2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumBit By Bit, Trump is Going to Adopt Bernie's Platform for the General Election.
It's clear now, Trump is signaling to the GOP in which he is full rebellion against that he is going to:
1. Raise taxes on the Rich
2. Raise the minimum wage to a livable wage
And this is in addition to the working-class message that our Trade Agreements have been unfair and bad for the workers of this country as well as getting money out of politics and less hawkish foreign policy than Hillary.
There is only one way to defeat him on this: Nominate Bernie. Hillary has no credibility on these issues as Trump pivots to adopt Bernie's platform to win over his supporters. What's worse is that he doesn't need them all, while Hillary does.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)Less delegates equals WINNING
Baobab
(4,667 posts)Don't trust him!
Seriously.
Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Oh, well.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)If you think republicans are going to vote for hillary, you are sadly mistaken.
LiberalFighter
(51,045 posts)1956 -- Eisenhower -- 5,008,132 --- out of 5,828,434
1960 -- Nixon -- 4,975,938 --- out of 5,743,634
1964 -- Goldwater -- 2,267,079 --- out of 5,514,527
1968 -- Nixon --- 1,679,443 --- out of 4,473,251 (Reagan received 1,696,632) (15 states)
1972 -- Nixon --- 5,378,704 --- out of 5,828,483 (18 states)
1976 -- Ford --- 5,529,899 -- Reagan --- 4,760,222 (First time primaries or caucuses held in every state)
1980 -- Reagan --- 7,709,793 --- out of 12,850,432 -- (60.0%)
1984 -- Reagan --- 6,484,987 --- 98.78%
1988 -- Bush --- 8,253,512 --- out of 12,851,740 -- (64.2%)
1992 -- Bush --- 9,199,463 --- out of 12,596,601 -- (73.0%)
1996 -- Dole --- 9,024,742 --- out of 15,313,343 -- (58.9%)
2000 -- Bush --- 12,034,676 --- out of 19,391,600 -- (62.1%)
2004 -- Bush --- 7,853,863 --- 98.1%
2008 -- McCain --- 9,840,746 --- out of 20,828,435 -- (47.3%)
2012 -- Romney --- 9,947,433 --- out of 18,908,313 -- (52.6%)
2016 -- Trump --- 10,717,357 --- out of 25,731,093 -- (41.7%)
Population in 1956 was nearly 168.9 million
Population in 1976 was nearly 218.0 million
Population in 2016 is nearly 322.7 million
Even using population to attempt a correlation would be wrong by virtue of not everyone even participating in the primaries and not everyone is a Republican. Even the ratio of Republicans changes through time.
What is evident is the weak support Trump has within the Republican Party compared to past elections.
opiate69
(10,129 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)advantages of an incumbent president. That she couldn't dispatch him by February says it all. She's pathetically weak. Thankfully, her opponent is even more pathetic.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)We're just going through the motions now.
SidDithers
(44,228 posts)But make no mistake, it was clear who the nominee would be at the beginning of March, even though the voting continued.
Sid
She hasn't 'dispatched' him because he refuses to admit he's been dispatched.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I'm not sure they actually understand what they are saying when it comes to political realities.
snowy owl
(2,145 posts)Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)What percentage of agreement do you have with Trump on those I Side With surveys?
http://www.isidewith.com/elections/2016-presidential
I don't find him any more trustworthy when it comes to "adopting" platforms during campaigns than I do Clinton.
As reported here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=1926142
I've got 9% with Trump. 88% with Clinton; 90% with Stein, and 96% with Sanders.
To be honest, I expected Stein to be the highest.
Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)The Green Party has some oddball positions. And there is overlap between the candidates. I'm also not sure how it calculates when you pick an "other" option.
LWolf
(46,179 posts)It's interesting, anyway.
Ace Rothstein
(3,183 posts)LWolf
(46,179 posts)In the above post.
Is "vermin supreme" Clinton or Trump?
GeorgeGist
(25,322 posts)berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)oasis
(49,401 posts)joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Armstead
(47,803 posts)Reagan was not all the way on the fascism scale....but close enough...Ditto Nixon
kstewart33
(6,551 posts)So says the AP analysis.
The race is over.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)kstewart33
(6,551 posts)Though Bernie's race is over, there is great potential for his movement. I hope he will devote the rest of his career to building the movement into a force that actually gets results - electing progressives to local, state, and national offices.
