Bernie Sanders Responds to Donald Trump Victory

In Variety ...

http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/bernie-sanders-trump-win-president-1201...

“Donald Trump tapped into the anger of a declining middle class that is sick and tired of establishment economics, establishment politics, and the establishment media,” Sanders said, echoing some of the themes of his own campaign.

“People are tired of working longer hours for lower wages, of seeing decent paying jobs go to China and other low-wage countries, of billionaires not paying any federal income taxes, and of not being able to afford a college education for their kids — all while the very rich become much richer.

“To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him. To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic, and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him,” he concluded.

And I also encourage you to watch the Trump victory speech, at least until the part where he starts thanking everyone at the end, although I didn't see anything offensive there either.

In my view, he was humble and said several very important things.

  • He said we need to add jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure.
  • He talked about opposing trade agreements.
  • He spoke about traveling around the country and seeing hurting people.

HRC promised none of those things.

I was very encouraged to see Bernie Sanders make these statements. And was Mr. Trump moved by the suffering he saw? I hope so. Living in Texas, many of my best friends have voted Republican (mostly because their preachers tell them to), but their core beliefs are the same as mine.

The "protests" and the media narrative (even disappointingly from supposedly progressive sites) represent the elite kicking and screaming and fighting to dominate again. I first saw reference to the Bernie article on truthdig.com. The comment section is full of CorrectTheRecord shills. They are not done. They were screaming in the comments. Variety comments were more reasonable, probably because Variety doesn't attract political hacks?

Donald Trump is going to be president. Seems to me we should find ways to work with him for the common good.

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I start thinking about this.

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#BernOrBurn

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mhagle's picture

... said this past year. But Bernie addressed that too. You work for the people and we will work with you. You do the dumb shit and we will oppose you.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

I can't listen to the false equivalence of Hillary's crimes and Trumps political rhetoric. Wake up America. Pleas people, disconnect your cable TV.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

sojourns's picture

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

kharma's picture

“To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him. To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic, and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him,” he concluded.

That's what's nice about not being beholden to some fucking party jersey, you can support things you like and oppose the others.

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There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams

Alligator Ed's picture

When the flow of money from the Corruptocracy ceases flowing, those screaming fanatics will scatter to the wind, trying to agree upon another CorruptocRAT like Killary--but her record will be hard to replicate because Cheney is a RepublicRAT.

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And so has The Clinton Foundation.

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ZimInSeattle's picture

do. Nothing more, nothing less. Just like Killary would have.

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"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020

Trump owes no one anything and the corporatocracy along with their lapdog MSM are flooding your brains with lies.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

Cachola's picture

I think you are right. He doesn't even owe the party. How that is going to translate is yet to be seen butvone can hope. Maybe?

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Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.

My politics are not cookie cutter. I am open to "good Trump". If you watch the video, you can see he is moved by his win. Maybe he'll return to his roots. If he doesn't, we need to help Bernie murder him.

All I can say is thank god I have c99 and its members to have honest and uncensored political talks with. Imagine how awful this would be if we were forced to go through this on ToP. No way in hell I could put up with the censorship, donuts, gangs, and bullies that are still there, and the last thing I want is to go there and fight with a bunch of centrist, stupid, assholes. Politics is stressful enough without Trump and blood sport in the Coleseum.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

I also believe many people here will be surprised. I didn't vote for him but I believe the rhetoric was just to solidify the Republican "base" on his side. It was all a show for politics. He is brash but he has a good heart and I think his grandson standing closest to him at the acceptance speech speaks loudly about his vision for the future.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

I'm not even joking or exaggerating. Folks then thought the systems in place would contain him.

We'll see. Trump isn't clever enough to be a modern Hitler. That doesn't mean he'll be a good President in spite of how he got there.

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Zenza's picture

Doesn't matter in re: your point of course .

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He is party of the plutocracy/plutonomy. Many of his interests are similar to theirs.

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If he plays his cards right we could be seeing the next version of the Kennedy's.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

For some people, it can be freeing.

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sojourns's picture

Wall Street hates him and he has a long memory for those who have offended him. He hates Wall Street? What other corporate overlords? He has no relationships with any American Banks as he has burned those Bridges long ago. Deutsch Bank may call in a marker on him any day now as he owes and they are nearly broke. I can't think of any Domestic Overlords for him to bend over for.

