BernieBros Go Global
I was already aware that UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn borrowed from Bernie's campaign strategy back in 2016, with a great deal of success.
It turns out that this was only the start. Bernie's movement is going global.
Bernie Sanders has a base that no other 2020 candidate can claim: left-wing politicians around the globe.
From South America to Europe to the Middle East, leftist leaders are celebrating his candidacy, viewing him as an iconic democratic socialist with the potential to lead a worldwide progressive movement at a time when right-wing populism is on the rise across the map.
...In Canada, Israel, Germany and Spain, progressive politicians have also hailed the Vermont senator on social media and in interviews, often speaking favorably of his "Medicare for All" proposal, noninterventionist foreign policy and advocacy for the "Green New Deal." Sometimes, the excitement is borderline giddy: Stefan Liebich, a Left Party member of the German Bundestag, recently posted a photo of himself holding a Sanders figurine on social media, adding, “#feelthebern.”
Niki Ashton, a Canadian member of Parliament who joined Sanders in launching Progressive International, said the senator “has shifted the conversations both in the U.S. and around the world.”
“The far right have internationalised,” Ross Greer, a Green Party member of Scottish Parliament who went on the TV show “Scotland Tonight” to declare his support for Sanders, told POLITICO. “They cooperate and coordinate across borders. So if we are to defeat them, we need to do the same. Bernie gets that in a way I’ve not seen from any other presidential candidate.”
We congratulate brother @BernieSanders, who, according to the press, moves forward the US presidential nomination. We are confident this progressive leader will have a strong support from the people of the US. Democratic revolutions are built upon democratic elections pic.twitter.com/Qrz0eK6dvh
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) March 3, 2019
#feelthebern pic.twitter.com/ItWUvkW16q
— Stefan Liebich (@berlinliebich) February 20, 2019
Let's face it: Bernie isn't cool.
Bernie is anti-cool.
Which is what makes this so amazing.
Nowhere is Bernie so popular than in the UK Labour Party.
Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom’s Labour Party have argued that Sanders and their party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, would have a “special relationship” if the two men both rose to the top of their countries.“Over the moon that @BernieSanders is running for President in 2020,” wrote Laura Pidcock, Labour’s shadow minister for business, energy and industrial strategy, in a tweet after he announced his candidacy. “Bernie was never just a candidate, his campaign was a movement, galvanising millions & offering hope across the globe.”
Richard Burgon, the Labour Party’s shadow justice secretary, confirmed that “the two teams” — Sanders’ and his party’s — "have talked.”
Bernie makes me dare to hope, and I'm not alone.
Comments
Hope is overrated
thanks to he who should never be mentioned.
Maybe it's time for a wish. Maybe optimism? Desire?
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
desire
My "hope" is in those coming to see Bernie, not in Bernie himself.
My hope is founded on the wishes, optimism and desires of those very people, and of their American, Spanish, French (les gillets jaunes), Canadian, Catalan, Mexican, Bolivian, Venezuelan, Indian, etc., colleagues.
Throughout the democratic world, citizens' patience with the centrists of both pseudo-left and milquetoast right is wearing thinner by the day. And international solidarity is coming back "in", too. I rather like that!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
^^^ A transcendental view
Well said, than.
IMAGINE if you woke up the day after a US Presidential Election and headlines around the the world blared, "The Majority of Americans Refused to Vote in US Presidential Election! What Does this Mean?"
Looks to me like the world trend is to the Right.
And Corbyn isn't PM, May is and she can't be dislodged with dynamite.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
You're not following Brexit much, are you?
You're not following Brexit much, are you?
Mme. May is now in Europe, hobnobbing with the French President and the German Chancellor. The reason for this is that she needs yet another delay in the Article 50 process specifically because the Tory MPs are so splintered that she can't get anything passed. And she's already gone to Mr. Corbyn to fix the problem; yet even he can't do it. Moreover, Corbyn has already submitted one "no confidence" bill to the Commons, which was only defeated by the narrowest of margins. Then, when the Commons voted to take control of Brexit from May on March 26, she lost control of the Chamber for all practical purposes -- and that with no fewer than 30 Tory MPs voting to make it happen!
May's tenure as PM is far from safe.
Six months ago, you would have been right. Today, not so much.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
last i read, i thought she'd agreed to step down
as soon as brexit is accomplished.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
No, I only check once a week or so at
European tribune
and of course what I read here.
May keeps losing votes but winning elections.
Regarding the world as a whole, I see increasingly right wing governments everywhere. Netanyahoo(MY spelling) just won reelection, right wing revolt in Venezuela and Eastern Europe and especially in the USA where Trump idolators are undeterred and Democrats and their IdPol are hated. Oh, I forgot Turkey and Greece and France.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Because the right always fights back, by fair means or foul.
