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

[tjakey]

I guess you will not be disappointed to find out Sanders isn't actually a socialist.

[Tiberius]

I guess you will not be disappointed to find out Sanders isn't actually a socialist.

He's more of a socialist than most American politicians. I don't think many "socialists" are actually socialists. Most people in the left wing, even the far left, just adopt socialist policies whilst keeping a more centrist attitude.

[Minimalist]

He is one who accepts the label.  That much is certain.

Let me give you a hint about what a republicunt race against Sanders would look like:

"Socialist, socialist, SOCIALIST, socialist, socialist, SOCIALIST,   Socialist, socialist, socialist, socialist, SOCIALIST,  socialist, socialist!

Repeat constantly until election day.

I give it a 51% chance of working.

[Angrboda]

I took an online quiz to see which candidate most closely aligns with my views and it came back Sanders @ 92%.

[Excited Penguin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=645mtthz8Io

Damn, that's inspirational.


I guess my question is, why do you support Sanders?

Actually, I see you've already answered that in a way. Let me ask you something else. What role does your political alignment play in your supporting of this candidate?

[scoobysnack]

Do you think that Sanders, if elected, could actually enact the sorts of change upon which his platform is built?  If so, how so?  Additionally, if you had to isolate a single issue which you is both the most important and you feel that Sanders has the right of, to you, which is it?

Here's my thinking: if Trump wins the nomination (which seems likely) then we'll see a larger than average voter turnout, especially among young Democrats and Independents. That will hopefully elect a large number of Democratic congressional candidates, giving the Democrats the majority in Congress, making it easier for President Sanders to enact policy.

As for which policy, I think at the moment it's healthcare. Having lived most of my life in a country with a public healthcare system, I think I'm pretty qualified to say that what the US has sucks in comparison, even with the ACA. I'm saying that even as I live in Massachusetts, which I'm told has one of the best healthcare systems in the US anyway. I'd hate to think how bad it is in other states.

(you're hoping to be eligible in the next election yeah...you -are- becoming 'murican, aren't you...answer carefully, I already have my bayonet drawn for any late to the party redcoat invaders.. )

I won't be. Got to be a citizen and I can't even apply for naturalization until the end of 2017.

Hey Tiberius,

Honestly still not sure what to think of Bernie, or any of the current candidates. Personally I think they are all flawed (but so are we), and our country is going downhill. My problem with Bernie is small in that he allowed his speech in Seattle to taken over by black lives matter, and in an attempt to appease appeared weak to me. I don't know if I trust socialism, just like I don't trust communism. In the end it's run by special interests with connections to government lobbying efforts to score contracts and really screw the rest of us over while we believe our government is acting in our best interests.

I'm also not a huge fan of liberalism as much as I was during my adolescent years. Since I've learned of government corruption, I've moved away from government as a solution. I'm more libertarian, but realize we need government for basic services like roads, firefighters etc. The problem lies in when is too much? How much do we want trade individualism for collectivism? For example, does a child belong to the parent or the community.

As far as Trump, I still don't know of they guy is real. I like him because the establishment hates him, unlike other establishment candidates like the Bush/Clinton crime family, and how he's sick and tired of the PC culture like I am which goes against common sense.

[Videodrome]

I feel politically down the middle. I previously supported and voted for Ron Paul, yet before that, I voted for Ralph Nader. I feel like I fit into the small area where these two overlap in their views such as foreign policy. I'm not totally sure on Bernie's stance on Assad and the Syria mess, but I respect his past votes against going into Iraq.

As for Socialism or whatever, I'm just interested in getting some kind of system that works for us, whatever form it takes. I really wonder how expensive it would be to care for our citizens versus how much is spent on the American War Machine.

Aside from that, the GoP isn't offering me anything better and I neither trust the Clintons or want to see dynasty presidencies.

I'm also very intrigued to hear that many economists think Sanders' plans are viable for this country. Break up the Banks; insulate average citizens from unnecessary exposure to risk in the event of a Wall St. crash.

