Bernie Sanders launches high-profile offensive against ‘the oligarchy’

I love Bernie and I admire his tenacity even at 83. But it is not nearly enough by a mile and we should not be relying on 83 year old to generate paradigm shifts. Please, for the love of God, other decent people with influence. Step up.

AoC has been highly visible in news and media so she's also giving it a go. I think one of our real issues is that leadership wise Jefferies is alright but Shumer is downright depressing.
Over the next two years we'll see a constant push by establishment dems to push out the progressives because centrist politicians on both sides want to keep a pro-corporate status quo.
- AOC is now old enough to run for president. I can see her running in 2028 and getting the grassroots support that Bernie enjoyed.
  If anyone can get the youth out to vote she can. they need to focus hard on getting people registered though.
  I also really REALLY hope she doesn't campaign with a fucking Cheney
- I was higher on Jeffries until I heard him interviewed by John Stewart. He said a bunch of nothing just like the rest of the party.
  AOC’s interview was significantly better.
- Jeffries is horribly corrupt and a total stooge for monied interests. Don’t let his PR team fool you.
- She looks great, but is it worth risking more MAGA on America voting for a woman? A third time? They think they were radical voting for "the black man". Voting a woman seams beyond America even if the other choice is Trump or not voting. God know what the state the world is going to be in by the time another US election is due, let alone if it's allowed to happen and be remotely free and fair.
The Democrats succession planning was/is terrible, which is why an 83 year old independent is one of the few that can rally a crowd. I wish they had done better.
- In German class, in Arizona, my German teacher taught us teenage edgelords about Hitler. About his speeches. About his Charisma. He was a cult of personality. He could rally a crowd. If there aren't videos comparing trump rallies to Hitler, I suggest you make you're own comparison, and use your own judgment. There's a reason fascism wins. Hate doesn't prosper under progressives.
- Yeah, it's not bad planning.
  They continue actively keeping the progressives and the younger leaders out of power.
  (This is about AOC, not Bernie, but we all know they did him dirty at least twice already.)
  Pelosi Won. The Democratic Party Lost.
Which is why he's recruiting.
- He's not recruiting, he wants to drive working people and our movements back into the graveyard of the Democratic Party.
WE are those other decent people with influence.
If you have any ability, run for office and start your campaign now. If not, find a progressive running and join their campaign.
If the democratic party won’t do their jobs, we need to fucking do it for them.
Please
Ok, good opener, I'm listening
for the love of God
Eh. Fuck that asshole sideways.
other decent people
We're back on, yeah!
with influence.
Ah. That's a no-go, sorry. Especially not in this fascist-breeding-pit climate...
Step up.
Hunh. Might be why the only guy stepping up is Bernie. He's so old, he's in Death's phone contacts under "guy @ work". 🙃
- Democratic Socialists had a pretty serious recruiting campaign for the 2018 midterms. Cold-called potential candidates, offered training for both speechifying and organizing. Put up actual progressive candidates against incumbent dems in carefully chosen districts. That's where "The Squad" came from.
  Then they just kind of disappeared.
  My point is that there are people out there willing to step up, but probably not thinking that they could be a "real" candidate and win, put up with the hassle and harrasment. People who would answer if called, but aren't ready to jump in unasked. Bernie's asking.

Hey Bernie if you need some blood or a kidney or something lemme know.

Give us the word Bernie, we can find a whole bunch of blood and kidneys for you.
- I mean I need to keep some, guys
Just clarifying, are you offering your blood or kidney, or do you just like have a bunch sitting around?
- I would give Bernie Sanders a blood donation no question.
  Edit I would give him a blood marrow donation no question. Aware of the discomfort and recovery.
  I would legitimately consider giving him a kidney, after certain private conversations and understanding.
  If I can source him a nice kidney, lemme call my guy
- I would be willing to source it from outside if needed. He's a real one.

83 and he's still got that dog in him.