It simply has too much to lose, wealth, power, prestige, position, to allow a pack of scruffy leftists to take over. We have to be able to offer to ordinary folks a better deal than they can hope to get from rightist promises of protection and patronage. The Sanders campaign took off in 2016 precisely because, I suggest, he was promoting basic ideas which, if implemented, would have measureable improved lives for non-wealthy citizens, such free tuition at state supported institutions, Medicare for all, and $15. hr. minimum wage. I could wish he had gone further, rent control across the nation, for example, tax on WS transactions, and so on.
He seems to have an improved program this time, and the question is can we forgive him for caving to the Klinton Crime Machine in 2016. Now if he were to announce Gabbard as his VP pick, and the two were to campaign together... Imagine a promise of 16 years of progressive policies at home and peace overseas.
Mary Bennett
What does she bring to the ticket?
Besides IdPol? I'm not knocking her, but since her policies are nearly identical, what does she bring? How about a Southerner for geographic balance? Better yet someone from the Midwest which is where the Dems lost the election last time.
OTOH, maybe regional imbalance is old fashioned and IdPol is the way to go. Age balance is good and I'm sure many would like to see someone NOT from New England which leaves out Liz Warren. Now you West Coasters please don't throw rocks at me, but every California pol seems so damn phony.
I'm sure JB Pritzker is available, but then there would be an all male all Jewish ticket. PLEASE don't suggest Rahm Emanuel (which has the same flaw, anyway). The (female) former Governor (maybe still governor) of Michigan might be OK, but the main job of the Veep, aside from attracting votes is to ride herd on the Senate. Who might that be?
Whatever the choice, the VP candidate is supposed to broaden the appeal.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
What election since 2017 did May win?
link
There is a trend to the right
You're correct in saying that there is a trend towards right-wing governments and movements. But is is counterbalanced by a definite resurgence of leftwing politics. The question is "will the leftwing be able to overcome the rightwing?". It's a relevant question in the USA, the UK and elsewhere... I happen to be fairly optimistic that we can make some progress in at least some places.
World trend being to the right
doesn't mean we have to go along with it if it is.
Mary Bennett
You do if you have no power
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
The trend in the USA was to the right all through the 80s-00s
and a lot of folks never went along with it. What the right relies on the most is money, so don't give them any. Use it up, wear it out, make do without.
Mary Bennett
The right depends on money?
The left doesn't?
There is a reason the US went right, right, right for a few decades and it is because the dems decided they didn't want to lose their gravy trains.
It is much easier to be like Obama (and entrenched dems like Pelosi and Schumer) and take everyone for a ride, and you get wealthier faster.
dfarrah
Read something similar to this earlier today...
...and the first thing I thought was: This would make for an excellent YouTube video/commercial !
Thank you, gjohnsit, for taking the time to bring this to C99P.
"Freedom is something that dies unless it's used." --Hunter S. Thompson
cool
Actually, Bernie is "cool". Ask anybody in those crowds.
What Bernie isn't is slick. (See William Jefferson "Slick Willy" Clinton for an example of "slick"). Bernie is anti-slick.
Which is why he's cool!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
You've best described
my favourite Bernie quality.
a cool anti-slicker stubborn old man ...
thank God for making those too.
https://www.euronews.com/live
He does make (R)'s foam at the mouth.
Such virulence must be for the one they fear most.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
I just saw a news item
on a local MSM affiliate crawler claiming Sanders is now a millionaire according to his tax returns.
I can't figure out if this was meant to disparage him or not.
Seriously, demonizing a millionaire against a field of billionaires seems kinda stupid. Or desperate.
But TPTB are starting the attack on him early, a sure sign of how much they fear him.
And if they fear him this much, he must be a legitimate threat, incongruent with being a sheepdog, IMHO.
Also note Trump's recent demonizing words regarding the rise of Socialism in the Western Hemisphere.
This level of fear, this early in the campaign season, can only mean one thing......political revolution.
And worldwide, as suggested by this great essay.
Thanks for the small window of hope, gjohnsit.
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
The reporting on his tax returns is getting
more expansive coverage (I'm guessing) because Bernie promised, but failed, to produce anything but a Form 1040 in 2016. BTW, it was Bernie who told the NYT in an interview the other day, that his tax returns would show him to be a millionaire. So, the reporting should be factual.
It's important that he do so, partly, because he's been calling out DT (since his initial run) to produce his tax returns.
To date, DT and Bernie, of the major politicans/candidates, have the fewest tax returns made public, including FSC, etc. (Bernie's 2016 1040 Form; DT's 2007 tax return.)
I totally support the release of all candidate's tax returns, since it's important to see where a candidate's money is coming from/going, in order to judge if they have any conflicts of interest. Which is why I support Dems obtaining DT's--however they have to do it.
