Sanders warns Biden: address working-class anxieties or risk losing election to demagogue
In an interview with the Guardian from his home base in Burlington, Vermont, Sanders urged the Democratic president to inject more urgency into his bid for re-election. He said that unless the president was more direct in recognising the many crises faced by working-class families his Republican rival would win.
“We’ve got to see the White House move more aggressively on healthcare, on housing, on tax reform, on the high cost of prescription drugs,” Sanders said. “If we can get the president to move in that direction, he will win; if not, he’s going to lose.”
The US senator from Vermont added that he was in contact with the White House pressing that point. “We hope to make clear to the president and his team that they are not going to win this election unless they come up with a progressive agenda that speaks to the needs of the working class of this country.”
Sanders’ warning comes at a critical time in American politics. On Monday, Republicans in Iowa will gather for caucuses that mark the official start of the 2024 presidential election.
Biden faces no serious challenger in the Democratic primaries. But concern is mounting over how he would fare against Trump given a likely rematch between them in November.
I don't make sweeping moralistic statements like that. It's neither productive nor particularly tactful. I'm sure many of them thought they were making the sensible decision for the generally, even though I disagree with that decision.
What do you hope to gain, other than stroking your own moralism?
I don’t make sweeping moralistic statements like that. It’s neither productive nor particularly tactful. I’m sure many of them thought they were making the sensible decision for the generally, even though I disagree with that decision.
Give me one good sensible argument justifying voting for Biden over everybody else in the primaries.
What do you hope to gain, other than stroking your own moralism?
Hopefully making you and everybody else who voted for that procorporate piece of shit in the primaries understand in no uncertain terms: If you elect procorporate trash in the DNC primaries they will lose in the general. Period.
And he did win in the general, so I don’t get your point.
Because a bunch of us held our noses and gave him a chance because people said we can "push him to the left". Now that it's clear that was a lie we won't be showing up again.
Leftists are a minority.
Then ignore us. Win the 2024 general election all on your own.
Buddy, I'm a leftist too. You'd have to be a literal idiot to think Trump will be better for anyone left of fascists, especially Leftists. Campaign for ranked choice voting, be vocal the rest of the time. If Trump wins, that could be the end of American democracy, as flawed as it presently is .
Procorporate Democrats like Biden will never allow that to happen.
Buddy, I’m a leftist too.
A leftist who thinks electing procorporate trash will ever result in ranked choice voting and won't call out primary voters who vote against progressive and leftist efforts for being pieces of shit? Are you also the kind of leftist who celebrated when Biden blocked the rail strike? You can label yourself whatever you want but your actions are never going to result in anything moving left.
I dunno what to tell you dude. You think neo-fascist Republicans are going to allow ranked choice to happen? They're going to try to stop all voting.
You can label yourself anything you want, but Leftists do not have enough of a majority to win alone. Calling the moderates pieces of shit is not going to result in anything moving left. Your actions are going to result in the fascists taking control and dissolving the thin patina of democracy we have presently. Perfect is the enemy of better, and you're running headfirst into much, much worse.
Not better year over year, better than the alternative. What, you'd prefer the fascists win? I hate that that's the choice, but it is. Explain to me how refusing to vote for the moderates does anything but empower the far right. You think if enough Leftists abstain from voting, that a secret Communist will take office like a video game cheat code?
I honestly want to hear your proposed alternative which isn't just "let the fascists win because the moderates aren't good enough". Sincerely, what does effective praxis look like to you? Because complaining and name-calling is not effective praxis.
I think the moderates will wake the fuck up and realize they can't win general elections without our help and stop voting against us in the primaries.
Or the country will collapse. One or the other. I don't really care at this point. You're placing all this responsibility on me while trivializing everything I'm fighting for. Go fuck yourself.