Sadly, 538 is right: Bernie Sanders ain't Barack Obama

[MannyGoldstein]

Unlike Obama, who had virtually no track record and could claim anything when running for President, Bernie... well, he's painted himself into a corner with years of pandering to the 99%.

Bernie cannot privately reassure foreign countries that he'll send them our jobs while publicly claiming that "free" trade is a bad deal - nobody will believe his reassurances.

And can you imaging Bernie trotting out Simpson and Bowles to work at slashing strengthening Social Security? Or Bernie agreeing to leave 82% of the Bush tax cuts in place?

Bernie Sanders is not credible as a serious, sensible, adult person. Even if his supporters hadn't convinced me to vote for another Democrat, I would still decide to vote for another Democrat, one who understands the difference between campaign rhetoric and the real work of serving important Americans with serious cash.

Regards,

TWM

[99th_Monkey]

1. Happy to be first K&R

We don't need no stinkin' unicorn farmer from Vermont, telling us
how to act like sensible caring adults.

We have a trash TV 'star' billionaire who buys politicians, and now
he are one ... what could possibly go wrong?

[Uncle Joe]

2. It does suck pandering to the 99% that just leaves him no wiggle room.

Thanks for the thread, MannyGoldstein.

[KMOD]

3. Don't you ever get tired of this?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. I just wish he'd pass that thing.

[Hissyspit]

11. You mean ironically making valid points?

I don't know why he would.

[corkhead]

17. Must be disappointing to you to find out this was satire, the title seemed so promising.

[MannyGoldstein]

21. It's my only way of communicating with you.

I could send DU Mail, but that would be stalkey, no?

So: how are you these days?

[KMOD]

41. very well, thank you.

[L0oniX]

31. We never get tired of your reactions.

[daleanime]

35. Reading the comments.....

is half the fun of a Manny post.

[tblue]

36. I know!

I remember when I first 'got' Manny. He's so fun.

[senz]

74. Women like that normally annoy the hell out of me

but the more you play her, L0oniX, the cuter and funnier she gets.

[beam me up scottie]

75. That video was a perfect response!

[senz]

79. It is. L0oniX is visually creative and amusing.

Actually one of the many things I like about this site.

[malokvale77]

58. "Don't you ever get tired of this?"

I suspect you do.

Swatting at all the naysayers must get pretty tiresome.

Oh and, Go Bernie.

[joshcryer]

4. Obama ran a classical route to the Presidency.

Community organizer, Illinois Senate from 1996-2002 (lost the Federal House run in 2000), Senate in 2004, President in 2008. The other route is the State Attorney General, State Governor, Presidency. Arguably Obama ran the much longer and tried method, which is harder to succeed at. Governors have a 2:1 advantage when it comes to running for the Presidency.

I agree that Sanders wouldn't pull a Simpson and Bowles style gambit, but he would never campaign on such non-sense anyway, saying, outright, he'd "put everything on the table." Fortunately Simpson and Bowles was political theater and amounted to nothing.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

5. You haven't even mentioned Bernie's Goldman Sacks slush fund.

You're getting sloppy, TWM...if that is who you really are.

[Ken Burch]

7. Yeah...Bernie has $50 in a slush fund.

He takes 4$ or so out of it when he wants a slushie.

(in Hawaii, this is known as an "Ice Shavings Account&quot .

[merrily]

15. How about his Super Pack? He said he would not accept Super Pack money, yet, there he goes

asking for $3 a month!

[beam me up scottie]

6. Bernie's been lying to us all these years.

It was all a clever ruse so he could turn this country into a Scandinavian utopia (code for "white male&quot once elected.

The anti-Bernie faction was on to him the minute he announced.

You were late but I'm glad you finally saw the light Manny.

[emsimon33]

8. Cleverly said!

[JDPriestly]

9. K&R.

[John Poet]

12. And Hillary isn't Bill.

[Demeter]

33. She's certainly not Bill's Better Half

I don't think there is a better half....