Having said that, "what's good for the goose, is good for the gander." IMO, no Dem Presidential candidate has the moral authority to insist on seeing DT's returns, if they are refusing to produce their own. IOW, Bernie's doing the right thing. (And, it should put the speculation to rest.)
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne
Mollie
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
A threat
Being a socialist means taking a vow of poverty, donchaknow?
The only true socialists die from hunger, I guess.
Or they think we are really stupid.
When in doubt, check a person's enemies.
enemies
And keep them closer! (M. Corleone)
[video:https://youtu.be/DfHJDLoGInM]
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Michael Corleone
A true American hero! Less evil than America's politicians. And more honest.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Maybe there is another reason they are discrediting him
Maybe they just want to rain on his parade for the sake of raining on his parade.
I keep thinking how annoyed they were at us during the DNC convention. Where we saw a complete abrogation of the Democratic process, they saw us as merely a fly in the ointment in their much anticipated, very expensive, televised orgasmic political theater.
I think they see Bernie more as a fly in the ointment in their Machiavellian plans for world domination. Their colossal egos do like to control things in that power play view they have of everything.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
He is authentic. nt
dfarrah
speaking of borrowing from Bernies campaign,
I got an email from Eliz Warren this morning. In it she stated "We're the richest country in the history of the planet. "
And of course all I could think was how often Bernie would make that statement, word for word. Something like "we're the richest country in the history of all humanity and 23 million children go to bed hungry".
For all of Bernies faults it is really impressive how he has paved the way, created the language for, and inspired people to crave the solutions that humanity and this planet need.
I disagree
China is the richest country on the planet.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
the richest country in the history of all humanity
Not yet, she isn't. And her (China's) accelerating wealth is met by direct competition in exact kind, mostly from India. But our (USA) tenure on that throne is failing, if we ever qualified for it at all.
As to "the richest country in the history of all humanity", that would be the unified Mongol Empire, as it contained India and China and Russia and Iran, as well as today's Mongolia. Only when the Mongols broke up into the smaller Khanates did this cease to be so.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
the richest man in the mongol empire didn't own
a go-kart, much less a minivan. the US is incomprehensibly wealthier than any pre-industrial empire.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
That is truly impressive
It really makes him seem like nothing short of the true Heir of Roosevelt.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Roosevelt
Who was far from perfect himself.......
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
very true
Perversely, it adds to the feeling that Bernie's on the right track...we're seeing the REAL meaning of "not perfect" as opposed to a euphemism for "sucks inexcusably" or alternatively, using that term to knock someone down a peg in spite of having no reason for doing so ("perfect", after all, is an inherently nonsensical concept, but that's high metaphysics for another day...).
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Which to “conservatives” is like being the Heir of Slytherin.
Part of why I put it that way....
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
Jesus Christ!
Jesus Christ Superstar, that is!
wow, that brings back some memories!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
This is uplifting, gjohnsit. Thanks for bringing it.
Which one is the natural, instinctive state of humans?
To make the world a better place for everyone? Or, to steal the assets and resources of others to benefit the powerful?
The answer seems obvious.
One side finds security through sustainability, which will lift up all people to be the best they can be. The people naturally build strong, healthy societies.
The other side survives by acting as predators and maintaining a global underclass through rigged finance and resource forfeiture. The result is economic enslavement and crude, inefficient development that destroys the ecosystem. This behavior is an unnatural mutation — a superbug in the system — which sabotages the species' successful evolution.
IMAGINE if you woke up the day after a US Presidential Election and headlines around the the world blared, "The Majority of Americans Refused to Vote in US Presidential Election! What Does this Mean?"
History says that it is
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
This really kind of surprises me
In so many ways Bernies ideas are kind of small, in that they've been promoted by him for so long and times have presented bigger and bigger problems, with little movement until now. That and my impression of the other countries rallying behind him is that many of those countries have already implemented many of his ideas on health care and wages. I am pretty ignorant on how those countries operate, but without the military/law enforcement millstone we're forced to carry and a voracious 1%, they have to be better off than us. What is it that Bernie is saying that resonates with the people in those countries?
This ought to rile up TPTB. Here he was always that nothing to worry about loony-leftist-commie-socialist. Now I'm worried that he's got a target on his back.
People wanting better is just Russian propaganda.
Did hear on BBC this morning some European pol denouncing "populism". Seems in Europe the same type of establishment push back we see happening in the states toward Bernie (and his perceived allies).
Ex-middle-class economically precarious of the world, unite! n/t
Hey Gjohnsit
Thanks for the essay! Fun reading. Watching this must be a real irritation for our frothing at the mouth oligarchs intent on privatizing and raping every resource they can get their hand on across the globe, eh?
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier