Bernie’s Running for Re-Election on Independent Ticket

[FarPoint]

Bernie’s Running for Re-Election on Independent Ticket

https://gobling.wordpress.com/2016/02/14/bernies-running-for-re-election-too/

snip>

The Democratic 2016 Presidential campaign is in full swing with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders battling it out state-by-state. Yet while all this hoopla is going on, a small fact remains quietly perched on the political back burner: Sanders is also running for re-election as an Independent. His Senate seat will be decided anew with the 2018 midterm cycle, and if Vermonters vote favorably, he’ll take office at the age of 77 for his third term.

Sanders is already collecting money for his next Senate run. A look at these contributors reveals a stark contrast from the grassroots coalition he appeals to in his Presidential campaign. Far from being a collection of Milleniels who are newly entering the job market or struggling blue collar workers, these donors are primarily retired or entrenched in professional positions.

end>

I have concerns about Bernie Sanders running as a "Democrat of convenience" .....Anyone else think this is deceptive?

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. "Anyone else think this is deceptive?"

[OhZone]

2. Hey that's my catch phrase! ha n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. !!!

[betsuni]

18. omg, that gif turned me on a little -- is that wrong?

[BlueCaliDem]

20. Hahaha! No. I can relate!

[Tarheel_Dem]

31. Nope. Not wrong at all.

[comradebillyboy]

3. I was never under the illusion that Bernie is a Democrat.

He has no loyalty to the party and I doubt if he will support the Democratic Party in the general election. When he loses the nomination he will go back to Vermont and sulk.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Kinda says he knows he is not going to win the nomination, maybe he can be openly honest with

his supporters.

[OhZone]

6. Seriously -

Also, my friend and I both say we feel used by him.

[72DejaVu]

7. This speak to the whole matter of his integrity

A person of integrity does not spend their entire career disdaining a political party, then join it when doing so furthers their personal ambitions.

[FarPoint]

12. Absolutely!

[wysi]

8. How about getting a real Democrat to run for his seat?

Now that would be some serious karma.

[kjones]

10. Yes! Now that would be funny! nt

[BlueCaliDem]

21. Man! It would be poetic justice!

[kjones]

9. Eww, something I hadn't noticed that brings my opinion of him even lower...

Thought that wasn't even possible.

[Treant]

11. I'm surprised that's allowed

because it sure isn't exactly ethical.

What it isn't? Surprising. It isn't at all surprising from him.

[drray23]

13. its not allowed in every state

In Kentucky they had to change the law for Rand Paul to be able to run for president without having to drop from the senate. I guess Vermont has no such restrictions. Bernie did not even bother changing his affiliation to democrat to run for his 2018 senate seat. This alone, speaks volumes.

[FloridaBlues]

14. I'm sure we have been saying it all along!

[DemonGoddess]

15. K&R

Deceptive is an understatement. This just supports my suspicion that he declared as a Dem for president so he could use the parties money for himself, rather than running as independent and having NO party funds to fall back on.

[Stuckinthebush]

16. What a jerk

Be a Dem or be an I

He's fooled a lot of people

[SunSeeker]

17. K & R

[riversedge]

19. Sanders still has not raised any $$ for down -ticket Dems--that is another concern!

thepoliticalcat Retweeted
E James ?@jawja100 6h6 hours ago

E James Retweeted WayneEdH

Bern doesn't play well with others. Cannot make coalitions. Not even in Vermont. #ImWithHer


thepoliticalcat Retweeted
WayneEdH ?@WayneEdH Feb 15

The people who know Bern best Endorse #Hillary2016!
He Only has 2 Cong. endorsements!
Even his own VT Gov & Senator Endorse HRC!
Says a LOT!

[BlueCaliDem]

23. it's a concern and it's telling. It speaks to a lack of integrity but shows that he's not above

playing politics to benefit himself. Not my type of politician.

[Fla Dem]

22. Right from the start. You nailed it.."Democrat of convenience".

He will turn on a Democrat quicker than you can say "Green Mountains".

[BlueCaliDem]

24. And it's why NO Democrat should support him.

He will turn on a Democrat, Democrats, and the Democratic Party if it benefits him and his income.

