Bernie Sanders Dismissing Concerns of Minority Voters as Identity Politics

[TomCADem]

On the one hand, Bernie has been reluctant to address the concerns of minority voters choosing instead to push the idea that by simply improving economic conditions, the evils of racism will go away as illustrated in the non-response by Bernie:

Yet, despite his hostility to "identity politics" issues, Bernie has a long history of scapegoating immigrants for the troubles of the working class. Over the past year, Bernie has continued to attack the right wing strawman of "open borders" even though no candidate in support of open borders, thus validating this Republican talking point.

However, this is hardly new. Back in 2007, Bernie was happy to condemn efforts to reform immigration as "amnesty" as he did with Lou Dobbs on a segment against "amnesty."

Bernie is not only unwilling to confront how racism and sexism often go hand in hand with economic oppression. Instead, Bernie himself has profited by scapegoating immigrants as noted in the segment with Lou Dobbs.

[uponit7771]

1. This is from 2016 what's Sanders views now? thx in advance

[TexasTowelie]

3. I thought that Bernie was known for his consistency? nt

[Cha]

11. Snap.

[TomCADem]

8. Google Open Borders and Bernie Sanders. He Still Uses this RW Talking Point...

...as of the current election cycle even as Trump and the rest of Republicans try to brand Democrats as the party of open borders, Bernie is happy to jump on the xenophobic bandwagon and decry open borders even though no one is in support of this racist strawman of a policy:

https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-open-borders-poverty-world-immigration-1388767

BERNIE SANDERS SAYS U.S. CAN'T HAVE 'OPEN BORDERS' BECAUSE POOR PEOPLE WILL COME 'FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD'

Senator Bernie Sanders pushed back to clarify his position on immigration on Sunday after he was asked in Iowa about his reported support for open borders.

"I'm afraid you may be getting your information wrong," said Sanders, an independent from Vermont who is currently seeking the Democratic nomination to unseat President Donald Trump in 2020, The Washington Post reported. "I think what we need is comprehensive immigration reform," he said.

"Oh my god, there's a lot of poverty in this world, and you're going to have people from all over the world. And I don't think that's something that we can do at this point. Can't do it," the senator added.

When Trump says what Bernie just said, it is horribly racist. But when Bernie says it...

[uponit7771]

10. Just DAMN !! Really Sanders ?! How's Sanders any different than Miller or Sessions ?!!?

People are ...***NOT*** ... challenging Sanders

[Cha]

2. KR

[mopinko]

4. when your only tool is a hammer...

[SunSeeker]

5. In the Dobbs video at 3:55, Sanders repeats a plainly false RW CT about immigrants.

He claims "a lot" are "coming in as lifeguards" and "teachers" under guest worker visas, implying immigrants are taking desirable American jobs. That is simply not true. Why would Bernie, unprompted by Dobbs, interject to make that ridiculous claim?

[floppyboo]

6. For me this is a chicken and egg thing. I'm an unabashed Marxist economist

which doesn't mean I'm any one particular stripe - it just means I think economics underlies all prejudice. So more of an egg kinda person. Here's an interesting debate on identity politics that just popped up the other day- both sides - promise - despite the title:

[KPN]

7. It is.

[eilen]

9. I disagree with an open border policy.

I believe we need to revamp our immigration policies and expand them. But we are a nation that has borders. A nation is defined by a distinct territory and the job of government is to keep those borders and defend them.

[TomCADem]

12. Open Borders Is a RW Talking Point

No one is proposing open borders, yet Trump and Bernie adopt this divisive misleading talking point. Why adopt and use Trump's anti-immigration language?

[eilen]

17. I just saw it referenced in the OP

and was like yikes, I hope no one is advocating that.

[Dem4Life1102]

13. Identity Politics is a divisive right wing term

No one on the left should legitimize it.

[HarlanPepper]

14. He thinks a $15 minimum wage is the solution to racism so I can't say I'm surprised.

[peggysue2]

15. He dismisses the concerns of minority voters . . .

at his own electoral peril. The AA community alone = 25% of the Democratic Party. Add the other minority groups and you have a sizable chunk of the party he striving to represent.

Give me a break!

[NurseJackie]

16. The more I hear and read about Bernie, the less I like him.

I'm actually surprised that's possible. I guess this scale has negative numbers on it.

In any case, this isn't the first time (or the only, and it won't be the last either). I just know that I was heartbroken to hear the smear against the Democratic party when we were accused of "focusing too much" on DIVERSITY. Along with the smear and insult that Democrats who "are very big into diversity" aren't "particularly sympathetic" to the working class.

And then there's this: "I think you know there are a lot of white folks out there who are not necessarily racist who felt uncomfortable for the first time in their lives about whether or not they wanted to vote for an African-American."

I have no words. Just anger and disgust.