REALLY stupid question here.

[Le Taz Hot]

Almost afraid to ask it but. . . my understanding is that Bernie is still an Independent but he's running for the Democratic Party nomination with the party's blessing. Is that right? There seems to be some disagreement as to whether Bernie is an I or a D. Anyone?

ETA: Do we list him as Bernie Sanders (I-VT) or Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT)?

[99th_Monkey]

1. It's a good question, but I don't have the answer

but glad you asked so I can find out the details on this as well, hopefully.

[merrily]

16. .......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128018753

[Le Taz Hot]

25. So, when writing his name,

how do we do it? Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) or Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT)?

The article gives no guidance on that.

[merrily]

26. Context please. Where are you writing his name? Why? Who will see it?

Why do you feel you really have to put any letter after it?

Actually, never mind: This is the reality. He is a man who, for most of his life, ran as an independent because he believed that anything else would require too many compromises--and I don't mean the kind that is productive for voters. However, he is running for President as a Democrat and has been recognized as such by his state party and by the DNC. If writing about him in that connection, I would use (D) because that's how he will get ballot access. However, don't be surprised if he continues to say he is independent, small i, because he is, in the sense of not beholden. What ever support the DNC is giving anyone, other than ballot access, it's not going to Bernie. Not so far, anyway, To the contrary, the DNC has tried to raise money off his run.'

That's all I know.

[Le Taz Hot]

27. It's a Press Release

and it's traditional to give party affiliation when speaking of or writing about a political position. I've got a question in to the Help Desk now. They "answered" me earlier by directing me to the About Bernie page, which I've already read. I put the question to them again, this time re-wording it in the hopes that it will be clearer and I can get a definitive answer.

[merrily]

28. I edited my post. Please read it again.

You are talking tradition and Bernie is not a traditional candidate. That's why people can only point you to factual info. He became a Senator as an indie, which he may not want to emphasize as he seeks the Democratic nomination as a Democrat.

Can't you say "Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, running for the Democratic nomination for President," or some such? Forget the letter. Work around it.

[Le Taz Hot]

29. No because I'm not writing the press release,

Last edited Tue Jul 28, 2015, 09:04 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm just editing it.

[merrily]

30. That's a shame, but either the press release will be inaccurate or it may hurt his campaign.

If you say Vermont Senator Sanders (I), it's accurate--technically-- because that's how he became Senator and how his votes are officially recorded.

However, as you may have observed from posts here, many Democrats assume he is also running for President as an indie and resent the hell out of that. Or they resent that he has not been a Dem all his life and now wants to, in their minds, take advantage of the Party to improve his own by running as a Dem. Yet, if you use (D), they may see 30 years worth of (I) info, including in media and in the Congressional Record.

Others just won't be able to wrap their heads around an indie running for POTUS as a Democrat. So, it may be your bleeding feet or his.

[Le Taz Hot]

31. I appreciate your efforts merrily, I do

and I'm not trying to be difficult, its just that I think it's important to get it right. I'll let you know what the campaign says about it (if they answer me this time).

[merrily]

32. It is important to get it right.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

38. He is a Democrat now.

If I understand correctly, his party affiliation is by self-identification. In the Vermont primary, his affiliation will certainly be listed as Democratic. Therefore, since he is running for a Democratic nomination, he is a Democrat by Vermont law.

Think of the Joe Lieberman analogy. Lieberman was elected to the Senate as a Democrat, but was defeated in primary one cycle (2006?). So he ran in the general as an Independent. During the election he was referred to as an Independent.

[Capt.Rocky300]

2. Not stupid at all...

I've been waiting for a definitive answer to that very question.

[merrily]

15. .....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128018753

[Cleita]

3. I don't know if I have the answer, but the way it was explained to me was that

since he ran as an Independent in Vermont, it kind of stays on his resume because Vermonters don't register with a party but just declare what they are. He can run as a Democrat on the Democratic ticket and declare himself as a Democrat down the line if he becomes the candidate for the general election. I know. It's still murky with me but maybe someone will come along with a clearer explanation.

