to the library. We all, our grandchildren, foreign tourists will buy tickets to go see it
5. Our grandchildren will go to Trump schools and colleges, drive on Trump highways, take off and land on Trump national and international airports
6. Our grandchildren and their children will not complain about a national holiday for Trump's birthday
7. Bernie's candidacy and defeat will galvanize the conservatives base, the conservative state legislatures, school boards
8. Natural evolution lessons will be removed from school books and intelligent design will be included, American history will be revised, Christian prayers will be introduced at schools and at the beginning of all legislative sessions
9. Ten Commandments monuments will be installed in front of all state houses
10. Citizens vs. United will continue but Roe vs Wade will be overturned
11. Anti-abortion will be the law of the land
12. Gender based bathrooms laws will spread nationwide like wildfire
13. All state and federal courts will be packed with ultra conservative and religious appointees
14. Gun lobby and second amendment protections will get stronger
15. Federal funding to Christianity in the country and overseas will increase
16. The defeat lesson of the Democrats in 2020 will be taught in political science classes in Harvard
17. Democrats will change parties in droves
    18.. It will be embarrassing to be called a Democrat in streets
18. The Republicans, religious right and religion will have a grip on Washington for the next 30 years.
19. Racism will rise
20. Civil Rights progress will be set back 50 years
21. Racial hatred crimes will rise
22. Biases and hatred against immigrants will rise
23. America will lose further respect around the world
24. Many Americans will move to Canada
25. Many highly educated, qualified and successful immigrants will move back to home countries and to other countries (Canada, UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland)
26. The religious right will call Trump's victory as the second coming of Jesus
27. America will not remain a super power. China will.

@St-Sinner I already know you envision Armageddon. . I didn't ask you what your doomsday scenario would be if Bernie was the nominee, I asked you if you're going to get behind him IF he's the nominee.

@Sgt_Spanky I am trying to go to Canada to avoid that day.

@St-Sinner maybe your imagination has got ‘ahead’ of you? But, even with ‘strong’ opinions...there is still something more!

@St-Sinner You're just going to have to hold your nose and vote for him like I did for Hillary in 2016 -- I fucking hated that woman but what other choice was there? Don't think of it as voting for Bernie, think of it as not voting for Trump.

@Sgt_Spanky You don't think Hillary let you down and Bernie will do it 5 fold? Why are you on a suicide mission brother?

@Sgt_Spanky

@st-sinner is full of shit. He has admitted to me twice now that he will indeed vote for Trump.

And yet, he calls himself a progressive.

@RoboGraham
I will not be deterred from my path of telling and spreading the truth despite of attacks. I must carry on the mission to enlighten voters and save our democracy.

@St-Sinner

It's not an attack if you did say that you are going to vote Trump, which you did, twice.

Are you going to deny it?

@RoboGraham
I was so so distraught that I may have said it in a deep despair. I am so worried these days that I have now started drinking. Don't pay attention if I ever said I would vote for Trump. I do not like Trump but.. now I think I dislike Bernie more. See what you did?

@St-Sinner

I got you to admit that you are overwhelmed and drinking too much and therefor we shouldn't pay attention to the things you say. Case closed. You just gave everyone permission to ignore your rubbish opinions because you can't even trust yourself to make clear decisions.

@RoboGraham He's a progressive like I'm an underwear model. At this point I don't think he's even a harrdline centrist Dem, I think he's just a GOP troll.

@Sgt_Spanky

I think he is an empty headed cable news parrot.

@Aurora62
Do you know that people can be lonely? I am very lonely. On top that Bernie is consuming too much of my time and energy.

@Aurora62, @RoboGraham

I am running this awareness campaign for the truth that is self funded. Nobody is paying me. But the nation is more important than me, our democracy is too valuable and yet so vulnerable to people who are not a member of the party and try to hijack it just to satisfy Bernie's personal selfish ambitions to become president of the most powerful nation in the world at the fledgeling age of 78 when his heart may give up any time. I am worried about many things.

@St-Sinner

Bernie isn't consuming your time, your weird anti-bernie mission is depriving you of time and energy. That is your choice. Lots of people put time and energy into Bernie, for those who advocate for him, it's time well spent, for those who try to put the breaks on the movement, well I can see how that would be overwhelming.

Your tactics of alienating everyone with your know it all "truth" attitude, and your constant attacks on a beloved political figure are most definitely adding to your loneliness.

@RoboGraham
Are you denying that Bernie is turning off many core Democrats who do not want him the race?

