Regarding Bernie Sanders being a millionaire.

[Uncle Joe]

The fact that he has not altered this message and is most aggressively willing to raise taxes on himself in order to help grow the middle class and care for those living on the margins of survival speaks highly of him in my book.

In this he has much in common with Franklin Roosevelt; a much wealthier individual that ushered in the New Deal and was elected to the highest office in the land four times.

The Republicans terrified by this Democratic peoples' power (although not uniformly disbursed due to the prejudices of the day) began their Red Scare campaign under Joe McCarthy and many innocent peoples' lives were ruined as a result of his smear campaign while the 1st Amendment took a serious beating.

Of course Joe McCarthy eventually met his downfall but his influence reverberated for decades afterwards and to some degree still does.

Communism; at the dawn of the Cold War was the first dirty word, followed by socialism, then liberal became taboo, as the Republican Party slowly drifted off into the Reich Wing lane, moderate became the shunned word.

In each drift right-ward freedom of speech, expression and the power of reason were diminished not because each category had its faults or virtues but because the words in themselves became demonized labels to dumb down the conversation while dividing the American People along simplistic lines.

So Bernie is millionaire and still cares for the least of these, more power to him.

[lapucelle]

1. BS has altered his message. He used to rail against "millionaires and billionaires".

Now it's just "billionaires".

[Me.]

2. Bingo!

[Uncle Joe]

3. If you listened to his speeches, you would know that he still does.

From his speech in Warren Michigan yesterday, I even commented on the thread that had.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1296&pid=418

[lapucelle]

14. Time will tell if he truly reverts to that message now that Think Progress has pointed out the shift

[Uncle Joe]

18. I agree time will tell not a bunch highly edited clips taken out of context.

Again Bernie's policy proposals as he has already put forth work against his own personal financial best interests.

P.S. The two posts above your's one of which being mine totally dispute the smear campaign against him as he still does cite millionaires and billionaires in his speeches.

[lapucelle]

21. It's not a smear campaign. It's legitimate criticism. The fact that BS reverted to his old formula

yesterday for the first time in a long time is proof that he knows it's a legitimate concern.

[Uncle Joe]

26. It is literally a smear campaign and Think Progress couldn't bring themselves to actually focus

on how Bernie's publicly stated policy proposals as stated would adversely affect his own personal financial well being, that would require too much grace and context I suppose.

[lapucelle]

34. BS's public framing of his narrative has shifted now that he is a member

of one of the rarefied groups that he used to deride with contempt every time he gave his stump speech.

Think Progress furnished the context in the video. It used to be BS's standard fare to include millionaires in his invective. Did he think voters didn't notice the shift in his rhetoric?

It could be argued that any candidate truly interested in unity probably would not have hired a number of senior campaign members who have virulently attacked the Democratic Party and/or endorsed and voted for third party candidates.

As per Mediaite:

In his letter, Sanders does not factually dispute either story, but calls out CAP President Neera Tanden by name for “maligning my staff and supporters and belittling progressive ideas,” as he puts it.

snip=================================

As Tanden noted in an email to The Times, and the site itself notes, ThinkProgress is editorially independent from CAP, and while Sanders is obviously free to write whatever letters he wishes, complaining about commentary to a website’s financial backers could seem heavy-handed, or worse.

And it could be argued that ThinkProgress’ criticism are similar in character to the sort of pressure Sanders wanted to exert when he endorsed the idea of primarying then-President Barack Obama in 2011.

Sanders might have been better served writing out a rebuttal to the “smears” he describes than trying to chill criticism, however little he appreciates it.

https://www.mediaite.com/online/bernie-sanders-writes-complaint-letter-because-thinkprogress-criticized-him-for-being-a-millionaire/

[Uncle Joe]

36. Think Progress' trashing of Bernie has nothing to do with actual policy or policy proposals.

Bernie Sanders has always focused on policies and systems.

[lapucelle]

40. BS has always focused on framing the narrative as well.

He's going to be vetted this time. He needs to get used to it.

