Palestine as Litmus Test: If Democratic candidates like Harris, Booker, etc. sell out to AIPAC, they will also sell out to corporations as Obama and Hillary did. Bernie is the only incorruptible candidate. If the Dems continue to nominate sellout candidates, we must look past one election and work for a long-term solution to the worldwide problems of capitalism. Trump is merely the most recent manifestation of capitalism's injustice. A deeper solution must address not only Trumpism and inequality at home but also US imperialism abroad. One possibility: Join and vote for the Green Party. And practice democracy in the streets!
Ron Paul and his believers are all batshit insane, ignorant, racist boobs who have no idea what economics is...
@SCal Then you were one of the failures who got this country into the mess it is in.... Let me guess you think the Laffer curve works right?...
Only Bernie knows if he is an incorruptible candidate. WE TAKE IT ON FAITH!
I will repeat. The voters in 33 states and in the nation have zero democracy. The people they elect will get offers of money and more, and can become predators.
The voters in 17 states have some democracy because they have the direct initiative, referendum and recall. They are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington.
Source: Ballotpedia.
His words and actions prove that he is. This was not some sort of existential claim requiring divine insight to prove in an absolute manner.
In theory, the green party , or other 3rd parties might seem like a good idea, but regardless of principle. it only amounts to a spoiler vote that, on anything but a local level, guarantees a repugnacant win.
The point is to help create a movement that looks past one election…
Without this, we are doomed to supporting corporate democrats forever. As Gandhi said, non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty.
@Krish55 so true, but casting a protest vote that enables the greater of the evils to retain power, is cooperation with evil.
The reality in this country, so long as candidates can spend as much money as they can muster , is that we will be stuck with whatever corporate shill who pretends to support our beliefs.
@wolf041 and what will left after 4 more years of crazy governance by an imbecile
Sanders is the worst kind of sell out... all 100 Senators 398-17 in House are zionists against BDS....F35s are illegally flying out of Vermont because Bernie exempted the corrupt contractors from the 80% readiness law....2 pilots have died dozens of crashes pilots ejection seat survived....learn the truth about this phony progressive who betrayed hundreds of legal delegates seeking to unseat illegal DNC delegates.... vote and work for real Howie Hawkins
If you asked him to his face In sure he would be able to explain this. The " worst" sell out is the liar.
@Boudica I have seen his shit eating grin as he hurriedly admitted that he made the most au Fait du complait by getting jobs for Vernont ....this can never excuse violating the 80% readiness law designed to prevent massive cost over runs to put planes in the air....why hope for an EXPLANATION when he has been a sell out since Mayor 1979 ?
@Larry68Feminist , well who's your candidate? I'm sticking with Bernie , and I think he's gonna win.
@Boudica we stuck with Sanders LEGAL DELEGATES until he betrayed us all in Philadelphia 2016... he further lied blaming Nader for the Bush Crime Family Jeb Bush treason in Florida 2000 Bernie is a racist uncaring 50 THOUSAND black people were forced at GUNPOINT away from polls over 100 Florida counties....www.jill2016.com was the only choice then and WWW.HOWIEHAWKINS.US peace through Green jobs is the only choice now UNLESS YOU like F35s flying out of Vermont one billion dollars each that could save the lives of sick people USA spent on healthcare HR676 which Bernie NEVER SUPPORTED 2005-2017 when he finally introduced a shit bill nothing like HR 676
Anyone for Mayor Pete?
No, he participated in and supports US imperialist wars.
He also does not challenge capitalist injustice.
He is known for speaking logically and rationally. But logic based on faulty assumptions and the ignoring of injustice will lead to faulty and unjust conclusions.
@Krish55. I've heard many say that Bernie and Warren have little chance of getting their legislation passed. What an I missing? How will they do this? I love what they are for but the pragmatist in me fears going that route will ensure 4 more years of Trump. Avoiding Trump 2020 to me is the biggest priority.
Joe Biden is Bevis to Pete's Butthead in the Reagan Republican wing of the DNC....
@jdubbs1066 Bernie has a long history of working across the aisle. I do think it would be a struggle passing some of his idea, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Bernie has been saying the same things for 40+ years- he hasn't waivered.
@JonnaBononna it's no wonder he is rated high for being trustworthy. I hope something like what he is after comes to pass.
@jdubbs1066 this admin has lowered the average integrity to the point Bernie is now a pinnacle of truth. Trump is down at the bottom of the cesspit....
There are a few issues that could be litmus tests aside from Palestine. Bernie is OK on that count, but what about his stance on gun control? He has been historically wishy-washy in that area and continues to be, with the latest head-scratcher being his opposition to gun buy-back programs. He used to say gun safety legislation wasn't important to him because there wasn't a lot of gun violence in Vermont. Now maybe he's just been hanging around NRA shill Killer Mike too much. I caucused for Bernie 4 yrs ago, but this time around I'll probably go with a different candidate.
