Sanders warns Biden: address working-class fears or risk losing to demogogue
Sanders warns Biden: address working-class fears or risk losing to demogogue
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.
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Unless the Trump is held accountable, He will most likely win. People's material needs are important and Dem messaging has basically been hey we showed this graph so you're not struggling and anything popular you want won't happen. But everything bad will happen with the other guy. Being not Trump once again is a dangerous way to win the election. Trump's cultist ass should be getting crushed.
Trump's cultist ass should be getting crushed.
Makes me wonder what might have happened if the DNC hadn't f**ked Bernie over, twice.
Yeah, the DNC f-ing unknowingly gave that blowhard dictator his platform.
Very explicitly knowingly *
*FTFY.
Democrats will suspend the constitution THEMSELVES before they go against our corporate overlords and run someone like Bernie.
Unknowingly? They would rather have Trump than Bernie ruining their two party corruption. The DNC won in 2016.
They didnt care. DNC would rather lose with Hillary/Biden then win with Bernie.
The DNC loves losing. Losing means they can endlessly fundraise and not have to actually govern!
Rich people would be getting richer slower and the world would be a better place.
Maybe he would have lost his aura because he wouldn't have had the means to do what he says should be done.
Maybe he would have lost his aura
At this point Bernie's lost at least some of it; I can't disagree with those who've accused him of sheepdogging, although I think he was trying to do the best he could with what he had.
Sanders not burning his own party cost him much of his clout. Frankly they deserved it for what they did to him and his show of weakness backing the warhawk Clinton was awful to see from someone who usually has so much fire.
Bernie's moral code includes supporting his party's "democratic" ways, as anything else would be a coup in its own right.
Even if I believe he's off the mark in doing that, I admire him for it. It's rare to see these days.
Admirable? Blind slavery to a corrupt system? I fail to see what is admirable about not trying to fix a country but instead keeping corruption alive.
What alternative would you propose? Say what you will about Sanders, but he actually wants the Republic to last, imperfect though it may be. Apparently many of his critics prefer a politician who will throw a tantrum if things don't go his way and then try to bring down the whole nation. That reminds me of someone else.
What a brave man supporting genocide and imperialism. The empire must last a 1000 years and nobody should ever try to change it.
Your change involves kids in cages, dead immigrants in rivers, American military deployment in American cities, assassinated political opponents, and dead women in American hospitals. I think I prefer Joe Biden.
Just to be clear--I'm not a fan of the ongoing Palestinian genocide. It's reprehensible. But Biden didn't cause that. The US supports the state of Israel for complex geopolitical reasons that aren't that different from why it also supports other regimes that lack stirling human rights records, and those reasons date back nearly a hundred years. That's realpolitik, and you might not like how the diplomatic sausage is made. It's not pretty for the US, and I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it's not pretty for other nations either. But guess what? If Bernie Sanders were president, or if Donald Trump were president, you know what would be different about America's foreign policy position re Israel? Not a goddamned thing. Because this is as good as it gets. It's a calculated diplomatic position. Not pretty, and not fun politically, but every alternative is as morally black or worse, and absolutely worse for US interests.
The US is an empire. It does empire things. Sometimes I don't like those things. But I live here. So yeah, 1000 years sounds nice. Certainly beats trying to kill the whole experiment in less than four. That's what the other guy wants. Personally, I'd rather keep it around to try to do some fixing.
But keep it coming with the hyperbole if it makes you feel righteous.
israel does everything you claim but worse.
Kids in cages? How about malnourished kids in cages but they're actively beaten up and tear gassed by the IDF.
Assasinating political opponents? How about blowing up their entire neighborhood.
Dead women in hospitals? How about blowing up the entire hospital. How about having kids getting their legs sawn off without anesthetics because they need to get them amputated from being bombed.
If you have to choose between Hitler and Stalin, maybe wake up to reality and stop abiding this insanity.
Sanders not burning his own party cost him much of his clout.
Technically it's not his own party since he's an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, but otherwise I know exactly what you mean.
Well progressives are to blame for their incessant whining that any candidate that is not 100% progressive is absolute shit. Progressives are bitching about PEOPLE while corporatists are controlling the narrative about ISSUES.
Progressives are bitching about PEOPLE while corporatists are controlling the narrative about ISSUES.
Progressives have been banging the drum for universal health care (an ISSUE) for years, so far with no luck -- (no) thanks to the corporatists.
And as for Israel (also an ISSUE), don't get me started...
The whole point is that progressives are getting CRUSHED by the corporatists because the whiners can’t stop eating their own.
progressives are getting CRUSHED by the corporatists
Well yeah, because the corporatists control the purse strings.
Until progressives learn to play and win the messaging game, we’re wasting our time. But it has to start with positive messaging not negative messaging. Trumpists have that market cornered.
Again, messaging takes money, and that's controlled by the corporate wing of the party.
