# If Bernie Sanders gets elected as president... **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 12, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957 "2015-07-12T17:52:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RagingxMarmoset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@RagingxMarmoset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RagingxMarmoset)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/41 "2015-07-13T14:22:38Z")
I’m glad you posted this. It seems Sanders and I are aligned on a large number of issues. Also, would you care to post some sources for the allegations of impropriety? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/42 "2015-07-14T05:01:22Z")
Sanders vs. Trump I go for Trump. Sanders vs. Santorum though, I go for Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/43 "2015-07-14T08:21:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > That’s a good analogy, since Trump and Sanders have roughly equal chances of getting nominated. I’d vote for someone else. > > But you are correct in your equivalence - Sanders is just as silly as Trump. > > Regards, > Shodan Suppose that, magically, yours was the deciding vote: You could put Sanders or Trump in the White House but if you refused to choose a coin would be tossed. > [@adaher](#): > > Sanders vs. Trump I go for Trump. > > Sanders vs. Santorum though, I go for Sanders. Thanks for accepting the hypothetical, **adaher**. Using the [http://www.isidewith.com/](http://www.isidewith.com/) test from the recent **Which Candidate Are You Most Like?** thread, I scored Sanders 97% Clinton 64% Christie 57% Bush 57% It may seem interesting that Clinton barely outperforms Christie (or Bush\*) in my scores. My hatred for today’s GOP certainly affects my judgement. Sane likable Republicans like Huntsman would probably have scored even closer to Clinton but weren’t available. (\* - As I mention in another thread, these percentages seem to be drifitng.) Obviously I disagree that “Sanders is just as silly as Trump” but if the Democrats put up a true clown against, say, Huntsman I’d need to think carefully. It would be interesting to hear Republicans’ take on, say, Trump or Palin vs Clinton or Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/44 "2015-07-14T08:40:15Z")
My results: Rubio-88% Paul-85% Santorum-84% Walker-80% Bush-76% Clinton-61% Sanders-51% ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/45 "2015-07-14T09:44:43Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Sanders vs. Trump I go for Trump. > > Sanders vs. Santorum though, I go for Sanders. I think we’ll all agree that the isidewith test gives a very unreliable indication of actual affinity, but still comparison is interesting: > [@adaher](#): > > My results: [emphasis added] > > Rubio-88% > Paul-85% > **Santorum-84%** > Walker-80% > Bush-76% > Clinton-61% > **Sanders-51%** You don’t mention Trump. 😕 Are you reporting old scores? (Trump wasn’t considered when I took the test last month, but now shows up (with 36%) when I reclick on my results. As I mention in the old thread, my _scores on candidates other than Trump also change_ – upthread I show the _old_ scores.) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/46 "2015-07-14T10:13:55Z")
It doesn’t prioritize issues. But take that away and I do probably agree with Sanders about half the time. Trump didn’t show up in my results. And Santorum won’t ever get my vote, for three reasons: 1. He prioritizes social conservatism above everything. That means as President he’ll obsess over things he can’t control while neglecting things he can. 2. He has no executive experience, plus he cares mainly about social conservative issues, which means he’ll be the worst President ever at managing the government. 3. He doesn’t even have the virtue of authenticity like Huckabee or Carson do. During the Bush years he was a craven politician who basically just voted however the leadership wanted him to. Clinton is superior to him because she cares about things she can control, she has some management experience(SecState and possibly some through being First Lady). ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/47 "2015-07-14T13:11:07Z")
Rereading OP’s complaints in #2, I see only one that strikes me as remotely bad or silly: “\>His wife committed loan fraud and nearly bankrupted Burlington College while she was dean” Even if true, this surely is not what Sanders’ detractors speak of. So, please, what exactly are Sanders’ stances that are so reprehensible or silly? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/48 "2015-07-14T16:19:22Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Thanks for accepting the hypothetical, **adaher**. Using the [http://www.isidewith.com/](http://www.isidewith.com/) test from the recent **Which Candidate Are You Most Like?** thread, I scored > > Sanders 97% > Clinton 64% > Christie 57% > Bush 57% > > … > It would be interesting to hear Republicans’ take on, say, Trump or Palin vs Clinton or Sanders. My results - 90% Marco Rubio Republican 86% Rand Paul Republican 86% Rick Santorum Republican 79% Ted Cruz Republican 78% Jeb Bush Republican 76% Scott Walker Republican 71% Donald Trump Republican 63% Hillary Clinton Democrat 62% Ben Carson Republican 34% Bernie Sanders Democrat Keeping in mind that “what they say on the issues” is important but not the be-all and end-all in deciding who gets my vote. I wouldn’t vote for Trump if he agreed with me 100% on the issues. And if Sanders agreed with me on anything, he wouldn’t be a socialist. I didn’t weight my answers on the quiz except to say that removing God from the money is Not Important. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/49 "2015-07-14T16:30:36Z")
