United States Senator Bernie Sanders was in NY recently, somewhere down there among the hundreds of thousands marching for change.
Democracy Now
Stunning action and scenery, as well as very interesting to contemplate that a US Senator was among those many many thousands gathering to network and stand up for climate action!
Older Voters: Bernie Sanders in Iowa, Calls for Revolution
What if Senator Sanders were to run, and is able to draw a significant number of older voters to a Dem ticket? At the very least how might his participation in the Democratic primaries and debates affect dialogue?
When he was in Iowa recently he called for "political revolution."
CNN
Dubuque, Iowa (CNN) -- All the elements were there for low turnout: It was a beautiful, cloudless night, the Iowa-Iowa State game had just ended, and the state's critical place in presidential politics still felt years away for most Iowans.
But on Saturday night in Dubuque, Iowa, roughly 130 people showed up to see Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont talk about elevating the middle class, nationalizing health care and fighting the degrading influence of money in politics.
And they didn't just listen -- they urged him to run for president in 2016.
"We need a political revolution in this country," Sanders said, to applause. "Politics is terribly important, and what happens in Washington and state capitals is also enormously important."
A largely older, markedly liberal audience listened to Sanders for over an hour inside the student center of the local university. Before the event started, attendees chatted about the senator coming to Dubuque and whether he was going to run for president. Many said they hoped so, mostly because they want a liberal option in the Democratic primary in 2016.
Many progressives agree with that statement, but are wondering how to make it happen. How to get the base to turn out, how to hold Democrats who have gone over to the dark side accountable, how to insure an agenda that works for the generation who has been left out??? All very good questions...
Perhaps by appealing to older voters who like Sanders proposals to expand Social Security, who want to reopen Social Securityand Post Offices being closed, and wanting them reopened, those who see their grand children with no prospects and want jobs for them and Medicare for All.
What Will It Be Senator Sanders -- Democratic Party or Third Party?
Democracy Now
AMY GOODMAN: Attending an event last night where you were speaking, the question of whether you would be running as a third-party candidate or as a Democratic Party candidate for president?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, that’s something also. There are advantages and disadvantages of going both routes. Very difficult. On one hand, there is a lot of unhappiness with the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. More and more people are looking to alternatives, looking to become independents. On the other hand, from a practical point of view, putting together a 50-state independent political infrastructure, that ain’t so easy either. So that’s one of the issues that I’m looking at. But mostly, here today, I am just delighted that we’re going to have hundreds of thousands of people who say, "Enough is enough. We’ve got to begin the process of reversing global warming."
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think President Obama is doing enough around the issue of climate change?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: I mean, I think he is trying. I wouldn’t say that he’s doing enough. He can and should do more. But the major impediment right now is not Obama, it is the Republican Party. And we’ve got to call them out on this, you know? And we don’t do it enough. These are people who do not even acknowledge the scientific reality, because they’re beholden to Big Energy money and the Koch brothers. That’s where we have to be focused.
My wife and I turned 65 this year, and Bernie Sanders appeals to us and could as well to older Americans who are reliable voters concerned about the solutions he promotes.
In 2008 many held out little hope that Obama would get as far as he did.
Will the Democratic Party go for a more open primary, and at least allow Bernie into the debates?
Washington Post
Bernie Sanders would run for president against Wall Street, not Hillary Clinton
If Sanders does run, of course, he won't win. A poll from CNN this month put his support at 5 percent, less than it is for Hillary Clinton (by far), Vice President Biden (by a large amount) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). He's one of the few elected officials in American history to embrace the word "socialist" to describe his policies. But even though his campaign is clearly an attempt to draw attention to the issues he cares about — wealth inequality, the Citizens United decision — he wasn't willing to strongly criticize either Clinton or President Obama in doing so.
"The truth is, there is profound anger at both political parties," Sanders told Todd. "More and more people are becoming independent,"but independent candidates don't have any party infrastructure (by definition), so if he were to run, it would be as a Democrat. But that's not because of who is already (almost certainly) running on that ticket. "The issue is not Hillary," he said. "I have a lot of respect for Hillary Clinton. The question is: At a time when so many people have seen a decline in their standard of living, when the wealthiest and largest corporations are doing phenomenally well, the American people want change. ... Let Hillary speak for herself. I know where I'm coming from."
We understand that there is a qualitative, important difference between the two parties but not near enough.
Here at Dailykos we talk about electing more and better Democrats.
Well which will you run with Mr. Sanders? Democratic Party or Third Party.
I say go with Democratic Party. Others may think it a lost cause.
You?