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Senator Sanders and the "free stuff" (Original Post) SHRED Mar 2016 OP
k&R unapatriciated Mar 2016 #1
thank you HughLefty1 Mar 2016 #2
They are something aren't they? SHRED Mar 2016 #3
Have reached that conclusion myself. senz Mar 2016 #12
It's hard to know if these folks are paid or not. truedelphi Mar 2016 #30
I've seen the same thing and couldn't quite believe my own eyes. senz Mar 2016 #34
Rw trolls mostly. libtodeath Mar 2016 #22
Where are the admins to dump these fools? SHRED Mar 2016 #23
Uhm,guessing a lot has to do with funding from the Hillary campaign. libtodeath Mar 2016 #25
Especially when it's from supposed Democrats. n/t cui bono Mar 2016 #6
Thank you! deathrind Mar 2016 #4
ab-so-fucking-lutely. JEB Mar 2016 #5
Priorities Hydra Mar 2016 #7
But how are we going to pay for it? 99th_Monkey Mar 2016 #8
Exactly SHRED Mar 2016 #10
Bernie has addressed this for each of his specific proposals. senz Mar 2016 #11
Did you not catch that I was being sarcastic? 99th_Monkey Mar 2016 #16
Sorry, I thought you were sort of glossing over it w/a joke. senz Mar 2016 #19
Monkey! grasswire Mar 2016 #28
HEAR, HEAR!!!!! ljm2002 Mar 2016 #9
Kinda says it in a nutshell doesnt it? litlbilly Mar 2016 #13
Welcome to Free Republic whatchamacallit Mar 2016 #14
Well then as Bernie says rock Mar 2016 #15
Why be snarky? SHRED Mar 2016 #17
Believe me, that was as unsnarky as I could get rock Mar 2016 #27
Who is this "us" you speak of? SHRED Mar 2016 #29
Taxpayers rock Mar 2016 #31
I never thought I'd hear human rights described as unicorns and ponies felix_numinous Mar 2016 #18
YES. I once thought only Republicans did that. senz Mar 2016 #20
What is sickening is to see the free stuff attack here on DU. libtodeath Mar 2016 #21
And TPTB let it stand here on this site SHRED Mar 2016 #24
Cash talks and bull shit walks I guess. libtodeath Mar 2016 #26
Republicans are promising free wars benpollard Mar 2016 #32
The tax raising argument is idiotic RufusTFirefly Mar 2016 #33
I can afford a tax increase. And if it helps my fellow citizens I'M ALL FOR IT. cherokeeprogressive Mar 2016 #35
My wife and I paid... SHRED Mar 2016 #36
Me too when I get 10x more in benefit from it. libtodeath Mar 2016 #37
"Free stuff" = public goods. Public goods are GOOD eridani Mar 2016 #38
Go on with your bad self, Bernie! whathehell Mar 2016 #39
 

senz

(11,945 posts)
12. Have reached that conclusion myself.
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 06:03 PM
Mar 2016

When so many push the same meme in a rote, broadcast manner and then repeatedly switch to new ones in concert with one another, it loses the "human" touch real quick.

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)
30. It's hard to know if these folks are paid or not.
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 07:01 PM
Mar 2016

Having attempted over the years to phone bank for a Democratic state legislature guy, and been told that I first had to announce how much "I liked Hillary" before that privilege would be extended to me, I would say that some of these folks are quite happy to put in long hours for the thrill of yet another free chicken dinner with the Democratic candidate of their choice. (Not the President or Sen. Feinstein, but some third rate Willy Wanka out of San Jose.)

There are some people who just get a total thrill out of being for someone who is presenting a whole lotta Authoritarian Energy that they must bow to.

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
34. I've seen the same thing and couldn't quite believe my own eyes.
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 07:15 PM
Mar 2016

I volunteered with OFA for Obama's reelection and was amazed how much some of the other volunteers envied those who got to meet and have their picture taken with Michelle Obama or Joe Biden. There was strong resentment over these things; it was a really big deal to them.

Not even sure it's "Authoritarian Energy," per se. It might just be celebrity worship. Frankly, it seemed childish.

Am glad someone else has noticed it.

Hydra

(14,459 posts)
7. Priorities
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 05:46 PM
Mar 2016

Our current priorities: Sacrificing to the "Gods&quot 1%)

My suggestion: People, all of them

 

99th_Monkey

(19,326 posts)
16. Did you not catch that I was being sarcastic?
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 06:07 PM
Mar 2016

I'm not unaware of the soundness of Bernie's Platform & plans to
pay for his proposals.

