Bernie Sanders’ Political Revolution Is Off to a Slow Start

[Cali_Democrat]

Sahil Kapur
February 11, 2016 — 12:31 PM PST

He has pledged to mobilize millions of new Americans to transform politics, but so far, Democratic turnout is down.

Bernie Sanders’ pitch to Democrats is that all the new voters he'll energize will compel Congress to support the transformative programs they want, like single-payer health care and free college tuition.

“I think what we need, when I talk about a political revolution, is bringing millions and millions of people into the political process in a way that does not exist right now,” the Vermont senator told MSNBC in an interview set to air Thursday.

The first tests are in, and the signs of a revolution at the ballot box are scant. Rather than a surge of the previously disaffected, Democratic turnout was down in the first two states to hold contests in the nomination race—by 28 percent in Iowa and 13 percent in New Hampshire.

In Iowa, 172,000 Democrats took part in the party caucuses. The number in 2008 was 240,000. In the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, 251,000 Democrats voted. The number in 2008 was 288,000.

In other words, the grassroots enthusiasm, vast small-dollar donations, and massive crowds at Sanders’ rallies so far hasn't translated into historically greater voter turnout for his party.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-02-11/bernie-sanders-political-revolution-is-off-to-a-slow-start

[lunatica]

1. Well since he's just now getting to be known by the general public

What else do they expect?

Only us political junkies really know about him now. I'd say New Hampshire is just a taste of things to come.

[Bjornsdotter]

2. Clearly Hillary

...is not bringing out large numbers. She is limping along regarding individual votes.

I'm good with Bernie's turnout numbers.

[upaloopa]

9. Well the next few primaries should tell right?

By Super Tuesday we will know how turnout goes.

[Bjornsdotter]

12. Primaries and the GE

...I'm a patient person.

[litlbilly]

3. Yeah, and the 22 point smackdown of Hillary means nothing. You are getting funnier by the day

[uponit7771]

5. Sanders lost IA PoC by 25% after spending 3 months campaigning there...that was a

... bigger smackdown than 22 points.

He lost PoC in NH too but by a lot smaller margin ... still lost.

It aint going to look pretty here on out

[NanceGreggs]

4. Whenever Bernie talks about ...

... "millions and millions of people" getting together to enact change, what I hear is, "You guys start the revolution, and I'll be glad to lead you when you get it together."

[uponit7771]

11. EXACTLY!!! Sanders has never been the leader he has chided Obama for not being...

Hell, he couldn't get SP passed in VT... FREAKING VT!!!!

That told me all I needed to know; he's a rock thrower... the type of guy to holler at the cab driver for not driving through stop and go traffic fast enough.

Another big tell tale his revolution was marketing is BLM...

Instead of embracing the people who were sitting across bridges stopping traffic to get the cops to stop murdering certain people with relative little cause his first response to pull away from them until it looked bad.

If he was the revolutionary the first time he saw them come together he would have gotten them structure or direction for structure so they can get legislation passed.

Sanders was no were around in presence ... its funny how running for president brings out these little details about people

[TheProgressive]

18. I'm sorry your candidate can't get 10's of thousands of people together for a rally...

When one turns on the heat to a pot of water, it doesn't instantly boil does it?

[NanceGreggs]

22. It has nothing to do with rallies - but nice deflection.

BS has consistently spoken about this idea that he can't accomplish anything without "millions and millions" of people getting together and demanding change.

What he hasn't spoken to is where he fits into the piece - other than to "be there" when everybody else gets their act together.

It's kind of, "Start the revolution without me, and I'll be right behind you."

[TheProgressive]

23. I think the problem here is...

That the word 'we' isn't part of the Clinton supporters' vernacular, and especially Clinton herself.

[NanceGreggs]

24. I think the real problem here ...

... is that Bernie is waiting for "millions and millions" of people to do the leading, while he does the following.

The other problem here - and it's a rather consistent one - is that BS supporters can't answer simple questions about Bernie's plans without saying, "But what about her?"

