Bernie to Dems: Change course before you nosedive in November

[brooklynite]

Politico

Bernie Sanders has something to get off his chest: Without a course correction, he sees the Democratic Party on track to get shellacked this fall.

As the progressive Vermonter, not one to mince words, put it in an interview on Tuesday: “You really can’t win an election with a bumper sticker that says: ‘Well, we can’t do much, but the other side is worse.’”

“The Republicans stand an excellent chance of gaining control of the House and quite possibly the Senate,” Sanders said. While the GOP’s anti-abortion stance and opposition to more sweeping firearm restrictions may help Democrats, he warned that if they “think that they’re gonna march to victory based on those issues, I think that that is not correct.”

With the majorities flashing before Democrats’ eyes, the independent who caucuses with them is asking his leadership, from President Joe Biden on down, to acknowledge that the party can’t actually do what it wants with two centrist senators as their deciding votes. After that real talk, Sanders wants Democrats to make the case for more Democratic power in 2023 — through a Newt Gingrich-style “Contract with America.”

[Happy Hoosier]

1. I'd like to know what his political strategy is here.

Although we control the House, we only "control" the Senate by the thinnest of margins. Our hands are essentially tied there and Joe Manchin and Kristen Sinema do not care. It's all about THEM.

What does Bernie want here? I mean, something that is actually in the realm of the possible.

[iamthebandfanman]

86. Weird how

When conservatives want someone gone, IE madison, it happens.. but with our guys.. oh golly gee what are we supposed to do golly my oh my :p

[Happy Hoosier]

87. Neither can be replaced anytime soon.

Sinema can probably be replaced. But Manchin? Very unlikely.

What can he done before the election?

[867-5309.]

2. I see Bernie's point - abortion and guns won't carry the day alone

Inflation is the number one issue for voters and Joe's numbers on handling it are dismal. I think this gets back to messaging.

[NNadir]

3. If he were a Democrat, he'd have standing.

[867-5309.]

7. An ally who helped Joe get elected is offering sound advice, imo

I don't have a problem with it.

[NNadir]

11. I do. Sanders seems to think his is the only ideology that matters.

If it were, he'd be President of the United States.

Most of our fine set of candidates during the primaries dropped out to support Joe Biden when Sanders started winning primaries, albeit with a minority of the votes. The reason his because everyone knew that even a thug like Trump could defeat him.

I personally object to being lectured on my values by a fool.

Criticism is easy. Having achievements is far more difficult. What has Sanders ever actually achieved besides getting cheers for his oblivious critiques?

[comradebillyboy]

12. I share your views on this person. Excellent post.

[867-5309.]

29. Your ideology doesn't matter if you aren't president?

He is a vote that can pretty much be relied on. He's sort of the conscience of the party in terms of ideals versus political considerations. He has pushed the spectrum to the left. I think his presence is a positive thing.

Bernie and Joe have a cordial relationship. It's to their credit they came together for the general. I'm a fan of Joe and Bernie.

[empedocles]

33. Actually the ideology does matter. "Socialist ideology', is a popular target that

seems to work quite well for the 'cons.

[867-5309.]

34. Actually they're labelling Democrats as communists now

They'll always have a target and attack us as the dangerous leftists.

[FoxNewsSucks]

14. You want to kick him out of the caucus? Give Senate leadership back to Moscow Mitch?

You do realize he gives us the 50 needed for Senate majority.

And unlike certain senators we are always told to "love" for that reason, Sanders works his ass of in SUPPORT of Democrats and Democratic policy.

[NNadir]

18. I no more want to kick him out of the caucus than I do for Manchin.

He's a useful fool, but still a fool. I just have no use for his supercilious announcements about what we have to do to meet his standards.

[FoxNewsSucks]

19. Maybe he'd just like to win a decisive control

I question whether some other elected officials truly do.

And he's no fool. Saying that reveals more about the accuser.

[NNadir]

31. Whatever. I stand by my remarks and couldn't care less if someone...

...to feel any particular way about what these remarks say about me.

Sanders has been angling for "decisive control" for his entire career. The problem is that most people do not wish to be controlled by him, because many people, myself included, think him a fool.

Is Grassley more likely to be defeated if Franken campaigns side by side with Bernie Sanders?

How about Mark Kelly?

Unlike Sanders, I've been a Democrat for 5 decades. I have never felt particularly impressed with what he says about my party. Quite the opposite.

[FoxNewsSucks]

36. Got it, he shouldn't point out flaws in the party. Wouldn't want to correct anything, would we.

[Nixie]

55. At some point his flaws should also be discussed, though.

[Sympthsical]

25. Apparently things are going so well for us, we have time for this

He's in the Democratic leadership.