While I feel bernie wants to save capitalism from itself rather then replace it, I have to admire the persistence. I would have died 3 deaths of despair if I would have gone through what he has. And to just watch the nation melt around you no matter what you do or say.
Bernie Sanders is a stronger man then me
Yep, he won't bite the hand that feeds him. He's a good doggy. Barks loud but when it matters he does exactly what master says.
- If you look at his vote record he hasn’t bowed to anyone, even when he’s been the only senator voting against something
- How in the hell are you hating on Bernie Sanders of all people you could hate on?
- Haha what?
- Go recycle yourself into something more useful, please.
- Lol You know it's a post-truth world when the most consistent, anti-corruption senator is the one "doing exactly what master says". Obligatory no one's perfect and we should call out bad behavior from anyone, but feel free to compare him to a more moral current US politican. Please, I'll wait...
- He's never been anything other than a sheepdog for the DNC.

I think the only way the Democrat party meets the current moment is if an AOC or Bernie or similar wins the next presidential primary and aggressively replaces the current leadership.

First they'll need to fight to even have a fair election in 2026 and 2028. (Hell, even to have an election).
- "elections" are a cornerstone of autocracies. There will definitely be an election event.
  Whether your vote is even counted is another question entirely. Same for whether you will be allowed to cast a ballot.
- I'm not even talking about saving democracy yet, I'm just talking about whether or not the democrats earn a "You tried" sticker.
Going to be hard for a progressive to win a primary when the corporate dems flood those campaigns with DNC money for the opposition, or worse just steal the nomination flat-out.
Current leadership will never let that happen. They will ride the wreckage of our nation into the ground rather than let the party move left or allow substantial power in the hands of non-boomers. We just have to wait for them to die of old age.
Pelosi Won. The Democratic Party Lost.
(Pelosi is silent generation ffs! She should have had her hands removed from the levers of power decades ago.)
Also:
agreed, but of the 448 votes for electing dnc party leadership, 248 were dnc insiders, and 200 were handpicked by the dnc to vote, from the pool of state leislators. Theres no way at all to take control of the dnc in any hostile manner. Its just not possible.
So, in the USA, the current presidential candidate of a party is also automatically the head of the party? How do they expect any human to fulfill both roles competently at once?

The sudden rush of tankies in the comments indicates to me that this is a strong enough move to make some oligarchs worried.

I'll never understand the tankies label
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankie#%3A%7E%3Atext=More+generally%2C+a+tankie+is%2Cwas+critical+of+both+uses
- The way I think of it is as follows: if you like the idea of socialism or communism, and you think the only way to get there is to have an authoritative leader "clean house" before they for some reason or another decide to give the power back to the people, then you are a tankie.
  In my opinion, an authoritative leader will never give up power back to the people willingly. Or if an authoritative gets in charge, it will never dismantle systems like capitalism because capitalists give authoritative people power.
  Another good hint is if they really like the idea of murdering billionaires even if there are less violent solutions to it. I'm not saying that there are currently less violent solutions. I'm just saying they will never go out of their way for less violent solutions. As if they like the idea of murder a lot.
- because it's stupid
- sad cringe slander
Is a tankie someone who blindly supports the military indistrial complex? Or is it someone who loves tank sized SUVs?
- They're blind apologists for the various left regimes that have identified themselves as leftist, anti-imperialist, anti-western, sometimes even including North Korea and Cambodia under Pol Pot. Often they align themselves with right-wing governments like modern Russia and Iran, because they're against the geopolitical west.
  The term was coined after the USSR rolled tanks into Hungary in the 50's to squash pro (Socialist) democracy protests. Some leftists stuck with the Soviets as they matched into Hungary and Praugue, and others spoke out against what they saw as tyrannical repression of democracy.
- Yes
is a strong enough move LOL I wonder what "high-profile offensive" means? More empty virtue signalling. Yes, complain about the tankies and support this worthless larper. I'm sure the oligarch will be sooo scared of Bernie's harsh objections, condemnations and intentions.

