Debunking the big ‘Bernie Sanders has a SuperPAC’ lie Joshua Holland

[Lorien]

Bernie Sanders doesn’t have a super PAC. At least not in the sense implied by Politico’s Kenneth Vogel, who referred to National Nurses United for Patient Protection as the “super PAC backing anti-super PAC crusader Bernie Sanders.” The thinly veiled charge of hypocrisy is dead wrong.

Sanders says on the stump that “it is unacceptable that we have a corrupt campaign finance system which allows millionaires, billionaires and large corporations to contribute as much as they want to super PACs to elect candidates who will represent their special interests.” According to Open Secrets, the total number of contributors who have given more than $200 to National Nurses United for Patient Protection this election cycle is a big, fat zero. The money comes from nurses’ union dues. According to a survey of 1,100 nurses conducted by the Lippincott Nursing Center, unionized nurses make, on average, $57,000 per year.

Contrast that with Priorities USA, the single-candidate super PAC backing Hillary Clinton. Through the middle of last November, it had received 49 donations of $100,000 or more this cycle, 15 of which were over $1 million. The difference between a PAC funded by middle-income workers and one financed by those who can afford to write a $100,000 check may elude Howard Dean, who last week told MSNBC that “labor unions are super PACs Democrats like,” but it shouldn’t be too difficult for the rest of us to grasp.

More importantly, Michael Lighty, the nurses’ union’s director of public policy, says the nurses’ super PAC functions just the way the Supreme Court’s conservative majority fantasized that they would: with genuine independence from the Sanders’ campaign. “In the case of real super PACs, the independence is a fallacy, and when they talk about us – comparing us to those other super PACs – it’s a false equivalency,” he said.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/02/debunking-the-big-bernie-sanders-has-a-superpac-lie/

[cali]

1. Happy to be the first rec, Lorien.

[Lorien]

2. ....

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. The attacks on unions BY Clinton SURROGATES have been pretty outrageous.

In fact, most of the Clinton campaign and attacks in general have been recycled Republican stuff. Unions are bad (even though we want their endorsements), we can't raise the minimum wage that high, we'll only break up big banks 'if they deserve it', we don't need to reinstitute Glass-Steagal, the TPP isn't so bad, it just needs tweaking, fracking is great, spreading Monsanto seeds and pesticides is great, and on and on ad nauseum.

Clinton positions are Republican positions. Clinton attacks on Sanders are Republican attacks on Sanders.

Hell, there's no worry that Republican attacks will be so much worse in the general, Clinton is rolling out all the same attacks already, from red-baiting surrogates to charges of racism, sexism, and general old guy crankiness.

[Lorien]

4. I've seen exactly the same thing from her fans. Stuff about how we "need" to drill

and frack for "energy independence", and no reply when I show them article after article about Countries that are getting off fossil fuels completely. Their anti-union and anti-raising the minimum wage crap is absurd, as are their positions on GMOs. Other than gay rights (flip pity flop!) and faux women's rights positions (Hillary has said that she is willing to "compromise" on abortion, and she completely screwed over female Walmart employees on wages). I fail to see how any of them are any different than a garden variety Republican.

[freebrew]

8. I know, but we can't call them repubs...

on this board because they claim to be dems.

Like maybe Ike Skelton was a 'Dem', or Jay Nixon(Mo Gov), or Joe Lieberman(oh yeah, he's not anymore but he ran for Dem VP).

Maybe they're just rich dems that hates unions. Oh wait, doesn't that make them Rs?

[Lorien]

12. The truth hurts:

Chomsky: Democrats are now moderate Republicans: http://trofire.com/2015/09/23/noam-chomsky-dems-are-now-moderate-repugs-republicans-are-now-off-the-spectrum-of-reality/

[AlbertCat]

10. In fact, most of the Clinton campaign and attacks in general have been recycled Republican stuff.

You noticed that too!

And when they do manage to embrace something progressive, it always comes with big "but"....

[d_legendary1]

5. It was a bogus story from the get-go

Unlike Hillary Clinton and David Brock Sanders doesn't coordinate with anyone other Super PAC. They're trying to make Sanders look as dirty as Clinton. Not sure how that's supposed to attract Sanders supporters to the Clinton campaign. Its just another attempt to make Sanders look like any other crooked politician.

[daleanime]

6. I think they are hoping that if they throw enough mud around....

it will tire people out and help depress the turn-out.

[d_legendary1]

13. They can keep trying all they want

It just makes them look like liars and swindlers to the American public. If they win by crook we'll have a Republican president for sure.

[AlbertCat]

11. They're trying to make Sanders look as dirty as Clinton.

Thereby revealing they know she's compromised and.... they know exactly what they are doing.

[d_legendary1]

14. they know exactly what they are doing

Truer words have never been spoken.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. K/R

[WillyT]

9. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[chknltl]

15. KnR Interesting that none of our DU friends 'across the aisle' have challanged this.

Over 400 views. I think Sanders supporters outnumber Clinton supporters around DU at about 10 to 1. While it's true that I have some of our more 'outspoken' chums on ignore, my list is not so large as to exclude at least a few Clinton supporters who could be here explaining to me why the OP is in error.

This topic is my largest issue for this election. I want a government OF BY and FOR the citizenry. IMO, our struggle is one opposed to allowing our own out of control economic model of capitalism turning our government into one OF BY and FOR the highest bidder-with that bidder not even being required to be American!

I fully get the harsh reality that I am not the sharpest knife in DU's drawer, hell I will even confess to a slit in the ol' marble bag but for me, the lack of DU's Clinton supporters addressing my issue is curious. Don't they understand that our very democracy is in play here?

[eridani]

16. By the numbers DU support for Sanders over Clinton is 3/1--at least if you go by--

--group affiliation. Granted, a lot of members don't do groups, but still as of 2/17--

Hillary Clinton Group
Number of subscribers: 304
Number of people trashing: 192
Blocked members: 531
Subscribers to blocked members ratio: 0.573


Bernie Sanders Group.
Number of subscribers: 867
Number of people trashing: 144
Blocked members: 248
Subscribers to blocked members ratio: 3.50

[chknltl]

17. Please add DU poll 2 your data

Am on cell phone, 2 polls earlier this year had Sanders over Clinton among DUers at 10 to 1. Thanks

[eridani]

18. Would have if i could locate it n/t

[chknltl]

19. Still on cell, reposted poll just now....

.... by going into my bookmarks and responding to it. Look up ' chknltl KnR attn eridani '. If i iknew how to give u link via my cell phone i would, sorry...both my computer and my laptop are on fritz, this cell phone only gets intermittent online reception from my home....works ok here at local restaurant.