@Aurora62
How can I find time to find a "nice Lady"? Who has the time? Bernie is just worrying me so much that I am devoting my time to tell voters to not fall for Bernie's $50 Trillion gimmick that will prove to be the
invitation to Trump to screw us for 4 years more. I cannot dream of a lady and even a Friday bitch.

@Aurora62
On one hand Bernie is talking $50 Trillion cost socialism and on the other... you are mentioning amazing, wild sex. How can I find a balance in life that you are talking about?

@St-Sinner

Any candidate will turn off some voters. The progressives are the Democratic base and they are with Bernie 100%

1. Bernie said since 2016 that he is a socialist. This cannot be undone
2. The damage of that saying is already done. That cannot be undone
3. Trump, Republicans and Conservatives have already capitalized on this stupidity and branded Bernie as a socialist. That cannot be undone
4. Voters have now a perception of who Bernie is with enough information out there of his communist and socialist misadventures. Perceptions matter for the masses. That damage cannot be undone
5. You can continue the academic discussion of the difference between the two but the voter is not a student of political science, politics or a professor like some are here. It is does not matter what the difference is to voters." The damage has been done and it cannot be undone.

@St-Sinner Right.... So let's get rid of all forms of socialism in the US? Social Security? Medicare? Roads? Public schools? And my favorite, corporate socialism subsidies?

@bingst
Ranting against Millionaires ad Billionaires, blaming them for our miseries day in and day out and taxing them to death is not the same as what FDR did.

@St-Sinner I don't know about that. But what does that have to do with the thrust of my questions? Or are you just dodging? Is this the DNC playbook tactics?

@bingst Noble goals are admirable, social equality and justice are important and we all want it but you cannot send a past communist, a socialist 78 year old candidate who has had a recent heart attack to go against Trump in a debate. That is writing your obituary. That is what I fear. Tearing down of Bernie has not even started. He is still singing with his choir. Wait until Trump and his operatives dig out his skeletons and make him evaporate. You will think Dukakis was better.

@desertastronomer
How Can I explain to you? Just scroll up a little to understand why the difference does not matter any more. The damage cannot be undone.

@desertastronomer The assumption seems to be that the average American voter is too stupid to even know that there is a difference. It also doesn't help that even reporters in left-leaning media fail to say "democratic socialist" and say just "socialist," like Chuck Todd.

The USA has several socialist programs already in place and people seem to like them. SOCIAL SECURITY.....MEDICARE.....MEDICADE....UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE......FLOOD INSURANCE......FOOD STAMPS....... @St-Sinner

The working class have to pay a higher tax rate on their wages than the rich pay taxes on their capital gains. Tell me this isn't rigged for the rich...@St-Sinner

The people like Bernie's programs....free college....$15.00 per hour minimum wage....universal heath care as a RIGHT not a privilege @St-Sinner

But our society is not Denmark, Sweden, or Finland. One shoe does not fit all. Social Policy 101.

That is a dumb comment. @St-Sinner

@nicknotes Why? What is not true about the comparison with Denmark which is election plaque of Bernie? I have explained more here [agnostic.com]

Thank you. Will you be my friend?

@St-Sinner Yeah, you are obviously crazy, but I can work with you as a friend-without-benefits. Had to study you for awhile- you're a piece of work.

He never said that about Biden's plan, I see that you are exposed to Russian disinformation being posted by comrades like St. Sinner. Bad mistake. Also, he is an independent but running as a democrat following the rules set up by the DNC, most of the country voters are registered independents like me, and no one can win without the support of independentt voters. Now, would you rather vote for a republican turned independent turned democrat like Bloomberg, which would be similar to voting for a libertarian, turned democrat, turned republican like Trump? Bernie has the support of the majority in ALL POLLS that show him defeating Trump. Especially in the states that Hillary lost, like Michigan, Wisonsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Don't fall for labels, Bernie has aleays caucused with democrats and IS running as a democrat following the rules set up by the DNC. He will beat Trump in a landslide.

[news.gallup.com]

@Mofo1953 That's actually a great question that made me think for a sec. If Biden does not make the primary, would I vote for Bloomburg or Sanders? Rock meet hard place. I might actually prefer Sanders to Bloomburg.

@St-Sinner Also, I think we should update the meme to your 9 points instead of what they have on it. Let me know if you need photoshop help to do that. I agree that the sickle and Republican-scare propaganda has to go.

@Aurora62 what is Ring of Fire? Seriously.