PROTECT THIS MAN AT ALL COST

From what? Most of the attacks against him come from behind him.
- From the DNC
- Attacks? He is playing his role like AOC and the rest of them. The dems need these harmless larpers to pretend they have something progressive to offer. When it comes down to it, every time they vote for war, zionist genocide and endorses the big oligarch choices in his horrible party.
We'll have to give him the Emperor of Mankind treatment if this continues.
- "I am not a(n) ~~god~~ Emperor, and you shouldn't want me to be one"- ~~EoM~~ Bernie.
- I would love it if Bruva did several episodes featuring Bernie and AOC.
  "What if Bernie Sanders Had a Text To Speech Device?"

Bernie 2016
Bernie 2020
Bernie 2024

Fuck the Democrats

Bernie told me to vote for the Democrat every time he lost the primary to them, I did what Bernie told me.
- Exactly. Read any of his books. He understands that the only way a progressive party will ever gain power in this country is by running as Democrats and exerting progressive political capital to reform the Democratic party.
  Bernie knows that the most staple progressive issues are wildly popular with the American people, and he knows probably better than anyone alive in this country today that progressives are up against on oligarchy with unlimited control over the media and unlimited financial and human resources to fight progressive agendas, and get he still fights. Why? See point two: progressive policy is wildly popular in the United States and we outnumber the billionaires.
- Yes, the lesser genocide choice. Sometimes the game is too obvious.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a corrupt criminal who should be in jail.
What? Fuck the Democrats but not this one in particular?
- Democrats as in the DNC party, who in their corporate interests refuses to promote and push for candidates that have fought for the people.
  Also Bernie is an independent who works closely with democrats, because unfortunately we're essentially stuck with a two party system.
- Bernie is not a democrat

At this point some Democrats need to splinter off with the simple litmus test of opposing the oligarchs.

That much splintering won't leave much tree remaining
- That’s the point…
- What's the point of saving a tree whose fruits are unpopular and the nutrition is lacking? It is common to fell trees that are past their fruiting prime to make way for a younger crop.
- Worked for the Republicans?
This honestly isn't a bad idea at this point. It would still take a ton of money, a ton of support, a ton of boots on the ground to achieve though. It would really need to snowball into a movement. Who are the superfriends of "Fuck you, pay Americans fairly" kind of politicians?

“If the Democrats listened to Bernie, we wouldn’t be in this mess. I assume he feels a deep level of disgust.”

Fuck, at this point I'd take a bullet for this guy.

Candidly, he’d probably fight you on that, preferring you carry the torch.
- In fact, he'd rather we start carrying the torch before he even dies. AOC can't do this alone.

I'm subscribed to both his YT channels and he's been running a full offensive for decades, nothing seems to be changing recently on that front.

We gotta take Capitalism down before it takes us down

But is capitalism really the issue here? As far as I can tell, you can put in place any economic agenda, if people just vote against themselves and if laws are actively ignored, the economic policy doesn't really matter?
- Laws are often ignored in history through periods of change; I’d say it’s a matter of people agreeing or disagreeing with them.
  In this case, it’s about a very strong push by very wealthy people to trick masses of followers into thinking their billionaire daddy’s are fighting for them.
  Ostensibly, that push would be harder if there was not such a uniform path to wealth disparity where one idiot owns so much.
- You are right that you can have authoritarian policies in any economic system, but capitalism in America has led to our authoritarianism. Capitalism does this as it relies on single ownership of the means of production, so it inherently centralized power and wealth.Think about the oligarchs, they control how wealth is distributed through their companies. If their workers had a say in the sharing of the profits, there is no way people would vote to give people enough wealth to control the globe while screwing over the rest of us. Also, if people are more individualized, like in America, they vote less on their group benefit, and what they see as their own benefit. This leads to fascism's easy rise to power, but putting the blame on others.

Real Question - Bernie Sanders is old; it's 83. If Bernie passes - who carries on his message? AOC? Who fr? You?

Which, in my opinion, the message is honest outreach to people, IRL, and share the message that Billionares are buying our Politicians which needs to be addressed (like, the sooner the better)?

