# Tell me again why Bernie Sanders isn't electable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 8, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014 "2015-06-08T22:36:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/281 "2015-08-03T11:57:00Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > [Snip] > Bernie represents something new, something radically different, but most of all, someone not another Bush or Clinton. > > You heard it here first. Yeah, I thought we got rid of a monarchy system a few hundred years ago. I felt like I was lying when I was telling my kids that they could be president when they grew up. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/282 "2015-08-03T12:08:45Z")
Sure they can. First, marry a Kennedy, or a Bush, or a Clinton. Or one of Obama’s daughters. BTW, I heartily endorse foolsguinea’s mention of Summers, Stiglitz, and Reich. I’m actually surprised we never elect economists. Other countries do it fairly frequently and the West Wing TV series featured an economist as President. I’ll even throw Paul Krugman in there. Too partisan for my tastes, but while he’s wearing his economist hat there are few better. Any of those guys would make a good President. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/283 "2015-08-03T16:25:02Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > You know who else he’s drawing, believe it or not? [Libertarians](http://www.salon.com/2015/07/20/why_libertarians_should_love_bernie_sanders/). And don’t forget, he may be running on the Democratic ticket, but he’s actually a capital-I Independent. You know who likes Independents? Registered Independents who until now have \*never \* been able to vote for someone who is \*actually \* an Independent candidate. > > They are coming out for him by the thousands in conservative red states like Louisiana (~5,000 people) and cities like Phoenix (11,000+ people. In July.). Even Barack Obama wasn’t doing that at this stage of the 2007/2008 campaign. How many people typically come to see candidates speak? I’m having a hard time finding numbers, and without numbers to compare it to I don’t know if those numbers are good or super amazing. Those numbers do sound impressive for Sanders, but I remember Ron Paul seeming to have a lot of passionate supporters as well. ---
**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 3, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/284 "2015-08-03T18:04:17Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > What is it based on? Why do Sanders’ fans prefer him to Clinton? One example. Recently Hillary announced a vision of increasing US Solar output by 700% by 2020. Marvelous, ya? Except I don’t remember hearing her mention anything about renewable energy–either because she didn’t or she hasn’t talked much about it–until Sanders started becoming a problem. Sanders has been a climate change paladin since he hit my radar. Whatever the truth, the impression is that Hillary is morphing her platform to overlap with Sanders’. Which is nice, and it’s what the “move the dialogue to the left” prediction was with regard to Mr. Sanders’ participation in this otherwise Quixotic adventure of his. This matters, because the impression I get is that Hillary will say ANYTHING to get into the Whitehouse, even if what she says isn’t really all that important to her. I will then expect her to not deliver. On the other hand, I don’t see Sanders failing to deliver without first engaging in an epic and messy fight. It comes down, for me, to the motivation for running. Hillary wants to be POTUS because it’s next on her bucket list. Bernie has had enough bullshit already, and sees solutions to real struggles plaguing both halves of his electorate. ---
**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 3, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/285 "2015-08-03T21:10:38Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > BTW, I heartily endorse foolsguinea’s mention of Summers, Stiglitz, and Reich. I’m actually surprised we never elect economists. Other countries do it fairly frequently and the West Wing TV series featured an economist as President. > > I’ll even throw Paul Krugman in there. Too partisan for my tastes, but while he’s wearing his economist hat there are few better. Any of those guys would make a good President. Well, I kind of nominated him for First Gentleman… ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/286 "2015-08-03T22:03:48Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > How many people typically come to see candidates speak? I’m having a hard time finding numbers, and without numbers to compare it to I don’t know if those numbers are good or super amazing. Those numbers do sound impressive for Sanders, but I remember Ron Paul seeming to have a lot of passionate supporters as well. To put it in perspective, Sanders drew more than 10,000 in Red Wisconsin, a state he has no relation to, and Clinton drew 5,500 … in New York. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/287 "2015-08-04T02:40:32Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Dealing with elderly people (my parents, actually), I remember when Dukakis ran. My mom says, “He’s too short to be president.” She must have _hated_ James Monroe. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/288 "2015-08-04T02:53:47Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > To put it in perspective, Sanders drew more than 10,000 in Red Wisconsin, a state he has no relation to, and Clinton drew 5,500 … in New York. How big were the venues?:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/289 "2015-08-04T03:24:07Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > How big were the venues?:dubious: Wisconsin may be sort of red-ish, but it is a college town. Bernie was [at a coliseum](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/bernie-sanders-draws-crowd-10-000-wisconsin-n385641) in Mad City, so ten k is entirely believable. Hillary appears to have given her kickoff speech at a park on the south end of Roosevelt Island, in the East River – maybe not the easiest place to get to, but easy enough for her people to secure. IOW, probably not quite as impressive as it might sound. ---
**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 4, 2015, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/290 "2015-08-04T06:22:18Z")
She gave her kickoff speech on Roosevelt Island? That’s hilariously low-key and out of the way. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/291 "2015-08-04T06:50:55Z")