The primaries are long past.

It's time to move on already.

[betsuni]

45. "He's in the Democratic leadership." Yes, the "establishment."

[Sympthsical]

50. The point being?

I know the attempted point. But the actual one would be interesting. And not the usual phantom targets.

Is what he stated wrong or not? If so, why is he wrong?

Past bitterness impeding future progress is not the good look people seem to think it is.

[Nixie]

53. Why the continued backward arguments?

“past bitterness” — such irony considering who was actually rejected by Democrats.

[Sympthsical]

56. I will say

I find the Havishamian devotion to all this almost kind of impressive at this point.

I mean, it takes effort.

[Nixie]

60. More irony.

[FoxNewsSucks]

52. A surprising number of people need to look up

what is meant when "the establishment" is used in a negative way.

[Nixie]

58. "The primaries" --. The results of the primaries are also in,

so who is it that needs to move on actually?

[Sympthsical]

63. Except that I do not care

I didn't vote for Bernie in the primary.

People lose, life goes on.

For most people. Most.

[Nixie]

65. Familiar words, but the actions don't match. Why bring

up the “primaries” if the results are in. It just seems a useful crutch to thwart criticism about his recent comments.

[Sympthsical]

66. If the criticism were about the comments instead of the usual about the man

There'd be the shape of a point here.

Anyway, I just made coffee. Costco was out of my usual last week, so I bought the Kirkland brand. Terrible. Even aside from the taste, it makes a total disaster of the inside of the coffee maker. Were the grounds packed with explosives? Every internal surface is coated in grubby Colombian horror. Rather irritating to wash down the entire system every day. Fortunately, my partner said he spotted my brand was back in stock yesterday. I think I will do something I never do - actually return a product to a store. Costco will give you money back no questions asked. I'm about halfway into the can, but no. This is too much.

Also, I bought new compression shorts for the gym. A kind of dark blue and gray camo pattern. They're quite neat.

[Nixie]

67. "The usual about the man". Actually it was you who brought up

the primaries, so more irony about “the usual”. Trying to place his current comments back into that time period was pretty much your idea.

[Sympthsical]

69. My contractor is almost here

Our tenant just moved out. We have bamboo floors on the ground level, but his room has like . . . peeling? Like someone put a thin coat of something on the floor, and it's peeling. It was like that before he moved in. Just taking the opportunity now that the room is empty. Not sure what it is. No other part of the house has this issue. Just the one room. I've never seen the surface of a wooden floor peel like that. It's not laminate either, confounding the mystery. Fortunately, the contractor just texted and is about five mins out.

Oh oh, also! It's going to be 100+ for the next three days here. We finally get the opportunity to really run in the new solar panels. It's pretty exciting.

(Look, I have to hold my own interest in this endless topic at this point since none else is forthcoming, so this is what's happening).

[Nixie]

73. Well, we're getting new countertops and our contractor was

supposed to show up tomorrow to take the sink template and do final measurements to fabricate the slab with what we thought with a laser tool, but we find out in a last-minute surprise that they are demo-ing and hauling away the existing granite and sink leaving us without a functioning kitchen for 12 days. So we’re making phone calls.

I doubt you need to make false analogies, though, even if it is going to be 100 degrees.

[Sympthsical]

84. Make sure the bigger side of the sink is over the disposal.

I don't know what the original owners were thinking, but the disposal is on the small side of the sink. So you can't really put dishes flat in it for soaking purposes. Enraging.

New countertops are tight. We have granite with a kind of nice Napa rock color scheme going. Last week I noticed the tiniest, tiniest chip in them off in a corner somewhere. My partner said, "Yeah, it was there when we moved in." So for two and a half years, I never noticed this tiny chip in a corner.

But now I see it.

Every. Time. I. Walk. Into. The. Kitchen.

I see it.

It haunts me.

[JI7]

4. lol

[moose65]

21. Enjoy your short stay here

[Celerity]

46. and short it was

[comradebillyboy]

24. Good observation.

[Celerity]

42. nice RW talking points, welcome to DU

[Demsrule86]

83. You called it.

[JohnSJ]

6. "asking Joe Biden to acknowledge that the party can't actually do what it wants with two centrist

senators as their deciding votes, ........ making the case for more Democratic power in 2023"

Wow, so many words to say the obvious, without saying a damn thing, or suggesting a strategy

Where have I heard this before?

Kind of sounds like this:

"......it isn't up to me to make the case to my backers that more Democrats should be elected"

We all know why we are here today. Because in 2016 enough people didn't think the Supreme Court mattered, and the Supreme Court was at stake in 2016, and not enough people cared

[CrackityJones75]

72. It's because he is as big a narcissist as there is.

I voted for him in the primary because I believe his ideas have merit and having those ideas represented are a good thing and Biden was running away with it, but good grief the man is nauseating at times.

