• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Bernie Sanders packs thousands into a Denver gymnasium

I'm rather surprised at some of the responses I've read here considering how much I've read in this forum about how this country needs a third-party/Independent candidate to run in 2016. Granted, Sen. Sanders really didn't talk about anything new. President Obama's been talking about...

- income inequality (1% -vs- 99% / income disparity highest for Blacks compared to ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC...Whites, Hispanics, women and even disabled workers!!! :shock: Per 2010 U.S. Census Report, "Income, Poverty, Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.")

- climate change

- (universal/affordable) health care

- equal/civil/ rights (for LGBT/women's reproductive rights)

- equal pay for women

- access to affordable/free "public" post-secondary education (Note: Pres. Obama stops at free 2-year college access)

- reversing/repealing Citizen's United/campaign finance reform

- creating jobs through repairing our nation's infrastructure

- renewable energy

...since 2007.

About the only thing that may have caught some in his audience off guard was his honesty, particularly, where the income disparity is for Black Americans and noting how the interest rate on college student loans can't be changed below their "permanent" 8% rate like the rates can and do change for mortgage and auto loans (both of which I knew from authoring a book on financial literacy and reviewing the very government reports on poverty and income inequality Sen. Sanders likely references himself).

So, nothing he said surprised me, not even is progressive/socialist positions. I did find his honesty and defiance refreshing. Clearly, he's seen as the Ross Perot/Ron Paul of the 2016 presidential cycle, but like those so-called Independents who came before him he'll push the other candidates (moreso those on the Right than the Left) to step up their game.
 
Why wouldn't a lot of people show up? They're probably interested in all the free stuff they think Bernie will give them.
 
Why wouldn't a lot of people show up? They're probably interested in all the free stuff they think Bernie will give them.

Bernie Sanders hasn't promised anything free. You do realize that nothing's free, right? Have you actually listened to how Sanders has said he would pay for the things that he believes should be available to Americans, or do you just assume he wants to borrow and spend, the republican way?
 
I hope he runs as an Independent when he fails to clinch the Democratic nomination.
 
Frightening just how far Left the Democrat Party is (not that it's news). That said, Sanders has no chance against Clinton and this is all much ado about nothing.

Sanders is beginning to have an affect on presidential campaign in general. If you think all the other candidates are not looking at what Sanders is saying on the issues and the positive response he is getting you're not paying attention.

There is still a lot of time before the primaries and the general election. Americans are not happy with Obama, who is for the most part a continuation of George W. Americans are even less happy with Congress and that's difficult to imagine. The Democratic Party and the GOP are leaderless and clearly in it for themselves. I think Americans are feckin sick of hearing the same old artful dodges and higher and deep bull****.

Sanders has exciting and innovative ideas, everyone else is just babbling on as usual.

As an example Sanders has promised that if he is elected he will not appoint a Supreme Court Justice who unless the candidate promises to vote to overturn Citizens United. I like that. Who doesn't? Think other candidates aren't listening to that kind of thing? Of course they are. Bernie Sanders is appealing to intellect and voters who are not sheeple like it. They like being encouraged to think. Maybe they don't agree but they are responding to Sanders' ideas.
 
,
To refocus on the OP: Bernie Sanders is drawing large crowds, more than even Sanders expected. Agree with him or not his social, economic, employment, international and political positions - which are consistent with his voting record - resonate with a growing number of Americans. The evidence of that is undeniable.

Sanders spoke in Denver to what is may be the largest crowd of any candidate to date in the campaign. Sanders, once ignored as not having a chance is now being taken seriously. That is what the OP is about.

And Hillary is probably cussing like a polly parrot behind closed doors! LOL
 
I'm rather surprised at some of the responses I've read here considering how much I've read in this forum about how this country needs a third-party/Independent candidate to run in 2016. Granted, Sen. Sanders really didn't talk about anything new. President Obama's been talking about...

- income inequality (1% -vs- 99% / income disparity highest for Blacks compared to ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC...Whites, Hispanics, women and even disabled workers!!! :shock: Per 2010 U.S. Census Report, "Income, Poverty, Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.")

