Bernie Sanders Archives

2016 Election Thoughts – Part I (HRC)

November 12, 2016

2016 Election Thoughts – Part I (HRC). Today, we focus on the losing side of the election.

Bernie Sanders

I want to solve for Bernie Sanders straightaway. First, anyone who identifies with a party which uses any variant of Social in its name will never be President of the United States. Had Senator Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton, watching him explain the difference between a Socialist and a Social Democrat would have been lots of fun. In the end, though, his explanations never would have worked.

Second, Senator Sanders was not qualified to be POTUS. Like Donald Trump, he knows how to use a flamethrower. He’s also far smarter and more knowledgeable than our soon-to-be president. And orders of magnitude

Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, James Comey

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Die on a Mountain

April 30, 2016

Mark Rubin

Several years ago I was sitting in an interminable board meeting. (I used to do that. Often!) An agenda item involved significant religious issues. An “aye” vote would have revved up many local Rabbis. I found myself in the thick of the discussion, taking an unexpected position. Then, a very wise man* who I’ve known since I was a young teenager piped up: “My dear, suffering wife,” he said, “will ask me on something like this, David, are you going to die on a mountain over this?” The topic was tabled within about 60 seconds, and never raised again.

I thought about Dying on the Mountain Moments when I saw a post on FB which claimed Hillary Clinton and Bernie

Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, U.S. Supreme Court

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Perfect. Lay Off of Good! Now!!!

April 1, 2016

Mark Rubin

Perfect and good have been battling one another forever. Perfect needs to lay off. Now!

“You say you want a revolution? Well, you can’t always get what you want — but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.” With these words Paul Krugman ends Learning from Obama, his April 1 column for the New York Times. In the piece Mr. Krugman notes:

the 10,000,000 new private sector jobs during the past seven years (along with still disappointing economy);
the Obamacare successes, including a huge increase in the number of people with insurance, fewer employers dropping coverage, and lower than expected costs;
financial sector reforms which include, most notably, far less leverage in

Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Paul Krugman, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ted Cruz

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Ideological Purity is an Indulgence – Part 2

March 19, 2016

Mark Rubin

Warren Burger (Earl Warren). Harry Blackmun (Abe Fortas). Lewis Powell (Hugo Black). William Rehnquist (John Harlan; Warren Burger). John Paul Stevens (William O. Douglas). Sandra Day O’Connor (Potter Stewart). Antonin Scalia (William Rehnquist). Anthony Kennedy (Lewis Powell). David Souter (William Brennan). Clarence Thomas (Thurgood Marshall). John Roberts (William Rehnquist). Samuel Alito (Sandra Day O’Connor). These are the Nixon/Ford, Reagan, and Bushes, père et fils, justices, along with those whom they replaced.

Justice John Paul Stevens got almost everything right during his 30+ years at the Court. Others—Justices Harry Blackmun and Sandra Day O’Connor—are responsible for much that is good. Justice Anthony Kennedy and Chief Justice John Roberts have also had their important and worthy moments. Nonetheless, this group of

Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Senator Ted Cruz, voodoo economics

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Ideological Purity is an Indulgence – Part 1

March 12, 2016

Mark Rubin

Call me old, but ideological purity in presidential elections is an indulgence we cannot afford. 33% of Sanders Supporters Will Not Vote for Clinton If She Wins Nomination prompted this piece, although concerns about ideolical purity have worried me for many years.

I know many people do not like Hillary Clinton … and then there are those who hate her. Friends who know her well tell me she’s charming, fun, brilliant, etc. Alas, her winning side is not always evident.

Now I suspect Secretary Clinton will win the Democratic Party nomination. I also believe Senator Bernie Sanders (S-Vt.) will support her with vigor, and that many Sanders supporters will come around. But I worry about that last part,