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
19. Sorry, I thought you were sort of glossing over it w/a joke.
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 06:41 PM
Mar 2016

But, hey, it gave one of us an excuse to put it out there for lurkers and curious Hill folk to see, so that's good.

ljm2002

(10,751 posts)
9. HEAR, HEAR!!!!!
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 05:53 PM
Mar 2016

Right now it's the billionaires, the MIC and the megacorporations who are getting all the "free stuff". Time to spread it around to benefit us Little People.

K&R

rock

(13,218 posts)
15. Well then as Bernie says
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 06:07 PM
Mar 2016

Why not instead of wasting billions on Wall Street bailouts, oil wars, and corporate subsidies, take that money and give us the 'free stuff' and don't increase our taxes? It isn't clear, does Bernie intend to raise taxes or not?

rock

(13,218 posts)
27. Believe me, that was as unsnarky as I could get
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 06:53 PM
Mar 2016

Bernie is being hypocritical. I knew he's going to tax us. My real point is, "Instead of wasting billions on Wall Street bailouts, oil wars, and corporate subsidies, why not take that money instead of increasing our taxes?" Because it's gobbledegook as it stands.

rock

(13,218 posts)
31. Taxpayers
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 07:08 PM
Mar 2016

I've read his propaganda. But I serious doubt it's going to be Wall Street, banks, corporations and the rich.

felix_numinous

(5,198 posts)
18. I never thought I'd hear human rights described as unicorns and ponies
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 06:27 PM
Mar 2016

on a Democratic site. That did it for me.

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
20. YES. I once thought only Republicans did that.
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 06:47 PM
Mar 2016

As if we the people didn't have the right to use our government to secure our inalienable rights.

We've lost so much in the past 35 or so years. We've almost lost the country entirely.

benpollard

(197 posts)
32. Republicans are promising free wars
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 07:10 PM
Mar 2016

Republicans will get us into more wars and cut taxes on the wealthy. There's not much return on that investment other than jobs in the MIC and dead bodies.

Bernie promises free college. College grads make far more than non-grads, so they pay more in taxes, put more back into the economy, and make our country better. There's a YUGE return on that investment.

RufusTFirefly

(8,812 posts)
33. The tax raising argument is idiotic
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 07:12 PM
Mar 2016

But apparently it appeals to uncritical, low-attention-span voters.

Would I like to trade the premiums I pay for practically useless, astronomical deductible Bronze insurance for genuine health care? You bet I would.

At present, I feel as though I'm paying off a protection racket. I want a government that serves the greater good instead of the insatiable greed of a handful.

 

cherokeeprogressive

(24,853 posts)
35. I can afford a tax increase. And if it helps my fellow citizens I'M ALL FOR IT.
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 07:19 PM
Mar 2016

So fuck the other side and their bullshit about not wanting to pay a cent more in taxes... THAT sounds republican to ME.

 

SHRED

(28,136 posts)
36. My wife and I paid...
Sun Mar 27, 2016, 07:25 PM
Mar 2016

...over $14K in 2014 and over $10K last year in healthcare.

They conviently leave out deducting that under Sanders plan.
They are fucking half-truth tellers and outright liars all to defend a candidate who is cozy with the private insurance jackals.

eridani

(51,907 posts)
38. "Free stuff" = public goods. Public goods are GOOD
Mon Mar 28, 2016, 05:20 AM
Mar 2016

If public goods are bad, there should not be such a thing as public education. If you grow up in a house with a library and your parents can afford tutors, then you get an education. Otherwise you don't deserve one. If you want retired people with no kids at home to pay for school bonds, you are just shilling for "free stuff." College tuition used to be free in quite a few states. Those who want it to be so again are just more parasites shilling for "free stuff."

I like my Marxist fire department quite a bit. It is paid for by the government stealing a lot of money from people who have never had fires. The more your property is worth, the more property taxes you have to pay to support it. That would be "from each according to his abilities." But they don't send a truck out unless you have a fire. That would be "to each according to his need."

Every single industrialized country in the world treats health care as a public good, with lots of different ways of paying the bills. Here it's like an iPod. If you have money or good insurance you get it. Otherwise you can fuck off and die, which is nothing but what sick, useless parasites deserve.

And then there's all that physical infrastructure--roads, airports, dams. Be grateful for our interstate highway system. Ike paid for it with a 90% top marginal tax rate, so if we ever had to replace it, we couldn't. And if you don't have a car, why should you pay for highways you can't drive on anyway?

It is the nature of socialist public goods that
1. Everyone pays, regardless of usage.
2. They are usually free at the point of service.

How would private enterprise even exist without massive investment in public infrastructure?

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