Once more into the fray.

I know the entire C99 community is well aware that every passing day brings on even wilder and outrageous attacks designed to quash Bernie's momentum and derail his campaign. Those attacks run the entire gamut from outrageous obvious lies to slick and subtle rumblings. But we all get it, no one here is being fooled, not by any of it, whether it comes from within or outside of mainstream media. We simply aren’t buying bullshit today.

What those who attack him don't seem to understand is that every line of crap they throw at him (and us) serves only to strengthen him, his supporters and thus the movement. It certainly doesn’t make us want to throw in the towel, it just makes us want to fight harder. Maybe they'll finally figure it out once we finally win this thing...

As you watch the desperation of his opponents grow it’s important to keep in mind that it's that very desperation that's driving them, understand that the establishment, on both the left and the right, does believe he’s winning. Their desperation is telling us that much. While their lies are just that, lies, their concerns are very real. They are being threatened. And they know it. It's driving them to the point of complete insanity. But knowing what's driven them to the brink of hysteria , it's kind of amusing to watch them tear off their masks in throes of self righteous indignity and and exposing themselves in the process.

We’ve all grown accustomed to the political mudslinging that has become the mainstay of American politics so not many are very surprised at the shit-show taking place. Not surprised that the DNC establishment is STILL aligned against him. Anyone who isn't already aware of that hasn’t been paying attention for a very long time. And even the most naive sector of the electorate has to have known all along that right wing conservatives of every stripe would come out against him .

That mainstream media is certainly doing it’s job with their blatant attempts to control the narrative and put a negative slant to all he accomplishes, no surprise there either. We already saw that movie in 2016. Too see them helping nudge Bernie along a path to victory would be every bit as shocking as it would be to see them openly promoting Trump. The MSM pundits have been well trained (some are even potty broke I’ve heard) and they (and we) all know who butters their toast so anyone expecting them to jump on the Bernie train is hopelessly delusional.

So again, attacks from all those above is to totally expected. and everyone with a few working brain cells gets it. But what I still can’t understand are the attacks coming from the left. I at first wrote down the main topics usually thrown at him from the left but on second thought just deleted that paragraph, refusing to put any more emphasis on that tired worn out line of bull. But I get it, I really do but sorry, we’re not gonna get that perfect candidate, not now, not ever. What’s more, your perfect candidate or my flawed one, it doesn't matter, none of them will be able to even get in the game if they don't follow at least some of it's rules, it’s rigged that way in case you haven’t noticed.

It is a movement, and anyone expecting it to be easy or expecting overnight success is operating on half his or her cylinders. But it’s a growing movement, a war against the machine if you will, the machine we all claim to hate, and with damn good reason. Maybe he doesn't fight like YOU think he should fight but he's fighting and has been for decades. You want to throw shit on him, give me a better alternative, and please spare me the improbability of some some shiny new object down the road that we should all put our hopes on. Some day maybe, possibly,hope springs eternal and I’m hoping it happens too, but Bernies right here right now, this moment, and in this moment there is no better bucket to put your hopes in.

I'm here to tell you I'm not tucking my head in the sand and hoping for the best, As long as he's still on his feet I'm right there with him. Why anyone who supports his ideas but concentrates on his negatives is a mystery to me, what they hope to accomplish by throwing water on his fire is either way over my head or the very definition of insanity, at least to my way of thinking.

He’s trying to level the damn playing board, trying to brings some sense of justice to everyday people. He’s completely changed the conversations that are taking place, brought in new ideas and new ways of thinking and looking at the world. He’s opening doors and helping to bring true progressives into the political game.He’s doing a hell of lot more than that but I think I’ve already written more words than I’ve ever written in my life and anyone that needs to be told what he’s done and has been doing, and continues to do, probably won’t get it anyway. So hell yeah, fuck it, he’s not perfect so lets all hop on board the Shit on Bernie train and help the establishment stop him. Help them put one of their puppets into office once again. And make no mistake about it, that’s the only thing that Bernie bashing can hope to accomplish. I'm sure we'll all benefit from that.

I’ve stated the obvious before, but I think it’s worth repeating, someone is going to get elected come November. It might be Bernie who has inspired millions and started much needed conversations which would never have even seen the light of day without him. It might be Bernie who terrifies the establishment that we all rally against. It might be Bernie who has built a grassroots organization to fight the status quo like none of his primary opponents have been able to.

And it might be Tulsi, who at this point in time looks like someone I could easily support. But my honest opinion, and that’s all I can offer you) is that one fine day she’ll be a remarkable candidate and one that I’ll most likely support should I still be around and kicking. But at the same time, I believe her chances this go round are extremely slim. That’s not a slam in any sense of the word and anyone taking it that way is reading something into it that is not there. Just being up front about where I stand.