@Mofo1953 Amazingly, to add more fuel to St. Sinner's fire, we need to assess the British/Brexit situaation. We knew several years ago, when Boris Johnson - a British version of Trump won the election - then we had Brexit. I immediately hit the panic button along with a close friend who is a political campaign manager with experience on Obama's campaign. She lost it when James Corbyn had his ass kicked by Johnson. The devil is in the details and I will leave you with this summary. Trends tend to hit us - the same way they hit our Bristish friends. [theatlantic.com]

@Aurora62 oh, i see. I just did a search. Don't watch a lot of channels from You Tube.

@UrsiMajor not at all comparable, because Corbyn went into the campaign with the lowest net satisfaction ratings of any opposition leader since the late 1970s (Ipsos Mori). That's not the case with Bernie, in fact he wins vs Trump in integrity, likeability and honesty.

But I am a progressive caught up among Southern Conservatives here. I live here just to make a living. I do not agree with them. But don't talk about our long time Governor Rick Perry who we are proud of just for his hair. He disagrees with Trump sometimes. Isn't that worth anything? Also Texas women are wild and our real ribs BBQ is delicious. Come on down to enjoy.

@St-Sinner 1. obviously not progressive enough
2. rick perry declared a day of prayer for rain - that alone is enough to condemn all texans.
3. whorns suck
4. Kansas City BBQ is better
5. the ONLY positive features of Texas I found were the elderly mexican ladies of Odessa in the early 70's who cooked the most amazing food at Austin elementary, John Ireland elementary, and Crockett Jr. High. They taught my mom to cook it and she imparted that knowledge to me. Them and horny toads, christmas tumbleweeds, and dirt biking on the monohans sand springs.

@JeffMesser LOL. That is true. That's how Perry kicked off his 2016 presidential campaign I think. Surprisingly you have good things to say about the most boring flat land of Texas.

@St-Sinner

You calling yourself a progressive just fraud. You are directly opposed to progressive ideology.

@RoboGraham How?

1. I gave you the source of the truth
2. I gave you the quotes from the interview
3. I did not quote from Fox News or CNN. It is NPR, an independent news source

What truth will you accept, other than just a make believe lullaby that Bernie will be elected?

@St-Sinner

How? Because you are putting out daily attacks on the progressive candidate. That makes you a reactionary.

Progressives don't praise Trump's wall. Progressives don't cite right wing propaganda to attack the democratic front runner. Progressives don't call progressive policies "pie in the sky." Progressives don't openly talk about voting for Trump. Progressives understand the difference between socialism and social democracy.

If you think you are a progressive, you are suffering from delusions.

@RoboGraham it's an Austin thing. all the professionals in Austin think they're progressive because they can sit in a room with gay people and not string them up or call them "fag".

@JeffMesser

It must be a whole nother world down there. Where I'm from, being progressive means you almost definitely support Sanders or maybe Warren if you are progressive lite.

@RoboGraham their idea of diversity is having men with red, brown, AND blonde hair as deacons of their baptist church.

@JeffMesser

This is making sense now about Mr. Sinner. He is all about the identity politics which makes him believe that he is a progressive but economically, he is a conservative.

@RoboGraham I have been misunderstood before.

true story. One of my Indiana relatives asked me recently:
"you used to live there ... what's the best way to see Texas?"
"In your rear-view mirror" I replied. "They are why I am a Hindu today."

@JeffMesser

Good for you man.

I've never been, never plan to go. The only thing I like about Texas is Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill.

@desertastronomer Anybody who calls out the truth about Bernie is not good? What type of truth will you accept?

@desertastronomer

Unfortunately, NPR has really gone downhill. I can't tell the difference between them and the corporate news network these days.

Came out sweeter the second time; thanks for the tip.

A good format but an unconvincing response. You are denying all assessments by a Democratic Strategist. He cannot be wrong on all. We will try again sometime

@St-Sinner I got zero for nine? I lose! Hah, next time I'll understand the rules a little better. Experts are always right! Whoulda thunk it?

@St-Sinner
Why couldn't he be wrong on all? They were totally wrong on Hillary twice.

Well written and I appreciate your (considerable!) effort!

@St-Sinner Bernie is not your ‘cup of tea’...put your vote where your heart is...that is what we all do!

@Freedompath Do you know how many millions of core Democrats are out there like me? What is going to happen in November 2020 to Bernie without us?

@St-Sinner We all take our chances...how are you any different? How can you speak for ‘millions of core Democrats,’ anyway? I can’t even speak for one of my own children!

@Freedompath
All I can say is... Don't Do It.

