What Sanders COULD have said:

[OilemFirchen]

All of this semantic quibbling is frustrating and fruitless. If Sanders is running a "revolutionary" campaign, as he states, if he is unafraid to tackle contentious issues, as his supporters say, and if he truly believes that he can affect radical change, as is the hallmark of his campaign, here are a few answers he could have offered to the BLM protesters:

1) I'll end the War on Drugs and commute the sentences of all non-violent drug offenders.
2) I'll fund rehabilitation centers and employment training and placement facilities for all previously incarcerated individuals and any others who need them.
3) I'll resuscitate, tweak, and aggressively fund Enterprise Zones.
4) I'll offer incentives to businesses, small and large, to encourage and assist them in establishing safe, clean, affordable and accessible retail establishments, bank branches and medical offices to all ghettoized communities.
5) I'll ensure that all governments, from township to state, allocate the funds necessary to bring K-12 education in ghettoized communities up to the standards of the entirety of the school district(s) community-wide.
6) I'll ensure that all governments, from township to state, allocate the funds and training necessary to bring local policing in ghettoized communities up to the standard of the entirety of the locality in question.
7) I'll ensure that all governments, from township to state, allocate the funds necessary to bring infrastructure, including and especially transportation in ghettoized communities up to the standards of the entirety of the locality in question.
8) I'll ensure that all governments, from township to state, direct the funds necessary to specifically clean up blight in ghettoized communities.
9) I'll strengthen, fund, and enforce all non-discrimination ordinances as they pertain to hiring, housing and education.
10) I'll forcefully prosecute any and all individuals or groups who violate any of the above.

That's ten. I'm not a politician, I'm not a deep thinker, and I'm not an activist. If I can come up with these answers off the top of my head, why can't Sanders?

[whatchamacallit]

1. Why can't Clinton, or for that matter, Obama?

Also, from what I've learned on DU, there's "too much economics" in your proposals.

[OilemFirchen]

6. Because neither Clinton nor Obama are "transcendent" figures.

Isn't it Sander's appeal that he's (as mentioned) unafraid to tackle contentious issues?

And no, this isn't "economics" in a vacuum, like transaction taxes or fair trade. This, insofar as "money" is concerned, is targeted, government-driven disaster relief.

[whatchamacallit]

8. So, just to understand

Do you actually believe in that list of ideas, or are they being presented just to callout the "transcendent" guy? Because if you really do believe in those ideas, I'd think you'd be pretty disappointed in H and O.

[OilemFirchen]

10. Yes I do.

And I'm never disappointed by a politician, as I always have low expectations as to their efficacy.

BTW, as regards this election, I've only made one declarative statement: that I'll vote for Sanders if he's on my Ohio ballot. Otherwise, I'm a simple partisan.

You're welcome to research that at you leisure.

[PotatoChip]

35. Then the money should come from the federal government, not the states.

Otherwise, these would be unfunded mandates. National disasters qualify for relief funds from the federal government.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. 3) I'll resuscitate, tweak, and aggressively fund Enterprise Zones.

3) I'll resuscitate, tweak, and aggressively fund Enterprise Zones.

Exactly...

Many minority communities are retail deserts.


All our candidates need to be addressing these issues.

[Scootaloo]

15. "All our candidates need to be addressing these issues. "

But only the one who actually lands closest to the mark gets shit on for it.

meanwhile the least responsive candidate on these issues gets smooth sailing.

How odd.

[arcane1]

17. Funny how that works, isn't it?

I'm sure it's just coincidence.

[Scootaloo]

18. Same coincidence that economic justice only became code for racism on DU, when Sanders declared

[arcane1]

22. Indeed.

Never mind the fact that MLK was saying the exact same thing.

[Scootaloo]

39. Y'know, it's possible to make an argument without "Appeal to King"

I know where you're coming from, but... that tactic is rather belittling. I don't think that's your intent, but, maybe let the man have a little rest, yeah?

[arcane1]

40. Agreed!

[AgingAmerican]

3. When will Clinton be held to this standard that only Bernie is held to?

Just curious...