But If not Bernie, and if not Tulsi then it will be an establishment puppet (or even worse if Trump gets re-elected.) So in the end our choices are limited, we can get behind and vote for Bernie or vote for Tulsi, or vote green if you wish. Or sit it out all together if you see some way that helps, but no matter which way you lean, bashing Bernie accomplishes absolutely nothing positive.

My point of this probably way too long essay is that Bernie Sanders is giving his all in an attempt to help us, the 99%. And it infuriates me when anyone but especially someone from the left tries to throw a wet blanket on his fire. It infuriates me because I just can’t understand how that helps the homeless, the uninsured, the hungry, the uneducated, the fight against racism and bigotry , how it helps the poorest among us, or the inmates suffering in private prisons, the victims of police brutality, how it helps the planet we call Earth ..... Hells bells, do I really need to go on?

Thanks for reading, truly appreciated.

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49 users have voted.

Comments

Shahryar's picture

If Bernie needs other opinions on his foreign policy then we should give them. Those opinions will get to him. And then maybe he'd consider them, take them to heart, embrace them and be the perfect candidate...or President.

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25 users have voted.
janis b's picture

Thank you for expressing, what is fortunately becoming more real to the public's eyes.

… It is a movement … He’s trying to level the damn playing board, trying to brings some sense of justice to everyday people. He’s completely changed the conversations that are taking place, brought in new ideas and new ways of thinking and looking at the world.

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31 users have voted.
PriceRip's picture

          Reading Jonah Goldberg’s column trying to figure out why the Democrats can’t win the presidency was ironically hilarious. Sitting around pulling your hair out trying to figure out who you should be to get yourself elected is exactly why the Democrats can’t win.

          If pure desire, intelligence and cunning could produce victory, Hillary Clinton would be on her third term. The answer is exactly the opposite: authenticity. The only Democratic candidate who has been true to himself and his ideas for his entire career is Sen. Bernie Sanders.

William David Stone, Beverly Hills

In the Los Angeles Times today.

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42 users have voted.
janis b's picture

@PriceRip

why there are so many democrats who don’t acknowledge and appreciate Sander’s life-long battle for justice. I know they are mostly subject to the debilitating media they listen to, but are they also suffering from a sense of inferiority, compared to him. Would some people rather beat down what they feel they can't achieve? Why aren't they simply more inspired to aspire to something similar? It would be helpful for them as well. Unfortunately the majority of the voting population is republican or older, and they are more generally set in their ways. I think getting more people out to vote is critical.

Ok, Boomers, time to do a little more self-reflection.

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24 users have voted.

@janis b

why there are so many democrats who don’t acknowledge and appreciate Sander’s life-long battle for justice.

It is likely that the term "Democrat" is something that they have simply attached themselves to is only a decoration and not a definition of what it was in the old sense. See how many are running to endorse Bloomberg with the hope of getting some $$$$$$ says what they are about.

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16 users have voted.
janis b's picture

@humphrey

all those who, over their long lives, have voted for more democratic ideals? What happened to them?

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8 users have voted.

@janis b Scared into fearing Trump? Scared of trying something new? Scared into hating Russia? Scared into vote blue no matter who? Scared of what they’d find if they took a critical look at the Dems?

Just my guess, but it seems when I read most of the anti progressive pro democrat comments, they reduce to being afraid of something.

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10 users have voted.

Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.

janis b's picture

@Dr. John Carpenter

so many live in fear. For many people that fear is all too genuine, for others it is a delusion.

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4 users have voted.

@humphrey

you are talking about when you say Democrat in the old sense, but if fifty years or thereabouts ago qualifies then I can say I definitely don't recall the Democratic values including confiscatory anti-gun policies or nanny state PC culture.

At least they didn't where I was from in the Pacific Northwest.

Back when Democrats actually got elected in places like Idaho and Alaska and when the Appalachian region was pretty much solidly Democratic.

When it comes to guns - it seems a lot of people in flyover country for some reason associate them with the right to defend themselves which they (through some twisted logic) somehow have come to regard that as (get this) a "basic human right"! (Try and pin them down and they'll likely
come back with some mumbo-jumbo about "life being an unalienable right" or some such, whatever *that's* supposed to mean...)

Anyway, what they *don't* see looking at Bernie and Bloomberg is any significant daylight between them when it comes to disarming the plebes.

Instead of revolution that comes across to a lot of people as counter-revolution to the one they thought they already had.

“That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there.”

― George Orwell

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9 users have voted.

@humphrey Fifty years ago the NRA was a sportsman's organization joining with environmentalists to ban the use of lead shot to keep water fowl healthy.

Fifty years ago 40 hours of manual labor could buy a middle class life style. With a parent at home you didn't need a nanny.