Well I wish you would change your mind. I'm a " founding" member of Bernie or bust". I will not vote for "lesser evil". Dems. Can't win w/o Independents, and I guarantee Indys. won't vote for a war mongering centrist.
@Boudica Are you saying that you wouldn't vote for someone like, say, Biden in the general election? Actually he does better than Bernie among independent voters, at least according to a poll back in October. Biden isn't my preferred candidate, but I don'[t think it's fair to call any of the D candidates "war mongering." The main thing is we need to replace Trump, and sitting out an election because your favorite candidate didn't make the cut would have the same effect as just voting for Trump, obviously. And I think we can see by now that the difference between Trump and any Democrat is huge and worth holding our noses if that's what it takes. [thehill.com]
Unfortunately, a major problem is money. Now with 'Citizens United' corporations give lots of money that politicians need to get through to the, mostly ignorant, electorate. I worked a polling station for 5 years and saw that the average voter is often clueless.
There is one major issue today that has been propagandized by corporations. I recently discovered the 'open borders' crowd is pouring tons of money for their cause. Too many 'liberals' have fallen for it. Now with tRump's vile rhetoric on the subject others feel the need to push the pendulum in the other direction. This should be an issue based on evidence and reason not emotion. We need a candidate that can speak from the mind not the heart.
Not a very reliable litmus test, I believe. Obama for one uttered a lot of bumpf in favour of Islam, like that old chestnut, "Islam is a religion of peace." (Read your Quran.) Apart from that, I can hardly believe that "Palestine" is an issue at all in the United States when even their Muslim neighbors in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, could hardly care less for the past 50 years or so. Surely to Allah the USA has existential internal problems raising their ugly faces (i.e. Repugnicans) every day.
Issue has nothing to do with Islam. The litmus test is the ability of a candidate to honestly face the truth.
@Krish55 Still don't see why being pro-Palestinian would be the central, make or break issue of being a "progressive" in the USA or anywhere else. How is denying the existence of the one democratic country in the Middle East in a sea of warlord family-led countries being "progressive". More like western guilt gone insane. There are almost 2 million Arabs apparently happy to be living in Israel in preference to those countries of their cultural brothers and sisters.
If I were president, I would have said religion of peace, too, like Obama. (In fact, Bush said the same thing) It is about keeping peace in your society. You have responsibilities as a leader other than being atheist or what you really think about religions.
@tansut Regardless of the Netanyahu era (and I give Americans a pass too in the aberration that is the Trump era, Brazilians for Bolsonaro, Filipinos for Duterte, Russians for Putin, etc) I wouldn't be saying it unless Arab professors were also saying it -- that Israel is a special project in a largely irrational desert. From my observations "secular", tolerant Arabs are able to live flourishing lives in Israel. Can anyone say the same about Jews who would be courageous/foolish enough to try to live a peaceful life in an Arab country? Racism? There are still many countries in the world where if you stumble into the wrong tribal area/sect you take your life in your hands. Though American-born I have been out of the country for 59 years and am trying to get my head around the "American liberal" way of thinking; well, not thinking really, just kneejerk reactions. I think the following is a good example: In Libya, last year, Nigerians being abducted and sold into slavery is part of everyday life. Americans don't call this racism when they see it, just a certain people exploiting another driven by necessity. American "progressives" from professors to diplomats will try to think of any number of excuses for it. But when Americans see other Americans trying to be compensated for the slavery of distant ancestors 200 or 400 years ago -- actually initially driven by "entrepreneurs" on the African continent -- they say, by all means, you are all victims of racism, let us move heaven and earth for you to be compensated today.
@Garbonza "Still don't see why being pro-Palestinian would be the central, make or break issue of being a "progressive" in the USA or anywhere else."
May it be because of basic human rights?
How can you overlook almost 5 million people kept in apartheid, open prison with no rights, no representation with the help of your own government? They cannot even go to their school and work without passing through multiple checkpoints.
And you think millions of people living in these conditions with the backing of the US for 50 years is not a major issue at all?
@Garbonza As I said above if you are not aware of racism against arabs in Israel, you do not have any knowledge on the issue. Dude, they just passed a law last year saying that Israel will be a Jewish state (Nation State Law) basically declaring that ISrael will always will be a racist state and you come here and argue that there is no racism in Israel? Funny.
@tansut ..and how many are remaining there to keep hold of their property and their heritage..there was a palestinian community already living in palestine before it was overrun
Posted by KilltheskyfairyIt’s the only way…
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Posted by HippieChick58Donnie thinks he had every right to interfere with the 2020 election
Posted by KilltheskyfairyHappy Labor Day!
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Posted by KilltheskyfairyCorporate greed!
Posted by KilltheskyfairyCorporate greed!
Posted by KilltheskyfairyCorporate greed!