The Official Atheist Forums 'Bernie Sanders or Bust' Thread

[GSOgymrat]

you should have your hubby read this.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/10/16/bernie-sanders-did-something-amazing-with-donation-from-ceo-who-raised-aids-drug-price-by-5500/

Yes, that was perfect. It took four years for my husband and his family to get permission to leave Cuba and the communist government took away all their money and property. As long as Bernie Sanders is associated with socialism he will never get his family's vote.

[Hydra009]

I don't think this is the best line up of candidates for the Dems.  They may lose the White House.  Hillary is uninspiring and is carrying a shit load of baggage.  In spite of voters being tired of "the emails", I don't think they are as tired as Bernie said they are in the debate last night, and the Republicans see the email scandal as making Hillary a non starter.  Bernie is going to be a hard sell for centrists with his self described socialist Democrat label.  Now the Republican front runners are just weird, and that could help the Dems a bit, but last night's lineup didn't look highly electable to me, even running against some weak Republicans.

Eh, I'm optimistic.  Romney VS Obama was a close one.  This next one isn't going to be nearly as close.  It's going to be an experienced Dem versus a complete joke of a candidate.  True, both Hilary and Bernie have their weak points, but their policies more than make up for it.  Both Clinton and Sanders want to reduce college costs, and Sanders wants to raise the minimum wage.  Needless to say, these are VERY popular positions around here.  What does the GOP have on offer?  Vitriol against immigrants and tax breaks for the rich, apparently.  I know full well that the average voter isn't especially intelligent, but John Q. Public would have to be suicidally stupid to favor the Republicans on election day.

[Hydra009]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/10/15/bernie-sanders-rejects-ceo-martin-shkreli-campaign-donation/FcSKxu1VIr7pubg9cI3CQN/story.html

Bravo!

[TomFoolery]

$2700 isn't that much, considering that would be the equivalent of about three and a half of those pills he attempted to price-hike by 5500%.

[SGOS]

Eh, I'm optimistic.  Romney VS Obama was a close one.  This next one isn't going to be nearly as close.  It's going to be an experienced Dem versus a complete joke of a candidate.  True, both Hilary and Bernie have their weak points, but their policies more than make up for it.  Both Clinton and Sanders want to reduce college costs, and Sanders wants to raise the minimum wage.  Needless to say, these are VERY popular positions around here.  What does the GOP have on offer?  Vitriol against immigrants and tax breaks for the rich, apparently.  I know full well that the average voter isn't especially intelligent, but John Q. Public would have to be suicidally stupid to favor the Republicans on election day.

There's no doubt about the experience, competence, and policy rhetoric on the Democratic side.  If that's what determined outcomes, they would be shoe-ins.  But the Republican vitriol carries a lot of weight with voters.  The lower middle class hears "lower taxes" and they act like their refunds will be on par with 1%, when actually their refunds might buy them a fast food dinner for the family once or twice.  And that's if they actually pay less in taxes next year.  Then there is the thing about repealing Obamacare.  It's not going to happen, but they talk like it's their top priority.  I hear the swing voters are the ones that turn elections.  We all know how the Republicans and Democrats will vote.  But there appears to be a large group of people that are always in the process of making their minds up until a week before the elections.

I'm not all that good a voter predictions, however.  It's just how it looks to me, and my comments are worth less than a quarter.  Maybe a nickel or a dime.

[josephpalazzo]

Eh, I'm optimistic.  Romney VS Obama was a close one.  This next one isn't going to be nearly as close.  It's going to be an experienced Dem versus a complete joke of a candidate.  True, both Hilary and Bernie have their weak points, but their policies more than make up for it.  Both Clinton and Sanders want to reduce college costs, and Sanders wants to raise the minimum wage.  Needless to say, these are VERY popular positions around here.  What does the GOP have on offer?  Vitriol against immigrants and tax breaks for the rich, apparently.  I know full well that the average voter isn't especially intelligent, but John Q. Public would have to be suicidally stupid to favor the Republicans on election day.

The problem with Sanders is that if he were elected, his policies are on the complete opposite side of a Republican-dominated Congress, and you would get gridlock for the next 4 years. OTOH,  Hillary, though less exciting, has the experience to deal with the Republicans and most likely would get something done. No matter who wins, it's going to a hell of a roller coaster.

[FaithIsFilth]

Eh, I'm optimistic.  Romney VS Obama was a close one.  This next one isn't going to be nearly as close.  It's going to be an experienced Dem versus a complete joke of a candidate.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. It's going to be extremely close. Obama is an incredibly gifted speaker. Clinton, not so much. She might be 20% as good as Obama when it comes to talent/ability on the microphone and charisma. Right now, in head to head matchups, polls say Clinton is either losing or neck and neck with Bush, Carson, and Fiorina. That's pretty sad and should be very worrying. She is losing to the Republicans in several important swing states as well. Sanders is doing ok vs Republicans in head to head matchups. Biden is the only one that is destroying all Republican candidates in head to head matchups right now.