But to be fair, he plans to repeal Frank/Todd and deregulate everything, which a horrible idea and he'll get it. If that's what you mean about serving corporate America, then I can see that. He may be an idiot, racist bully, swine but he will be a powerful president with the congress in republican control. The entire world is nervous and I hope he receives much opposition.

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

lotlizard's picture

was, thanks to Trump, actually part of the Republican platform this year.

If that is true, people should get out there and make congratulatory noises in anticipation of how Trump’s going to pressure Congress to reinstate Glass-Steagall in the first 100 days.

And how much even we, Trump’s progressive detractors, are looking forward to that and how much that and similar measures will do wonders to unite the country, etc., etc.

I already suggested elsewhere — not wholly facetiously— that we should just relabel single payer “TrumpCare” and then hold demonstrations and marches saying, “We the People have spoken! The American people demand TrumpCare.”

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but we need to do it. We need to get our country saving again and enough with the stock market and financial instruments.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

Zenza's picture

Pull that off.
Edited for typo

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sojourns's picture

I somehow missed that. Thanks.

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

detroitmechworks's picture

And when push came to shove, you punted.

You could have had ALL the Independent votes. All you had to do was reach out and take them.
Instead, you sat back and embraced everything you were fighting against.

You've got a LONG way to go before you can redeem yourself here. I'm willing to believe that you want to, but you have to walk the talk. Your words about DAPL are good.

Go shopping for comfortable shoes before you continue preaching.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

mhagle's picture

Who is Gorman?

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

detroitmechworks's picture

Gorman was a Lieutenant in the Marines in the film...

While his men were getting slaughtered, he sat comfortably back and panicked, not doing ANYTHING.

Then when somebody tried to take action, he actively tried to stop it.

Hence the line "You had your chance, Gorman..."

Later he does redeem himself, and acts like a hero in the film, but far too late to change anything that was put into motion by his earlier incompetence.

So, Yeah, it's a cruel dig at Bernie, but I'm still pissed at him.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

TheJerry's picture

than Bernie.

He tried hard, he played by the rules, but late in the game he was forced into a bad choice, he chose what looked like the most realistic option at that time. It would have been a very steep climb on the Green Party ticket, he judged it too risky at the time. Hindsight is wonderful, but we don't get it ahead of time.

So if you want to be pissed at someone:

Elizabeth Warren: Champion of the People, Terror of Wall Street: Sat on the sidelines and didn't support Bernie when it mattered.

Al Franken, Sherod Brown and every other so called progressive who failed to stand with Bernie

Every super delegate who declared for HRC before the game even started

Obama who put his legacy in the hands of Clinton rather than Bernie or Biden, or for ignoring Main Street and caving to Wall Street and money a long time before that.

This list is endless, but Bernie really should not be on it. He did more than anyone else.

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____________________________________________________________________________
"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. "
-Niccolo Machiavelli

"Sorry Hillary"
-TheJerry

detroitmechworks's picture

But then I have a lot of disgust for almost all established politicians right now.

As I said, He can redeem himself, but he's got a long way to go, and he seems to be content to sit back and play the "Principled Controlled Opposition" for the Dems.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

nomination was stolen from him, "His native hue of resolution faded and his face sicklied over with the pale cast of thought."

The challenge was there and Bernie was found wanting.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

orlbucfan's picture

Everything Bernie said/predicted has come true.

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Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

detroitmechworks's picture

Too many people have elevated Bernie to the status of "our last hope."

He's a comfortable politician, with a comfortable blue state that allows him to occasionally stand up for things that he deems important.

And acts as the Cat's Paw for the Democrats whenever they need a "Liberal" to rally the troops.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

sojourns's picture

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

kharma's picture

Are you prepared to support the orange anus if he is opposing the TPP? What about infrastructure spending? Would you support him? TOP is already vowing to oppose everything even these things. If you can't get the President you want, then force the President you have to do what you want. Carrots and a whip for the jackass--who knows, we might make some progress.

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There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams

detroitmechworks's picture

So, all that talk is nice.

But he's gonna have to show me.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

We now have two fronts in this war: Finish tearing down the neoliberal Democrats and fighting the GOP monster we help to create. Everybody is going to have to show us.