Why isn’t Sanders electable? This is America, not Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![zwede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ac91a4/32.png) [@zwede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwede)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/292 "2015-08-04T13:40:27Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > Why isn’t Sanders electable? This is America, not Sweden. I’ve lived in Sweden. Sanders is not electable there as he is far too right wing. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/293 "2015-08-04T15:01:36Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > She must have _hated_ James Monroe. You mean James Madison or “Little Jemmy.” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/294 "2015-08-04T15:11:25Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You mean James Madison or “Little Jemmy.” :smack: I did. And Benjamin Harrison and Martin Van Buren were the same height as Dukakis too, 5’6". ---
**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 4, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/295 "2015-08-04T16:03:33Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > Why isn’t Sanders electable? This is America, not Sweden. Fair enough. As I understand it the Swedes have reasonably good public education and as a consequence don’t have much of a problem with critical thinking in general. Your point is well taken. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/296 "2015-08-04T19:58:09Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Wisconsin may be sort of red-ish, but it is a college town. Bernie was [at a coliseum](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/bernie-sanders-draws-crowd-10-000-wisconsin-n385641) in Mad City, so ten k is entirely believable. > > Hillary appears to have given her kickoff speech at a park on the south end of Roosevelt Island, in the East River – maybe not the easiest place to get to, but easy enough for her people to secure. > > IOW, probably not quite as impressive as it might sound. A candidate who’s confident they can draw a crowd of 10,000 doesn’t book an out-of-the-way venue on an island that can only accommodate half that. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/297 "2015-08-04T20:02:29Z")
Unless she’s looking for TV coverage at a symbolic site. Whole lot more people than that watch TV, yanno. It’s still 2007 in Shaynaland. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/298 "2015-08-04T20:37:55Z")
> [@zwede](#): > > I’ve lived in Sweden. Sanders is not electable there as he is far too right wing. > [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Fair enough. As I understand it the Swedes have reasonably good public education and as a consequence don’t have much of a problem with critical thinking in general. Your point is well taken. Comments like these give me Ebola. Considering Sanders is a left-social democrat and opposes Third Way Blairism, he’d definitely still be on the left in Swedish politics. Also Sweden has about the same if not slightly lower high school graduation rate than the United States: [https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2014/09/graduation.png&w=1484](https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2014/09/graduation.png&w=1484) The same is the case with those holding college degrees: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_countries\_by\_25%E2%80%9334\_year\_olds\_having\_a\_tertiary\_education\_degree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_25%E2%80%9334_year_olds_having_a_tertiary_education_degree) Finally I find it hilarious you find “good education” correlated with left-wing politics considering in the last Presidential elections college graduates were the only majority Romney group. Of course, in Sweden where racial cleavages are less severe, there’s even more of a correlation between higher education levels and support for right-wing parties, which is why the largely middle-class/professional city of Stockholm usually votes for the conservatives while the strongest bastions of the Social Democrats are found in the industrial towns in the remote north of the country. Never mind the facts though, Manchiaean morality plays are much easier for duckposting. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/299 "2015-08-04T20:42:17Z")
[I’m a Veteran and I Support Bernie Sanders for President Because He’s Fought for Veterans His Entire Career](http://vetsforbernie.org/) But perhaps Bernie Sanders’ greatest contribution in Congress has been to repeatedly remind his colleagues who insist we don’t have the money to provide veterans with the highest quality care and benefits: “If we can’t afford to take care of our veterans, then maybe we shouldn’t go to war.” No one knows more about serving their country than veterans. In line with our mission of continued service at home, we strive to take personal ownership of our political system, for that is the only way to make our nation great once again. Like those who came before us, our oath to defend the Constitu]tion — and the fundamental principles upon which this nation was founded—never expires. As such, we call on all veterans, and all active duty and reserve service-members to join us and rally behind Bernie Sanders in his march to the Oval Office. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014/300 "2015-08-04T21:17:44Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > To put it in perspective, Sanders drew more than 10,000 in Red Wisconsin, a state he has no relation to, and Clinton drew 5,500 … in New York. That is impressive, but also Hillary Clinton has been a very public figure for over 20 years, and a politician for 14 years. I’d bet there are a lot of people in New York who support Clinton, but didn’t feel a great need to go out and see her since they’ve seen her before. And there are a lot of reasons why one specific rally might draw more than another one, how have crowds been throughout the last few months? It’d be hard to compare any politician to Clinton, in terms of popularity or drawing crowds, since she’s been such a prominent and divisive figure for so long. I’m more curious about how Sanders crowds and popularity compare to candidates from previous years, and I’m having trouble finding info. I’m not against Sanders, I’m very much for a lot of his ideas. But I can’t tell if Sander’s momentum is real, and he has a chance at winning, or if it’s overblown like Ron Paul supporters were making Ron Paul’s chances sound when he was running. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-again-why-bernie-sanders-isnt-electable/722014.md?page=16)