- climate change

- (universal/affordable) health care

- equal/civil/ rights (for LGBT/women's reproductive rights)

- equal pay for women

- access to affordable/free "public" post-secondary education (Note: Pres. Obama stops at free 2-year college access)

- reversing/repealing Citizen's United/campaign finance reform

- creating jobs through repairing our nation's infrastructure

- renewable energy

...since 2007.

About the only thing that may have caught some in his audience off guard was his honesty, particularly, where the income disparity is for Black Americans and noting how the interest rate on college student loans can't be changed below their "permanent" 8% rate like the rates can and do change for mortgage and auto loans (both of which I knew from authoring a book on financial literacy and reviewing the very government reports on poverty and income inequality Sen. Sanders likely references himself).

So, nothing he said surprised me, not even is progressive/socialist positions. I did find his honesty and defiance refreshing. Clearly, he's seen as the Ross Perot/Ron Paul of the 2016 presidential cycle, but like those so-called Independents who came before him he'll push the other candidates (moreso those on the Right than the Left) to step up their game.

Sanders' positions should not surprise you. Unlike Obama, unlike Hillary, unlike many of the GOP candidates his voting record has been consistent and his campaign has been consistent with his voting record.
 
Sanders is beginning to have an affect on presidential campaign in general. If you think all the other candidates are not looking at what Sanders is saying on the issues and the positive response he is getting you're not paying attention.

There is still a lot of time before the primaries and the general election. Americans are not happy with Obama, who is for the most part a continuation of George W. Americans are even less happy with Congress and that's difficult to imagine. The Democratic Party and the GOP are leaderless and clearly in it for themselves. I think Americans are feckin sick of hearing the same old artful dodges and higher and deep bull****.

Sanders has exciting and innovative ideas, everyone else is just babbling on as usual.

As an example Sanders has promised that if he is elected he will not appoint a Supreme Court Justice who unless the candidate promises to vote to overturn Citizens United. I like that. Who doesn't? Think other candidates aren't listening to that kind of thing? Of course they are. Bernie Sanders is appealing to intellect and voters who are not sheeple like it. They like being encouraged to think. Maybe they don't agree but they are responding to Sanders' ideas.

Totally agree with you with the caveat, a whole bunch of presently disappointed people felt that same way about Obama when he was promising the most transparent presidency, strengthened whistleblower protections, no more lobbyists in DC, restrained spending, etc., etc.

Proceed with caution!!
 
Sanders' positions should not surprise you. Unlike Obama, unlike Hillary, unlike many of the GOP candidates his voting record has been consistent and his campaign has been consistent with his voting record.

And that is indeed true. We hadn't the luxury of a long voting record with Obama. That's a positive!
 
Sanders is gaining popularity NOT by appealing to concepts like Hard work, self sufficiency, sacrifice and personal responsibility.

He's appealing to the worst of the worst of human emotions and characteristics.

Envy, blame, entitlement and hatred.

I think Progressive realized long ago that long term dependance corrupts on a fundamental level.

A generation of people who are chronically unemployed and dependant are far more susceptible to concepts like " forced wealth redistribution " and " social and economic justice ."

Its easier to convince someone who's been recieving entitlements for 10 years that allowing the Government to be the ultimate arbiter of whats fair and equitable is actually a good Idea.

That its ok to force the " Rich " to hand over their personal property and that there's no shame in a healthy working age adult being totally dependant on someone other than himself for as long as he sees fit.

A Good example of this is Greece.

Greece borrowed and spent beyond their means for decades while it continued to grow a public sector that offered unsustainable benefits and give aways to 1/4 of its population.

Even after their corruption and financial mismanagement was exposed to the world the Greek people still wound up electing a hard left Socialist PM as a solution.

The worst possible thing they could do and wow....they did it.

A PM who almost immediately and publicly claimed that Germany owed Greece 300 Billion for " Nazi war crimes " in a attempt to welch on billions of dollars in payments.

I mean who in the hell does that ? Are all Socialist that void of shame, honesty and integrity ? And the Greek people condoned it.
 
And that is indeed true. We hadn't the luxury of a long voting record with Obama. That's a positive!

But Obama's short record had clues. For example the retroactive immunity given to phone companies who were discovered to have been breaking the law. Obama supported that law.
 
Sanders' positions should not surprise you. Unlike Obama, unlike Hillary, unlike many of the GOP candidates his voting record has been consistent and his campaign has been consistent with his voting record.