I am not happy with Bernie dropping out and endorsing Hillary. If he and the rest of the alleged progressives in Washington can help us fight our war against the GOP, I'm taking it. This is a new game. I am prepared to make new friends and new enemies.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

sojourns's picture

Clinton isn't the only one with legal troubles...both foreign and domestic.

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

Anja Geitz's picture

With what? Their vote? He's got both houses. They are deluded.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Wink's picture

Bernie has played this as well as he could have played it - given he was fucked from the beginning (by the DNC) - and we're about to see Bernie 2.0 unleashed.
Now, you can whine that Bernie "sold out" (or worse) by -ahem- "backing" Her Highness, but what exactly did /does that change? I totally suspect and expect that Bernie knew Exactly what he was doing - post Cali - that HRC would likely win, but melt down, giving Bernie the opening he needed to unleash Bernie 2.0 100 days after the crowning, but Trump just made that happen sooner.
I really just don't get the hate for Bernie here.
No matter.
2.0 about to unleash. Get on board or not.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

detroitmechworks's picture

I don't care if Bernie had the greatest of intentions. He was used as a Cat's Paw.

If he tries again, the Democrats will do the exact same thing, as they have proven they are completely incapable of learning from the past.

I've already seen "Michelle 2020" and "Hillary 2020" trial balloons floated.

It's a road to nowhere, that I have no intention of traveling.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWtCittJyr0]

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Wink's picture

the 2020 Primary. She just had her 2020 Primary. She's done. Toast. Her only hope of getting anywhere near the White House is getting hired by Trump or working as a Fuck-The-99% Lobbyist. Oh, yeah? You voters want to treat me, your highness, like a p.o.s.? Take some of This! Michelle, alas, has a better chance. She Loves those travelling vacations! But, being black and FLOTUS likely hurts her among all those "racists" that voted for Trump. We need a Berniecrat in 2020.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

detroitmechworks's picture

She'll be back, and in greater numbers.

And what hurts Michelle is... Barry.
Especially if he goes on a bender before leaving office.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Wink's picture

case. Twice. The people have spoken. Twice. They don't like her much. That won't change no matter how many -ahem- "Listening Tours" she runs. if anything 2016 showed her that even she can't buy the presidency. Chelsea done too.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

detroitmechworks's picture

But the lust for power is not easily sated.

The Family will try again.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Wink's picture

is that '68 was the Trickster's second run. 2020 will be her third. Or 4th. Hard to keep up. No one thinks twice of a second run. Almost exected. But a third try? Some have done it, none have won. Hey! We rejected your ass twice! Get a clue!

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

sojourns's picture

or at least in full blown dementia and near death.

And Donald Trump giving her a pardon? Ahhhhhhhhh hahahahaha. He stated during the debate that was going to appoint a special prosecutor to go after her. Look for Loretta Lynch to receive her walking papers if she doesn't fly the coop first.

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

Amanda Matthews's picture

president?

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Condescending lectures are not well received. People can admantly oppose someone or something without be a "hater". That's Clinton tactics. Didn't work for her, won't work for Bernie or anybody else.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Wink's picture

Don't get it. Bernie's Revolution, if there ever is to be one, needs a face. None better than Bernie's. This "sold out" horse$h!t is just that. Time to board the Bernie 2.0 Express.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

Amanda Matthews's picture

would have looked at how crooked the system that was screwing him and us is and would have fought on, regardless of any stupid 'promise' he made.

He's not the only one that got cheated. And if he can turn tail and support the woman who he said represented everything that was wrong in politics, then he can't be trusted. Enabling corruption is the biggest problem we have in America today, and that is exactly what he was doing.

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Sometimes reminds me of that other place.. Odd how that happens...

Now is the time to build coalitions, not purity tests. Unless you wish to remain without poltical influence.

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Nilap Haras's picture

I blogged just recently that we must unite, not divide. We can compromise without friendship, just understanding. Convince the anti-trump movement to come together and think - infrastructure rebuild? - Hell Yes. Anti TPP or any trade agreement that hurts U.S. workers. Hell Yeah. Anything evil - HELL NO. That is why we must join together. All of us. ToP, Truth Out, TYT, any and all left leaning sons-of-bitches we can gather. We have to get together and fight, join forces behind that common good and kick some establishment ass.