[malokvale77]

7. Not all states make one register with a party.

Texas does not have registration by party. In the 2014 midterms we had a "Libertarian LaRoucher"
running for office on the Democratic ticket.

I can't believe this is an issue with Bernie Sanders. He is more inline with Democratic principles than Hillary Clinton.

[merrily]

14. ......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128018753

[malokvale77]

18. Very good

This shit is really pissing me off.

I'm starting to wonder why I am on "democraticunderground' anyway. This place has become so mainstream corporatist it is nauseating.

[merrily]

19. It only seems that way.

Last edited Tue Jul 28, 2015, 03:24 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026592890

If DU's leftists unified and organized and strategized as much as DU's right does, it would stop seeming that way.

[malokvale77]

22. Please explain

How does the DU right organize and strategize that the left is missing.

Because I will sit here all day everyday (except when I'm at work) to counter act the bullshit.

[Cleita]

33. We can't or we wouldn't be Democrats. It's been that way since the Athenian Greeks

invented democracy 2500 years ago. The fact that the righties can organize themselves into lockstep obedience to a few is proof that they are not real Democrats in the pure sense of the word.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I don't know the answer either, but he needs to register as a Dem!

And pronto.

All the campaigning in the world won't do him any good if he can't get on any ballots!

[eridani]

6. How can he do that if Vermont doesn't have registration by party? n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Well then he can't do it in Vermont. n/t

[Cleita]

34. Therein is the catch 22. As one of the sitting Senators of Vermont, he can't go register in another

state unless he resigns his position, it would seem. I really don't know the answer and maybe it's a question to ask him on Brunch With Bernie, if one can get through to him on Thom Hartmann's Friday show.

[SheilaT]

9. The lack of registration by party is for registering to vote.

Meanwhile, most office holders in that state are affiliated with one party or another. Same with other states that don't require party registration to vote. Otherwise, we'd have quite a number of Independent Senators, Congresscritters, and Governors.

Meanwhile, Bernie always caucused with the Democrats, and he is running as a Democrat.

[merrily]

12. How much more can you be affiliated with a Party than seeking its nomination for POTUS?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128018753

[SheilaT]

23. Yep.

You've got it.

Howard Dean was also from Vermont. He was the Democratic Governor before he decided to run for President. He would also have been registered as an independent.

People are freaking out over Bernie Sanders' being an Independent rather inappropriately.

[merrily]

24. Dean also would have been registered as a voter. You can't register as anything else in Vermont.

[merrily]

13. Here you go, Ms. Peggy:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128018753

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. Thank you, my dear merrily! Consider me greatly illuminated now!

[merrily]

20. My pleasure. You need no illumination. You light up all of DU and, I'm sure, anywhere you are IRL.

[oldandhappy]

5. He says he is a socialist.

He says he wants to run as a Dem.

He has been an Ind forever and has caucused with the Dems and has voted with the Dems.

In Vermont you do not have to declare a party to register to vote.

So it is an open question! Hope you get some interesting answers.

[merrily]

21. He says he is a Democratic Socialist. He is running as a Dem, which is not inconsistent with

Last edited Tue Jul 28, 2015, 03:54 AM - Edit history (1)

being a Democratic Socialist.

Though some Republicans and centrists may try to stick it to him, it's not an open question.

on Bernie's ballot access while running as a Dem:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026592890

on the differences between Democratic Socialist and socialist.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12806844

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12779589

http://www.dsausa.org/

[oldandhappy]

35. Thank you!

[merrily]

36. You're most welcome.

[merrily]

10. List him where and why? Here's your answer for official purposes:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128018753

[malokvale77]

11. Should we make Hillary...

register as a Corporatist? Truth in advertising you know.

Is this really a problem with voters? If it is, I would much rather have Bernie run third party. I would change my affiliation immediately. There are few Dems who represent my views any more anyway.

For those that would take offense, I don't give a shit. I'm an old time democrat who doesn't like the direction of the party.

Go Bernie.

[merrily]

37. On the bright side, it was clearly not a really stupid question.