Bernie's In

Robert Reich
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An old friend told me last night he was deeply depressed about the country. “Our economy isn’t working, our democracy is in the hands of a handful of billionaires and big corporations, Hillary is offering band aides, Bernie can’t win, the Republicans are to the right of Attila, and Trump is a demagogue and a fool,” he said.
I asked him what he was doing about it.
“Me? Nothing. I can’t do a thing.”
“That’s the problem,” I said. “Your cynicism is a self-fulfilling prophesy.”
“I don’t have lots of money,” he said, “and I don’t have any time. I’m working like a dog.”
“You can make a small contribution, and you can stop watching two hours of TV every night.” I told him. “Use that time to get your friends involved, and insist they pull their friends in.”
“And do what?”
“Organize. Mobilize. Energize. Make sure you and everyone else knows the truth and doesn’t buy the right-wing lies. Have them all make small contributions. Meet in your home. Attend rallies. Write your local papers. Set up a system so everyone knows who to support. Make sure they vote in the primaries or attend the caucuses, and then vote in the general.”
“Can I really make a difference?” he asked.
“Yes. You and the rest of us. We can take back our economy and our democracy. The upcoming elections are the most important in our lifetimes. The moneyed interests would like nothing better than for every one of us to throw in the towel. Then America is entirely theirs. You must not let them.”
He was silent for a moment. “Maybe I will,” he said.

They will see the link between their earning power, the prison-based theme, and so many other economically unfair practices woven into this society that more often adversely affect blacks. AND he has said more that resonates more deeply than any other candidate. Period.

Did you read his statement to the Southern Leadership Conference? Do you know Hillary wouldn't even show her face? Do you defend Hillary Clinton? Who's your candidate?

Until other candidates address the issues Bernie is addressing, I don't see any way to compare. edit Except negatively against them.

http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/bernie-sanders-full-meet-the-press-interview-491428931566

Thanks for that. By the time I remembered it was happening, it was over.

I don't really 'like' anyone. I've never understood why we raise so much ruckus so far in advance of anytime or anything that's really meaningful. If we were going to elect the people who raised the biggest crowds at this stage of things, we'd have elected Romney and Dukakis. We as a country act like a bunch of fat kids waiting on the donut shop to open when it comes to presidential politics. The press has been handicapping the 'most likely' to follow Obama in the White House since the DAY AFTER his first inauguration. It is still over a year until the election, so I want to wait to see how everyone fares in the early primaries and debates before I feel obligated to 'like' anybody.

And by the way, people would make that connection a lot easier if Sanders was just super clear about how having a job is going to keep those cowardly cops from beating and shooting them.

Which candidate has proposed a specific plan to stop police brutality? I haven't read about it anywhere.

I started to talk about it, and I'd like to. But I deleted it because the first thing that should be said is - why didn't Obama address it? Answer that objectively and I'll be happy to tell you several ways economic justice will make a difference in cop on black crime.

My prediction is that if Bernie Sanders wins the nomination (and I seriously doubt he will)...

...he will lose the general election in a landslide so devastating that the Goldwater loss of '64 will seem like a fairly close race in comparison.

The electorate of this country is not ready for the likes of Sanders.

And "predictions" are like armpits. Everybody has them...and most stink.

Actually, Bernie has addressed Police Reform, and I think his ideas are sensible, but I am afraid that we're going to find out the job of police attracts people with foundational personality issues.

Ipsofacto, we're going to find it hard to hire and keep a competent, mentally stable police force.

I applaud people waiting until something resonates with them.

I respected Bernie for a couple of years, tweeted him last summer, begging him to run. I'm sure thousands of others did too. He and Warren are the only two people in politics, imo, worthy of any respect. So, I'm definitely secure in why I'm working for him.

People aren't backing him because of the crowds: there are crowds because people back him.

Address it when? If you're saying Obama hasn't addressed disparate treatment by the entire justice system on people of color, I say you ain't listening. Hey, if you have useful information about how Sanders' brand of economic justice will translate into less black deaths and beatings by police, by all means, please share.

Has Obama's actions lessened the violence perpetrated on black people? When and how?

Just for the record I probably would have been as rabid for Elizabeth Warren had she run, as Lash is for Sanders. I've been a fan and admirer of hers since she was connected with the Bankruptcy Commission in the Clinton years.

OK, Obama "addressed" it. So has Bernie. Tell me what plans Obama wrote and widely publicized to change it, and I'll pony up.

I guess you see that I'm pointing out that you (and you aren't alone) seem to be expecting more from Sanders than you did from Obama. I'd just like that on the record before we analyze Bernie.

btw, loved what you said about Warren. And if this back and forth grows tiresome for you, just tell me and we'll give it a rest. I'm just very interested in what you're saying right now.

We're getting into false equivalency and strawman areas now. Lash said Obama never addressed the police brutality on blacks, I said he did. I said Sanders talked about income inequality when asked about the blacklivesmatter movement, Lash said those things interconnect. No one here has tried to make the case that anything has been able to affect the rise in police brutality on blacks. I honestly don't know what a president CAN do to root out the institutional racism that festers and is passed on in our police societies.

Speaking about it is not really addressing it, in my opinion. Not without action.

If anything I've said here should give the impression that I'm "expecting" anything from "Bernie", it's that he got caught looking unprepared to address a very hotly debated issue, and I and a lot of other people called him on THAT - looking as if he hadn't given it much thought and wasn't much wanting to talk about THAT. And I expect ANYONE who expects to be taken seriously in a national election to be prepared to get asked hard questions.

You guys are defending Sanders, and that's fine. As I said, I don't dislike him. But don't put words in my mouth.

No one knows what would stop police from beating up and killing blacks. Not even Obama. Hell, it took the murder of 9 innocent blacks in a historically revered church by a rabid racist to gather enough national will just to take down a couple of stinkin' confederate flags. So who knows what would have to happen to wake people up enough to somehow subtract some of the violence happening to blacks at the hand of police?