Ask a right-wing libertarian who is supporting socialist Bernie Sanders for President

[Minimalist]

So you crossed the ocean and got very confused, huh?

hehehe, we told him......libertarianism is "different" here.......

Shit.  I wonder how many times I've said that?

[Tiberius]

Don't get me wrong, I'm still a libertarian, and if there were a decent libertarian candidate out there I'd support them, but currently there aren't any. What I like about Bernie is his honesty and integrity, his willingness to recognize flaws in the political system and try and fix them.

FYI, there isn't really a big libertarian movement in the UK, everything I've based my libertarianism off has been American, so I'm not sure why you thought you were telling me that libertarianism was "different" in the US, because I'd been following the American brand of libertarianism in the first place. Where I think we disagree is which politicians are actually libertarian. You seem to think every Republican politician who says they are libertarian is one, when they aren't. There's an official libertarian party in the US; those are the libertarians I align myself with...

[Minimalist]

Because libertarians over here have always been these Koch bastards.  Nothing has changed.

Except, maybe, that you aren't looking at them from as far away.

[Lemonvariable72]

As much I love Bernie, I don't think he would get all the reforms he wants, I think he will have to drag the us government kicking and screaming the whole way. But he doesn't have to get all the reforms he wants, Because even if he challenges the political machines that will be a huge shange to making america a better country. The money that rules American politicc hasn't been challenged in many years, and while he won't make them go away, his challenges will bring them in the public spectacle. I think another thing his presidency would spawn is increased demand for politically neutral news

[downbeatplumb]

Donated to the campaign, got a Bernie 2016 bumper sticker on my car, trying to share stuff on social media. Can't vote so I'm doing the best I can!

Never thought I'd be openly supporting a socialist but here we are.

Welcome to the light side.

[Clueless Morgan]

What do you think is Sanders' biggest obstacle to becoming the Democratic nominee? And (assuming he becomes the Dem nom) to gaining the White House?

[Tiberius]

What do you think is Sanders' biggest obstacle to becoming the Democratic nominee? And (assuming he becomes the Dem nom) to gaining the White House?

His biggest obstacle in the Democratic race is probably going to be making sure people don't fall for all the misinformation Clinton has been spouting about him. Also name recognition. Hopefully a lot of young people get out and vote.

For the election, I think he'll be challenged on his "socialism" more, and he'll have to convince people that his version isn't the boogie man that a lot of Anericans think it is. I think if he's against Trump he has a good chance of winning.

[Angrboda]

I am so out of the loop, politically. I have no idea what any of the candidates have said. Why should someone like me vote for Sanders?

[Rhondazvous]

giving the Democrats the majority in Congress, making it easier for President Sanders to enact policy.

You do understand that the democrats get almost as much bribe money as the republicunts, right?

This is a great system we have developed.  The people who benefit most from it are the only ones who can change it.

I'll ask for your odds on that happening.

Yes, we've got the best congress money can buy.

[Tiberius]

I am so out of the loop, politically. I have no idea what any of the candidates have said. Why should someone like me vote for Sanders?

It's not so much what he's said (though he has said some good stuff) but more about his character. His political career spans 4 decades, but unlike most career politicians he actually seems to give a shit about the people he's been elected to serve, rather than being corrupted by outside interests. Like I posted elsewhere on the forums, if you look at the biggest donors in his career, they are all workers unions, rather than corporations. He is also running his campaign without Super PACs, and has campaigned against the Citizen's United decision which created them.

More over, he appears to be honest and has held positions for many years without flip flopping. Some of his positions were unfavorable at the time he first held them, but have gradually become more accepted. For instance, he supported gay rights since at least 1983, when he supported the City of Burlington's first gay pride parade as Mayor. Before that, in 1963 as a student he was arrested for protesting segregated schools in Chicago.

His policies make a lot of sense too. He wants single payer healthcare, paid for by very small increases in taxes. Though for most people the increase in taxes will be offset by the amount being saved. Instead of paying $5000 a year for insurance, plus deductibles and copays, you'd just pay the tax instead (which for most people will be less than $5000 a year) and there are no deductibles and copays.

Even if the majority of his policies don't get passed, I think he would make a great President, just because he seems to be very humble. I think he would help start to fix the broken political system in the USA, and encourage people to get into politics for the right reasons rather than the wrong reasons.