Let's try this: Suppose Bernie's opponent was ME.

[Chichiri]

Forget Hillary. There is no Hillary. I'm the only one running against Bernie for the nomination. I'm a 36 year old man from Minnesota, a blue collar worker, married, no children, no political experience, no trouble with the law, never even been accused of a crime, and my political position is somewhere to the right of Bernie (but left of, say, Obama).

Why should I vote for Bernie instead of me?

Remember, there is no Hillary. Only Bernie and me. Why should I vote for Bernie?

[NCTraveler]

1. Because you would need nine more years I think. nt.

[Chichiri]

6. The Constitution says I'm eligible at 35.

Or did you mean something else?

[NCTraveler]

8. That is what I meant. My mind seems to have gone cloudy.

Thank you and you have earned my vote.

[DURHAM D]

2. He knows how to push the levers of power

because he has been in DC a long time.

[djean111]

3. Off the top of my head - because your political position is to the right of Bernie's.

I don't really care about the other stuff. The issues are what will affect me and my friends and my family and the people of ther US and, really, the world.

[Qutzupalotl]

4. If your proposals are better, you should vote for yourself.

[k8conant]

5. Bernie is to the left of YOU...

enough said.

[jeff47]

7. Because

this.

[Chichiri]

9. Sorry, that's not loading for some reason. What's the short version? nt

[Downwinder]

14. Works for me. You should check with support.

[jeff47]

18. All of Sanders's policies and proposals. (nt)

[highprincipleswork]

10. Because Bernie has the experience and the authenticity to lead a movement which is growing!

And that movement seems to be to the Left of you, and is well, well, well to the Left of whatever Third Way/DLC politics will ever be.

Not interested in giving away more of our stuff to the very wealthy.

[tk2kewl]

11. We would need more information on you positions.

Do you support TTP? Why or why not?

What do you think of ISDS as part of current and future trade policy?

What is your position on money in politics?

What is your tax policy?

Do you want to raise the cap on payroll tax for SS? What other ideas do you hold regarding SS?

What is your energy policy?

What is your position on our foreign policy adventures of the last 15 years? How would you work to further peace going forward?

Do you believe we should be able to provide health care to all of our citizens?

Do you think we should invest in education?

Do you think we should invest in a 21st C infrastructure? What would such a plan look like?

How would you address climate change?

How would you address police misconduct?

Drug policy?

Prisons?

Media?

Internet?

...

[Chichiri]

13. To make things simple please, let's say...

...that all my answers are satisfactory to a Bernie supporter, except that I'm willing to consider a ground war for humanitarian reasons, and I oppose legalization of pot.

[tk2kewl]

16. then i guess i'd have to go with Bernie

eom

[Bluenorthwest]

23. Cannabis alone is worth rejecting your candidacy, and 4 States have legalized at the ballot box....

This means a solid and sustained majority of voters in those States disagree with you and agree with Bernie. Your position is offered with no reasoning and that is in fact a secondary problem, you seem to be the sort of candidate who is 'for' and 'against' things arbitrarily.

[bigwillq]

27. Bernie. No contest (nt)

[dana_b]

12. you may be to the right of him, but that doesn't tell me a whole lot

about you.

Where did you stand on Iraq/Afghanistan?

Climate change - what would you do to stop mankind's contribution to it?

How do you feel on immigration?

What would you do to strengthen SS/Medicare?

Do you believe in single payer and what would you do with Obamacare after you were elected?

How would you reign in Wall St./Big banks?

See - those are issues that I feel very strongly on and in lock step with Bernie.

Do you agree with him on these issues? If so, then this is why you may consider voting for him.

[Chichiri]

17. Say I agree with him. Why hi instead of me? nt

[Arazi]

20. He's proposing to end the drug war and legalize MJ

he's also pledged to reduce the incarceration by 500,000

So all other things being equal, I'd choose him

[dana_b]

25. well, as long as you are honest

and not talking out of both sides of your mouth, then maybe you should vote for you. Maybe you are younger, better looking, better with babies and old ladies. I don't know.

I respect Bernie's consistency, honesty and I truly believe that he is a giving person. Those are other reasons to consider voting for him.

[randys1]

26. I have to admit I am missing the point you are attempting to make.

If you and Bernie have the exact same positions, then...

oh wait, I got it.

Because Bernie is part of the establishment and can get things done, is that it?

[thesquanderer]

30. Easy.

Experience, as mayor and in congress, has proven understanding of the system and an ability to work with people from both parties. Your experience is unknown.

Lots of history showing his positions are sincere and philosophically consistent.

Known reputation for integrity. (Nothing personal.)

Better chance of electability in November. (No one has heard of you. You're probably not even on the ballot. You've not shown you can motivate lots of people and raise contributions accordingly.)

What's your point?

[Arazi]

19. Will you end the drug war? Legalize MJ? Take a vow to reduce mass incarceration

by 500,000 in your first term like your opponent Senator Sanders?

Do you support the former SOS on her proposal to institute a no-fly zone in Syria (sparking a near certain war with Russia)?

Will you pledge to work towards tuition free higher education and fully fund Head Start?

What is your position on social security?

Will you work towards a universal healthCARE system in the US?

That's enough to start

[cherokeeprogressive]

21. I don't know why YOU should, but I'd vote for Bernie Sanders over you because...

I've seen your posts.