This requires tremendous energy and the kind of nitty gritty hard work that will tax Bernie and his followers. I am hopeful but also skeptical about Bernie's ability to step off the podium and build the kind of structure and operations to get it done. He is a wonderfully skilled advocate, but his record on actually getting results is not encouraging.
But you never know.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)As an administrator, political leader and CEO, Sanders did exceptionally as mayor. He got people excited, and the potholes got fixed and the budget got balanced Burlington became a vibrant city, and he was named as one of America's Best Mayors....Different scvale but same skillset.....and a vast majority of Vermonters love the guy, even those who don't agree with him politically.
When you get a few spare minutes i suggest you read these articles....For my part I am disappointed at the missed opportunity to have someone like this in the WH.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/10/31/socialist-even-conservative-could-love-burlington-mayor-sanders-was-able-out-republican-republicans/SCmh2TLifXxXRPFKC8NMjO/story.html
http://portside.org/2015-06-05/bernies-burlington-what-kind-mayor-was-bernie-sanders
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/metropolis/2016/01/bernie_sanders_made_burlington_s_land_trust_possible_it_s_still_an_innovative.html
snowy owl
(2,145 posts)Ace Rothstein
(3,183 posts)He now says that the federal minimum wage should be abolished.
Shadowflash
(1,536 posts)CobaltBlue
(1,122 posts)laruemtt
(3,992 posts)Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)including a stint as a Democrat in 2001-2009.
Broward
(1,976 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)that some feel so comfortable embracing. Does that answer your question?
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)is you are contributing to the destruction of all life on the planet.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)are worried about climate change.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)WH and it isnt the Democrat.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)The status quo has given us the worst infant mortality rate of all modern nations, 2.5million children homeless, 16 million children living in poverty, 16 million children living in low income homes, and on and on.
I will fight against that Big Money Fat Cat control that some feel so comfortable with.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)all I need to know.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)just a price paid for Goldman-Sachs profits?
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)I have forgotten more about how liberal and socialist I am than you could ever imagine being.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Liberals don't side with the Rich and Powerful in this class war.
And ridicule away but Homey don't play that game. Bob-Bye
Tarc
(10,476 posts)But the Sanders camp narrative thus far is that Hillary is the right-winger?
Your attack memes are attacking each other.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)She has more votes and pledged delegates.
Not going to happen.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)If the Democratic Party nominates the second place finisher we lose.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)SidDithers
(44,228 posts)because economic issues are the only thing that matter to them.
Right?
Sid
wendylaroux
(2,925 posts)puleeeeze. greasy people.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)I consider him slightly more repulsive than Clinton.
Skink
(10,122 posts)And he is to the left of Hillary at times.
firebrand80
(2,760 posts)This time on more favorable turf
DCBob
(24,689 posts)Most won't fall for that.
Hillary's got this.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)but my comment is in my no comment
Your comment made my irony meter commit seppuku.
DCBob
(24,689 posts)Please make the necessary repairs.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I don't see why him adopting Sanders platform is a bad thing. If true, we will have two progressives messages running for President and Clinton will win in a landslide.
"There is only one way to defeat him on this: Nominate Bernie."
Time to move on. It's Clinton v Trump.
"Hillary has no credibility on these issues as Trump pivots to adopt Bernie's platform to win over his supporters. What's worse is that he doesn't need them all, while Hillary does."
Read that a couple of times and see if you can find the glaring error. lol. Kind of smacks you right in the face.
WhiteTara
(29,721 posts)no taxes for the rich and end FEDERAL minimum wage...let the states decide. He switches so fast, you need to be a speed demon to keep up.
berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)even WITH a scorecard.
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)oh, right sure.
amborin
(16,631 posts)drm604
(16,230 posts)Hillary will beat him easily. Sanders would beat him even more easily.
Meldread
(4,213 posts)Both Hillary and Trump will do whatever it takes to win. If Trump believes adopting an economically populist platform will help him win, he will likely do it. If Hillary feels her chances of becoming President are threatened by that, she will go even further in an economically populist direction than Donald Trump.