[JohnSJ]

78. This is the time for everyone to GOTV, and unite

[bearsfootball516]

8. In this case, he's correct.

Guns and the Supreme Court gutting Roe v Wade is a big deal to us, but inflation and gas prices are the No. 1 and 2 issues on most voters minds. If those don't return to even semi-normal levels by November, it's going to be an ugly midterms.

People care about guns/abortion, but they care more about the cost of a pound of ground beef because it directly hits their wallets. People will only vote on social issues if they already feel comfortable financially.

[Justice matters.]

51. As if by electing the GQP in power would even just start at solving No. 1 and 2...

Not only it wouldn't even begin to solve those 2 issues. It would only make them worse!

[Mad_Machine76]

71. That's what I want to scream

everytime I hear on the news or read political articles talking about how DOOMED Democrats are because of those issues over which Biden has no control and that electing Republicans would only make all those things (and others) worse.

[Deminpenn]

9. ALL the Democrats who ran in the recently concluded

Senate primary in Pennsylvania pledged to vote to eliminate the fillibuster and break that logjam. They all came to the conclusion that was good politics, pretty much in line with what Bernie is suggesting.

[Nixie]

10. lol, once again trying to tie his losses to Democrats.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

13. Having someone from outside our party suggest that

the Democratic Party message is: "‘Well, we can’t do much, but the other side is worse” is both false and a morale-killing comment.

Most unhelpful (again).

Bernie being Bernie.

[FoxNewsSucks]

15. Sanders does more to support Biden

and the Democratic party than some "Democratic" senators who constantly block what we want and do the bidding of Moscow Mitch.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

16. Put that on a bumper sticker

[FoxNewsSucks]

17. Too many words for that

but it's true.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

20. As opposed to:

"‘Well, we can’t do much, but the other side is worse”

I think we all know the truth about the "helpfulness" of Sen. Sanders.

[FoxNewsSucks]

26. It's a simple truth.

Thanks to two "democratic" senators, Biden's agenda was thwarted. Republicons couldn't have stopped it on their own. Yes, they are worse, and the inability to get things passed is apparent. It's not something good to run on even though it is an accurate statement.

What do you suggest be done to get BBB passed, abortion and voting protection laws passed and gun laws passed?

[CrackityJones75]

39. Wrong.

Thanks to an entire party named the GOP good legislation for the country was stopped.

When he goes out and says two democrats stopped the legislation and not pointing out that the republicans stopped it he is not helpful. There should be room for people in parties to have differing views so that we CAN pass legislation. If not we will continue to stagnate.

[FoxNewsSucks]

41. Wrong.

We expect republicons to stop things. They're scumbag assholes.

Do they have the votes to block everything by themselves? Can they stop democrats from eliminating the filibuster or making exceptions for legislation like BBB, voting and guns?

[CrackityJones75]

43. "We expect republicons to stop things."

That is the fucking problem and what he SHOULD be saying!

How is this that hard to comprehend?

Attacking Dems and foretelling “their” nosedive is not productive and it is the same shit he always does…. Until he wants to run under our banner.

Blame the fucking Republicans. Always! That is ALWAYS what we should be doing.

[FoxNewsSucks]

47. Some of us don't need to be told or reminded.

WE ALREADY KNOW!!!! and can't do anything about those assholes.

Without the democrats who help them, they couldn't do their obstruction. We'd have BBB. We'd have the two voting laws. We'd have Roe codified. We'd have gun laws. How is this that hard to comprehend?

Blame the republicon dickheads, but why give a pass to their enablers?

[CrackityJones75]

49. Jesus.

Let’s assume you are trying to get someone to vote for you. Does saying “The democrats can’t get out of their own way” help???? At all? What the fuck? No it doesn’t and he needs to shit his pie hole.

[FoxNewsSucks]

54. That's his point.

He's saying it's not something we can win on. So his warning can be heeded or ignored. It's depressing how many want to ignore it and just keep going down a likely road to failure.

[CrackityJones75]

64. No. It isn't.

If you want to win you don’t go on an interview saying that the democrats won’t win. You may do that behind the scenes in meetings with party leadership but you SURE AS FUCK DON’T PUT IT OUT TO THE MEDIA!

If you do you are grandstanding for yourself!

[Qutzupalotl]

32. "Make Manchin and Sinema irrelevant"

Some candidates are already running on that message. That's a pretty good summary of the situation.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

62. Better yet:

Elect Democrats!