@St-Sinner Where would I be today, if I followed the admonitions of others! Surely you jest? I will make up my own mind and so should you and all others, who expect to be authentic! Ck your fear factor to make sure your position is not based on it...good decision never come out of fear!

@Freedompath You are right about that. At least you are thinking independently. Can't say the same about many others.

@St-Sinner ...best that we be an example, and not rob anyone of their freedom to choose!

@St-Sinner Glad to hear you identify as a core democrat. I thought you would be a Romney moderate. I had to take back a lot of my harsh posts against Romney after he voted for the Obstruction impeachment vote. Who knew we had it so good when the biggest problem with a Republican nominee was that he strapped a dog on top of a moving vehicle with binders full of women?

@UrsiMajor
I don't deny at all that everybody and anybody can reform and come to his senses. Romney did... but here Bernie is just on his mindless personal ambition trip to become president.

Bernie has been soaked in politics over 50 years. That's all he has done in his life. But there is hardly any signature legislation a voter can remember with Bernie's name. What people remember is that he voted against a gun legislation that would have held gun manufacturers accountable after shooting. He protected the gun lobby. That is what all are talking about. Does it sound like a Democrat or a progressive.

People are not fools. American voters across the country are not going to fall for the tiny state politician with a communist past and just propped up by Occupy Wall Street enthusiasts.

Bernie cannot be and will not be president. But as they say... it is to be very bad before it can get better. Maybe Bernie can give that bad to Democrats and progressives with a dark cloud hanging over heads for decades after Trump's second term that the American voters will never never ever go for a phony shit like his ever again.

I hope for the common sense to prevail but we Democrats are very good about doing crazy shit so maybe this is Take II or say... Dukakis II.

@St-Sinner Maybe it is a ruse. If Bernie can hold the frontrunner position, maybe Trump will be too busy attacking him to hurt Biden. Maybe the democrats are all in on it. It was a nightmare when Trump attacked Biden's son for whatever bs went on in the Ukraine. Let him beat on Bernie for a bit.

@UrsiMajor
No matter how you see it, with Bernie's candidacy, the anger against socialism, Pelosi's mean vendetta for 3 years with unsuccessful impeachment and low employment + strong economy..... Trump is going to win the re-election in 2020.

I have a glimmer of hope with Warren | Castro ticket. Bernie will have a second heart attack or Biden may spit out his dentures in the first debate with Trump. I don't mind Biden's injected Collagen but he also gets too much foam in his mouth in the debates. But our Pocahontas will destroy Trump.

@St-Sinner You do get my sarcasm about the experts? Hilary's strategists are having a field day dissing Bernie. And they were all so brilliant then, and have learned so much from their errors. NOT! The conventional wisdom is what lost the election in 2016. She lost to the biggest moron in US political history, and it wasn't all because of the Russians. Her candidacy was so lackluster that she got no heartfelt support, other than a few women who were behind her because she is a woman. The rest were all hacks following the formula.

And that is exactly, exactly, exactly what a Bloomberg or Biden would engender. Bloomberg is paying for his support, and though he is rich, he can't buy us all. Biden's support is eroding like a beach in a hurricane. What Trump revealed is the power of a "base" election. He somehow (his charm totally escapes me) inspired enough people who had been sitting out on voting to jump in and vote for him, in states by state that he needed. The base that all the moderate Republicans are afraid of, that's what drives the bus. Well, we have a base too. And its not racist, sexist, homophobic, or fear based. It is experimental, yes, about change towards SOCIAL democracy. That's not socialism, state owning everything. Not communism, where "worker's councils of snitches inform on thought criminals. Its what most of the rest of the industrialized world does every day they eat their breakfast!

I don't know if I'll vote for Bernie, Pete, or Liz. They each have their strengths. No early voting. I'm saving myself, like a virgin, for that special moment on Super Tuesday, where I hold my nose, walk into my local church, and vote!

@Kenoaks
I kinda understand your point but when you say you are saving yourself like a virgin... I only remember Trump is always horny.

@St-Sinner he’s not gonna pop my cherry!

I am Democratic Party activist, a voter and want to do everything to save our democracy. Just imagine if all activists kept quiet throughout the history. We would be ruled by crazy people and our lives could be different.... worse I mean.

I must fight Bernie Sanders' crazy misadventure of talking socialism, running for president in a fully capitalist country. It not just will not work but it will make things worse for all.

@St-Sinner was this from your ‘crystal ball?’ It seems your ideas are not flexible but hard as ‘rocks,’ ...politics never are as hard as rocks!

@Freedompath
Ears to the ground. Reading between lines. From lessons learned. Experience and just the gut feelings. That is worth more that a few books and online articles.