[Mr.wizard]

Here's my thinking: if Trump wins the nomination (which seems likely) then we'll see a larger than average voter turnout, especially among young Democrats and Independents. That will hopefully elect a large number of Democratic congressional candidates, giving the Democrats the majority in Congress, making it easier for President Sanders to enact policy.

As for which policy, I think at the moment it's healthcare. Having lived most of my life in a country with a public healthcare system, I think I'm pretty qualified to say that what the US has sucks in comparison, even with the ACA. I'm saying that even as I live in Massachusetts, which I'm told has one of the best healthcare systems in the US anyway. I'd hate to think how bad it is in other states.

I won't be. Got to be a citizen and I can't even apply for naturalization until the end of 2017.

Hey Tiberius,

Honestly still not sure what to think of Bernie, or any of the current candidates. Personally I think they are all flawed (but so are we), and our country is going downhill. My problem with Bernie is small in that he allowed his speech in Seattle to taken over by black lives matter, and in an attempt to appease appeared weak to me. I don't know if I trust socialism, just like I don't trust communism. In the end it's run by special interests with connections to government lobbying efforts to score contracts and really screw the rest of us over while we believe our government is acting in our best interests.

I'm also not a huge fan of liberalism as much as I was during my adolescent years. Since I've learned of government corruption, I've moved away from government as a solution. I'm more libertarian, but realize we need government for basic services like roads, firefighters etc. The problem lies in when is too much? How much do we want trade individualism for collectivism? For example, does a child belong to the parent or the community.

As far as Trump, I still don't know of they guy is real. I like him because the establishment hates him, unlike other establishment candidates like the Bush/Clinton crime family, and how he's sick and tired of the PC culture like I am which goes against common sense.

Well this is how sanders explains his position,

"I think [democratic socialism] means the government has got to play a very important role in making sure that as a right of citizenship all of our people have healthcare; that as a right, all of our kids, regardless of income, have quality childcare, are able to go to college without going deeply into debt; that it means we do not allow large corporations and moneyed interests to destroy our environment; that we create a government in which it is not dominated by big money interest. I mean, to me, it means democracy, frankly. That’s all it means."

I'm not sure if that's socialism but I really don't see anything to disagree with there.

As far as Trump goes, so what he if he says things that are off the wall? How does that help solve the major issues that face America? He really hasn't given us anything but the occasional sound byte, what is his platform, what policy changes is he pursuing? All I know about a Trump is he is a birther, he thinks he can solve immigration by having Mexico build a wall , and he hates Megan Kelly.

[tjakey]

Calling Sanders a "socialist" doesn't make him one, any more than claiming that all climate scientists are part of a liberal conspiracy against the oil and coal companies makes climate change go away. I think of myself as a socialist along the lines of Noam Chomsky, and find Mr. Sanders as the least objectionable among those current running for POTUS. I part ways with Mr. Chomsky at the idea that the Democratic party has fundamental differences with the Republican party. They have media and social differences, mostly as a front to keep throwing dust in the eyes of voters. At the core though, both parties support barely regulated capitalism and the ever elusive "free market."

Mr. Sanders is not actually a Democrat, making his run to be that Party's candidate, at least for me, kind of fun. But the only way he makes much a difference in the trajectory of this country's slow decline is if he manages to be the candidate and then proves to have enormous "coat tails", bringing both the Senate and the House to the Democrats. Even then, the actual Democratic party apparatus will remain in the control of those who control it now. That apparatus is supported by, and supports, big business, big military, big pharmacy, and a militarized police force to protect those interests. President Sanders will have his "revolution" countered by a thousand Machiavellian assaults from those who run the government, and will watch it die a slow death, bleeding from a thousand little cuts.

[Minimalist]

Calling Sanders a "socialist" doesn't make him one,

Sanders has embraced that label himself.  Can't blame the republicunts for that.  We can blame them for not knowing what it means.