[Scootaloo]

5. Well, that would require holding Clinton to a standard, wouldn't it?

[OilemFirchen]

11. Why are you asking me? (n/t)

[stevenleser]

33. That's one of the standard methods of dismissing BLMs concerns. nt

[Aerows]

43. Your response is one of the standard methods

of not answering a question that you don't want to answer.

[stevenleser]

44. There is no question to answer. nt

[Aerows]

47. If you can't answer the obvious question

I guess you pretend that the question doesn't exist.

Hint: It is in the subthread you are replying to.

That's an interesting strategy.

[stevenleser]

49. What question. Why couldnt you do your own research? She responded to this just today.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251463010

[Aerows]

51. She never said "White Lives matter."

Okay, that just went down the memory hole, and we all have to pretend she didn't say that.

[stevenleser]

53. Now you are flailing. nt

[Aerows]

54. By pointing out

some glaring hypocrisy?

Uh, no, and if you expect people to have the memory of a gust of wind and forget how this whole talking point came about when Hillary flubbed it, you are in for a rude awakening.

I don't hate Hillary. I'll vote for her if she is our nominee. But pretending she didn't say that to an entire church full of black people mourning their dead?

You MUST be kidding.

http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/06/24/417112956/hillary-clintons-three-word-gaffe-all-lives-matter

http://www.blackyouthproject.com/2015/06/why-it-matters-that-hillary-clinton-said-all-lives-matter-in-a-black-church-this-week/

[Scootaloo]

4. Perhaps if he had had two days to stew for answers as you have?

[OilemFirchen]

9. Dude, I've had these answers for decades.

I've even addressed some right here in the past. And I'm certainly not alone.

Now that Bernie has also had a few days, do you suppose he'll bring any of this up? It is, ostensibly, his job after all.

[Scootaloo]

13. Do you often confront screaming crowds who vow to not let you speak?

it's a rather different environment from text fields on the itnernet.

[OilemFirchen]

16. Only at Thanksgiving.

I fail to see how victimhood is an appropriate response. But that's fine. What stopped him from addressing issues such as this in the last few events?

[Scootaloo]

21. It's not victimhood, oilem.

Reality is, if a person is called on the spot by a crowd that isn't going to let them speak, they're not going to come up with a smart, wordy answer.

That's the entire point of what these protesters did. You don't scream someone into silence becuase you want dialogue with them.

And I suggest you actually watch some Sanders events and hear what he's talking about, rather than taking the editorializations of DU's #OnlyRichLivesMatter contingent as delivered gospel.

[OilemFirchen]

23. I watched. He spoke.

His answer was unacceptable to those asking the question.

You're suggesting that he's not a seasoned politician? That he can't think on his feet? That he has never considered, or can't articulate these responses?

I call bullshit.

[Scootaloo]

24. "Absolutely, black lives matter" is an unacceptable statement for Black Lives Matter?

Huh.

[OilemFirchen]

25. It's a bromide.

Not an answer.

Remember the question?

[Scootaloo]

26. Do you have a video with good sound quality?

'Cause the ones I have available don't actually have distinct questions, it's just a screaming crowd trying to keep Sanders from speaking. I am going to guess that this is an audio problem and not a content problem, sicne you are hearing distinct questions. Please provide.

[OilemFirchen]

55. You betcha.

Mind you, I'm mostly deaf. This is my transcription:

O'Malley was asked:

“As leader of this country will you advance an agenda that will dismantle structural racism in this country?”

After small talk, the host asked of Sanders:

"I would really... did you hear from the battle of what's happening here? I would love for you to actually talk about this in specifics - not the usual (unintelligble)"

Good enough for you?

[R B Garr]

28. Oh, please. Coddlers for Bernie! He's been in politics for 40 years.

How he managed to bungle that perfect opportunity to take those protestors under his wing and probably make himself the face of their organization from a presidential candidate standpoint is purely on him.

He was not victimized.

He is not a victim.