[Uncle Joe]

41. Better to frame the narrative than to be framed. n/t

[liberalnarb]

71. Tanden is pathetic. Nt

[sfwriter]

78. Think Progress and you are both wrong.

re: "BS's public framing of his narrative has shifted now that he is a member of one of the rarefied groups that he used to deride with contempt every time he gave his stump speech."

I searched for the string "millionaires and billionaires" in my political folder in gmail. He has used that language in a fundraising email to me in at least every quarter since 2016."

The last two were February 28 and March 4.

"But what we did on our last campaign, and what we’ll have to do again, is raise what we need to win from a lot of people giving small donations. Because I am not going to be traveling the country begging millionaires and billionaires for donations."

and

"The American people deserve a president who doesn’t go around the country begging millionaires and billionaires for campaign donations."

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

51. Can you really blame them? That's what desperation will do... just means Bernie is winning.

They're feeling the THIRD-DEGREE Bern!!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Uncle Joe]

53. Yes I can blame them.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

54. I seriously DON'T blame them... what option do they really have?! It's actually gratifying to see...

I'd be MORE concerned if Bernie was being ignored, like many of their favorite candidates


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. Grace and context?! What planet are you living on Uncle Joe?! Haha!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[liberalnarb]

70. Its pedantic bullcrap.

It's not legitimate criticism.

[liberalnarb]

75. Neera Tanden is awful, but even she has distanced herself from that video.

https://www.americanprogress.org/press/statement/2019/04/15/468744/statement-caps-neera-tanden-thinkprogress-video/

[Buzz cook]

6. Really? How about this

Starting at minute 33 Sanders does a good impression of railing against millionaires and billionaires.

I don't support Bernie I don't particularly like Bernie. It saddens me that some people put me in the position of defending him.

[lapucelle]

16. I'm so sorry you're saddened. I can only imagine how the Think Progress analysis

made you feel!

https://thinkprogress.org/video/bernies-millionaire-problem/

[Buzz cook]

32. Well if their claim

is that Sanders no longer rails against millionaires and billionaires, my post above proves them wrong just as it proves you wrong.

So yes emotion based criticism by any who identify as liberals saddens me.

[lapucelle]

43. BS still rails against billionaires...it's the references to millionaires that have petered out. N/T

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

55. EXACTLY the message Bernie SHOULD be sending... his personal wealth notwithstanding.

Bernie can't repeat enough that message of income inequality.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BlueFlorida]

4. No one is terrified of Bernie

That is a false narrative. Bernie has zero chance of winning. Republicans are licking their chops and hoping that Bernie would win so they can destroy him. He is useful to the republicans either way. When he loses, they will make his supporters have sour grapes like Trump saying "they treated poor Bernie badly, you should be outraged."

People don't care about how much money Bernie has. People do care about his hypocrisy which has been exposed.

[Uncle Joe]

5. "Hypocrisy" would be a wealthy politician

claiming to be for progressive policies benefiting the middle class or poor while in fact primarily supporting policies promoted by the wealthiest and most powerful institutions suppressing the best interests of the vast majority of the people.

Bernie is fighting for polices that would be adverse to his own personal interests.

[lapucelle]

19. Hypocrisy would be marketing, selling, and distributing books through Amazon

in order to maximize profits.

[artislife]

30. ha ha ha ha ha.

I think Amazon is a beast, but then I live in the Seattle area.


But still, this post is just....laughable.

[lapucelle]

44. Oh, are you back?

Have a donut.

[artislife]

50. Thank you, I will

bwah!

[George II]

61. Sanders has been highly critical of Amazon and Walmart for years, yet most of his books...

...are sold (other than bulk purchases) via Amazon and Walmart.

Seems odd, doesn't it?

[betsuni]

62. Yes. Sticking to one's principles isn't hard, if one is serious.

Sell the books on Sanders' website. Other authors do that.