Both Hillary and Donald share the same downside on economic issues and Wall Street: They are both perceived as being too pro-business. Hillary, however, has the advantage of not being a racist misogynistic bigot. Donald Trump can adopt as many economically populist positions as he likes, the problem is that no one will believe him (much like no one would believe Hillary if she did it), and he would continue to carry with him the stain of all the shit that's come out of his mouth throughout the primaries as well as whatever verbal diarrhea that he spews in the general election.
brooklynite
(94,703 posts)...buy I'll get a salary boost so I'll vote for him?
Zambero
(8,965 posts)Throwing in gobble-dee-gook such as "we're going to replace Obamacare with something fantastic and really take care of one another", blah-blah. Trump is not one to provide specifics, preferring to push the margin of political duplicity instead.
Meldread
(4,213 posts)You do realize you are making the argument that Bernie Sander's supporters are gullible and easily fooled by Donald Trump, right? That millions of them will decide to vote for a racist misogynistic bigot on the basis of a handful of economically populist positions alone, right? Are you going to support Trump if he adopts Bernie's Platform? How many Bernie Sanders supporters do you know personally that are willing to vote for Trump if he does?
berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)But then again neither has Hillary. And I don't believe any voter is any more gullible than the ones who believe Hillary stands for anything she's changed positions on over and over again. She has no room to claim credibility on issues like War, Trade, minimum wage, Wall Street reform and/or Citizens United.
Meldread
(4,213 posts)I'm not supporting Hillary because she agrees with me on every position, or even because I believe every word that comes out of her mouth. Politicians make lots of promises, that's what they do. Hillary has made lots of promises she may or may not intend to keep. Bernie Sanders has made lots of really big promises that we know, were he to become President, he couldn't keep. Donald Trump, like Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, has and will make lots of really big promises that we know were he to become President, he either won't or can't keep.
What we do know, however, is that Hillary will be beholden to the Democratic Party. She will represent its values, in particular it's values on social justice issues.
So, hey, if you are having trouble then I guess that's something you need to work out. Just don't call yourself a social liberal or a real leftist in the meantime. For those of us genuinely on the left--who are real liberals--the choice isn't even a complicated one. If you honestly have to think about a decision between Clinton and Trump for more than two seconds, then something is wrong with you morally speaking. If you'd even consider voting for a man who believes women should be punished for having an abortion, that believes Mexicans are all criminals, and wants to build a wall on the southern border... then you are a morally bankrupt person that does not belong on DU or in the Democratic Party.
berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)You didn't say no, and you left the door open to that possibility. That's a maybe.
berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)Meldread
(4,213 posts)berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)Meldread
(4,213 posts)Either you're going to support him or not. If there is any circumstance in which you'd vote for him, then our position is not relevant to this discussion because you're morally bankrupt.
berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)If you can't understand my position from my long history here at DU, from someone who has supported a Democratic President each and every election, who has volunteered for Democratic campaigns for more than 3 Democratic candidates and you want to make baseless accusations to demonize someone who doesn't agree with you, that is your prerogative to look like a blazing idiot. And if you are going to put words in my mouth, I'm going to call you out for the fucking bullshit you sling.
Meldread
(4,213 posts)Look, I'm not trying to be an ass. I know fully well you are not going to vote for Trump, and neither is anyone else who is seriously dedicated to the left and liberalism. Why? Because we are not stupid people. We know full well that regardless of what Trump might promise, he is just saying whatever he is saying to try and get elected.
So, why even make the potential threat? You put this out there as if somehow--what? That a Clinton supporter is going to panic and suddenly switch to Bernie to keep the Bernie people loyal? There is literally no reason for your OP. It doesn't persuade anyone to change their minds, and it was intended to be a thinly veiled threat. That is why I called you out. Not to be an ass, but to point out that the thinly veiled threat that you were making was an empty one.
berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)Trump is no idiot. He knows exactly how to run against Hillary. I'm not asking any Hillary voters to change their mind either. But the party better figure out that the platform that Bernie has been running on is the platform that most of the nation wants. Hillary is showing every sign of moving right for the GE. This is going to be the downfall of a Democratic in the White House this election and likely many down ticket Dems. Bernie owns this platform and everyone knows it. Time and Time again, Bernie has won when independents were allowed to vote. He's winning independents by LARGE margins. If Trump co-opts Bernie's platform, he too will win those Independents as well as a fair percentage of Democrats who would never vote for Hillary and who don't give a damn about the issues that Trump has been outrageous on... that is, unless Bernie is the nominee.