Progressives are more or less wasting their time if they don't leave the party.
It's not a messaging issue. Boomers are intentionally voting against progressives and leftists in primaries because boomers are selfish pieces of shit who enjoy fucking over anybody younger than 65 years old.
What on earth are you talking about? Progressives and leftists didn't lose the 2020 primaries due to infighting. Having multiple candidates running with similar perspectives is a sign of a healthy movement. I wanted Bernie but I would've happily supported others.
But Boomers couldn't resist the chance to vote against progressive and leftist efforts and since Biden was the only viable procorporate trash candidate they rallied around him.
Fuck the Boomers.
Biden really needs to understand how unpopular he is. Not that he will, but I can dream.
I really don't want another run of Trump pardoning psychopaths and doing what he wants. But democracy is basically in the hands of Dems and they scrap by when it comes to connecting with people or even giving them a vision post beating Trump.
The only way Trump is "connecting" with people is by telling them grandiose lies and making impossible promises.
Annoyingly, a shitton of people are willing to go along with those lies without thinking about it or questioning anything.
If only the "good guys" would do what the voters they depend on to win are demanding instead of trying to court Republican votes.
That'd be the least of our problems, I think.
I have been pre-emptively severely depressed for this.
It's kinda crazy since, what will the other wlsode do to help? There is a strong history of actively harming everyone but the ultra rich.
It's like being mad at my boss because he isn't telling me how he's going to help me on my career progression, and deciding I'll switch bosses to a corrupt prison guard instead.
The danger isn't dems voting R.
It's poor turnout.
And when poor turnout happens, Republicans win.
Same argument either way.
Unfortunately the way I see it is Biden will lose for two reasons:
- Hes old af
- Inflation
Regardless of policies or how terrible the alternative is. I dont think most people are going to think much past "Things are expensive now, and oh great a super old white dude".
Love how they can blame inflation on Joe Brandon, but they refused to blame 45 for anything for 4 years.
Different types of people. Its a shame Democrats have such an uphill battle to rally around candidates because those voters hold their leaders accountable, almost to a fault. The republican voter base is made of people who are basically in a cult, or are one issue voters.
Love how they can blame inflation on Joe Brandon, but they refused to blame 45 for anything for 4 years.
Because the Dems were not yelling that from the rooftops like they should have been, so perception is set as that it's Biden's fault.
Inflation started under Trump and Trump is just as old
Inflation started under Trump and Trump is just as old
That's not the perception though.
Why is that the perception?
Hint: Corps are at record high profits as is wealth inequality.
Just pointing out the facts. If you’re falling for some perception then you are the problem because not only are you not paying attention but you have no concept of history or facts.
Unfortunately this country is filled to the brim with people that are clueless, can’t remember what happened yesterday, and are misled by media to believe whatever nonsense they are gaslighting today.
So ultimately you are right but people need to be reminded that Trump was front and center of all of this inflation instead of blaming someone that came in after the damage was already done.
With all of this said, why would anyone look at Biden and say “oh just another old white dude”, but not come to the same conclusion with Trump? They are both old white dudes. So where are you getting this from? This is YOUR perception.
The bare minimum job requirement to being a politician is getting elected. If democrats can't nail messaging like republicans then that's on them, not on the average voter. Inflation didn't really ramp up until trump left office and even though his actions contributed to this ramp up, the effects weren't felt in full force until after he left. So what happens if you run on "we're not trump"? People think back to the trump years, and other than when covid hit (which people can excuse as not the fault of the president), the economy seemed to be doing great, and there certainly wasn't as big of an inflation problem as now.
Also, democrats had multiple candidates running in 2020 who weren't "another old white dude" but they asked all the candidates they could to clear the way for biden because they needed to focus their efforts to defeat their most feared enemy: Bernie Sanders.
His first play will be cannabis being decriminalized.
Man I would love to see this, but its one of those things that I will believe when I see. I hope I have to eat my words on that too. Even if so, I dont think decriminalization would mean much to people in terms of getting out to vote. Most people who are really passionate about this over other issues have had the states handle it for them already. Dems waited too long for Federal Decriminalization to be a big motivator in a national election in my opinion.
Agreed. Dems like to save popular law changes to package with other utterly deplorable actions.
They also divy it up so that it's not really a victory. "We legalized weed*!"
* For everyone over the age of 65, anybody who was born rich, if you own three patagonia jackets and people who attended an invitation only dinner with a bunch of billionaires.
Then moderates turn around and whine "Why doesn't anyone give credit to Democrats for all the good they've done???"
You have made me realize the full extent of Citizens United.
Indulgences are a thing again. Just secular this time.
Too little too late.
Honestly I hope he keels over and Harris gets nominated.
The only thing people like less than Biden is Harris.
WTF has she even done?
If biden loses, a big part of why will be the single issue “genocide Joe” kids who, like their predecessors, The Bernie Bros, took their vote and went home over something that was much smaller than the potential loss of democracy.