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“Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” - Edward Snowden 2016

mhagle's picture

. . . so when he said he wanted to add jobs by rebuilding crumbling infrastructure . . . Holy Crap! . . . straight out of a Bernie speech or Jill's Green New Deal . . .

I am an optimist. Hoping for the best. I think the most crucial conversion that Mr. Trump needs is on the climate crisis. He was moved by seeing suffering middle America. Maybe horrible to say, but now he needs an undeniably climate crisis induced storm that costs him money. Super Storm Sandy should have taken care of that but apparently did not.

He is not a religious fundamentalist, so if the climate crisis smacks him in the face, all of the other stupid stuff will fall by the wayside. One worry is that he might take bad advice and shoot sulfur into the stratosphere or some other horrible untested geo-engineering solution.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

kharma's picture

to be ineffective at everything.

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There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams

Wink's picture

and gerrymandering us Dems back into the 19th century, the Trumpster ain't that bad. Way better than Her Highness, in fact, in terms of policy. His Infrastructure plan, if it sees the light of day, will almost single-handedly reboot the Economy™. Why Obama didn't bother with such a plan was a mystery. Would the Repubs shoot it down? Sure, but that doesn't stop you from trying. Obama never took his case to the people. He doesn't have to worry about his "Legacy." He has none. Won't miss him.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

TheOtherMaven's picture

Obama has more strings on him than a highly sophisticated marionette - he literally can not do anything unless his strings are pulled by the Power Elite. He has even lost the ability to talk the talk, the way he used to - he's been talking out of both sides of his mouth for too long.

Trump doesn't have strings - he pulls strings. Remains to be seen what he will do.

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.

OLinda's picture

Rose colored glasses, perhaps. I watched a few of his rally speeches during the campaign and could see and understand the attraction. I understood how people could vote for him and did not put it down to racism, etc.

He always spoke about jobs, jobs, jobs, trade agreements, and fixing our schools, roads, bridges, etc. He connected with his audience and spoke in language they understood.

In his acceptance speech (iirc) he said he wouldn't let us down, and that after 2, 4, or 8 years, we would be proud of him. Something like that. With his ego, and wanting to be approved of and liked, maybe he actually will try. Hmmm?

Denial ... wishful thinking... We will see!

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Two old, boisterous New Yorkers who have nothing else in common. Bernie has been fighting against the sufferings of the 99% most of his life. Donald (it's going to take a while to use "President") has been a part of the .01% all of his life. Maybe they share a wariness of non-stop greed and hedonism at the expense of the lower classes. Maybe if you're rich all your life, like FDR, you develop a desire to be a part of the vast majority. I think that could give Trump an affinity for Bernie. That's why I think it would be good to give Bernie an amplified voice. The media could no longer try to ignore Bernie if he is a senator and chairman of the DNC.

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Beware the bullshit factories.

for Senate Minority Leader. One of the most productive members of congress despite being an independent.

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Mary Bennett

Wink's picture

Press or anyone else. He already has an army of BernieBros, Berners and Berniecrats ready to go.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

Damnit Janet's picture

I'm done with the Democrats. Completely. I want an Inclusive Party. Not a Special Interests party. Cause we know what special interests they only care about. Themselves cause they're special.

Rebuild our schools. Make our schools great.

Then we wouldn't have so many dumb asses around.

I was terrified of HRC being the POTUS. I'm angry Trump will be.

America should have done better. Now we must create change if we are going to survive any of this. Take away their power and return it to our children's future.

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"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison

I'm an expert at spotting opinions based on MSM propaganda.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

Damnit Janet's picture

And yes "survive this". Me and mine will survive. But unlike most "progressives" I worry about everyone in my neighborhood not just under my roof.

Yes, people are dying in our streets. People are barely scraping by.

But you are the expert... thanks for the constructive chat.

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"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison

But you're gonna blame it on Trump? Really?

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

Damnit Janet's picture

Actually, I'm blaming it all on the damn Democrats.

Some expert...

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"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison

kharma's picture

They have had so many blown opportunities that it is suspicious to me thinking they are throwing the game here and there. After wikileaks confirmed everything we suspected about the DNC, I don't think those are the only few bad apples. The whole barrel is spoilt. I'm through with them too. I will support whoever, whenever I want. Right now, if Trump wants to spend on infrastructure and the less fortunate among us I am going to be fighting anyone against him Dem or not.

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There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams

Only Bernie seems not to be on the take from the multi-national ( important term) corporations. Trump didn't accept any money from the multinational corporations either. The whole congress is on the take from the corporations who are laying waste to America to take advantage of the cheaper labor pool of the world. National boundaries are irrelevant in that scenario, and trade agreements rule in a world where Phillip Morris can sue Equador for trying to discourage Equadorians from smoking and win. That is fucked up and it shows that the national boundaries are an illusion where a US company has more rights than a soveriegn country in a court of international law. HRC was for all this and Obama is going to push the TPP before Trump gets in there. There is no difference between Dems and Reps as evidenced by the number of Dems AND Reps AND the MSM backing the corporatocracy candidate, HRC.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

Damnit Janet's picture

I have stated so many times, There is only ONE party and we are not invited.

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"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison

PriceRip's picture

          in Portland from my own knowledge, and elsewhere by extention.

Yes, people are dying in our streets.

          I am not sure the readers here are aware that this is not hyperbole, or figurative for effect. Portland has a lot of unique geographical, and cultural features that hide its homeless.

          There is a large community of (hidden) homeless along the coast highway. Most tourists don't see them for all the scenic beauty. But once you begin to notice, you can never un-see the truth.

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Damnit Janet's picture

Spring Water Corridor bike trail is now mostly a tent city. Once you open your eyes you can't keep them shut.

Yes, people are dying in the streets.

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"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison

Stabenow and the rest of the Democrats who stole the election from Bernie are responsible for President Trump and a GOP sweep. What will they learn? Nothing. They are already blaming voters for being sexist instead of admitting that they held a coronation for an annointed candidate that nobody liked, trusted or wanted. The fight over run amok capitalism vs equality and justice would have been decided at the polls if they had let Bernie run. Bernie would have beaten Trump soundly, and we'd finally would be closing the book on trickle down and Ronald Reagan .

This is a great article. Could be its own essay. Full of data and facts.

How Clinton lost the "blue wall" state of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania
It was Hillary Clinton’s “blue wall” – three Great Lakes battlegrounds that Republicans had banged their heads against for years.

But Donald Trump stormed the blue wall Tuesday, parlaying victories in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania into the presidency.

Trump did it on a tide of votes from rural and blue-collar whites.

But he was helped by Clinton’s neglect of the region and her failure to fully mobilize her party’s own base, including young voters and African-Americans.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

riverlover's picture

I have zero interest in the Tell-all books by any players after the fact. The 99% were ignored, treated as stupid. Of course we became unhappy! And scattered by our personal winds. We were dissed as participants. Must. break. though. anger. and.disappointment. There is a common heart in most.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

OzoneTom's picture

Those who Her ignored. The same people Senator Sanders was speaking to.

Waddya know -- they voted in their self-interest!

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PriceRip's picture

We lost, what should the left do now?

          What can we do to start moving in the right correct direction. While any suggestion of action should be supported by sound reasoning, sound reasoning by itself is just an academic exercise.

          My reasoning is: Sanders was running a campaign that addressed the bulk of our (if I may be so bold) concerns. My sense is that it is not too late to pick of on this. The most difficult challenge is the issue of the Hillary Supporter's anti-Trump rallies/riots. If we are to pretend we can have an effect on the Democratic Party, we need these people to see reason. If not then we should set an attainable goal outside that Party.

          So, once again, "What one thing can we do to make a difference?"

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pswaterspirit's picture

He came to the Olympic Peninsula after giving a speech up by Bellingham WA. He stopped in my home town and several other small towns around and talked to people not in a speech way but casually. He asked their stories how did they feel they were being treated by the government and how could it be better. They were impressed with the follow up questions he asked. Hillary won the state but I think she got like 5 votes from the peninsula. She actually lost to Jill Stein there I would bet.

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orlbucfan's picture

I was very encouraged to see Bernie Sanders make these statements.
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He didn't just make those statements; he RAN on them and others! He is issuing a warning to the neo-liberal/far right wingnuts. We are listening and mobilized. tRumpie will walk into a buzzsaw in January if he's not careful. Rec'd!