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6 users have voted.
Hawkfish's picture

With our English dead

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10 users have voted.

We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg

snoopydawg's picture

Places there aren't only changing how votes are counted they are making new rules for people who changed their party affiliation.

I haven't heard anything more about how Nevada is going to count votes, but one county in Los angles is going to be using an iPad to do it. People who say they are training for its use say that it's still not working. This changing everything this year once it became clear that Bernie might win just shows how desperate democrats are to keep it from happening.

Lots of black mayors are endorsing Bloomberg after he donated millions to their cities. Disgusting!

And amen to this!

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27 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

janis b's picture

@snoopydawg

just when the hope grows, you remind us of the inconceivable ...

"Lots of black mayors are endorsing Bloomberg after he donated millions to their cities. Disgusting!"

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bloomberg-now-endorsed-100-mayors-includ...

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19 users have voted.
snoopydawg's picture

@janis b

We need to witness what the democrats are doing in front of us and never let them forget it. Trump took the mask off America's true colors and democrats are taking it off America's election system. The truth is out there for the world to see.

From the article..

The Miles, Bell and Hardy endorsements came on Thursday, hours after Bloomberg announced his Mike for Black America initiative, a program to help engage the black community on key issues. Recent polling shows Bloomberg inching close to Biden in popularity among the African American community.

In a statement, Bloomberg, a former three-term mayor, said, "Their endorsements show the hunger local leaders have for real leadership in the White House -- and that starts with defeating this president."

Bloomberg's history shows he is none of that as Mark from Queens has stated. It's not up to me to call this race traitor, but I am seeing many blacks saying just that.

IMG_4062.JPG
Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg (C) holds a baby during the "Mike for Black America Launch Celebration" at the Buffalo Soldier National Museum in Houston, Texas, on February 13, 2020.

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23 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

janis b's picture

@snoopydawg

that did it for me!

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13 users have voted.
orlbucfan's picture

@snoopydawg pulled the mask off long before the orange dimwitted fatso even had the thought. Rec'd!!

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6 users have voted.

Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

mhagle's picture

This is how I feel, especially after hearing Bernie in person last night.

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22 users have voted.

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Wally's picture

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22 users have voted.
janis b's picture

@Wally

to send to anyone she knew who was considering voting for bloomberg.

https://twitter.com/brianpmangan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetemb...

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14 users have voted.
snoopydawg's picture

@Wally

Of course there is Bernie isn't a democrat! But then neither is Bloomberg right? As always it's the f'cking hypocrisy.

It's a big club and I don't want to have anything to do with it!

One tweet I posted a few days ago said that while Weinstein was doing his thing and Epstein was doing his thing and banks were doing their thing Bloomberg sent the cops to black neighborhoods. And of course it's always the lower class that gets prosecuted while the big criminals go untouched.

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27 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

PriceRip's picture

          Most waste their time talking all around the reality that is about to crush us all. This "rearranging of the deck chairs" has got to stop.

          I am thoroughly disgusted with the DNC. There is no alternative for the future of this country but to force the DNC to put Bernie in the White House. (AOC and Bernie Want Shut Down Fracking) none of the other "contenders" have anything useful to contribute.

RIP

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29 users have voted.
PriceRip's picture

          I really wish I that I suffered from paranoia because the alternative is far more unsettling.

          Anyone should be able to understand that the upper graphic is meaningless. However, I think most actually are unable to understand that the upper graphic is meaningless.

Bernie Versus DNC

          I am not sure how the upper graphic represents any data derived from reality. But if it is supposed to summarized the data represented in lower graphic the analysis is flawed: The values should read as 26% for Sanders versus 57+% for the Moderates.

RIP

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17 users have voted.
RantingRooster's picture

want to un-seat Trump's presidency, they should all "unify" behind Senator Sanders, and apply all those resources to getting Bernie in the WH. It's that simple. His policies are favored by more people than any other candidate, from either side of the isle. That should be the message (or something similar) by every Bernie surrogate. Because, I think, if it is not Bernie, it will be Trump.

I might be danny downer, but I am 100% #BernieOrBust2020 no doubts about it. I'll even pay attention to my down ballot votes. As an aside, I think, my two cents, Tulsi and Former Col. Larry Wilkerson would be great as foreign / NATSEC policy advisers to Bernie's team.

[video:https://youtu.be/TjjqQmza0Kw]

Drinks

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24 users have voted.

C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote

mimi's picture

@RantingRooster
consistantly honest guy.

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10 users have voted.
PriceRip's picture

@RantingRooster

          I suspect, (clears throat theatrically), like me, (cough, cough), you are searching for the best possible way to influence the unruly horde into becoming rational citizens that will act for the common good.