[Enthusiast]

46. +1

[Betty Karlson]

13. Your sarcasm is delightful. Please keep posting these retorts. n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

20. Thanks, but I'm not sure that my liver is up to it. nt

[annabanana]

23. I'm sure your spleen will take up the slack

luv ya

[Enthusiast]

47. Wish I could get you a drink. I'm having Jameson. What will you have?

[MannyGoldstein]

51. Jameson. Fine stuff. That'd be perfect.

Sadly we're totally devoid of whiskey right now. I'll probably have a martini made from some funky gin that my wife got, Short Path from down the road in Everett Mass. It's got lemongrass in it, should be interesting. Maybe.

[Enthusiast]

55. I like gin too.

[beam me up scottie]

61. Me three!

Cheers!

[Enthusiast]

64. I think we three could have fun raising hell.

[beam me up scottie]

65. No doubt!

[senz]

66. Love that progression, bmus

[beam me up scottie]

67. Yay! senz is here!

This round's on me!

[senz]

69. Can't pass that up!

This is embarrassing at my age...but every gin I've ever had has put me to sleep. However, been hearing discussions about the varieties of tonic water, and the phrase "gin and tonic" has always sounded nice for summer, so maybe it's time to practice up!

[beam me up scottie]

70. Gin has always given me the perfect buzz.

Not too rowdy or sleepy, it's the Goldilocks of booze!

And no hangovers.

Tonic water was made to go with gin (not sure if that's true but it should be).

[senz]

71. "Perfect buzz" has a nice ring to it.

The gin industry should pay you for comments like that.

But I thought tonic water was made for malaria or something along those lines. Always get an image of pith helmets, tropical foliage, and a few sophisticates who know how to dress up the tonic. Hm, and ice cubes clinking...

Yeah, I'm going to do it. Bottle of gin and a bottle of tonic water -- and my favorite buddy who drinks (drinking buddy?) who should love the idea. And a good recipe, of course. This could be fun -- thanks, bmus!

[beam me up scottie]

72. It wasn't really created for use with gin but both applications are medicinal.

Don't forget the limes!

[senz]

73. Limes?! Now I think we've hit perfection.

Sounds soo good.

[malokvale77]

60. Oo...

nothing better than a dirty martini.

I had to quit them and stick to beer.

[Fawke Em]

80. I'm the other way around.

I had to quit beer and move to dirty martini's.

There's very little carbohydrates in dirty martini's.

Have to watch those nasty things, carbs: diabetes runs in the family.

[Betty Karlson]

76. Surely all that gall is better out than in? :) n/t

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. Masterful satire my friend

LOL

[merrily]

16. Then, Chafee, it is, by a country kilometer!

[hootinholler]

18. Are you even merkin?

Whaz this kilomometers stuff?

We gots miles of miles in da real merka country! None o dem dere centiometrics either! We measures with feats here in MERKA! Because MERKA!

[merrily]

19. Even though Chafee is running on the metric system, I am happy to vote for

someone who voted against the Iraq War.

I'll have you know, I am not only an American, but a staunch American Exceptionalist.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12778574 (Some historical highlights relevant to Populist Reform, Part 1. American Exceptionalism)

[Zorra]

22. I could never vote for a candidate who doesn't lie to me repeatedly.

It's just not normal.

[L0oniX]

30. Well in the first place it must be movable.

[Enthusiast]

48. +1

[malokvale77]

62. The movable bar...

I've damn sure seen it here on DU.

Thank goodness, Bernie is way out in front of it.

[Puglover]

78. The movable bar.

So common here. Someone got rather cross with me last night for showing them one.

Oh well.

[Scruffy1]

24. K&R NT

[mak3cats]

25. K&R (eom)

[orpupilofnature57]

26. He's ' An Enemy of the people ' in the Henrik Ibsen sense of the word .

[BlueStreak]

27. Do you really want a President that doesn't know how to have "wiggle room"?

Heck, I bet Bernie couldn't even define "triangulation".

[L0oniX]

28. We need someone who has balance and is used to the high wire act of fence walking/sitting.

[Buns_of_Fire]

77. Feel the Verm!

(Well, maybe not. That comes off a little kinkier than I'd planned. Still better than "Vermie 2016," though. )

[wolfie001]

29. I'm sure you got some of 'em right in the feels!

[colsohlibgal]

32. Bernie Is The Real Deal

He says what he means and means what he says.

Obama....well while running he was all about getting tough with Wall Street. Once elected it was clear he was not going to do any such thing.

[Demeter]

34. I desperately hope you are right, TWM

Because the last thing we need is a repeat.

[tblue]

37. Hi Manny!

[MrMickeysMom]

38. Hey, Can anyone tell me where to meet the NEW boss? ...

… Same as the OLD boss?

[WillyT]

39. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[slipslidingaway]

40. That is the funny thing about Sanders, his views have mostly remained constant ...

overs years and decades.

Bold campaign issues and ideas did not spring up just for a campaign.

[MelungeonWoman]

42. I DEMAND TO KNOW

Does he even know to correctly stick his finger up to see which way the wind is blowing?

I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM DO IT. What kind of politician can't do that?

[passiveporcupine]

50. He uses his hair, not his finger

But it doesn't matter which way the wind blows...he's always been on a steady course.

[SusanaMontana41]

63. roflmao! n/t

[hifiguy]

43. Like the Guinness guys used to say,

BRILLIANT!

[progree]

44. "agreeing to leave 82% of the Bush tax cuts in place?" That again, Manny?

Who told you that? Didn't Obama raise income taxes on the top 2 income tax brackets (roughly corresponding to the top 2%) , even higher than the levels that were in place when Clinton left office, while keeping the Bush tax cuts on the bottom 98%? In other words, the 82% of the Bush tax cuts Obama kept was the tax cuts for the bottom 98%.

Are you pissed that he didn't do the reverse, or what? You make Obama sound like Darth Vader for not raising taxes on the bottom 98%.

[MannyGoldstein]

49. The bottom 98% pay estate taxes?

News to me.

[progree]

52. No. Of course not. Bush repealed the estate tax -- it was zero in 2009 when Obama took office

So this is yet another example of where Obama didn't keep the Bush tax cut -- the estate tax cut in this case. Thank you for reminding me.

Can you document where you got your 82% figure?

[MannyGoldstein]

54. And what was the estate tax before Bush cut it?

http://www.cbpp.org/research/budget-deal-makes-permanent-82-percent-of-president-bushs-tax-cuts

[progree]

57. Still, the vast majority of the Bush tax cuts that Obama kept went to the bottom 98%

You tell me what the estate taxes are under Obama compared to when Bush took office, if that is your question, but I guarantee you that the difference is much smaller than the billions the bottom 98% saved by having the Bush income tax cuts on the bottom 98% made permanent. And that the estate tax savings for the top 2% is smaller than their income tax increases.

It sure looks to me from your link that the part of the Bush tax cuts that Obama let expire overwhelmingly and negatively impact the top 2 tax brackets.

That article also leaves out the Medicaid surcharges to the top two brackets as a result of the 2010 ACA legislation.

[progree]

59. So, what is your estimate of what part of the Bush tax cuts that Obama kept

benefited the top 1 or 2% (if any, when income tax increases are considered), and how much benefited the bottom the 98% (most of the $3.4 trillion that the article mentioned I suspect, because the estate tax is not that big a chunk of the federal revenue pie even under the Clinton rates).

When you blather about Obama keeping 82% of the Bush tax cuts, you need to mention that most of it went to the bottom 98%. And include all of Obama's tax increases on the top 2%, not just the 2012 ATRA legislation.

[Enthusiast]

45. K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations!

Where are your recommendations? Manny has nailed this!

[Avalux]

53. This one is pure gold Manny.

Cheers!

[senz]

68. That Bernie, he's no fun.

Just tells the truth. Takes all the guesswork out of it. Like, how're we supposed to second-guess him? I like mysterious candidates, the kind that hides and won't answer my questions.

He's just weird.