Bernie Sanders: Donald Trump wants to distract us from wealth inequality.

[Eric J in MN]

Bernie Sanders last night on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon:"

"Throughout history, you've had demagogues trying to divert attention away from the real issues," Sanders said. "This country today faces some enormous problems. We have a middle class that's disappearing, we have almost all new wealth and income going to the top 1%. We got climate change, we got a corrupt campaign finance system. And what somebody like a Trump is trying to do is supposed to divide us up."

He continued: "A few months ago, we were supposed to hate Mexicans, and he thinks they're all criminals and rapists. That kind of crap is not gonna work in the United States of America."

http://news.yahoo.com/bernie-sanders-just-summed-everything-125232519.html

[peacebird]

1. Bernie was on a roll yesterday, both on Rachel & Jimmy!

[Ron Green]

2. I disagree with him on one point:

That kind of crap IS going to work in the USA; the level of fear and ignorance may now be beyond a certain tipping point.

[ljm2002]

3. I love his plain talk...

..."That kind of crap is not gonna work in the United States of America."

The audience loved it too.

[gordyfl]

8. "That kind of crap is not gonna work in the United States of America."

The audience did agree...

[Blue_Adept]

4. Everything seems to be a distraction from what Bernie wants to talk about

[99Forever]

5. Your cheap snark backfires.

Senator Sanders wants talk about the real issues facing America and you, Trump, and Hillary don't.

Care to explain why?

[Blue_Adept]

7. I'm poor, all I can afford is cheap snark

There are a whole host of real issues to talk about. Why limit to just one? What's important to some is not as important to others.

[Hepburn]

10. Because poverty impacts on ALL issues. n/t

[1StrongBlackMan]

22. Not all issues ...

Just the ones some want to talk about, exclusively.

[Armstead]

65. That's a misstatement

He has addressed Isis and what we should do many times. But he has no silver bullets because no one does.

Frankly the pronouncements of all candidates on that issue are meaningless. Isis is a riddle in a conundrum, and there are no palatable answers, and no sure cures. The only people with "surefire answers" are the GOP, and their answers are scary and counterproductive.

But for those who recognize the complexity it is baffling. It has baffled Obama and -- if she were ever honest about it -- it baffles Clinton.

[99Forever]

21. I'd wager big money that...

...at the venue Senator Sanders was at, that the issues he came there tto discuss are a whole fucking bunch MORE IMPORTANT to those citizens than what some jackass Hillary plant wants to try.to play Gotcha with.

Dirty, filthy, smearing tactics ARE what Clinton campaigns do.

[Blue_Adept]

24. oh my

[99Forever]

26. That's what I thought.

You got nothin. Typical Camp Weathervane claptrap.

[Blue_Adept]

27. I'm not in any camp actually

Far enough back in the primary process that i honestly don't care who gets it.

[99Forever]

29. Yeah sure.

I believe that.



Kewl story bro.

[Blue_Adept]

30. What do I have to gain by lying?

Hell, I didn't even vote in the 04 or 08 primaries. I leave it to the far more faithful and invested to hash it all out. Which is why I didn't come away with so much disappointment in Obama after he was unable to accomplish the things he wanted to upon his election.

[99Forever]

32. Yeah sure.

I believe that too.

Keep goin, you're crackin me up!

[Armstead]

34. The issues are interconnected. The difference is....

Clinton will not acknowledge the core problem, and her branch of the Democratic Party helped to create those problems. The horrible distorted distribution of Wealth and Power in this country undermines out ability to deal with all otehr issues in a manner that reflects the wider public interest.

In order to address them -- and put the GOP into their rightful little box -- we have to acknowledge those systemic problems and deal with them, as well as the individual issues.

[Ron Green]

6. Just as the media crap is a distraction from

what all people need to be thinking about.