[Uncle Joe]

33. Hypocrisy would be remaining silent while Amazon abuses its workers,

Bernie Sanders introduces the Bezos Act, slamming Amazon’s low wages

PUBLISHED WED, SEP 5 2018 • 12:24 PM EDT UPDATED THU, APR 11 2019 • 1:00 PM EDT

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/05/bernie-sanders-introduces-the-bezos-act-slamming-amazon-low-wages.html

Bernie Sanders praises Jeff Bezos on Amazon $15 minimum wage

By Caroline Kelly, CNN

Updated 3:09 PM ET, Tue October 2, 2018

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/02/politics/bernie-sanders-jeff-bezos-minimum-wage/index.html

Bernie Sanders Calls on Amazon to Improve Workers' Conditions

By Zoya Khan
March 11, 2019, 4:01 PM CDT


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-11/bernie-sanders-calls-on-amazon-to-improve-workers-conditions

and the fight goes on.

[lapucelle]

45. No...hypocrisy is saying one thing and doing another.

Screw the extra profits...walk the walk.

[Uncle Joe]

47. Tell that to Amazon's workers.

[lapucelle]

48. ...

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2018/10/04/amazon-wages-backlash/38050385/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/09/technology/amazon-workers-pay-raise.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/03/amazon-hourly-workers-lose-monthly-bonuses-stock-awards.html

Amazon picked up the ball that BS dropped.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-10/amazon-ponies-up-more-money-for-warehouse-workers-after-blowback

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/11/17963778/amazon-pay-increase-bonuses-stock-options

[Uncle Joe]

49. ...

hence the last link on my post# 33

By Zoya Khan

March 11, 2019, 4:01 PM CDT

Bernie Sanders Calls on Amazon to Improve Workers' Conditions


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-11/bernie-sanders-calls-on-amazon-to-improve-workers-conditions

and the fight goes on.

[Gothmog]

7. sanders is attacking liberal organizations and think tanks again

Link to tweet

[Uncle Joe]

8. So what is your point, are you suggesting that liberal think tanks are above criticism?

[Gothmog]

9. From my twitter feed

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Uncle Joe]

10. I still don't get your point, you posted a faulty opinion tweet as if that answers my question.

Do you believe that liberal think tanks are above criticism?

[Gothmog]

28. This is amusing given that sanders has been employing a guy named Sirota for a very long time

Link to tweet

[Uncle Joe]

29. Bernie's attacks have been exclusively focused on criticizing Trump or our

dysfunctional system geared toward representing the best interests of the 1% and monopolies over that of the American People.

[Gothmog]

63. From the Hoarse Whisperer

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Gothmog]

64. From the Hoarse Whisperer

Link to tweet

?s=20

[dogman]

11. David Axelrod said he must be a self-hating millionaire

Shows you that even Democrats think taxes are a punishment. The elites are definitely threatened by him.

[Uncle Joe]

13. Contrary to David's opinion, I believe Bernie has high self-esteem but he has a greater love for

the American Nation.

I agree with your assessment dogman.

[WeekiWater]

12. The trend of attaching great historical figures...

To a career politician with few accomplishments is a pattern. Transparent and funny.

[Uncle Joe]

15. The point of the comparison was to state that wealth in and of itself has nothing to do with

a political leader's integrity.

It's all about their words, actions and policies or policy proposals.

FDR never passed the New Deal until after he was President.

[WeekiWater]

17. There is no comparison.

I will now get to follow up with the recognition of a different pattern. Attaching a career politician wit few accomplishments and no coalition to the word “leader.”

[wasupaloopa]

20. What was his charitable deduction for the last ten years?

[lapucelle]

22. We'll find out tomorrow.

[Uncle Joe]

24. I don't know 1% 5% 10% 20% 50% 75% 90%, even if it was 100% that would be

infinitesimal compared to the uplifting positive impact that his policy proposals would generate should he become President and they be passed.

I try to focus on the forest not the trees.

[loyalsister]

23. Agreed

So was Obama, Kennedy, FDR....
The advantages of money are real and present in our political system. Obama was especially deft at talking about how he thought people such as himself should pay more taxes.
I don't think Sanders' privilege and money should be a disqualifier itself. I do hope he can manage to talk about it because that is a great opening for all of the candidates to relate their own privilege as a symptom of the problems of predatory capitalistic practices run amok.