I like Sanders. I'm all for socialist policies, spreading the wealth and all that good stuff. Sanders seems to be just as bad as Obama and the others on foreign policy though (praising Obama's current wars and the Bush war in Afghanistan). At least he would be better than anyone else domestically. I can't imagine being an American and having my choices be either Clinton or Bush. I don't even like the Liberal candidate here in Canada who is far more liberal than any of the Democratic candidates in the States, but I'll be voting for the bastard in a few days none the less because he's the best option there is.

[Baruch]

If Biden is the best against the current R squad ... then that is because he is the best Trojan R we have.  Clinton (husband and wife) were Trojan R candidates, as was Obama.  The last actual honest D was Dukakis.  Gore was all for NWO thru carbon credits to the Swiss gnomes.  Don't believe any labels, check whose hand is up Charlie McCarthy's back.  Don't be a voter voting for a ventriloquist dummy, you dummy!

[JBCuzISaidSo]

It could even be said, at this point already, that both Republican's heads and Clinton Supporter's heads explode after Maher speaks up:
https://youtu.be/Zx95g_UJ9Mc

[Hydra009]

The problem with Sanders is that if he were elected, his policies are on the complete opposite side of a Republican-dominated Congress, and you would get gridlock for the next 4 years. OTOH,  Hillary, though less exciting, has the experience to deal with the Republicans and most likely would get something done. No matter who wins, it's going to a hell of a roller coaster.

I agree with that.  Sanders' problem isn't so much getting elected as governing afterwards.  (He's a heck of a lot stronger campaigner than prez)  Clinton more or less has the opposite problem.

[JBCuzISaidSo]

I agree with that.  Sanders' problem isn't so much getting elected as governing afterwards.  (He's a heck of a lot stronger campaigner than prez)  Clinton more or less has the opposite problem.

Wait, wait on there, hooooo Silver...

Clinton has more experience than....Bernie Sanders.....? Look that up before you comment, kid.

Seriously, though, look it up before you vote, please.

[Hydra009]

 

I dunno what you thought I meant (though I'm fairly certain I didn't claim that Clinton has more experience than Sanders), but I was actually just agreeing with you that Sanders would have a tougher time as president than Clinton.

[Shiranu]

Needless to say, these are VERY popular positions around here. 

Amongst people my age (college aged), perhaps. But the problem is my generation doesn't vote come election day, so we are not particularly the demographic to be aiming at.

Frankly, all the candidates are extremely disappointing imo. Hopefully I will be studying abroad in Spain and then moving not too long afterwards to a civilized country around the time the next president gets into office.

[trdsf]

The problem with Sanders is that if he were elected, his policies are on the complete opposite side of a Republican-dominated Congress, and you would get gridlock for the next 4 years. OTOH,  Hillary, though less exciting, has the experience to deal with the Republicans and most likely would get something done. No matter who wins, it's going to a hell of a roller coaster.

You're assuming -- and admittedly with probability on your side -- that control of congress will not change with the next election.

But that's hard to predict; Congress is collectively about as popular as a petri dish of active ebola virus floating in a vat of pig shit, and the race to replace Boehner as Speaker has turned into who can run fastest away from the job -- funny how the wingnut coalition wants all the power, but none of the responsibility -- so I can't rule out people saying, "Fuck this," and throwing the bums out.

I mean, the GOP has had control of the House for most of the last 20 years, and the biggest things they've accomplished are a couple government shutdowns.  It's pretty sad when you can seriously refer to the mature (by comparison) leadership of Newt Gingrich.

[josephpalazzo]

You're assuming -- and admittedly with probability on your side -- that control of congress will not change with the next election.

But that's hard to predict; Congress is collectively about as popular as a petri dish of active ebola virus floating in a vat of pig shit, and the race to replace Boehner as Speaker has turned into who can run fastest away from the job -- funny how the wingnut coalition wants all the power, but none of the responsibility -- so I can't rule out people saying, "Fuck this," and throwing the bums out.

I mean, the GOP has had control of the House for most of the last 20 years, and the biggest things they've accomplished are a couple government shutdowns.  It's pretty sad when you can seriously refer to the mature (by comparison) leadership of Newt Gingrich.

With gerrymandering, very few incumbent congressman will lose their seat. And that is unfortunate. Until the SCOTUS reverse that trend, which I don't see it soon as SCOTUS is itself controlled by Republicans, the results of the upcoming election will hardly change in any way.

As to the opinion that people have as indicated in successive polls with regard to Congress, it is misleading as most people will answer that their congressman is ok, it's the other congressmen that are screwed up. With such attitude, and the gerrymandering effect of districts, you can foresee another Congress dominated by the Republicans.

That's why it is crucial that the next President is a Democrat in case that judges on SCOTUS are to be replaced, you want to make sure the next nominations are not those crazy Republicans. In my estimation, Hilary has a better chance than Bernie of winning the election.