[NurseJackie]

9. Given everything I know about Bernie, your assesment makes sense.

It's logical for Bernie and his fans to relegate the topics he's uncomfortable with (or unfamiliar with) as being "unimportant" or "distractions" or that they aren't the "real issues". I think that such things are likely to be one of the main reasons that Bernie is having such a difficult time in the polls, and why his political and union endorsements are so dismal. The swearing and aggressive retorts from his fans (seen elsewhere) aren't a good substitute for actually being a well-rounded candidate.

[libdem4life]

17. When are thinking posters going to stop make their decisions because somebody "talks some smack"

I've heard posters swear they changed to Hillary because of the "obnoxious" Bernie posters. How infantile is that?

Bernie is not worried I'm certain, so as a Hillary supporter, it should be a moot point.

This is DU...it's Primary time...people are passionate as they should be...and it goes Both Ways...really, it does. Talk up your candidate and "be better" than those posts they don't like.

[NurseJackie]

25. Who suggested such a thing? My decision to support Hillary was made long ago.

Did you intend to reply to someone else? There's nothing in my previous post that says anything about "changing to Hillary" or making decisions based on "obnoxious" (your word) or "aggressive" (my word) Bernie posters.

Or were you trying to take issue (in an clumsy way) with my observation that aggressive posts on DU don't negate or hide the fact that Bernie is a weak candidate?

As you noted, it's extremely unlikely that serious voters rely on the words of anonymous posters to influence their decision on which candidate to support. On that we agree. I, too, get a chuckle from those who stomp their feet and make such adamant declarations. It is, as you say, "infantile" and indicates only the individual's level of frustration at the moment, and should not be taken too seriously.

[libdem4life]

46. Perhaps not ... let me think ... disparaging the other candidate would work better.

Making judgments about Bernie, in this case as clearly a Hillary supporter ...unsubstantiated, just negative opinions aren't necessary. (That goes for all three candidates,, IMHO)

Peace out.

[NurseJackie]

48. As a Bernie fan, it's natural that you'd think that way ...

... and if "negative opinions" of Bernie "aren't necessary", does that mean that everyone who has a negative opinion about him should remain silent?

I guess that's the easiest way to handle and respond to legitimate criticisms and honest observations of his weaknesses. (Or, as you'd put it, "disparaging" him.)

If only the world were as perfect as we wished it to be. Sigh. Considering how fast-paced this discussion forum appears to be, it looks like you've got your work cut out for you in your efforts to put an end to all these "unnecessary" and "unsubstantiated ... negative opinions". Good luck!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

18. LOL!!! Oh sure! That's the ONLY THING that makes sense.

[NurseJackie]

23. Not the only ... the most likely and most reasonable.

Enjoy your outrage at how unfairly he's being treated.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

31. Actually, I'm enjoying Hillary's SILENCE as she waits for her team to pour over the polls.

[NurseJackie]

33. Silence? LOL! Very amusing.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

35. Please provide video links of all of the shows she's been on openly discussing Trump.

[NurseJackie]

42. LOL!!! (For what purpose?)

Do your own Google searches.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

44. The purpose is to demonstrate that she's the spokesperson of a committee.

[NurseJackie]

45. Why should I do that for you?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

47. Someone should post videos of Hillary condemning Trump....

If there ARE any.

[NurseJackie]

49. What makes you feel that way?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

50. Some things shouldn't need a focus group and a committee.

[NurseJackie]

51. Then why ask?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

54. Has she come out yet?

[NurseJackie]

55. Come out of what?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

56. Her committee....

I know she doesn't like to say anything until it's been approved.

[NurseJackie]

57. How do you know this?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

58. It's been her pattern.

[NurseJackie]

59. Since when?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

60. Since forever. Haven't you noticed?

[NurseJackie]

61. Forever is a long time. Can you be more specific?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

63. Since the DLC decided to agree with Republicans about Reagan....

They decided the job of the President is to be a spokesmodel to sell the working class policies that only help the idle rich.

Hillary has reversed some of that during the campaign but only on things that became painfully obvious in the polls. They pour over sample groups to make sure the liberals aren't getting what they want unless enough "independents" and conservatives want the same thing. Then they craft a position paper and fix the details line by line before issuing a press release and even then they track the most current polls to see if their position is a "safe" one. On issues she CAN'T support because it's against the wishes of her big money buddies they will craft a statement that sounds good but has more loopholes in it than a rodeo.