He's a grown ass man who has managed to cobble together other campaigns in his 600,000 population state on issues that were important to his favored audience targets. And we hear here how he's such a Revolutionary! And a Champion of Civil Rights -- there are pictures! Meh, no so fast with that koolaid...

[Scootaloo]

31. Where did i call him a victim?

I'm pointing out what tactic was used here, the intent of that tactic, and noting that it is an effective tactic. yes, even on a seasoned politician. Turns out that a group of peopel screaming at you in order to shut you up, are going to be better at shutting you up than you will be at not being shut up.

[Scootaloo]

38. Well then know that it is not anything I had intent to imply.

Point remains, if you are trying to speak over a bunch of people who are trying very hard to make you shut up, you're going to have a hard time.

[Scootaloo]

42. You have to keep rephrasing stuff I didn't say

let me know when you've satisfied yourself, and we'll get back to the stuff i actually said.

[R B Garr]

72. lol, you keep shifting. I should have known being polite was a waste of time,

so I deleted. You are most definitely implying that Bernie was a victim of circumstances and not in control of his own behavior. Bullshit.

Bernie wasn't victimized by the people you are blaming for staging a BLM protest. He could have EASILY handled it differently and made his points, but he stubbornly clung to what was best for his agenda. Bernie wasn't a victim, and he missed an opportunity to show his Mr. Town Hall skills, but he blew it. I have to laugh at those who tout his town hall skills after a poor showing like that.

[Scootaloo]

73. You finished yet? Need a little more lotion, maybe?

[R B Garr]

75. Bernie wasn't a victim of circumstances. He's a grown ass man and

a politician for some 40 years now, and he was not victimized by a protest group while he, himself, bullied his way through them with his own applause line speech. What bullshit.

Finished? Yes, I'm finished being polite with someone intent on playing words games because he/she can't accept that their candidate is going to be evaluated, lol. Get used to it.

[Scootaloo]

77. Keep going, man. Get it all out.

[R B Garr]

79. Aww, you're the one pushing for some Bernie coddling.

Ain't that sweet.

[OilemFirchen]

56. Except that they didn't "shut him up".

After a very brief and testy exchange, the host prevailed upon him to provide specifics, and he spoke until his allotted time was up, without interruption.

[R B Garr]

74. Exactly, he was an arrogant jerk, basically.

He could have easily have been more engaging with that group -- taken their contact numbers or vice versa, and that would have helped cement his so-called civil rights creds. Instead HE wanted to talk about his applause lines. So phony!

[still_one]

76. Ya think so? In addition, the forum didn't present an opportunity for him or the others there

to do that, so I am not sure what the point of the OP is

[Snotcicles]

7. I suggest you do some real research not DU research before you criticize someone. nt

[OilemFirchen]

12. What are you implying, exactly? (n/t)

[Snotcicles]

14. I grabb this quickly off the interweb just to point out

a couple items on your list, that Bernie has some experience dealing with.
][link:http://www.thenation.com/article/bernies-burlington-city-sustainable-future/|

[OilemFirchen]

19. Fine. I know the man's history.

Why didn't he extrapolate on this? What stopped him, or is stopping him, from addressing these agenda items?

[Snotcicles]

27. He has. Maybe he should repeat them. nt

[DCBob]

20. Yes, he needs specific plans to deal with this issue.

Not just a few lines in a speech. Treat it like a Manhattan project for racial injustice.

[stevenleser]

29. Yes, I still can't wrap my head around how badly he flubbed what was an opportunity handed to him

on a silver platter. It really was.

Your list is great but he could have just said your #1 and added

#2 - "My DOJ will aggressively go after local and state police who violate the civil rights of people of color. That has to stop."

And boom. This was an opportunity for him that instead he chose to react to petulantly as if these people should not have dared interrupt this magnificent speech he was about to give.

I had heard reports about how cranky Bernie was but I filed those away as possibly true or not. But this is not how a President handles this kind of a challenge.

[whatchamacallit]

36. Yes, he flubbed the ambush

What, did they drop the integrity part of journalism school when you were there?