          … the "Democrats" … should all "unify" behind Senator Sanders, … His policies are favored by more people … if it is not Bernie, it will be Trump. …

          With regard to politics I am a shlemiel, a putz … well, okay, maybe those words don't really work. But, for sure, I am not, in any meaningful way, adroit with respect to this area of expertise.

          We need to find a way to force the democrats to address the real issues with real solutions. In short we need to blast them out of their complacency, their zone of comfort. They, as an organization (just like the republicans) have never been honest with their membership, or anyone else for that.

          Senator Sanders, is the only candidate that has a grasp on the reality of the situation. As flawed as he may be, he along with several other national legislators (like "The Squad") have a realistic vision for the near future. They know, unlike the unruly horde, that no adjustment, correction, plan, et cetera is a solution for all time. Unlike the unruly horde, they all know eternal vigilance is required for maintaining a fair and just society.

          The replacing of the Idiot is but the first step, we must inspire the rest of the population to join us on discovering a future that is truly worth the effort. Bernie, along with others like The Squad, have provided (in writing) a plan for identifying the next several steps in this extensive journey. We need to use what they have created as a foundation for moving forward.

          I, like Sanders, understand that our only hope is in the new, young actors that have just entered the stage.

RIP

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10 users have voted.
earthling1's picture

If Bernie called out Chuck Todd in the upcoming debate that he is to moderate regarding his labling Bernie supporters "brownshirts".
Show your supportets some love, Bernie. Defend us.

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21 users have voted.

Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Situational Lefty's picture

candidate FDR had the much more liberal Senator from Louisiana Huey Long constantly checking him the entire time. Huey Long was a big threat to break off from the Party and run as a third party candidate.

Up until now, Bernie's always played the Huey Long role. He's always been the farthest to the Left option. Now that he's playing the part of the front-runner, there's nobody to play Huey Long to Bernie Sanders except those to the Left of him, politically in the electorate.

People need to speak out. Especially those on the left, when they think he's wrong.

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11 users have voted.

"The enemy is anybody who is going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on." Yossarian

Thanks to our foreign policy, a Saudi-led coalition, which we are part of, killed yet another 31 civilians today. Our foreign policy, like our climate change policy, is a disaster. It doesn't need incremental change.

That said, Bernie would get my vote. I also voice my concerns to media that promote Bloomberg. Sadly I see people who want him to run and would have no problem with him out and out buying the election.

I much prefer Tulsi. I wish more voices like her were out there talking about how many veterans are suffering from our failed foreign policy. But I also realize I can't have everything.

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14 users have voted.
Lily O Lady's picture

@Mickt

the other looks on in amazement at Bloomberg’s apparent success buying this election. GOP oligarchs’ power to buy elections seems to pale in comparison to recently converted Democrat Bloomberg’s success with the Democrats. Personally, I’m stunned.

I hope that all of us who support Sanders can kick Bloomberg’s butt out of the electoral process. And Ms. Clinton, too!

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11 users have voted.

"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

lotlizard's picture

Trump won.

There’s no reason Bernie can’t do the same.

But he needs to be as clear in his mind as Trump was about the fact that, from the establishment players of what is nominally his party, nothing good — not the least bit of fairness — can be expected.

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15 users have voted.

@lotlizard only those that lack the capacity to absorb the data and observe objectively. By mid-July 2015 he was leading the national Republican primary polls and he never relinquished that lead. With my retch bag by my side, I forced myself to watch the first two GOP primary debates. Trump not only held his own but was decimating the competition. So, early on I dismissed the "he'll even win the nomination."

Then for months I had the following same conversation:

Them: What does Trump really want?

Me: To be President.

Them: No, it can't be that; it's got to be something else.

Did I expect him to win the general eleciton? No. My back of the envelope cheat sheet had him short by eleven EC votes and HRC only short by one with only NV and NH too close for me to call. I was too far inside the box to imagine that the tight polling in PA could possibly mean that for the first time in twenty-four years that it would flip. WI and MI were polled too infrequently; both were assumed to be too blue to flip. What I was confident about was that Clinton and Kaine were wasting their time in FL and NC.

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3 users have voted.

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6 users have voted.
smiley7's picture

@aliasalias

in a course correction a long-time coming; our children can not afford for those of us with a vote or platform to get this wrong.

Thank you.

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7 users have voted.
Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

except some Republicans), that disagreement, criticism, and dissent are not the same thing as "throwing shit" on someone.

I will be honest to the best of my ability if somebody asks me what I think about Bernie. I will honestly express my opinion when other people talk about him. My opinion of him is primarily positive. However, if I believe the facts warrant a critique of him, from the left or any other direction, I'm going to say so.

I doubt whether Sanders would have a problem with that, but whether he would or not, I intend to still do it.

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0 users have voted.

"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver