From former lobbyist William Gould:
"So, imagine that you are a Senator or a House of Representatives member ( It doesn't matter if you are a Democrat or Republican). Your salary is $170,000 a year. And, your first year in office you receive $4,000,000.00 total from lobbyists from the Fossil Fuel industry, the NRA, the Pharmaceutical industry and the Defense Contractor industry lobbyists. AND there are NO TERM LIMITS! So you're thinking AWESOME! By the 3rd or 4th year you are worth 10 maybe 15 million plus your lifestyle has changed. Your social life is consumed by visits from your new lobbyist buddies. You are in THE BIG CLUB now!!!!!
So along comes this guy. And he won't give up. He wants the actual people of this country to be represented again. He wants to make it illegal for you to take in $4,000,000.00 a year in "campaign donations"! He is Fucking cramping your style! His name is Bernie Sanders. And he represents a threat to everything that you and your Mercedes 550SL driving wife have become accustomed to. He IS the enemy!
So, you talk to your fellow congressmen and it is apparent that this is an emergency. We have to stop Bernie Sanders at all costs! You pool tens of millions of dollars into a disinformation campaign aimed at making Bernie Sanders look like a communist. You funnel another 20 million dollars into "fixing" the delegates by appointing lobbyists as delegates who will delay any information on awarded delegate votes until absolutely necessary. Delegates who are precommitted to anyone opposing Bernie Sanders. You pull out all the stops to preserve what is "rightfully yours". You and your Senator pals pay millions to the media to proclaim that Biden is the only rational choice. You buy anyone you can on social media including Facebook to proclaim an early victory, because this is a true emergency and if Bernie Sanders wins? Well if Bernie Sanders wins....my family will have to live on a measly $170,000.00 a year with free healthcare. Who the hell can live on that?
That's where we are people. Believe what you want but it is YOUR VOICE that hangs in the balance. A government owned by corporate influence or a nation "of the people for the people and by the people"
Take it from an ex lobbyist... This is how everything works now. Do you want change?"
Bernie Sanders 2020
4
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8 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Problem is, is that when everything crashes (stock market, oil prices) then you are left holding the bag. Hopefully. many of those involved will cut and run (quit while they're ahead).
JackPedigo
Level 9
Mar 16, 2020
0
There is no place for a good person in a corrupt system.
Exactly. Let it go.
MarkiusMahamius
Level 7
Mar 14, 2020
0
We live in a plutocracy and always will, until we either have publicly financed elections or most politicians do like Bernie and raise money from small donations. The problem is that few pols these days have the appeal to raise money like Bernie does..At least this Gould guy speaks the truth about how pervasive and ruthless the Stop Bernie conspiracy is. Too bad most people can't see it or admit it.
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Mar 14, 2020
1
I've known this for a long time. Trying to tell others usually gets me a blank look. The bottom line is money talks, many elected officials justify their behavior or are morally bankrupt to start with ON BOTH SIDES of the aisle. The old adage 'actions speak louder than words' is true and then follow the money.
silverotter11
Level 9
Mar 14, 2020
2
I respect you as a measured and considerate person. But in this case there should be no binary thinking of us verses them. The fact is Bernie was an Independent who chose to run on the Democratic ticket in 2016 in order to take advantage of the “Established” political machine called the Democratic Party. The party has supported him in two campaigns with a true fair shot to have his brand of ideological politics fully considered. Bernie’s ideas have been a positive addition to the parties platform. But make no mistake the partie’s platform is based on an amalgam of diverse ideas which come from other candidates as well. These other candidates propose ideas that are more pragmatic in their approach to accomplishing healthcare for all and free or low cost paths to College. These pragmatic ideas are more likely to be acceptable to the general electorate because they are designed for gradual implementation in pursuit of the same ideals that Bernie insists must happen immediately. So it appears Bernie has lost for the second time. The first time Bernie lost he did not make a supportive exit in the graceful and supportive manner that Budigieg, Bloomberg, Clobushar, Booker, Yang and Harris have made. Why not? These other candidates ran noble campaigns. So why try to denigrate them when Bernie loses for the second time. IMO he needs to make a graceful, supportive, and appreciative concession speech which implores you and his other supporters to help us defeat Trump.
kensmile4u
Level 8
Mar 14, 2020
1
I do appreciate your civility.
In a disinformation-saturated world it's difficult, to near impossible, to discern what the facts really are.
Then, once we have the facts, it's good to keep in mind that individuals vary in their genuine interests. So I recognize that some very reasonable people might prefer what Biden offers, or what Trump offers, to what Bernie offers, and I have no quarrel with them. They should vote for their interests, just as I will vote for mine.
What's troubling to me is when people claim they prefer Bernie's vision of the future, but will not support him because they don't think he can win (I've never understood that logic; of course he can't if we don't vote for him) or that he wants to go too fast (tell that to the many thousands who die each year for lack of adequate healthcare). Why are we obligated to be slow and pragmatic while the other major developed countries had universal healthcare a long time ago? Were they too fast, or impractical?