[pandr32]

25. Hell ya!

Sanders has always been ambitious, but could never manage to garner much support or interest. He is rather blase as far as his appeal goes. He has failed to make friends and forge relationships that help one get ahead, in Congress not withstanding.

Along comes Elizabeth Warren and suddenly there is an ultra-progressive firebrand getting lots of attention and Sanders got a little more interest and he took full advantage of that, and the simmering discontent after the bail-outs and slow recovery. Suddenly Sanders had national attention and he liked it.

As an aging politician with little to show for his lengthy political career, and suddenly finding that he was generating some interest, he saw an opportunity to do what seemed impossible before--a presidential run. He saw a woman with a whole lot of baggage as the Democrat main contender, and not a strong, experienced candidate (regardless of her gender). It is painfully clear that he still holds this view of Sec. Clinton. He thought it over and decided to give it a go.

His Plan B? Continuing his career in the Senate as an Independent as before, but with a whole lot more attention.

[liberal N proud]

26. I repeat myself: He only came to the Democratic Party when he needed something

Other than that, I don't see him as a Democrat!

[peggysue2]

27. Hummmm

Curious indeed. I thought Saint Bernard said emphatically during one debate that he 'was' a Democrat. Is this Chameleon Bernie? A Democrat in the primary, an Independent back home?

Tsk, tsk. I'm beginning to see Saint Bernard's halo flicker.

[Jbradshaw120]

28. Would you rather he ran for president as an independent?

Take 5-20% of the vote in general election most likely throwing it to president trump or cruz? Or would you just prefer that us liberals shut up and sit down until you need us to volunteer and vote?

[peggysue2]

30. Would you rather . . .

No, but I would prefer that he stop questioning Hillary Clinton's integrity while dancing around issues of his own: Democratic vs Independent, numbers that simply don't add up & never will, and supporters who are quite willing to reduce women to their body parts.

Personally, I'm glad the conversation has pushed left during the primary. Bernie Sanders has done that. But he's been running a symbolic campaign that has quickly turned nasty.

And btw, I suspect most of the Hillary Forum folks are liberals. You don't get to own that moniker simply because you support and believe Bernie Sanders.

[Jbradshaw120]

32. There seems to be a genuine disagreement about the numbers

Some experts say they add up others say they don't. I'll let them argue that. But you can't really say that the clintons either bill or hillary have welcomed liberals. They show disdain for them repeatedly. Their advisors call liberals names and say they'll come home they have no where else to go. They including hillary herself says our goals are pie in the sky ridiculous. That we are just to dumb or inexperienced to understand that we simply can't achieve that. We're great if we're donating, voting, or volunteering. But if we voice an area of disagreement we're being ridiculous. So pardon me for not believe that Hillary truly supports liberals. Btw we're includes people self identifying as liberal.

[peggysue2]

33. Some do, some don't argument

That sounds remarkably like the GOPs stance on climate change. One economist has endorsed Sanders' fanciful numbers while a slew including Paul Krugman (Nobel prize recipient in economics) have refuted the numbers. As far as Hillary Clinton's positions? She was a liberal in years past and is a liberal now. I'd suggest you look at her overall voting record in the Senate where she was more liberal than 85% of its members. Or check her public speeches. Better yet, go over to 538 and read the analysis there:

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/hillary-clinton-was-liberal-hillary-clinton-is-liberal/

If you want a purity test, you're barking up the wrong tree for Clinton or Sanders or any politician in the US. There are no perfect candidates out there. As far as calling you or any Sanders supporter ridiculous? Really? Have you been following the tenor of the conversation from your own group? You might think Hillary Clinton deserved burning at the stake.

I like Bernie Sanders the man. I appreciate how he's pushing the conversation to the left. I detest the campaign that his supporters are running to diminish the most experienced, qualified candidate the Democratic Party has ever had.

Like Hillary Clinton, I am a liberal. And proud of it.

[BlueMTexpat]

29. Remember that

IOKIYASBS!

While it might be allowable, it does hint at where one's true loyalties lie.