[NurseJackie]

66. Does that upset you?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

67. It should upset you. It's lame.

[NurseJackie]

68. Why should I be upset over something I don't believe? Why should I believe what you're telling me?

[Armstead]

36. he's more well rounded than Clinton

I know you'll say "being Mayor" doesn't count, but it is a microcosm of how an official would perform in an executive position.

And Bernie surprised everyone when he was mayor with the pragmatic and common sense approach he took, and the successful results on many levels, from stimulating the arts and community life to helping people of modest means get tax exemptions tghey deserved to the boring task of administration of city operations.

Sure Clinton is glib and has a lot of "answers" at hand supplied by her crack research crew -- but her approach is to miss the forest for the trees.

[JaneyVee]

11. Bernie, Trump, and Hillary all want to tax the rich.

And only one of those candidates wants to also tax the middle class.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. Yet another talking point that's been debunked.

[cosmicone]

12. Everyone and everything is trying to distract Bernie from wealth/income inequality

Paris Attacks
San Bernardino attacks
Turkey downing Russian fighter jet
Coalition build-up against ISIS
Advance of Iraqi forces in Ramadi
Advance of Kurdish forces towards Mosul
Russia's supply of advanced air defenses to Iran
Syrian forces advancing toward Raqqa
Refugee crisis
Upcoming El Nino and its devastating effect
Fed raising interest rates despite low inflation to make economy slow down just in time for election
Misappropriation of US intellectual property by copying/reverse engineering
Dropping oil prices costing thousands of jobs domestically
Ongoing racial tensions with cops killing unarmed black people by the dozens
The immigration mess

All these are distractions from the one issue, one dimensional politics of income/wealth inequality.

[Proserpina]

15. All of these issues are the consequence of wealth and income inequality...the many-splendored gift

Take care of the root, and all the little branches are destroyed, too.

[cosmicone]

16. ummm yeah right n/t

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. Much easier to love the military.

[Armstead]

37. And Clinton as Sec o State didn't do a whole lot to prevent or minimize those problems

[cosmicone]

39. Secretaries of State don't make policy

They serve at the pleasure of the POTUS.

[Armstead]

40. Wait...I thought that was her claim to fame on foreign policy?

[cosmicone]

41. She gained qualifications and experience as SOS

What she has learnt will serve her when she is POTUS herself.

Not a very difficult concept in my opinion.

[Armstead]

43. Seems like wanting your cake and eating it too....but that's okay. We'll disagree.

[jalan48]

13. Bernie nailed it.

Focus on those guys over there. Don't talk about what's actually going on in our cities and towns all over the country.

[Proserpina]

14. I think Trump is trying to distract us from American Principles (the Ideal ones, not the Actual)

Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, rule of law, justice for all, equality, stuff like that....in a word, democracy.

[jtuck004]

28. The choices we make are of the scraps these people leave...

Newest Oxfam Report:

The richest make $500,000-per-minute
...
Just before the annual gathering of the global elites last January (at the Swiss mountain resort of Davos), the anti-poverty charity Oxfam released an eye-opening report that showed the world’s 85 richest billionaires hold as much wealth as 3.5 billion of humanity’s poorest half. That shocking statistic quickly went globally viral. Now there's a new report.

Last week the 72-year-old organization launched a new campaign called "Even It Up" with a new 136-page report showing that the combined wealth of the world’s top 85 multi-billionaires is increasing at the rate of a half million dollars a minute.
...

http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/newest-oxfam-report-richest-make-500000-minute-5600


They have nothing other than what other people give them. We get their leftovers.

[NurseJackie]

52. That's giving Trump far more credit than he deserves.

What we're seeing is just Trump being Trump. He's not trying to "distract" from anything. He's only trying to attract attention to himself.

[ibegurpard]

53. And so does Hillary.

[olddots]

64. we talk abput critical thinking

Bernie practices it .