Meldread
(4,213 posts)...you are literally saying that a sizable chunk of Bernie supporters are going to switch over to Trump. You are saying they are as gullible and as stupid as his current supporters who believe that he is going to not only build a wall along the Mexican border, but make Mexico pay for it.
I do not believe that Bernie supporters are that stupid or gullible. If Donald Trump attempts to embrace economic populism as Bernie has, I believe the overwhelming and vast majority of his supporters will see right through it.
Besides, Hillary is almost as unmoored politically as him, and if she believed that Trump was going to beat her because she wasn't economically populist enough, she would become more economically populist. Just like she did against Bernie in the primaries, and just like Bernie Sander's supporters saw through that bullshit during the primaries, they will see through that bullshit by her and Trump in the general election.
As for Bernie winning independents, well he didn't do it here in Virginia. This was a primary state where anyone could vote in any primary they wanted, regardless of party registration. All you do is show up, tell them what primary you want to vote in, and you can vote in it. He lost Virginia by 29% with 64.3% going to Hillary and 35.2% going to Sanders.
The simple truth is that Bernie Sanders has been unable to deliver on his promised revolution. He was unable to unite core constituencies of the Democratic Party coalition behind him, and he wasn't able to bring in a flood of new voters into the process. In fact, in the overwhelming majority of primaries voting is down from what it was in 2008 when Obama was on the ticket.
I don't think this is a rejection of Bernie Sander's agenda, but rather his failures as a politician and a candidate. I agree with you that a majority of people in the party actually support his agenda, as well as a good number of people outside of the party. However, supporting a particular item on an agenda is not enough if that is not what motivates people to come out and vote. Most people are only motivated to vote by one or two issues for them.
For example, my mother is not a liberal or a leftist. She has voted for both Democrats and Republicans in the past. She is one of those 'mythical independents' that everyone loves to talk about. By and large, she is politically illiterate and hates politics in general. However, one thing that really motivates her to support or hate a candidate is their stance on women's rights--particularly abortion. That is one issue that will fuel political passion in my mother like nothing else. So, what do I do to ensure that she votes for the Democratic candidate every time? I show her the stance the Republican in the race has on women's issues and abortion, and the stance the Democratic candidate in the race has on women's issues and abortion. Over multiple election cycles of seeing Republicans being so anti-choice, anti-birth control, and anti-woman my mother has started to develop a hatred for the Republican party in general. This was not an accident. It happened because I knew the issue that she was passionate about, and made sure she was fully informed on that issue.
She supports many of Bernie Sander's issues on economics, by the way, but none of those issues motivate her. She doesn't even associate those issues with Bernie Sanders, primarily because the only time she pays attention to politics is near an election, and all other times she could do without. She is very much a low information voter and so are most Americans--many of whom Bernie Sanders needed to reach, pull into the party, but didn't.
My mother voted for Hillary, not because she likes Hillary (she doesn't), but because she felt that Hillary was the most qualified and because as a woman, my mother feels that Hillary will be good on women's issues. She felt that Bernie Sanders "just wants to close down all the banks" (in her words).
I personally ended up supporting Hillary for all together different reasons. Primarily, because I felt that Bernie was overselling what he could achieve as President, and that he could end up damaging the liberal movement in the long run. He didn't show a willingness to really fight against the Third Way Democrats--for example, when DWS was fucking him (as she continues to do), he didn't call for her to resign, and he didn't campaign for her primary opponent. He let her walk all over him. Bernie Sanders is a bridge builder not a bridge burner, but if the left wants to take control of the Democratic Party that is only going to happen in one of two ways: the Third Way Democrats are terrorized into submission or they are purged from the party and its leadership. I support both approaches. Bernie Sanders promised a revolution, but it was some disgusting hippie peace circle nonsense revolution where no one actually fights or gets hurt. I understand that revolutions look a lot like what is happening in the Republican party right now--a hostile take over. I understood that had Bernie Sanders become President, he would have knives in his back not only from Republicans, but from Third Way Democrats. I understood that had Bernie Sanders become President, that virtually nothing he had promised would get achieved because he has next to no true allies, and a failure to get at least part of what he promised could discourage liberals from being involved in the political process in the future. I knew that no one on the left expected anything good from Hillary, so if she failed to deliver on her promises, it wouldn't shock or surprise anyone. She was a safe placeholder. We need a Democrat to secure Obama's legacy, and the meager gains we've made on the left. Hillary will fill that role. Meanwhile, as liberals, we need to turn our attention toward local, state, and congressional elections. We need to make sure that liberals win, that Democrats in safe districts who are Third Way are purged from the party, and that a strong liberal coalition develops in the Congress. This is what the revolution actually looks like.