[LizBeth]

22. What is Sanders gonna do about it. Seems he is right in that mix and not seeing

anything being done. What is that saying about all hat?

[moose65]

23. Sorry Bernie. I love ya, but......

I don't know of any Democrats that are using that as a slogan. Many of them are pointing out that it is Republicans who are blocking everything. We need more of THAT.

[FoxNewsSucks]

28. That's his point. It's not a slogan that can be used

despite being true.

Republicons alone can't block everything. They don't have the votes. They have help when it comes to "blocking everything".

[moose65]

30. Why are you giving the Republicans a pass?

Why is the story always "Democrats couldn't get 60 votes," instead of "Every Republican voted against this?"

[FoxNewsSucks]

35. I'm not.

Fact is, every republicon voted against things as expected, and two democrats went along with them instead of helping their own party and their own president.

[CrackityJones75]

40. You say I'm not

And then in the next sentence tell us that very thing.

[FoxNewsSucks]

44. That's your interpretation

Unfortunately it seems to be a common one by some.

I, and a lot of others, are not giving them a pass. It's just that we know they'll be of no help. It's one of those things goes without saying. Like sunrise, we know it's in the east.

So consider it stated that republicons deserve blame. But so do any democrats who help them instead of helping Biden and Democratic progress.

In my mind, they're as bad as or worse.

[CrackityJones75]

48. What you are asking for is a circular firing squad

You don’t think there is a shit ton that the republicans could be attacking each other for???? But guess what? THEY DON’T! Because it will NEVER help them win.

Duh!!!! This isn’t difficult. And when a Non-Dem does it we need to tell him to shut the fuck up about it. Going on National interviews to talk shit about the party you occasionally run under is fucking moronic. When it is a repeated affair it is a track record worthy of noting.

What is funny is he can criticize the democratic party… But nobody can say shit about his schtick. Amazing!

[moose65]

77. There's a difference though

We know that Republicans vote against everything. We know that HERE. We also know that Manchin and Sinema are assholes. We aren't going on national TV and screaming about the two Democrats while ignoring the Republicans.

So yes, it's OK to acknowledge that on DU. But on the campaign trail, Dems need to constantly remind voters of what the Republicans have done and will continue to do!

[JohnSJ]

79. Yes they can because we have two Democratic Senators, Manchin and Sinema, who make our second-called

Senate majority, not really a majority

[Novara]

27. Hey Bernie! How about making a concrete fucking suggestion?

Criticism without suggestions is fucking worthless, so maybe you should STFU until you can come up with some strategy.

[uponit7771]

59. +1,

[Hotler]

37. The Dems need to start screaming Fascist while pointing at the repugs. IMO. nt

[mcar]

38. Not helpful Bernie

[BannonsLiver]

57. ...

Just imagine Barney in a Prada housecoat.

[FoxNewsSucks]

61. LOL

[Celerity]

75. yep

[Celerity]

76. yep

[W_HAMILTON]

68. Why do you post this?

From your previous posts, you almost certainly disagree with much of what Sanders says/advocates for; therefore, why do you post this?

Do you agree that Democrats should be doubling down on Sanders policy priorities?

[Celerity]

74. post 57 is spot on

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216778477#post57

[JohnSJ]

80. Stir, stir, and stir

[ismnotwasm]

82. Well well. Bernie Sanders criticizing slogan politics

This kind of writing is why I avoid Politico. Are they really giving BERNIE puppet master status here?

[div class="excerpt"Still, Sanders isn’t exactly Berning it all down. He’s not calling for a primary challenge to Biden or weighing in on whether the president should run for reelection. But he is trying to enlist the president in his effort to nationalize the Senate and House races.

Biden has already embraced some of Sanders’ arguments. The president asked Americans alarmed by mass shootings to “turn your outrage into making this issue central to your vote,” advised voters to “elect more pro-choice senators” in May, noted in January that “48 of the 50 Democrats vote with me on everything” and said Democrats could come back with larger majorities next year to pass “Build Back Better.”

Sanders wants an even more sustained focus from Biden, advising him to say “I want to raise the minimum wage, I want to deal with Medicare, I want to deal with housing, I want to deal with climate, I can’t do it. I need more votes.” Sanders also is leaning on Biden to do as much as he can through executive action on those issues.]

Now I agree we are in trouble, but I don’t care much about Senator Sanders opinions at this point, although many others apparently think this is deep political analysis

[boston bean]

85. He voted for gun manufacturer immunity. Enough said.

[48656c6c6f20]

88. Must be something big happening in the news

because the Independent Senator from Vermont feels the need to reclaim his 15 minutes without objection. Wonder what else could be going on?