2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhy is Bernie the "no we can't" candidate on gun control?
It's bizarre, isn't it? He talks all the time about how great Western Europe is. Has he not noticed that they have an order of magnitude fewer gun deaths than we do? 30,000 people a year die from gunshot wounds here, and many more have serious injuries.
And Bernie's answer to that is "Meh, white dudes in Vermont like to hunt. Stop yelling."
And all his followers, who insist that incremental change is for wimps and that political reality should be ignored, for some reason, agree with him on this. This is one of the most blatant signs that the whole "revolution" is really just a cult of personality. If there were the slightest amount of intellectual consistency in camp Bernie, they'd say the same thing about guns as about everything else: no compromise, the rest of the developed world has gun violence under control, we can too, who cares about "reality"!
But, no, if Saint Bernie says it, not matter how contradictory, it must be right.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)for gun control before Bernie got in the race.
revbones
(3,660 posts)DanTex
(20,709 posts)revbones
(3,660 posts)they usually involve pay-for-play arms deals with mid-east nations and Clinton Foundation donations such as those evidenced in her emails.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)rgbecker
(4,834 posts)JackInGreen
(2,975 posts)These are troll threads
DanTex
(20,709 posts)But given how he wants a "revolution" to turn us into a more Western European style nation, why doesn't he have a big gun control plan? Why isn't he proposing European style gun laws? And why are his supporters OK with his incrementalist approach?
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)riversedge
(70,299 posts)frylock
(34,825 posts)Kentonio
(4,377 posts)Which is that he just disagrees with you.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Well, in that case I'm extremely thankful that Hillary is trouncing him.
Kentonio
(4,377 posts)DanTex
(20,709 posts)Kentonio
(4,377 posts)No-one who runs on 'no guns ever' will achieve anything in America today. By supporting hunters and sportsmen yet also making a strong case against military style weapons however, at least there's a possibility of getting both sides around the table looking for a sensible solution to dramatically lower that terrible number.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Yeah, he's a real centrist compromising type! Nothing extreme about those!
Kentonio
(4,377 posts)To whining about tax increases and talking about single payer as if it's a bad thing.
Please don't ever post anything asking for party unity, in no way do I ever want to be in the same party as someone with your conservative beliefs.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)and on healthcare he wants to be an extreme partisan. It doesn't make sense. Has he never checked the gun violence statistics in Western Europe?
TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)We'll be waiting patiently.
bvf
(6,604 posts)He's walked it back at least twice, but no acknowledgement that it was a fucked up thing to say to begin with.
Familiar.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)They got nuttin'
timmymoff
(1,947 posts)as Bernie wins that one by 15-20 % . Hillarity already pulled out of Wisconsin heading to the ever changing fire wall of New York.
bvf
(6,604 posts)but par for the course.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)bvf
(6,604 posts)DanTex
(20,709 posts)bvf
(6,604 posts)Where does Clinton stand on this today?
Rather, where does she say she stands? I only need to recall "Bosnian sniper fire" to know what I need to there.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Bernie doesn't seem to worry about reality much on most issues, though, which leads me to believe that he doesn't care much about gun violence. He's already proposing tons of stuff that has no hope of becoming policy, if he cared about gun violence, I figure he'd advocate for European style gun laws as well.
After all, he can make the same argument as for healthcare: "we are the only major industrialized nation that has an epidemic level problem with gun violence."
bvf
(6,604 posts)"Incremental" = "Don't expect much, and prepare for less."
Way inspiring. Meanwhile, the party drifts ever rightward, which is obviously OK by you.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)bvf
(6,604 posts)hack89
(39,171 posts)don't forget that two thirds of gun deaths are suicides - better mental healthcare would do more for reducing gun deaths than an AWB or some other incremental gun control law for sure.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)contributing to suicide rates. I agree that the AWB wouldn't do it (particularly since people don't shoot themselves with AR-15s), but there's really nothing that's going to bring gun death rates down to European levels other than European style gun laws.
And, yeah, I know that European gun laws aren't going to happen here, but then neither is Single Payer. So I don't get why one and not the other.
hack89
(39,171 posts)it just has to be a priority.
Gun control is not a priority with the US public. It is unlikely it will be.
Response to DanTex (Original post)
Billsmile This message was self-deleted by its author.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)laws there or anywhere in his platform. Just "stop shouting." Maybe he should stop shouting about healthcare and income inequality.
B2G
(9,766 posts)So no problem here.
I seem to remember Bernie saying people in his state are in a lot of rural areas, where they may need guns.
Same here in rural Kentucky. I have a farm in the boonies. You need a gun for rabid animals, coyotes trying to nab your barn cats. etc. Unfortunately, this area is also somewhat infamous for "meth heads", as they call them, looking for anything they can sell. Before we bought this property, it had already been broken into and stripped of the wiring before the house was even finished. I'm home by myself a lot, as the husband travels.
So, I have two shotguns. Not apologizing. Also not looking to shoot anybody unless they make me.
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)after Newtown, not Bernie. The revolt is about corruption in politics, if you
do not agree with his voting record that is one thing, I have disagreements with him too
yet your OP remains empty rhetoric. You're the one presenting a false belief he is not
about compromise.
http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-control-vote-democrats-against-background-checks-2013-4
http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-control-background-check-senate-vote-live-2013-4
DanTex
(20,709 posts)I'd think that a bold reality-proof visionary like Bernie would be proposing European style plans for other issues besides just healthcare and free college, right? I mean, he obviously doesn't care about the fact that what he's proposing doesn't have the slightest prayer of ever becoming reality.
