Bernie Sanders Running for US President

[TurkeyOnRye]

Bernie Sanders has officially announced his run for president.

Bernie Sanders Announces He Is Running For President In 2016

 

[dust1n]

I'm going to register this go around.

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

I'm going to register this go around.

What stopped you before?

 

[sun rise]

He's being written off by the regular media, of course. But strange things can and do happen. We'll see.

 

[dust1n]

What stopped you before?

Pointlessness.

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

Pointlessness.

This answer was so ambiguous, my head nearly exploded.

 

[freethinker44]

I'll vote for him in the primaries, but if he runs along side Clinton in the actual election I'm voting Clinton. I'm not willing to give a vote to a republican candidate by voting for a long shot.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I hope he doesn't. It would be awesome to see him actually win, but in reality he would split the vote and clear the way for whatever religious conservate and tea party pandering republican gets on the ballot.

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

I'll vote for him in the primaries, but if he runs along side Clinton in the actual election I'm voting Clinton. I'm not willing to give a vote to a republican candidate by voting for a long shot.

I hope he doesn't. It would be awesome to see him actually win, but in reality he would split the vote and clear the way for whatever religious conservate and tea party pandering republican gets on the ballot.

He's running as a democrat, so that's not going to happen.

 

[freethinker44]

He's running as a democrat, so that's not going to happen.

If he loses the primaries he could run independent, and then voting for him would be a vote for the republican candidate.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

He's running as a democrat, so that's not going to happen.

Then never mind me wanting to see him run.

 

[JustCallMeNick]

On a more surface level, the guy just doesn't seem very presidential. He's smart and I agree with him on lots of things, but he just doesn't give off that inspiring...thing...that Presidents need to have to make people confident in him and give them hope for the future. If he can become more polished and does well in the primary debates, he might have a shot. If not he's just going to come off as a grumpy miser.

To make another practical point, the man is 73. If he was actually elected President, he would not assume office until age 75 - meaning conceivably he could be in office until age 83. Does a man in his late 70s/early 80s really have what it takes to effectively run America? I'm not convinced.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

On a more surface level, the guy just doesn't seem very presidential. He's smart and I agree with him on lots of things, but he just doesn't give off that inspiring...thing...that Presidents need to have to make people confident in him and give them hope for the future. If he can become more polished and does well in the primary debates, he might have a shot. If not he's just going to come off as a grumpy miser.

To make another practical point, the man is 73. If he was actually elected President, he would not assume office until age 75 - meaning conceivably he could be in office until age 83. Does a man in his late 70s/early 80s really have what it takes to effectively run America? I'm not convinced.

Well, people did believe Bush Jr. had what it takes good enough to do it twice.

 

[Revoltingest]

I hope he beats Hillary.
But alas, I heard a recent poll that young people (who tend to be Dems) favor more governmental foreign adventurism. They'll likely prefer a hawk. What's wrong with kids these days? And get off'n me lawn!

 

[Wirey]

Funded by the Koch Boys! Bait and Switch!

 

[JustCallMeNick]

Funded by the Koch Boys! Bait and Switch!

You think Bernie is funded by the Kochs? Definitely not, he criticizes them practically every time he opens his mouth.

 

[freethinker44]

Funded by the Koch Boys! Bait and Switch!

You think Bernie is funded by the Kochs? Definitely not, he criticizes them practically every time he opens his mouth.

I don't really get the Koch brothers. I was watching a documentary about climate change on PBS and at the end it said it was funded by one of the Koch brothers. Like, really? I had to look it up to make sure it was the same Koch and sure enough, it was. So I don't know what their deal is. I guess they're just trying to milk the current system for everything they can while simultaneously setting themselves up to be on the right side of the inevitable change. I don't know.

 

[Wirey]

You think Bernie is funded by the Kochs? Definitely not, he criticizes them practically every time he opens his mouth.

It was intended as a humourous way to point out he would effectively split the Democratic vote by stealing votes from Hillary and leaving the Republicans in better shape, allowing the Koch brothers to realize their goals. Jokes ain't as funny when they need some es'plaining.

 

[JustCallMeNick]

It was intended as a humourous way to point out he would effectively split the Democratic vote by stealing votes from Hillary and leaving the Republicans in better shape, allowing the Koch brothers to realize their goals. Jokes ain't as funny when they need some es'plaining.

Oh! I...get it. :-D

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't really get the Koch brothers. I was watching a documentary about climate change on PBS and at the end it said it was funded by one of the Koch brothers. Like, really? I had to look it up to make sure it was the same Koch and sure enough, it was. So I don't know what their deal is. I guess they're just trying to milk the current system for everything they can while simultaneously setting themselves up to be on the right side of the inevitable change. I don't know.

The problem is that the media want to peg everyone as stereotypically liberal or conservative.
They don't know what to do with pro-gay marriage pro-civil liberties uber-wealthy capitalists,
so they get the ill fitting label "conservative".