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Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

Wink's picture

difference between Bernie and Trump. They were both populist candidates with many of the same views. The big difference, of course, being Bernie one of us, Trump one of them.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

Mark from Queens's picture

Nope. Not even close. Yuuuge difference.

The narcissistic buffoon talks a good game, if you like reality tv and would buy from a used car salesman, but he was the most transparent faux populist of all-time. He pandered the whole way, which is what politics is all about, but in the way that a typical businessman/salesman does when he knows his audience.

Trump has no intellectual curiosity whatsoever. His brain is abnormally developed in a sociopathic business sense, but little elsewhere. He's a thin-skinned bully with no real core at all.

Bernie was an exceptional public servant, seeped in the long and hard struggle of movement building and historical context of the moment, and drove home a consistent, laser-focused message of economic inequality, Wall St fraud and Money In Politics that connected the dots for the nation when he had the chance, building on the foundation that Occupy set up. Trump is an ADD-afflicted lout who changed his mind, literally, from second to second. He's a sham through and through. He completely saw Bernie's message resonating and plagiarized his platform, in a sloppy and directionless way, then funneled it out to the gullible, making wild grandiose promises he had no intention of ever keeping.

That said, in a a weird way I think there may be something to the potential of them working together. They're two real New York guys, with our unmistakeable accents and all, and I think Bernie may be able to get in his ear, as the two outsiders in the race who captured the imagination of the country. In all fairness Drumpf remains an unknown quantity in terms of governance. That could be frightening, but he will also be looking for guys who he thinks are not full of shit (the irony is amazing there). That's where Bernie, with a similar kind of directness, may be able to help settle and get things onto the right track.

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"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut

Wink's picture

push come to shove, I would have voted for Trump before voting for HRC, based solely on the issues. Yes, not much difference between Bernie and the Trumpster.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

his entire Presidency. The easiest way to implement a progressive agenda is letting the Republican's do it in the name of "conservatism".

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

mhagle's picture

Meant to put that point in the essay. Thanks for bringing it up!

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Unabashed Liberal's picture

Schumer (likely), and Pelosi--we'll likely see the same agenda/legislation enacted during a DT Administration, that we would have seen under FSC (IMO).

The 'key' will be to rid both Parties of these toxic corporatist neoliberal leaders--if that's possible. My 'hope' is that the Freedom Caucus will throw Ryan under the bus; but, since Repubs held quite a few of their centrist Senate seats, I'm not hopeful that this will happen.

Obviously, the MSM is in overdrive, attempting to push DT into the neoliberal mode--especially on trade and entitlements. It's his departure from adherence to the One Percent's accepted policy stances on these matters that has kept their hair on fire for months now.

Our only defense is to make sure we follow the upcoming Lame Duck Session legislative negotiations, and share the info. I have a sinking feeling that Speaker Ryan will find a very eager Dem Leadership, when it comes to dismantling what's left of the Social Safety Net.

Let's not forget--the Catfood Commission was a Democratic Administration's initiative--an agenda that they've been successfully carrying out, especially in regards to Medicare, in dribs and drabs for almost 8 years.

Mollie


“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit and therefore– to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)

Chris Hedges 2020

The SOSD Fantastic Four

Available For Adoption, Save Our Street Dogs, SOSD

Taro
Taro, SOSD

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Big Al's picture

Trump, the republicans, the democrats, the duopoly and the oligarchy in general, not with. They're not working with or for us, why the hell should we work with them? This new president bullcrap has got to go.

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detroitmechworks's picture

Al, you were right.
I was wrong.
And will probably be wrong again.
But still ain't gonna give up totally.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Big Al's picture

What's that saying, if you're never wrong, you're never really right.

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sojourns's picture

That is why you are the Amendment King!

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

It's going to be fun watching Trump keep Ted Cruz in his place.

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Beware the bullshit factories.

becomes more....well...democratic? What if it allowed us "membership" like we had some stake in it and we could vote for the various leadership positions rather than those spots being taken by the best fund raisers?

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glitterscale

becomes more....well...democratic? What if it allowed us "membership" like we had some stake in it and we could vote for the various leadership positions rather than those spots being taken by the best fund raisers?

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glitterscale

mhagle's picture

I have never had this many comments on an essay before. They were great. Smile

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

TheOtherMaven's picture

Or do you have to wait for the new administration? (Or for Her to die off?)

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.