Luigi
AOC couldn't carry that message if her life depended on it. She'd turn some 20 years old white kids into slacktivists and collect donations before reinforcing the status quo.

I admire Bernie but most Trump supporters I met or know seem either very rich, or poor but quite believe he will turn things around and things getting worse before it gets better is ok. We are talking about cult, expecting them being rational is dead end.

The Bernie-Trump pipeline is a very real thing, surprisingly, so if and only if one is as progressive as Bernie or AOC there is value in such an endeavor.
That’s what the SS stands for now. Selfish or stupid. Or both, honestly.

Are there videos of these rallies that can be shared so more people know about this?

I think usually Bernie means well, but I think Democratic party is far beyond saving. We will have no significant progress no less opposition to fascism, until they are gone.

Electoralism is largely a dead end under the duopoly.

Defeatism sucks.
- It’s not defeatism, it’s an acknowledgment that we need to look beyond electoralism within the Dems. Mutual aid, dual power, direct action. If electoralism, build a grass roots infrastructure for a new third party or help an existing one rise.
  Third party success won’t happen with just running someone for president every four years. It has to start at very local level, and engage with the public between elections.
This strategy is literally how you resolve that issue though. The Democratic Party is just a vehicle, it literally used to be a pro-slavery party. It can be remade just like Trump remade the Republican Party in his image. Bernie is doing exactly what needs to be done. It’s by no means the only strategy, but it is an important one to pursue.

So they're making a progressive party?

He should be pushing to replace First past the post voting so these 3rd parties can compete with the democrats on who can smash the republicans the best.
Defeating the Republicans is more important then the Democratic party. Democrats have lost their unearned privilege to go it alone against the republicans. Pass the reforms in blue states and we will work on the red states together
- That would mean gathering enough support to do it from people that got where they are because of it. It seems impossible.

I'm at my states Capitol protesting and it's kind of scary how many Trump supporters have driven by. But make no mistake, most are not for him. Call your representatives and demand action today. Don't wait.

Unless the democratic party's platform becomes deny the oligarchy access to the levers of power, defend the working and middle class against the billionaires, and depose those who would enact political violence via law or pen, I'm not interested.

Good News:
He's not a Democrat
- If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it must be a mother fucking duck. He talks one thing while asking us to support his good friends, the oligarchy.
So just let the republicans rule forever nice choice.
- It's hard to tell the difference between Democrats and Republicans. They both seem to embrace the same ideology.

Unfortunately he'll probably end up the first to go in front of the firing squad

What's that line from the show Good Omens?
Don't think of it as dying, think of it as beating the rush.
https://youtube.com/shorts/ixlgfKqUk98
- Probably Douglas Adam’s:
  The Encyclopedia Galactica defines a robot as a mechanical apparatus designed to do the work of a man. The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as "Your Plastic Pal Who's Fun to Be With.” The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy defines the marketing devision of the Sirius Cybernetic Corporation as "a bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes…”

Is the Senate closed this week or something?

Edit: came across the answer. They are closed for the week.

https://apnews.com/article/democrats-musk-trump-protests-congress-ccb64f2889d31aad8c25d37686f62d7a

Rrriiiight after the Democrats lose the election.

There was no anti-oligarchy candidate during the last election.
- There wasn't even an election this last election, there was an installment.
- Bernie tried to shove Biden in.

Too little too late, he should have done this in the early 2000s

Hes been doing this through all his political career, that likely is longer than your life so far.
Problem is the oligarchy having the two largest political parties in their grip in a two party system.
- Yet he still bootlicks the Libs

Y'all have had your last election, you don't need to do this anymore

and in four years when this shit is worse for the entire planet due to these fuck bags - there will be a ton of comments asking why Americans didn't stand up to this stuff when if first showed it's ugly head.
Best to plant a tree 20 years ago, second best time is now. The damage that is done can be contained to just America if there is an organized opposition and I'm hoping that Bernie starts it.
- My point wasnt that it was hopeless, my point was that since America is no longer a democracy political campaigning is a thing of the past.
  The only way to stop it now is to go full Luigi
Yeah really. It's over for them. They let in the dictator now he's not leaving.
- As much as I hate it … this country is too armed for that.
  Before we have no election there will be a fight.