I think some of the questions on that quiz are wrong – they ask “Should the federal government allow states to fly the confederate flag?” Who is arguing that the federal government should be involved in this? As far as I can tell, none of the candidates support a federal ban on the confederate flag, whether for states to fly or for individuals to fly it. That’s a very different question than “Should states fly the confederate flag on public grounds?”. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/50 "2015-07-14T16:32:09Z")
My results: 96% Bernie 89% Hillary 79% O’Malley 51% Trump 44% Paul 34% Christie 20% Carson 18% Jeb! 13% Walker 7% Cruz ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/51 "2015-07-14T16:35:54Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Which ones? > [@Ethilrist](#): > > China? North Korea? Heard of them? > [@madsircool](#): > > North Korea is large powerful and working?? Really? And China doesnt define itself as socialist. India. India defines itself as socialist in their constitution’s preamble: “We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a one **Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic** and to secure to all its citizens:” India is also the world’s most populous democracy and, as evidenced above, a secular (non-religious) republic. They also somehow manage to function just fine with over 20 official languages; I’m not sure why conservative Americans think we need only one. But socialist? Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/52 "2015-07-14T16:42:23Z")
> [@Steven9001](#): > > [http://imgur.com/9JeXVHy](http://imgur.com/9JeXVHy) > > [http://imgur.com/5vp9p56](http://imgur.com/5vp9p56) > > Is anyone really that naive to think socialism is ever going to work? Is anyone really that naïve to think a Sanders Administration will turn the U.S. into a socialist country? Social democracy **does** work, see Scandinavia, but one POTUS won’t be enough to establish it here either. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/53 "2015-07-14T16:43:30Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > And China doesnt define itself as socialist. How does it define itself? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/54 "2015-07-14T16:45:20Z")
Hm, Clinton and Sanders tied at 91% for me. Poor Dr. Carson, we can only find 4% common ground, the points for which I assume is like how you get a few hundred points on your SAT just by writing your name. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/55 "2015-07-14T17:25:28Z")
My Socialist Canadian brain sides with the following: Bernie Sanders 98% Hillary Clinton 84% Martin O’Malley 73% Chris Christie 36% Jeb Bush 31% Rand Paul 19% Donald Trump 18% Ben Carson 13% Scott Walker 13% Ted Cruz 11% I would look at electability. Right now, even though I agree with most all of Bernie’s positions, I side a good amount of time with the Hillary camp. The Republicans would love to see Bernie as the nominee and use that dog whistle word “socialist” every chance they get. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/56 "2015-07-14T18:48:13Z")
Ok this is somewhat distressing: Bernie Sanders 92% Hillary Clinton 91% Martin O’Malley 68% **Donald Trump 59%** Apparently, he and I agree a lot on immigration issues (he’s surprisingly “soft” on some of the questions). ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/57 "2015-07-14T18:58:18Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Which ones? Which powerful, successful countries are “Socialist”? By Republican reckoning I’ve got: Germany France UK Canada Basically, name a country that isn’t a 3rd world shithole, and Republicans would declare their broadest public policies “Socialist” if a Democrat proposed them. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/58 "2015-07-14T19:26:47Z")
I can almost hear the OP chewing from here. 😉 Even if he wanted to and was 20 years younger, Sanders couldn’t begin to overcome the legislative & judicial branches to turn the US of A into a communistic nirvana. But he CAN keep pointing out, with ever greater credibility, how the oligarchy has a grip on the common folks that exceeds congress’ ability to govern. Bushes, Clintons, and Mr. Obama haven’t really made that their focus–they’ve just been different ringleaders of basically the same circus. People wanted change 8 years ago and they got more than some expected and less than others wanted. Sanders has an attitude that can move things a few steps further down that road. I think he’s got a power that Hillary could never get, and I for one want that power in the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/59 "2015-07-14T19:52:26Z")
80% Hillary 78% Bernie 62% Paul 46% Jeb It drops off sharply from there. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957/60 "2015-07-15T00:03:21Z")
94% Sanders 93% Clinton 68% O’Malley 59% Christie And since Trumps is next in line I’ll stop there! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-bernie-sanders-gets-elected-as-president/724957.md?page=4)