The "millions and millions" meme is Bernie's, not Hillary's. Why is it that his supporters can't speak to that topic - and many others - without redirecting the conversation to what Hillary is or isn't doing?

[TheProgressive]

26. I think the problem here is...

That people have to be mature and civil with their questions and the ensuing discussions.

[NanceGreggs]

29. Well, it seems apparent ...

... that horse left the barn a very, very long time ago.

[TheProgressive]

30. One can always start right now to turn that around...!

[NanceGreggs]

35. Here?

Not a chance.

[guillaumeb]

6. A slow start? Is there a timetable for revolution?

Please post the timetable.

An avalanche also starts slowly.

As does a tidal wave.

A volcano.

An earthquake.

[upaloopa]

7. So I was wondering about this. The repubs will most likely hold the House for the

foreseeable future.

So the revolution begins and 10's of millions of Millennials March for free college and health care.

But the repub House holds firm for the next eight years.

Will there be more disillusioned young folks then there are now?

[virtualobserver]

8. 36,000 more votes than anyone has ever received in a NH primary

It is Hillary that is off to a slow start.

[seaotter]

10. Well, the American Revolution was a decades long effort.

This one seems ahead of that schedule.

[Shandris]

13. Yeah, no kidding! With a spanking like he delivered when no one knows who he is, it'll be a...

...slaughter come Super Tuesday.

Oh, that wasn't what you meant, was it? I'm sorry. I never did read propaganda the way it was intended for me to consume it.

PS: I'm sure it's just a total coincidence that this hit piece is run by a guy who says he'll try to crack the Party if Bernie wins. Is your messaging truly that transparent, or do your media managers just suck that unbelievably bad?

[bravenak]

14. I guess revolutions don't need down ticket dems

[mhatrw]

28. But a complete corporate media blackout compared to Obama in 2008 has NOTHING to do with this.

Right?

[bravenak]

31. Oh jesus. Give me a BREAK

[valerief]

15. Thank you. Your posts make me laugh the most.

[Cali_Democrat]

16. I'm glad I can make you laugh. Laughter is good for the soul!

[valerief]

17. We may not agree on who should be president, but it's nice we both have a sense of humor.

[TheProgressive]

19. Seems Sanders did kick some ass in Iowa and New Hampshire...

I say it's off to a very good start...

[TheBlackAdder]

20. A penny doubled every day...

[ThePhilosopher04]

21. Bernie can't do it all by himself. Hillary is a depressing figure

and not upholding her end of the bargain. What else would explain losing over 17k votes from her last New Hampshire rodeo? No message equals no support.

[Avalux]

25. It's down because of Hillary.

Bernie got more votes in the NH primary than any Democrat since Kennedy.

Hillary's numbers were paltry.

[mhatrw]

27. Fuck that noise!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511194638

[Sheepshank]

32. For months BS supporters have been trying to compare Obama to BS

That also set the expectations bar pretty high. Yet another optics failure that didn't need to happen, yet pressing the false meme went on and on.

This optic failure seems to be in line with all of the other elements of the BS campaign attempting to create false and eventually failing optics. Using the logo of 3 organizations pretending endorsements, false claims of union membership, not to mention the data theft, BLM, etc.

[mhatrw]

34. Sanders got almost 50,000 more votes in New Hampshire than Obama got in 2008.

The downturn in NH voter turnout can be mostly attributed to Clinton's turning off 17,000 of her 2008 supporters. The rest can be attributed to DWS's bizarre debate schedule.

Plus, after 8 long years of Dubya, a surprise Obama victory in Iowa, the 2008 Democratic turnout was the highest turnout ever in New Hampshire history for either party.

The biggest turnouts in NH Democratic primary

1) 2008 Democratic primary (287,556).
2) 2016 Democratic primary (250,974)
3) 2004 Democratic primary (219,787)

[Arazi]

33. 3 million contributions baby!

And that was before New Hampshire!

That's a brilliant start for a revolution