Bernie Sanders: US may be at ‘tipping point’ where only ‘the billionaire class’ picks presidents

[Triana]

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders warned on Monday that the United States may have reached a “tipping point” where the “billionaire class” could block any presidential candidates who were fighting for the working class.

Sanders explained during an interview on CNN that he had been traveling the country to determine if he would have the necessary support for a presidential run in 2016.

“I’m giving some thought to it,” he said. “Taking on the billionaire class, and Wall Street, and the Koch brothers is not an easy task.”

“How are you going to get elected president if you take on the billionaire class?” CNN host Chris Cuomo snarked. “Don’t you watch the elections?”

“I’m going to be very honest with you,” Sanders replied. “We may have reached the tipping point where candidates who are fighting for the working class and the middle class of this country may not be able do it anymore because of the power of the billionaire class.”

THE REST:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/bernie-sanders-us-may-be-at-tipping-point-where-only-the-billionaire-class-picks-presidents

[randys1]

1. Never say die, I say he can do it. I just hope he really wants to do it, part of me wonders

if he really really really wants to be president.

I know he would be a good one, a great one, and no matter what he does, his involvement can only improve the conversation.

I will work for him if I can.

You know, he could do it - lots of people out there hungry as hell for his message...

[dionysus]

18. sadly, even if he was president... what's he gonna get done with a rethug house and senate? we're

screwn.

[Zorra]

20. Probably not much. But if he had a Dem House and Senate, at least we know he wouldn't squander it

within two years by pandering to republicans and Third Way conservatives.

[randys1]

29. I wonder if Bernie agrees with your assessment of what Obama and the dems did

during the approximate 40 days they actually had a filibuster proof majority.

I am actually willing to bet a lot of money he doesn't, and I am wiling to bet that if he TOLD YOU HIMSELF it wouldn't change your mind one bit.

[Zorra]

30. OK. First of all, all Senate majorities are filibuster proof, if the majority makes it so,

which they can do in a matter of hours, if they wish.

Second, I don't automatically love and worship people in authority, and fully recognize that those in authority are often wrong in their policy judgments and decisions.

Third, if Bernie does not agree with my assessment of what Obama and the Dems did during that period, he's obviously just plain flat out wrong, because the results of their actions during that time has largely been mostly a heap of impotence and fail, and the Democratic party is right now floundering as a result.

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/bernie_sanders.htm

[Autumn]

2. Bernie I hope you run. But if we have reached that point maybe the best

thing to do is let the parties crash and burn because a bone tossed here and there does no good. And build from the ashes.

[woo me with science]

3. We are already there. Princeton Study: US is an oligarchy, not a democracy.

And the oligarchy is pouring our money into its propaganda machine.

[nichomachus]

7. Yup. Bernie's a little late to the party on this one. n/t

[woo me with science]

8. You mean, one of the only politicians talking about it.

Thank goodness for this honesty in a sea of Third Way lying propaganda and corporate corruption.

[Maedhros]

9. Nah, he's been talking about the dangers of oligarchy for a long time now.[n/t]

[Old Nick]

10. Truth

[JDPriestly]

13. Did you notice the way he did not bend or break under tremendous pressure from the so-called

interviewers?

Bernie Sanders has integrity and moral strength. He is invulnerable when it comes to what he stands for. He is authentic. People are going to like him.

All of us little people who are told that we are not good enough, don't work hard enough, don't deserve a better life, not even Social Security or affordable health care, that we are the freeloaders, Bernie Sanders is so far one of the few people who is willing to take our side and defend our rights.

The oligarchy took over in 1968 when Nixon was elected president. It's no wonder Bernie Sanders has been talking about it for nearly all of his career.

[LawDeeDah]

15. youtube of the interview here:

Sanders was great, strong and no nonsense. Those two interviewers may as well have had a GOP decal sewed onto their clothes.
I hope he is wrong about it being too late to fight the billionaire class. I also hope he seriously runs and that the President and his great helpers and staff give him full support.