[Uncle Joe]

25. Bernie has always throughout his career been policy focused.

Having been raised by a family that lived paycheck to paycheck in a rent controlled apartment, I suspect he has inner or subconscious feelings of guilt at being wealthy.

That's not an uncommon malady.

[loyalsister]

27. True

It's like survivor's guilt for some.
He opened a dialogue on economic disparity that was long overdue. We need to keep it in the forefront as a matter of including everyone who has not benefited from the elusive and exclusive American dream. I think all of the candidates I have paid attention to are following his lead to some degree, and we will be better for it.

[artislife]

31. Very thoughtful

That would be an interesting to hear from all our candidates. Thank you

[AncientGeezer]

35. "..he has not altered this message..." aztually he has as shown above

[Uncle Joe]

37. His policy proposals are his message and they have remained consistent as shown above.

[AncientGeezer]

38. But that's not what you said in your OP

I Quote YOU...."The fact that he has not altered this message..." yet he has.

I like most of what Sen. Sanders stands for.....I want to see the 1st couple debates before I decide....but Sanders has gone from Millionaires and Billionaires...to the Billionaires only...that's a fact.

[Uncle Joe]

39. No he hasn't Bernie's message is his policies and that has been consistent

there are also two posts up-thread with Bernie giving full speeches which includes both millionaires and billionaires.

Furthermore the highly edited video claiming he dropped "millionaires" is nothing but chopped up clips taken out of context when Bernie was referring to effects of the 1%, the essential point remains the same.

Bernie's progressive tax proposals and policies would be adverse against his own personal best interests, but that has been the case for decades.

[AncientGeezer]

42. We can do symantics all day.....or run head 1st into a brick wall.

Sen. Sanders sold books because of his POTUS run....bottom line. You know that.
If he had stayed the Senator from Vt....he would have sold 37 books.

[Uncle Joe]

46. I agree with your first sentence, Bernie's run coming from nowhere in the national

consciousness to being virtually universally known definitely aided him in spreading his message via book sales.

The people agreed with him or they're curiosity was peaked so they bought his book in great numbers.

I don't agree with your second sentence, that's just hyperbole.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

57. Everyone knows what you're saying is true.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

56. They know Bernie's message hasn't changed one iota... indeed, that's what sets him apart!!

The fear and anger over Bernie taking the Democratic nomination is quite apparent from the negative comments I'm reading... hopefully, soon, acceptance will prevail and we'll all unite behind Bernie.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Uncle Joe]

58. That's his strength and what hurts him as well, "being set apart."

I believe Bernie could easily beat the excrement out of Trump.

But Bernie is a prophet and there is an emotional price for being in that role during contemporary times, so that's his and our biggest challenge to overcome.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

59. I hear ya... it's a challenge alright, but, it sure beats the alternative.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Uncle Joe]

60. I couldn't agree more InAbLuEsTaTe.

[KitSileya]

65. Any tax returns yet? NT

[Uncle Joe]

66. Yes. n/t

[workinclasszero]

67. FDR the greatest democratic president in history was much

more richer than Bernie.

President Obama and Michelle and Hillary and Bill are also much more wealthy than Bernie too I bet.

So I don't see the point of those acting like it's a bad thing but ONLY for Bernie.

And he promised to raise taxes on the rich as well if elected!

[Uncle Joe]

68. Yes he did workinclasszero and still does.

[workinclasszero]

72. I trust Bernie

Can't wait till he wins the nomination!

[Uncle Joe]

74. Same here

[W_HAMILTON]

69. He did alter his message.

"""The millionaires and billionaires""" became just """the billionaires""" about the same time Sanders himself became a millionaire.

[riversedge]

76. He made his money honestly. Good for him.

[Uncle Joe]

79. Thanks riversedge.

[tymorial]

77. I appreciate all of this but I am less than excited about an octogenarian in the WH

If this was 2016 then maybe but our country is in turmoil. Incumbents are easier to run and I have no faith in 8 years of Sanders. So you say the vice president. A split presidency will make the next 4 years even more difficult because there is always challenge and a learning curve.

I appreciate Sanders and Biden. They however represent too much risk.