Why is he so shy and incrementalist when it comes to guns?
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)I live in CT, and I don't appreciate your bullshit OP...Bernie is not the problem
and certainly wasn't after Newtown.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)But I see all these bold plans on other issues, why so shy about gun control?
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)If he was so shy, he would not have voted for the legislation, it was
Democrats who prevented it. It is lost on you that the reason victims
families want to go after gun manufacturers is because the bill did not
pass?
You're barking up the wrong tree..go ask those 4 DEMOCRATS, since
your side doesn't see Bernie as one.
I already told you, I don't agree with Sanders on his record on guns
and I also recognize who fucked it up...and it wasn't him.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)in Newtown wanted too..who fucked up? FOUR Democrats.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)The more I hear about all the terrible things that Bernie and his followers supposedly represent, the more I support him.
You're doing a great job of driving the wedge and deeper deeper. If and when Hillary gets the nod, your side will be begging on bended knees for support and donations. Just remember how you trashed our guy at every turn...........
LonePirate
(13,431 posts)It is shameful that Clinton is to the left of Sanders on this issue. Granted, O'Malley was the most progressive candidate on this issue, but he's no longer in the race, obviously.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)bvf
(6,604 posts)No donations, no support.
While her supporters don't help, I've already heard and seen enough from her and her campaign to make up my mind.
Continual race-baiting, clear sailing for Wall Street, more private prisons, further gutting of the social safety net, and more--much more--war, are just a part of what we can expect from a third Clinton administration.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)bvf
(6,604 posts)Hard to keep track on pretty much anything with her.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)she will put her Annie gear on again
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)...YUGE crime rate in that right-wing cesspool. It's a really big shew!
Gregorian
(23,867 posts)He was against the provision in it whereby mom and pop stores could lose their shorts. He voted against it for that reason.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)based on their support?
Well, if you did, you'd know it's a D-. They don't think he's as hot on guns as his detractors think. You see, many of us from rural states grew up with guns to hunt...not to shoot each other. There is, as I am sure you are aware, a difference.
Few people are killed with a single shot 22 or other similar gun. Now, AKs and the like...well, they have a different purpose. No one is going to take a 22 into a school full of children.
There is such a thing as balance...moderation...intelligence. It's not a kneejerk dyad. It's more like the proverbial beating of a dead horse...nothing but gleeful rhetoric, IMO.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Why doesn't he propose European-style gun laws to go along with his European style economic policies? Does he want us to be like Europe but with a lot more shootings?
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)DanTex
(20,709 posts)jmg257
(11,996 posts)Since he hasn't mentioned it, I would think that would be it.
LonePirate
(13,431 posts)I voted for Bernie but there is no denying he is weak, Republican-lite when it comes to guns.
jmg257
(11,996 posts)gun show loophole, restricting criminals and the mentally unstable.
Sounds ok by me.
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)You know, by staying in the race, that perpetual irritant bernie is forcing her to humor all these untenable positions instead of catering to this all-powerful illusory "middle".
... Due to pesky sanders's sanders-ing, She is unable to adequately play the realpolitik game, we are told.
Well what exactly do people think pivoting towards the "realistic middle" will entail, policy-wise?
In this county, i guaran-damn-tee you it will involve dropping gun control like a hot potato. Just watch.
Vinca
(50,303 posts)And people who live in the real world know that unless the Supreme Court reverses the Heller decision, nothing much is going to change. This is a country of gun worshippers and it won't matter if Hillary is anointed or Bernie happens to win. People are still going to needlessly die by the thousands. If suddenly manufacturers could be sued, they'll just move offshore. The guns will still be here. Somehow the mindset has to be changed and I don't know how you do that after so many years of Republicans convincing people they should be afraid of their shadows.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)We're a country of gun worshippers, and we're also a country that doesn't like taxes or "big government". We're not going to have single payer any more than we're going to have European style gun laws.
Vinca
(50,303 posts)Just suck it up and wish you lived in Denmark I guess.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)The question I'm asking is why is Bernie going bold on healthcare and not on guns. And why is Hillary being criticized for not being bold enough on healthcare (even though she is and has always been in favor of universal coverage) by Bernie supporters who are somehow OK with his incremental approach to guns.
Vinca
(50,303 posts)Status quo is not a noble thing to run on. I would love to see guns confiscated from every citizen and I would like every citizen to be able to see a doctor, no questions asked. That's my fantasy world. I know the overlords would never allow it.
sadoldgirl
(3,431 posts)a "switchhorse" during the GE, as I guarantee you
another candidate would/will.
He believes what he believes and refuses to
become a hypocrite .
I can tell you the way the vote will go in the
Western states, if HRC won't "tone down"
on this issue; and some of those states are
purple.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)He cannot do anything wrong.
If it looks like he has done wrong, it is always someone else's fault.
If he succeeds, it is his greatness that gets him there.
If he fails, it is because of fraud, corruption and nefarious tactics of the establishment.
His holy eminence is so great that all his opponents should be jailed/banned/exiled//subjected to 20,000 links to his youtube video.
Nothing should deprive one of the free stuff at the expense of other people who have more money.
redstateblues
(10,565 posts)oops- I forgot to add "Democratic". Bernie added that when he decided to run for POTUS
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)Heh.
frylock
(34,825 posts)AgingAmerican
(12,958 posts)snowy owl
(2,145 posts)He is not for guns but you have to understand his thinking which doesn't seem to be popular here - understanding nuance and complexity. I wish everything could be reduced to picture books but they can't.