And I don't buy the notion that "Americans are different". There is no way to know what is acceptable to the general electorate if you don't let them speak. The DNC was taken to court for disregarding the will of the voters in 2016, and they not only didn't deny it, they proudly stated they had no obligation to listen to the voters. Of course they don't; not as long as the voters are willing to be frightened into voting for whomever the DNC (establishment) chooses for them. It is how we vote that determines what rights we have. If we allow the establishment to vote for us, they will be happy to. If you think the Democrats supported Bernie in 2016, I think you should take a closer look. It appears to me it took all of their self-restraint to barely tolerate him. And openly admitting in a court of law that they tipped the scales in favor of Clinton, and intended to continue doing so in the future, is not what I call support.
Some challengers to the establishment have, in the past, sought election through third parties. I respect those who try, no matter what vehicle they choose. Bernie decided that his chances might be better to work from inside the existing framework, because he is a team player. He was no more "taking advantage" than was Hillary or Trump. He was working within the system because he is not an us-versus-them kind of person. His slogan is "Not me - Us". He, more than any candidate of any stripe in my lifetime, means ALL of us - not just us Progressives, or just us Democrats, but ALL of us.
I really don't know what you mean about Bernie not making a supportive exit. He endorsed Hillary and then went on to do 39 rallies in 13 states for Hillary. How more supportive could he get?
[cnn.com]
Bernie may very well lose, though that hasn't happened yet. And if he does, it won't be because the voters aren't ready for what he is offering, or that it is not pragmatic enough or slow enough. It will be because the oligarchs are not about to let us have it if they can stop it - now, or ever, at any speed.
“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”
― Frederick Douglass
Watch Dirty Money on Netflicks.
The third episode is about Jerad Kushner, trump’s son-in-law who runs a total real estate scam slumlord illegal empire like trump with financing from Deutsch Bank which his owned by Putin and his oligarchs.
Time to eradicate eliminate these Obstructionist politicians from both parties!!!
They are stealing us blind by unethical legal means they have created against us!!!
of-the-mountain
Level 9
Mar 14, 2020
1
Congress makes their own rules. Congress makes laws. Presidents have no power to change these two facts. Bernie is not a member of either party. How much cooperation do you think he will get? Bernie people are just as delusional as trump people. I am about as far left politically as anyone, but I am also a realist, and I find Bernie people living in the land of unicorns. There has been no government, whether a kingdom, democracy, or dictatorship that hasn't been corrupt. Humans are easily corruptible. That is fact, and that won't change.
Sticks48
Level 9
Mar 14, 2020
2
Apparently there are plenty of unicorn lands to go around. Having some curiosity and patience goes a lot further than name-calling. There is always the possibility that information exists that you haven't encountered. Mutual respect is a good place to start. Peace.
@skado I did not call anyone a name. I look at facts and make a judgment. We do this everyday all day long. You have nothing to counter my argument because it is based on reality. i don't respect the delusional, otherwise I would have to respect trumpers. Where is this information and where are these unicorn lands? I don't respect childlike behavior from adults and that is exactly what Bernie followers are acting like. If they don't get their way they will just take their ball and go home. That is reckless , irresponsible, and just plain old stupid. This is how we ended up with trump in the first place.
@skado Delusional is a state of mind. If I call someone smart they don't get upset. Wouldn't that be name calling? We only call it "name calling" if it is deemed negative. We don't call it "name calling" if it is deemed positive. That is just silly and quite stupid. Delusional is an accurate description at this time for many Bernie cultists as it is the trump cultists. They both act and sound the same. That is a fact.
@Sticks48
Hyperbole and ad hominem aren't arguments. It's not constructive. It's not even true. Delusional is a medical term that would not be applied to the people you refer to. Calling people you disagree with delusional is just emotional venting. Facts are more useful than venting. Mutual respect is more constructive than dehumanizing and inaccurate insults. If you want to sway my opinion, supply me with better information, sources, etc. Respect me, and I'll respect you. People have different needs and different life experiences, and different preferences. Just because they don't see things exactly as you do doesn't mean they are inferior. Insulting people is not the shortest route to enlightening them.
@skado I call people delusional who don't look at facts. I call people delusional who don't face up to reality. i don't respect humanity and haven't in decades, and I have seen nothing in the history of humanity make me budge from that position. Bernie lost to Clinton by over 3,000,000 votes in the primaries in 2016, and he is losing to Biden now. Those are facts. Bernie is not a part of the Democratic Party. he is a registered Independent. I give you facts. Name a government of any size that isn't corrupt, no matter what form that government takes. It won't matter because you have no facts to back your position. You will give me more bullshit amounting to nothing. I can't enlighten the stupid. If that were true, we would not be in the position we are in.
There is no place for a good person in a corrupt system.
So why, excately, is it so motherfucking end of the world critical that Sanders be the standard bearer for a corrupt party? Do you people even listen to yourselves?
1of5
Level 8
Mar 14, 2020
1
There is no "you people".
Because if the party is lead by someone with integrity, reforms can be made to reduce the corruption.
@1of5
Hey man, there's nothing wrong with talking in reversed fundies. They're actually even more fun that way.
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