[R B Garr]

37. +A million. And this is why the conspiracy theories about Hillary

planting this to victimize Bernie are so laughable. This was a GOLDEN opportunity. Why would she give that to him?

[onecaliberal]

30. Why isn't Obama being asked to do that today, right now. Not in two years?

[stevenleser]

34. Is any of that an excuse to why Bernie couldn't respond then and there to their concerns? nt

[Aerows]

46. Is any of that an excuse to not answer the question?

Why President Obama isn't addressing these concerns?

Because I have to tell you - when you are yelling at people that can't do anything about these very important issues while ignoring the person that CAN do something about these very important issues ... and has ample opportunity to do something about these very important issues ...

Well, what would your assessment be of a person that did little to nothing, up to and including having a DOJ official do nothing?

?

[stevenleser]

48. Several people have answered. Obama was protested by BLM and he responded. Months ago.

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/03/07/3631178/black-lives-matter-protesters-interrupt-obama-selma/

[Aerows]

50. Actions.

Where are the actions they are demanding being taken.

[stevenleser]

52. Now you are moving the goalposts. But fine. How about appointing African Americans to head DOJ AND

Those African Americans responding by investigating abuse of POC by police, as in:

http://www.colorlines.com/articles/fbi-joins-investigation-sandra-bland%E2%80%99s-death

FBI Joins Investigation Into Sandra Bland’s Death

Following the July 13, 2015, death of 28-year-old Sandra Bland in police custody, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) says the FBI has now opened an investigation, which will include forensic analysis of videos related to the case. The Texas Rangers are also conducting an investigation.

--------------------------------

[Aerows]

61. I'll defer to African Americans

to speak to how well the DOJ has worked to indict and convict those killed by police officers.

Where would you like to start? Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. Eric Garner.

I would think African Americans would have a better perspective on a DOJ run by an African American than I do.

What do you think?

[bettyellen]

60. He's also following through on housing and demilitarizing police depts...

Did some people here only notice BLM's protests since they are now going after all the Dem candidates? Shame they missed other protests but awesome that they are getting wider notice.

[Aerows]

62. I just brought up the criminal justice department.

Obviously we have some widespread "failures" that have resulted in extrajudicial killings.

What else do you call executing unarmed people in the streets and not being alarmed about it?

[bettyellen]

64. Sending in the DOJ to investigate the entire department- leading to restructuring shows no

Concern? Was he supposed to get involved in replacing the individuals on the grand juries as well? I wish he could- but it's crazy to think he could do more than make to dismantle the people who were resisting bringing any charges in the first place.

[Aerows]

65. I believe

what you suggested is known as circular logic.

Since as President, the purview of the Presidency is appointing the DOJ that serves strictly at the hand of the President, that is probably the first thing that should have happened.

That is, if the concept of Justice was a concern and not expediency or politics.

[bettyellen]

67. I'm not sure what you think should have happened first?

I don't think replacing the jurors was in the table, and I don't think there was any way to interrupt the "justice system" operating at the moment there. I think he did what he could to shake things up so practices change going forward. I don't know what people expect- as he has done a lot to "change the conversation" and fight for a better future. From what I understand- that's what we can expect from
bernie as well? Neither of them have magic wands.
I'm hearing Bernie can do nothing, why didn't Obama already do something and I have to laugh because I am a realist.

[Aerows]

69. Here we are again.

President Obama can't do anything.

And someone that is just running for President suddenly can.

I have to laugh because I'm being realistic and the reality isn't one that many around here care for.

[bettyellen]

89. He can't do everything- change is incremental and fixing something mid-prosecution is off the table

for the president. I also accept they all have limited capabilities to effect some changes on the state level. Widespread change in the way the police do their job (and schools, and banks) or gaining back out reproductive freedoms is now going to take a generation after all the damage done, no one can wave a magic wand and force a revolution.

For many, nothing is magically going to better when all boats are lifted. Social justice needs and deserves to be part of the agenda- incremental changes to the system (that are not always economic)can level the playing field in a lasting way. The combo of dismissing Obama and making excuses for Sanders is, in this respect, pretty insulting. Sanders is nothing if not about the peoples' aspirations. To hear he can't aspire to more than an economic solve is quite dispiriting.