LOL

Yes, it's a crisis now that his party is out of power. Sad to see you fall Bernie.

Hmm, interesting take when he's not even in a party.

I just cannot get behind Bernie.

Oh cool another wannabe gerontocrat

Cultivate an ideological successor please Bernie.

It's not AOC, she's a sell out.

too little. too late. and for what? americans chose idiocracy. we need to respect their selfdemolishion. maybe all this evolution thing was a bit too fast for them so nature adjusts.

It's a good thing all those carbon emissions and nuclear weapons stay in America.
- I love how Americans, even in left-wing spaces like Lemmy, would rather threaten global destruction than show some goddamn humility for once.

Bernie wants to drive working people and our movements back into the graveyard of the Democratic Party.

What movements? As an outsider watching the US, are there any notable workers' movements over there at the moment?
- Refusing to support warhawk neoliberals like Biden and Harris seems to be a hell of a movement.
It seems to me that Bernie is doing his best to create and energize a movement of working-class people in support of a better world. It isn't trying to hijack an existing movement; because no cohesive movement currently exists. The lack of cohesion is exactly what Bernie is trying to address.
- He's trying to energize people back into the dnc.
There is no movement outside the Democrats party... Unless you can post any proof?
- That movement that you claim did not exist prevented the DNC from winning the White House again. Democrats need to learn if they refuse to listen to the working class voters they need to lose.

Bahaha you cant rally progressives.

because liberals/the left are not a unified party.
Its 33 different parties in a trenchcoat, unified only by their opposition to the insanity coming out of the right wing.
- The left and liberals are not even close to each other on the political scale. Liberals share more ideology with Republicans than they do leftists.
- Cool, so we're fucked then. It applies to the right as well but they make it work. But the left just comes up with excuses why we don't even like each other

What does this even mean?
- Not the person you responded to but, Bernie is great and we really need this kind of stuff right now. Unfortunately, he's 83 years old. We could really use some new blood on the left.
Good point, to maintain our clear winning strategy, we need an old centrist. How about Schumer or Pelosi, right? Electing Pelosi would be good for the stock market, and her appointees (whoever donors want) could just run the place, just like Biden's did.

Bernie Sanders has said ZERO about voting against RFK and Tulsi Gabbard. What a shame. I know there are a lot of Bernie and AOC dickriders on Lemmy but you all should know Tulsi getting shafted by Bernie really feels like a stab in the back to MANY of his 2016 supporters.

Voting against Tulsi and RFK are both the correct choices. I used to like Tulsi but folks were right about her in the long run just being an opportunist. RFK is not a serious person and shouldn't be in charge of anything.
- RFK is serious monster who should be locked up before he hurts more people.
Bernie Sanders has said ZERO about voting against RFK and Tulsi gabbard
Thats just flatly not true. Bernie grilled the shit out of RFK where others on the committee gave him a pass, and then Bernie voted no on confirming him. https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-statement-on-voting-no-on-rfk-jr/
and if you google "bernie speaks against rfk" and "bernie speaks against tulsi gabbard" theres endless pages of results you can look through.
On Gabbard, he spoke for her in 2019, but then she then knelt before the maga throne because the dems were done with her. Since then Bernie voted against her confirmation and is against her.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/why-bernie-sanders-is-being-called-out-for-not-supporting-tulsi-gabbard/articleshow/118217441.cms
Even after they have repeatedly backstabbed him, Bernie has always showed up for the dems like clockwork. He's more reliable a dem voter than Biden and the dem centrists.
- bernie speaks against tulsi gabbard
  oh? link one. he's said nothing.
The Russian agent? Yeah, totally
It's like you haven't done any critical thinking in a while.
The world is not what you think it is and you should consider adjusting your position to match.