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)Well, not really. Sadly believable.
Meldread
(4,213 posts)People make these claims as if they personally know Bernie supporters who would support Trump. The OP won't even deny that he/she won't vote for Trump, leaving the door open to the possibility. My response to such people is NOT to reach out to them, and try to convince them to stay within the party. It's to purge them from it entirely.
Anyone who would honestly consider voting for Donald Trump doesn't belong in the Democratic Party or here on DU. They also don't belong on the left.
ecstatic
(32,727 posts)zappaman
(20,606 posts)Another month of this shit, I guess.
NorthCarolina
(11,197 posts)Orsino
(37,428 posts)...and therefore doesn't have a platform.
Platforms are boring.
Onlooker
(5,636 posts)Well, that plays into the idea that Bernie has a lot of support among white bigots.
But, really, if Trump takes some of Bernie's positions that would only weaken Bernie, not strengthen him because Trump is offering Bernie without raising middle class taxes, threatening their 401Ks, maintaining a strong defense, and giving more help to minorities and women.
Turin_C3PO
(14,033 posts)Trump won't run to left of Hillary and Bernie supporters won't go to Trump. Oh I'm sure there's a minuscule amount of "anti-establishment" people (maximum 10%) who might vote for Trump but that's it. BTW, I don't think there's any evidence Bernie the support of white bigots. That would be Trump and Cruz. He had a lot of white male support within the progressive community, but I seriously doubt any significant number were bigots.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)CobaltBlue
(1,122 posts)Re-brand would be necessary.
So, it truly is in the court of the Ds. (The power players who move the party.)
HughLefty1
(231 posts)due to her special interests. She has her Clinton Foundation masters to answer to regardless of what she tries to portend with her VP pick. Trump is going to annihilate her on trade going back to Bill's Nafta vote. She also voted for the Iraq war not to mention her hand in Libya, Syria, etc. Now we see Trump is taking up Bernie's platform on taxing the rich and minimum wage. It is not going to be pretty for her in the GE. I also wouldn't be surprised if he cuts way back on all the wall and deportation talk too.
krawhitham
(4,647 posts)Don't see how he can wins without them
Turin_C3PO
(14,033 posts)is stupid enough to believe a word Trump says. Plus even if he swung to the left on economic issues, he's a racist, sexist, fascist asshole so I doubt many Sanders voters would support that.
Tiggeroshii
(11,088 posts)How do you expect Trump to have more credibility on this issue than a person who did actually vote for the last federal minimum wage increase we had? The only God thing about this is that it will keep Clinton from being able to "pivot" to the right, as she is beginning to do.
snowy owl
(2,145 posts)Is he a chameleon giving each group of voters a reason to vote for him . . . or is he authentically left? Will he do what he is currently preaching or will he betray the trust once elected? That is the question.
ecstatic
(32,727 posts)A narcissistic psychopath. It doesn't matter where he really stands, he's not fit to be dog catcher, much less PRESIDENT of the United States of America.
snowy owl
(2,145 posts)He may be narcissistic but he's not dumb.
H2O Man
(73,593 posts)Recommended.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)But I think he'll support a single-payer healthcare, reduced college costs, winding down the wars, a new Glass Steagall, campaign finance reform, and a few more populist positions to the left of Hillary.
UMTerp01
(1,048 posts)Response to berni_mccoy (Original post)
rjsquirrel This message was self-deleted by its author.
ecstatic
(32,727 posts)in 6 months, they deserve him. Clearly, empty promises is all it takes for some people. Nevermind the fact that Trump is mentally unstable. Have fun. Sincerely.
snowy owl
(2,145 posts)so what's so hard to believe he moved back again? I'm no Trump fan but your logic makes no sense. People like you may very well put him in office. Get some history and instead of thinking he's going to be an easy mark.
ecstatic
(32,727 posts)That's not the point.
And I never said that he'll be easy to beat. I said the people who believe anything he says are dumb. He doesn't play by the rules that everyone else is expected to play by. Look at what happened to Rubio when he tried to imitate Trump.