[Aerows]

90. "Dismissing Obama and making "excuses" for Sanders"

Um, did you follow our conversation, or were you speaking to someone other than me?

[bettyellen]

91. I'm unclear as to what more the DOJ can do in most cases-

For Mike Brown the GJ process sucked, but I don't think they could have somehow stepped in and pre-empted it. The jurors are as biased as the people running the show. The PD itself is now being overhauled as a result.

[LWolf]

45. He doesn't say those things

because, for the most part, they aren't promises that can be fulfilled with unilateral action. He tells us what he'll fight for, acknowledging that he can't do it alone.

[OilemFirchen]

57. Not very revolutionary, huh?

Nothing in his agenda is attainable without a radical shift in electoral politics. Break up big banks? Free public college tuition?

He knows that most, if not all, of his agenda will fail to become legislation and that, as other Democratic Presidents have learned, he'll have to settle for the best (if any) compromise.

So why not be bold? There's nothing in my list - except perhaps ending the WoD - that isn't as attainable as anything in his platform, and certainly no more radical.

[LWolf]

92. He knows how to get things done.

The political revolution he is calling for starts with getting big money out of the process; if we get that revolution far enough to get him into the WH, he knows how to move forward from there.

He also knows that no "radical shift," or revolution, happens in isolation.

[Vattel]

58. If he said those things, he would be lying. Presidents don't have that much power.

[OilemFirchen]

59. They don't have the power to offer free state college tuition either.

Has that stopped him?

[Vattel]

66. Yes, it has stopped him from promising to do that.

[OilemFirchen]

80. Since when?

[bettyellen]

63. He has prioritized other things he cannot accomplish - but you'd never call that lying would you?

Double standard.

[Vattel]

81. He says that it is going to takea political revolution to wrest the country from the 1%.

He says that a president can't do it by him or herself. So where is the lie?

[bettyellen]

87. So, that's it? It's a narrowly focused campaign alright.

[Vattel]

88. I guess I am not following you.

I have no idea where you disagree with me.

[Vattel]

68. Look, a lot of what you think Sanders should embrace here I agree with.

I too have expressed disappointment that none of the candidates are talking about investing heavily in poor urban neighborhoods, and several of your suggestions fall into that general category. Of course, that sort of approach to reducing inequality in opportunity is the sort of thing that some anti-Bernie people tend to downplay because it would be addressing economic injustice. And there is the sad political fact that highlighting some of these proposals in a presidential campaign would make one unelectable.

[PowerToThePeople]

70. It is my belief that Sanders

does see the issue better after the NN action. I think he will produce specific POLICIES to address #blacklivesmatter concerns. We will see in the coming days. Heck, he may have already done so.

The question after this is, "what poo will team HRC try to throw next?" "What is the next swiftboat?"

[Number23]

71. LOL Even the stuff ABOUT Sanders becomes an immediate pivot to somehow being about Clinton

from Sanders supporters who filled this forum for WEEKS with how principled and decisive their candidate is, but now suddenly everything is "well, why aren't we asking Clinton or Obama these same questions" as if that provides ANY answer or solution to why Bernie couldn't answer the questions from #BLM.

Funny. And I love your posts in this thread. You are a quiet and incredibly funny treasure here. I've always been a fan.

[OilemFirchen]

83. Aw, shucks.

The feeling is mutual.

BTW, I've always wondered if anyone knows the man in your avatar. Is it my childhood friend Bing Davis?

[Number23]

84. It's not a man, it's a famous French portrait of a black woman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie-Guillemine_Benoist

[OilemFirchen]

86. D'oh!

Deaf and blind, I am.

[Capt. Obvious]

78. I'd like to thank you for this thread

for correctly using "could have" as opposed to the more common, "could of."

[OilemFirchen]

85. I always go the extra mile.

My deal with Skinner in lieu of cash.

[seveneyes]

82. Give us back our future

Give me nails, a cross and a hill and I'll crucify myself ...