@St-Sinner Well, thank you! I ascribe to that way of gaining information.

The solution to defeat Trump is find a good, strong candidate. Not shoot ourselves in foot with anger.

@St-Sinner What anger? Step away from NPR & CNN for a while. Bernie's not my fav candidate and I won't vote for him in the run-up, but If he's the Dem candidate in November I'm voting for him. Anger has nothing to do with it.

@ronnie40356 So what is that yelling about Billionaires and Millionaires? What is going on about... make the rich pay for all free giveaways? Is it love?

@St-Sinner I don't yell about billionaires and millionaires, I tend to agree with Warren regarding them. Tax the hell outta them, and corporations to. That's my take on that.

@ronnie40356
I was talking about the yelling by the Bernie campaign.

1. But why punish one class of society to pay for another class?
2. If Billionaires and Millionaires have broken the law, prosecute them. Why generalize?
3. I agree with with fairness in taxes but taxing hell out of them is fairness?
4. Everybody is free to become a millionaire and billionaire. Most of them in America have risen from very modest lower middle class background. Bernie is one of them.
5. Do you think capitalizing on people's angst, agony, poverty, struggles, failures and pitting one class on another is a sign of a sound mind that we should handover the keys to the castle to?

@St-Sinner

1. I don't consider it "punishment" to expect the wealthy and corporations to pay their share.
2. No one said anything about them breaking the law. So I'll give you this one.
3. Tax the hell out of them may have been a bit strong. Let's take their tax rates back to what it was in the 60s or even 50s I can live with that.
4. This is not pertinent to the conversation, but I'd like a link backing up your comment that most millionaires & billionaires in the US began as lower middle class.
5. You yourself are capitalizing on the agony, poverty, etc except you're arguing for it from the wealthy 1%ers position.

PS. We'll agree to disagree. Have a great day

@St-Sinner the rich make all their money off the ‘backs’ of the ‘little man’ with some affluent tossed in for good measure! You surely are not for the common good as an activist? So you must fall on the side for the rich and famous! But, I would wonder who pays you?

@Freedompath My paycheck after 40 hours of hard work per week.

@St-Sinner ...something is ‘off’ here...but then you know what is happening behind the scenes!

@St-Sinner You may want to look at the tax structure here in Canada before trying to move here. You will NOT like our tax system if you are against taxing people that make more money more than the working class.

Yes.

We tried running a moderate last time. Look what happened. In fact every moderate we ran this century failed. Gore- lost, Kerry- lost, Clinton- lost, Obama- won, but only because he ran on a hope and change progressive message.

We win by turning out large numbers. We turn out large numbers by giving people a reason to believe that voting will be worth while, that actual positive change will come. You don't get that large turn out with a boring moderate promising status quo and a return to normalcy.

@RoboGraham Hillary lost in 2016 because she was a bad candidate. Bernie will lose in 2020 because he is a bad candidate. It is not about moderates, extremists, independents, programs, policies, good hearts, compassion or Mr. Nice Guy.

@St-Sinner If it's not about "moderates, extremists, independents, programs, policies, good hearts, compassion or Mr. Nice Guy." What makes a good candidate good or a bad candidate bad?

@RoboGraham
Pragmatism. Knowing your place. Understanding how high you can jump and not have any illusions about yourself. Bernie has big illusions about himself.

@St-Sinner

Bernie just became the first candidate in either party to win all three of the first states. Bernie is at the top of all the polls. Bernie has a massive devoted following that will smack down all nonsense coming from haters. Bernie has an unlimited supply of funds because his individual donor numbers keep climbing to new heights.

The delusions here are your insistence that Bernie is a bad communist candidate who will wreck the party and ruin the country. You really are drinking too much aren't you.

@RoboGraham
It is only a few months to November 2020. Enjoy while you can. Donny is coming soon.... You will think I was a saint when Donny gets started on Bernie.

@St-Sinner

You are a saint.

Just as Bloomberg is a terrific candidate for Sanders to run against, so will be Trump. A billionaire with a history of racist policies, sexual assault allegations, and self enrichment on the public dime.

Bernie will carve him up like a thanksgiving turkey.

@RoboGraham
You have nice but very inflated ideas about Bernie. I worry about Bernie's heart in the first Debate against Trump.

@St-Sinner

So Bernie and Donny will be debating then ah?

You've accepted that Bernie probably will be the nominee?

@RoboGraham
Yes, we Democrats are stupid and suicidal. I am not going to deny it.