Downvote all wish, the fact remains: had the Bernie bros not thrown a temper tantrum, there’s a good chance 2016 could have turned out differently.
Disagreeing does not make this untrue.
When do we get to blame the shit candidate who lost instead? Bernie didn't ignore and not campaign in multiple states because he thought they were in the bag, that was Hillary. Bernie didn't conspire with the dnc to put up the worse polling candidate because it was "their turn", that was Hillary. Bernie supporters didn't say "we don't need your vote" to the progressive voters, those were Hillary supporters.
This shit makes me want to write Bernie in instead of holding my nose and voting for Biden like I did last time.
When the polls reflect the proper amount of democratic voters during the election.
You fail to realize that when people stay home and don’t vote- it shows. So we’re well aware of how many of you “democrats” stayed home in 2016.
If you're acknowledging you need our votes in the general then made better choices in the primaries. Don't elect procorporate trash in the primaries like Joe Biden.
Enjoy Trump. You’ve earned him.
You have too.
… said the kid that is withholding their vote because they’re throwing a temper tantrum over a single issue.
This will be your fault.
Multiple issues. You think it's one issue because you aren't paying attention. Biden argued about the amount of stimulus money he campaigned on, he negotiated down on student loan forgiveness, he fucked the BBB, he created a corporate handout with the CHIPs act, he blocked the rail strike, gave the most limp dicked support possible to the UAW, enlisted Yellen and Powell to fight American Workers... and he supports genocide.
The candidate you selected in the 2020 primaries is garbage. That's on you.
7 Palestinians are dying every minute.
Won’t someone think of America’s democracy?
There’s a damn good chance that even more will die per minute if Trump is elected- but you can add to that his promise that he will absolutely be a dictator from day one. He’s already said he has no issue using our own military against us if necessary.
What do you think this all means exactly?
Go ahead. I’ll await your response.
israel's end goal is complete ethnic cleansing of Palestine. They will achieve that whether biden or trump is in office. There is no worse candidate in this particular case, because both unconditionally lick the ass of israel.
One can criticize Biden, and still vote for him.
Are you having difficulty keeping up with the point of my original comment?
It’s entirely fair and necessary to criticize ANYONE for the things they do that fly in the face of human decency…
But I’m not talking about criticism. I’m talking about the people that admittedly are blatantly refusing to vote because of it- while simultaneously thinking it won’t be their fault when we wind up with a dictator in a throne.
Because they WILL be blamed for this.
It won’t be their fault. It’s their vote. It’s up to the candidate to win the vote. If they don’t win the voter’s vote; say, by aiding in a genocide, then it’s the candidate’s fault. We need to stop blaming voters because they don’t condone genocide, and start blaming candidates for abiding it.
Cut the shit. Inaction getting trump elected, is still a decision.
It’s not blaming voters- it’s blaming NON voters.
If you sit at home doing nothing- you can’t in your right mind expect to make any change in the world. When Trump gets elected because theres not enough votes to cancel out his droves of mindless supporters- it WILL be the fault of those staying home and pouting.
Want change? Make change. But doing nothing will net you exactly that.
Choosing the lesser evil is choosing evil. And nobody own another person vote. They have to earn it.
But not everyone can. And you're not helping those people get off the couch.
Hamas wanted permanent war, they got it. Palestinians overwhelmingly approve of Hamas and Oct 7. Although it seems absurd, it appears everyone is getting what they wanted.
You're right, those children deserved to die!!! In fact, democrats should run on the messaging of "fuck them kids", that'll get voters to eagerly run out and vote for them.
You appear to have more concern for their children's safety than 74% of Palestinians do. Hamas puts their lives in jeopardy, uses them as human shields, yet still remains popular.
Do you honestly think the Palestinians don't care about their children? You're just repeating israeli propaganda that dehumanizes Palestinians. Please think before spreading such fascist sentiments.
They care about their children, just evidently not as much as score settling. If they cared more about protecting their young, this popular intifada and constant provocation in a city of mostly children wouldn't make sense. Instead they indoctrinate children to violence and intifada from a young age, making child soldiers of them.
Are you aware that MEMRI is little more than a propaganda arm of israel? Anyway, you could argue that israel doesn't care about their people, seeing as how they've bombed and shot up hostages they supposedly wanted to rescue. Following your logic, should israel be ethnically cleansed?
Memri translations can be suspect but there is nothing to translate in that clip, it speaks for itself. There are many clips like it if you search for them. Hamas even runs a summer camp for children that looks a lot like a boot camp.
This isn't about ethnicity, it's about Israel's neighbor trying to murder them for 70+ years.
Having contempt for voters is like blaming the weather when it rains. Maybe the candidate should have came prepared with an umbrella, but here we are.
I have contempt for non-voters.
Upvote to get you to 69.