[Dustlawyer]

17. I support Bernie and hope he does run, his message needs to get out and they will try everything

to stop it from happening! He is the only politician advocating Publicly Funded Elections. That is the only way to take control over our government back from the oligarchs.
BTW, I don't watch CNN, who was the dickhead who was so disrespectful to Bernie?

[redruddyred]

34. actually carol s-p was too

but they voted her out of office a couple of weeks ago.

[Maedhros]

19. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it:

If Democratic politicians had a tenth of Bernie's political courage, they would mop the floor with the Republicans.

[ladjf]

26. IMO, Bernie is one of the oldest, smartest and bravest politicians in the U.S.

I'm going to support him as long as there is a breath of a chance. nt

[woo me with science]

33. [phone]

He takes no bullshit, spin,or diversion.

[Tripper11]

28. sorry, Bernie's not late....

hes been saying it for years now.
i would hope he will run but i think he's also smart enough to know that he may very well be more effective as an independent senator.

[polichick]

4. Bless him for daring to speak the truth. K&R

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. I think there's a word for that. Plutocracy.

[Zorra]

6. Please run, Bernie, and at the very least, allow the people to try to speak through the

electoral system one more time before we are forced to break out the torches and pitchforks, take to the streets, engage in mass general strikes and boycotts, and ultimately arrest, prosecute, convict, and imprison the oligarchs for the crime of treason.

[Jackpine Radical]

22. Yes, we need to try that first.

But only a nonviolent resistance has much chance of fully succeeding, I.e., of replacing the status quo with something that is actually better.

[JDPriestly]

11. CNN was really tough on Bernie Sanders. I have never seen such a tough interview.

They were practically unfriendly, not even courteous to him.

The establishment is trying to figure out what it will take to get Bernie Sanders to make a mistake.

Ain't gonna happen guys.

Bernie Sanders is one straight man. You are not going to trip him up. He is not going to lose it, not going to say something stupid.

Just forget about trying to trip him. OK. It's better for you. It's better for your viewers. It's better for America.

Go, Bernie.

[tclambert]

12. If we had a responsible billionaire class, we might be OK

You know, billionaires who feel and act on their responsibility to work for the greater good and are willing to pay for the massive blessings they receive.

If you have a parasitic billionaire class, they just suck wealth out of the working class and live fat and happy and idle lives, giving nothing back to justify their existence.

But the worst is what Republican Ayn Rand fans are pushing us toward: a predatory billionaire class, who actively try to hurt the less fortunate, cutting wages and benefits of workers, cutting aid programs for the unfortunate, and lowering the standard of living of all the non-billionaires.

[dotymed]

14. IMO, Bernie Sanders

is our last hope for a peaceful solution.

on edit: those "interviewers" were real kochsuckers.

[Hotler]

16. I have no hope. I see no future......n/t

[yardwork]

21. I've been thinking the same thing.

[hifiguy]

23. I think we are already there.

And have been since The Little Chimp was installed in 2000. The Obama administration's hpi-deep complicity in the coverups surrounding the Great Implosion of '08, its craven failure to nationalize the TBTF banks or even prosecute the biggest thieves the world has ever seen, not to mention its acceptance and reification of the Total Surveillance State and War Forever, nails down that this is a shark we have already jumped.

[Liberal Lolita]

24. He might bring out non-voters.

We had company over a couple weeks ago when he was on Bill Maher. A couple people that I have never known to vote said they would vote for him if he ran. I'm hoping there are a lot more out there who would do the same.

[Initech]

25. We've given the über rich too much power in this country since Reagan.

And if we don't start reversing this, in 2016 we will reap what we've sown. I hope Bernie Sanders runs.

[unblock]

27. we're already there. the rest of us merely help set the price.

[Adrahil]

31. If nobody fucking votes... yeah! n/t

[woo me with science]

32. Kick

[redruddyred]

35. everytime I see bernie's name on DU, my heart jumps a little bit in my chest.

I fear he may be too late however.