[tk2kewl]

22. LOL

[DemocraticWing]

24. Go ahead and vote for yourself. I'll take Bernie to win.

[Betty Karlson]

28. A very reasoned argument. But my questions would be: do you espouse Third Way policies?

Do you hold speeches for Goldman Sachs, for how much money, and when may we see the transcripts of those speeches?
How much of the rest of Wall Street is pooring money into your campaign coffers, and what do they want in return?
Are you happy with the status quo?
Do you care about the burden that has been laid on millennials?
Are you in bed the the prison industry?
What is your position on police reform?
What is your position on spying on people who have done nothing wrong?
How did you vote on the Iraq War?
How long have you opposed my right to marry, and can you give a clear reason why you changed your mind (and please let it be more than a poll that said your bigotry made you unelectable)?

Is the Third Way chair of the DNC heavily biased in your favour, and doing everything she can to make your primary campaign the only game in town? Are you, in short, corrupt and corrupting?

Chichri, this would not be about Bernie versus you, it would be about the issues.

-----

So far for the hypothetical. Now the reality:

There is Hillary, and like 52 % of all Americans, I don't trust her and never will. She has net negative coattails and will jeopardise our chance to pick up senate and house seats in the GE. In fact, she'd lose the GE against 2 of the 3 remaining main contenders of the GOP, given the hypothetical match-ups. Sanders would win against all of them. The status quo has become untenable and Clinton is oblivious to that perilous state of affairs: she campaigns as if the 20th century has never ended and as if millennials are still children who can be safely ignored. She (not you) is a liability, irrespective of whichever position she holds in comparison with Sanders.

If Martin O'Malley was the remaining candidate instead of Clinton (also to the right of Sanders) I'd have happily supported him in the GE, probably even in the primaries (I was actually on the fence between those two). But voting for Clinton is espousing disaster for the party and for my generation. I will not do so. Ever.

[lloebigt13]

29. Here's a Start

https://m.

https://m.

https://m.

http://vetsforbernie.org/2016/02/yes-bernie-sanders-protested-for-civil-rights/

Bernie Sanders has a long and consistent record of standing up for those in need. This is the exact kind of strength of character, forceful speaker & moral compass that we need at the Bully Pulpit in this country to move the dialogue away from the lies and weak rhetoric of defeats, and back towards the famous and emotional speeches of strong leaders such as FDR, JFK, MLK, etc. We need somebody who will stand up for the underdog and who won't just sit back and let lobbyists and corporate CEOs influence the discourse in government. He has consistently taken strong moral stances:

-He opposes labor wrecking trade deals that hurt American & International workers

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/29/so-called-free-trade-policies-hurt-us-workers-every-time-we-pass-them

http://www.progressive.org/news/2011/10/170238/look-record-bernie-sanders-2011-denounces-free-trade-pacts

http://www.ontheissues.org/2016/Bernie_Sanders_Free_Trade.htm

-He opposes infringements on our civil liberties in legislation such as the Patriot Act

https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/27110/bernie-sanders/13/civil-liberties-and-civil-rights#.VtiVFoo8LCQ

https://m.

https://m.

-He has vocally opposed wasteful, murderous militarism, and stands with the men and women sent to fight in these inexcusable conflicts

https://m.

http://www.legion.org/pressrelease/224420/sanders-miller-receive-legion’s-patriot-award

https://m.

-He wants us all to have wider access to healthcare and educational opportunities, and weaken the voices of for profit entities in these decisions

https://m.

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/02/12/fact-argue-experts-sanders-medicare-all-numbers-do-add

http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/08/news/economy/sanders-income-jobs/

-He speaks out against the legalized bribery and borderline extortion that plagues both major parties and the disproportional voice given to those with power and wealth.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/dear-america-please-get-your-bernie-sanders_b_7536276.html

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/31/bernie-sanders-strikes-blow-citizens-united-contributions-record.html

And first and foremost he is a person of compassion and dedication. He also get things done:

REPRESENTATIVE & SENATOR:

https://pplswar.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/what-bernie-sanders-got-done-in-washington-a-legislative-inventory/

https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/71225/bernie-sanders-is-loud-stubborn-socialist-republicans-like-him-anyway

https://pplswar.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/fact-bernie-sanders-got-more-done-in-the-senate-than-hillary-clinton/

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/bernie-gets-it-done-sanders-record-pushing-through-major-reforms-will-surprise-you

http://www.occupydemocrats.com/2015/12/26/bernie-sanders-has-filed-more-bills-for-veterans-than-any-congressman-in-the-past-30-years/

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/defense/259677-bernie-sanders-champion-of-vets

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2015/10/6/1428616/-Bernie-Sanders-What-the-Hell-Have-You-Done-for-Us-Lately

MAYOR OF BURLINGTON:

http://inthesetimes.com/article/18806/this-1983-profile-of-bernie-sanders-shows-how-his-success-in-burlington-mir

http://www.thenation.com/article/bernies-burlington-city-sustainable-future/

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/bernies-burlington-what-k_b_7510704.html

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone,

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. John Quincy Adams

Note: If you were running against Bernie, I would vote for you because .... my political position is somewhere to the right of Bernie (but left of, say, Obama).