Sanders enlists Ben & Jerry's in fight against super-PACs

[Jefferson23]

July 14, 2015





Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is enlisting the help of Ben & Jerry's ice cream to make the case against the Citizens United campaign finance ruling.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the founders of the ice cream company, rail against the 2010 Supreme Court case that allowed corporations to donate unlimited sums to super-PACs in a new email blast to Sanders supporters.

The ad is in the style of a mock text message conversation and titled “Ben & Jerry: people, Ben & Jerry’s: corporation.” It's meant to chide supporters of Citizens United over the idea that corporations should have the same free speech rights as people.

“That's ridiculous. And what it means is that this presidential election, there will be a whole mess of shadowy money and corporate contributions backing candidates and causes on both sides of the aisle,” Greenfield says.

“Except for Bernie Sanders, of course. Bernie has led the fight to put an end to the corrupting influence of big money in our politics,” Cohen adds.

The ice cream men ask supporters to sign a petition supporting Sanders’s call for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/247827-sanders-enlists-ben-jerrys-in-fight-against-super-pacs

[DanTex]

1. Wait, I thought all the uber-rich capitalists were in Hillary's pocket!

No, I get it, it's different when it's Bernie.

[Buns_of_Fire]

2. I doubt "Ben and Jerry's" is capable of trashing the world's economy.

Now, if "Lloyd and Jamie's" comes out with a line of ice cream, we might have a different situation. "The Only Ice Cream That Tastes Like Freshly-Minted Hundred-Dollar Bills" doesn't quite have the same ring as "Cherry Garcia", though.

[DanTex]

3. I don't recall and Lloyd or Jamie introducing anyone at a campaign kick-off speech.

Kind odd that none of the Bernie people noticed that, right before getting up and railing against the 1%-ers, he was introduced by a couple of close friends who are 0.01%-ers. And now he's got them running ads. I guess they won't officially call themselves a SuperPAC, but it's getting pretty close...

[Buns_of_Fire]

4. Actually, that wouldn't bother me in the least -- although the optics of it

might be a little awkward. Everyone going to support SOMEONE.

Now, if Charles Manson decided to publicly support one or the other... (Actually, I see him as more of a Cruz supporter.)

[DanTex]

5. Me either, actually. Whether it's Bernie's rich friends or Hillary's rich friends, what I care

about is what people stand for, not how much money they have.

[Jefferson23]

6. It is about what they expect in return, but you knew that or should.

Ben and Jerry are pushing to end Citizens United..big difference.

[DanTex]

7. Rich Clinton supporters, of course, also want to end CU.

In fact, rich Clinton supporters are on board with her progressive views on other issues as well. People who like CU or conservative policies don't support Democrats.

I guess this will put an end to the whole "Clinton's moneyed friends" talking point. Glad we could clear that up.

[Jefferson23]

8. Yea, all that money from Wall Street, those individuals are all about ending CU and re-establishing

Glass-Stegall. Okay...whatever you say.

[DanTex]

9. Ah. You're referring to the 3.4% of her campaign funds that came from bankers.

Hillary's economic plan doesn't include Glass-Steagall, but it does include stronger financial regulation, and she was in favor of Dodd Frank, the strongest financial regulations since the Depression. So, yeah, the people who donate to her are in favor of that, as well as overturning CU, raising taxes on the wealthy, and the rest.

I gotta say it's a little bizarre that you think that Hillary's rich friends are in it for some kind of quid-pro-quo bribery thing but Bernie's rich people are in it because they simply like Bernie. Particularly since Ben and Jerry are much richer than the average Wall Street exec. And they aren't just donors, they actually were the ones who introduced him in his kick-off speech. You know, the one where he railed against 1%-ers like the two guys that just introduced him...

Seems fairly hypocritical to me. Not to mention evidenceless, but that pretty much goes without saying as far as Hillary smears go.

[Jefferson23]

10. I'm not interested in how you feel about what I believe about Clinton. Clearly it is your

prerogative to believe whatever you wish about her and her possible choices of political
agendas.

I'm not trying to change your mind, thus my response..you believe it, ok with me.
Your defensive measures may be better placed on the undecided voter...someone
unlike me.

[DanTex]

11. I'm not trying to change your mind either.

Mostly I'm exploring the depths of hypocrisy in the Hillary-bashing community. It's quite a cavern.

[Jefferson23]

12. Good...and yea, you're abundantly clear why you're in this thread.

Knock yourself out.

[London Lover Man]

13. Pushing propaganda and then call us Hillary bashers when confronted with the truth

Like your current 3.4% of the support for Clinton came from bankers - we know that's a lie.

[DanTex]

14. Facts are facts. Not my fault you don't like them.