I'm not surprised by Sen. Sander's political/moral positions at all. I'm just surprised by all the flack he's getting for his candor.

As to the misplaced accusations of tyranny through progressive means, I don't think wanting as many of a nation's citizens to be treated fairly, to be including in the great social construct, to be creative and innovative, to insist that those who have more should be more open to charitable giving whether it directly through direct initiatives such as increasing wages or fair labor policies, or indirectly via philanthropy or a modest tax increase to help fund "smart" social programs that truly "lifts all boats" is a bad idea. If such ideas were so wrong-headed we wouldn't have ever had the trans-continental railroad, the light bulb, the automobile, the Hoover Damn, the GI Bill which helped thousands of WWII veterans gain a higher education post-war and so many other things this nation's people have come to enjoy, the Internet which people of all income levels are enjoying right now!

The problem right now, here, today is too few are able to move up that ladder of prosperity because wealth and power is concentrated in the hands of a small few and the rules of this game in America call "life" is tilted too far in one direction where "those with the gold" are making all the rules. And said rules tend to benefit the few as opposed to the many.

"The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few or the one."

Great sage advice.

Bernie Sanders, Ron Paul, Ross Perot all asked US, the many to heed the warning signs. Are WE listening? Will we listen? Or will WE continue to do things that truly go against our own self-interests?

I think this article which cautions against holding too tightly to one's political lean and instead striving to be more pragmatic and come up with solutions that benefit all is the best way to go. And sometimes, moving this country forward depends on progressive ideals. Sometimes, being more conservative is necessary. But being altruistic has never been in our country's DNA not even when we were at our worst.
 
Last edited:
Too funny. You don't know how many times I smashed that little thing with my finger.

LMAO

I tried to do the same thing when I first saw it. Then I quickly noticed it ran in a stalled figure-8. And I was like, "Get the flock outta here!" Brilliant screen teaser. Couldn't help but shake my head and laugh.
 
I'm not surprised by Sen. Sander's political/moral positions at all. I'm just surprised by all the flack he's getting for his candor.

As to the misplaced accusations of tyranny through progressive means, I don't think wanting as many of a nation's citizens to be treated fairly, to be including in the great social construct, to be creative and innovative, to insist that those who have more should be more open to charitable giving whether it directly through direct initiatives such as increasing wages or fair labor policies, or indirectly via philanthropy or a modest tax increase to help fund "smart" social programs that truly "lifts all boats" is a bad idea. If such ideas were so wrong-headed we wouldn't have ever had the trans-continental railroad, the light bulb, the automobile, the Hoover Damn, the GI Bill which helped thousands of WWII veterans gain a higher education post-war and so many other things this nation's people have come to enjoy, the Internet which people of all income levels are enjoying right now!

The problem right now, here, today is too few are able to move up that ladder of prosperity because wealth and power is concentrated in the hands of a small few and the rules of this game in America call "life" is tilted too far in one direction where "those with the gold" are making all the rules. And said rules tend to benefit the few as opposed to the many.



Great sage advice.

Bernie Sanders, Ron Paul, Ross Perot all asked US, the many to heed the warning signs. Are WE listening? Will we listen? Or will WE continue to do things that truly go against our own self-interests?

I think this article which cautions against holding too tightly to one's political lean and instead striving to be more pragmatic and come up with solutions that benefit all is the best way to go. And sometimes, moving this country forward depends on progressive ideals. Sometimes, being more conservative is necessary. But being altruistic has never been in our country's DNA not even when we were at our worst.

Excellent post! Let's hope more people realize that the plutocracy isn't really interested in the betterment of the lives of the 99%.
 
I hope you aren't counting on Sanders actually making any progress in Colorado. I worry about your happiness and would hate to see you disappointed because I care.

I agree.

While I'm sure they were able to round up "thousands" to come see him in Denver, he would have been hard pressed to get those numbers anywhere else...simply because Denver and the surrounding area is the biggest concentration of Democrats in the State.

And, like everywhere else, when it actually comes time for their primary those Democrats are going to vote for Hillary.
 
:lamo

Good one.

Dont you know Bernie Sanders whats us to undergo a cultural revolution? Destroy all past idols, and culture and replace it with a "red culture"!? He also wants us to all build backyard furnaces!
 
Back
Top Bottom