A Limerick A Day

at

Bernie Sanders will again seek the Democrat nomination for US President

Though some will dismiss it as spin
Sanders has said he will win
And capture first place
In the Democrat race
Though I think his chances are thin

John Moynes

Pic: Getty

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38 thoughts on “A Limerick A Day

  1. newsjustin

    I think the best thing the US could so is elect some very bland, very moderate middle of the road person. Going from extreme to extreme (and you might argue Bernie isn’t extreme, but he kind of is in a US context) is not healthy.

    1. Rob_G

      I think even if he were to win the nomination, you’d be safe enough – I don’t think Bernie appeals to a broad demographic to win.

      1. newsjustin

        Yeah. That’s a more important point. If the Democrats want to win, select a strong candidate who unites the Democratic party and electorate AS WELL AS being able to poach votes from moderate Republican voters or middle of the road floaters. Don’t pick the “Anti-Trump” is basically what I’m saying….although I can see why people might, on the face of it, think that’s a good thing.

        1. Nigel

          There are no moderate Republican voters. Anyone who votes for Trump is not a moderate, and not going to be won over by anyone trying to be moderate. It’s all the people who did’;t vote in 2016 and, more importantly, the ones who weren’t allowed to vote thanks to voter suppression, and you won’t win them over or help them while at the same time putting effort into winning over people who loathe you and will never vote for you.

          You’re basically asking the Democratic Party, and it’s always the Democratic Party that’s being required to do this, to effectively become the new mythical Republican Party of its own PR, a reasonable and sensible and moderate right-wing party. But any moderate reasonable Republicans are either already voting for Democrats or they’re faking it and making noises about being reasonable and voting for Trump’s Republican Party. The Democratic Party needs to stop letting itself being bullied to the centre, from within as well as without, or people won’t bother to show up. It needs to actually stand for something. You’re asking for everyone left of centre to be essentially disenfranchised and unrepresented with nobody to vote for and no unified platform to build a power base on, all because of a fantasy that there’s a reasonable and calm centre right where everything will just be ok. Well centre-right won’t tackle climate change, won’t deal with natural degradation and species extinction, won’t sort out health care, won’t cut military funding, won’t deal with voter suppression and a hundred other things. Centre right will cut deals with far-right, and far-right will pull everything further right. Meanwhile, the world actually needs radical action to survive.

          Trump is not unbeatable. He won by a negative margin, for feck’s sake. he’s hugely unpopular and mired in corruption and shady dealings. The best way to lose to him is to pander to a mythical centre. The more people who vote, the more likely the right will lose. It’s people staying at home disillusioned or apathetic that allow the right to roll in on narrow majorities and make radical fundamental changes. I agree, there needs to be an avoidance of cult of personality, but in a two-horse race for the most powerful political position in the world, it’s can’t be avoided completely.

          Liberal policies are more popular than conservative ones. We need, not just in the US, politicians who aren’t ashamed to be liberal because the right is so good at demonising them on the public stage. They need to remember that the votes are gained on the doorsteps, not on Twitter.

          1. f_lawless

            “There are no moderate Republican voters. Anyone who votes for Trump is not a moderate, and not going to be won over by anyone trying to be moderate.”
            Ridiculous sweeping statement. Over 60 million voters are extremists? You’re buying too much into those skewed media narratives which sought to amplify the fringe extremist element of Rep party support.
            In a broken political system that offers up to the public a choice between “the turd sandwich and the douchebag”, It doesn’t mean those voters chose option B should now all be condemned as some kind of untermensch.

    2. f_lawless

      yes, with 80% of US workers living from paycheck to paycheck, perpetual foreign wars draining the economy, 1 in 5 no access to healthcare, crumbling infrastructure, nearly half of eligible voters not voting in 2016, etc..what the US is crying out for is a bland moderate to get things back on the right track!

  2. Starina

    I voted for Bernie in the primaries last time but he needs to poo or get off the pot. and frankly, he’s well past pooing point now. His running again will do nothing but pull much-needed votes away from the democratic candidate because he won’t get the nomination but Bernie Bros will once again get stirred up and write in his name in November 2020. We need to get Trump out of office.

      1. Nigel

        Perfect portrait of a right-wing stooge, already gearing to pass on whatever the Russian bots cook up about the Democratic candidates. Lats time we had spirit cooking and failing health. This year it’ll be all, what, Pocahontas and trains?

          1. Nigel

            There was a century two of colonial imperialism predicated on the idea that African people needed a few white people in charge in order for their natural resources and labour ad strategic geographical locations to be sensibly utilised, so there’s that.

          2. rotide

            Obviously, but I’m talking about now.

            Now, when (overwhelmingly) white people* in overwhelmingly white countries are demanding to see people of colour elected in other mostly white countries.

            *not you Starina pet, dont worry.

          3. Nigel

            ‘Now’ doesn’t exist in isolation. There’s no, let’s say, blank white slate here. Which is to say, there would have to be a lot more water under the bridge before the two opposing questions are even remotely equivalent.

          4. Starina

            don’t you “pet” me, you! :P

            the US is 61% white and declining…so the 2.22% of American presidents who have been non-white are not really representative of the modern country.

          5. Brother Barnabas

            apart from guy scott, vice president of zambia; ian clarke (a UK national too) who’s the elected chairman of kampala; helen zille and timothy stamps in zimbabwe; and can leave kenya entirely out of it because whites are a not at all unusual feature in elective politics – going back yonks.

            but anyways…

          6. Spaghetti Hoop

            Ian Khama, recent President of Botswana – son of English white woman.

            What’s this obsession with skin colour in high office? Isn’t how they execute their responsibility far more important?

          7. Nigel

            Since much racism is based on skin colour, it can be used as a possible indicator of the extent to which racism is baked into institutional structures.

          8. rotide

            I stand corrected on African leaders.

            However it turns out that China is the most racist country in the world.

    1. Ciuncainteach

      He’s running for the democratic nomination. In what respect would he be pulling votes away from the democratic candidate that won’t be chosen until after the primary process?

    2. realPolithicks

      I also voted for Bernie last time out and will certainly be considering him this time around, that being said I don’t believe he will have the same impact this time as there are a lot of potentially excellent progressive candidates (as a result of his run the last time) running in the primaries.

      1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

        He’s nearly 105, though! There really should be an upper age limit, for God’s sake. Nancy Pelosi too. Let the young pups have a go. You know, like Leo and Simon and oooooooooohhhhhhh. I see your point.

    1. rotide

      Glad you see sense Daisy, the electorate are probably sick of the endless parade of women the democrats are fielding.

  3. Junkface

    Good to see Bernie in the race, but to be honest America is fupped if they do not start planning for the massive layoffs on the way due to automation. Truck drivers will no longer be a thing, checkout operators are gone, coming down the line, automated bank management, automated insurance clerks, office clerks of all types will be replaced by automation. Bernie does not have a plan to deal with this problem. They say they can retrain all of these middle aged men who drive trucks etc…it won’t work. They need to start rolling out the Universal income for their citizens. Andrew Yang is the only candidate who understands whats coming down the line over the next 10 years. Americans aren’t losing jobs to immigrants, they’re losing jobs to automation. Someone needs to update Bernie on a realistic plan.

  4. f_lawless

    Tulsi Gabbard is the standout candidate in my book.
    Someone who displays strength of character to openly admit her past failings and as a war veteran, now takes a firm anti-war stance. One of the few to speak out against the latest coup attempt underway in Venezuela and also of the US’ covert arming of extremists in Syria

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