# How would President Sanders =/= President Carter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 5, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-president-sanders-president-carter/727107 "2015-08-05T22:38:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-president-sanders-president-carter/727107/61 "2015-08-13T17:05:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Taxing the middle class is the third rail of politics. Even Sanders won’t touch it. Are–are you under the impression that the bourgeoisie don’t pay taxes now? Because they do, and some of them do so at a higher ratio than anyone. How is what I said inconsistent with that? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-president-sanders-president-carter/727107/62 "2015-08-13T17:27:13Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Obama’s color has nothing to do with it. Bernie is a socialist running on class envy and wishful economic thinking. Yes, he is going to be popular on a left-wing site like the SDMB. In the real world - not so much. The SDMB is left-wing? Well, there’s been some turnover since I joined, and maybe it is a little more, now. But I remember thinking it was sort of techie QUILTBAG libertarian. Our resident economics expert, **Hellestal** , is maybe a touch right of center, it’s hard to tell. Of course, if he’s serious, scientific, and mostly keeps up-to-date about macroeconomics, I guess that’s “radical left” to a certain type. :rolleyes: Some of our self-identified Democrats seem to be in the tank for Hillary. We have quite a few posters who so far still see Sanders as a no-chancer without the skills to do the job. And we have people like you, and **adaher** , who posts more than _anyone_, insisting that we’re all too left-wing and stupid. I think he drags us rightward on sheer volume of posts. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-president-sanders-president-carter/727107/63 "2015-08-13T17:53:42Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > It is the job of the opposition to ask things like “how are we going to pay for that” and “how does that work, exactly” and so on. I agree, and wish political discourse were this honest. Even sometimes. But it hasn’t been for a very long time. > [@Shodan](#): > > It is just a little disconcerting to ask those questions and get back “I don’t know and I don’t care” or “Hope and Change!” Or even “I will save you from the terrorists”, IYSWIM. My career specialty is injury claims arising from car accidents, specifically in venues in Colorado. I’m prepared to talk to the best on that topic. I also do some mechanic work on older cars, and can rehab any part of a house (except the foundation–those are stuffed with magic and gremlins). On those topics I will speak with an appropriate mix of experience-based authority and open-minded deference. Economics = magic. I got only instincts. I think it’s fair to say I have that in common with 98% of my countrymen. So I defer the specific policymaking to folks who have some knowledge and plenty of expert consultants. So again–I’m just some random, anonymous dude on the internet. When president Sanders gives that as a response to genuine concern from a LOYAL opposition, then I’ll sit right next to you and be disconcerted. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-president-sanders-president-carter/727107/64 "2015-08-13T20:47:28Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > So I defer the specific policymaking to folks who have some knowledge and plenty of expert consultants. There, we differ. I have no formal training in economics. It doesn’t take much training to ask questions like “do you intend to tax my IRA?” Which is one of the reasons I don’t defer to policy makers. They work for me - I do not work for them. If they want me to consent to anything, they have to show me how it’s going to work and that it’s going to work. No, I will not take their word for it that they know more than me, or that the details of how they are going to get their hand into my wallet are too complex for me. > [@](#): > > When president Sanders gives that as a response to genuine concern from a LOYAL opposition, then I’ll sit right next to you and be disconcerted. Why does it have to be LOYAL? A good question is good no matter who it comes from. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-president-sanders-president-carter/727107/65 "2015-08-13T21:54:08Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Why does it have to be LOYAL? A good question is good no matter who it comes from. There, we differ. You observe the question, and allow it face value. I base the value of the question on the intent of the questioner. If I distrust the intent of the questioner (i.e. if the questioner has agreed to preemptively oppose any and all of my actions regardless of merit), I am reluctant to engage further discussion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-president-sanders-president-carter/727107.md?page=3)