Liberal Lunatic of the Day (5/4/2005) Bernie Sanders

Liberal Lunacy ^ | 5/4/2005 | Beckwith

[Beckwith]

Bernie Sanders said in a telephone interview, "I will be running as an independent.  But if you're asking my philosophy, yes, I am a Democratic Socialist."

Sanders explains that he considers himself a socialist rather than a liberal because, "I approach politics primarily through economic perspectives.  My major concern right now is that we have the most unfair distribution of wealth and income of any major country on earth (and an) equally unfair distribution of political power.  I want to see that change.  I want to see a more egalitarian society."

What Sanders and others now call democratic socialism is social democracy and controversial enough by that name, even if most of Europe embraces it.  But Bernie Sanders seems poised to bring it to the U.S. Senate.

As soon as Senator Jim Jeffords announced his retirement last week, the state's most influential Democrats, Senator Patrick Leahy and Howard Dean, now the Democratic National Committee chairman, put the fix in for Sanders.  It took but a few phone calls from Leahy and Dean to choose the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate next year: nobody.

After quick consultation with other party leaders, the quasi-official word came forth from Peter Welch, the majority leader of the state Senate, who said. "Bernie has enormous voter support and a substantial funding base and a Democratic voting record."  The message was clear: We're for Bernie; no others need apply.  In return, Democrats want Sanders to persuade Vermont's Progressive Party not to run anyone for the House seat he is vacating.

Already, the Sanders candidacy has energized the political left.  With no orchestration from Bernie or his aides, 2,500 Vermonters pledged $135,000 to Sanders via MoveOn.org over one weekend, and there is little doubt that he will have enough money to run a strong campaign.

link:  The People's Republic of Vermont strikes again

[Beckwith]

Bernie Sanders does more than just call himself a Democratic Socialist.  He is also one of three members of the United States Congress that is a card carrying  member the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).  He is also the author of the AudioBook, "Socialist and Communist Perspectives on the 2004 Presidential Election." (link)

According to the DSA website (link),  "Democratic Socialists believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically—to meet public needs, not to make profits for a few.  To achieve a more just society, many structures of our government and economy must be radically transformed through greater economic and social democracy so that ordinary Americans can participate in the many decisions that affect our lives."

The DSA is the largest affiliate of the Socialist International (SI), the worldwide organization of 140 socialist, social democratic and labor parties.  The SI has the distinction of being the largest political organization in the world.  They actively work to maintain their relationship with their sister organizations in the Socialist International.  Members of the Socialist Internationale also include the Sandinista National Liberation Front.

Bernie Sanders supports progressive tax reform (massive tax increases on average Americans), a Canadian-style single-payer health care system and a 50% cut in military spending over five years (while we're at war).   He also supports federally-funded abortions, same-sex marriage and opposes the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.

Bernie Sanders was one of only fourteen (out of 435)  representatives voting against the national Amber Alert bill (HR 1104) to protect children.

And, if you are the author of an AudioBook named "Socialist and Communist Perspectives on the 2004 Presidential Election," doesn't that imply that you hold communist perspectives?

There's go to be something in the water up there in Vermont.  It's one thing for a tiny state like that to come up with a Bernie Sanders, but Vermont can also proudly lay claim to Howard Dean, "the Screamer".

[Noumenon]

Somewhere, there's a rope and tree with Sanders' name on it.