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Green Arrow
06-28-2015, 10:47 PM
Bernie Sanders doesn't follow the money (http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/bernie-sanders-fundraising-donors-2016-campaign-119502.html?hp=r2_3)


Bernie Sanders has an unusual approach to fundraising: Do as little of it as possible.

It’s a point of distinction for the independent senator from Vermont. But it could be a serious limitation to his surging presidential campaign.

Working almost exclusively from his website, Sanders has raised about $8 million so far with an average donation of around $40 — impressive enough, given how little effort he’s made. But Sanders, who has been rising fast in recent early-state polls, is missing an opportunity to capitalize on his momentum with a restive progressive base that’s been without a standard-bearer since liberal icon Elizabeth Warren declined to run.

“I frankly don’t get the restraint. I don’t believe in unilateral disarmament,” said Harvard University professor Lawrence Lessig, who said that some progressives and campaign finance reform advocates think Sanders is ruining his presidential chances by not having a super PAC. (Lessig famously founded a super PAC aimed at ending super PACs.)

Sanders faces the daunting task of finding a way to stay competitive in the Democratic primaries against one of the most potent pair of fundraisers in party history, Bill and Hillary Clinton, who are expected to count their receipts on Hillary’s behalf in the billions. The Clinton campaign says it is hoping to raise $100 million in regular donations by year’s end — and that doesn’t even count the hundreds of millions of dollars likely to flow into her super PAC.

Now, this is something that bothers me. Here's Bernie Sanders, who quite literally stands for everything the Democratic Party claims to stand for, and unlike his competitor in Hillary Clinton, he has stood for the same things since he first ran for elected office in 1981 (mayor of Burlington, VT).

Now here's Bernie proving that he stands for everything the Democrats claim to stand for by actually following through in his own campaign and rejecting both a super PAC AND megadonors. And still they throw their weight behind Hillary, who has almost exclusively geared her fundraising toward megadonors.

It boggles the mind.

Dr. Who
06-28-2015, 10:54 PM
Bernie Sanders doesn't follow the money (http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/bernie-sanders-fundraising-donors-2016-campaign-119502.html?hp=r2_3)



Now, this is something that bothers me. Here's Bernie Sanders, who quite literally stands for everything the Democratic Party claims to stand for, and unlike his competitor in Hillary Clinton, he has stood for the same things since he first ran for elected office in 1981 (mayor of Burlington, VT).

Now here's Bernie proving that he stands for everything the Democrats claim to stand for by actually following through in his own campaign and rejecting both a super PAC AND megadonors. And still they throw their weight behind Hillary, who has almost exclusively geared her fundraising toward megadonors.

It boggles the mind.
This is why I think Sanders is probably the only person running with any integrity at all. If elected he would have no obligations to special interests.

Green Arrow
06-28-2015, 11:02 PM
This is why I think Sanders is probably the only person running with any integrity at all. If elected he would have no obligations to special interests.

A few months ago, I would have said that guarantees he won't win...but now I'm not so sure. Even just taking small donations, he's polling shockingly well against Hillary. He's already up 30+% on Hillary in New Hampshire and it's still early.

Dr. Who
06-28-2015, 11:04 PM
A few months ago, I would have said that guarantees he won't win...but now I'm not so sure. Even just taking small donations, he's polling shockingly well against Hillary. He's already up 30+% on Hillary in New Hampshire and it's still early.
I think people are sick of electing shills for the big corporations and are looking for honest idealism for a change.

Peter1469
06-28-2015, 11:25 PM
If Bernie wins he will be another JFK. The Establishment won't have him or anyone else who won't play along.

Dr. Who
06-28-2015, 11:39 PM
If Bernie wins he will be another JFK. The Establishment won't have him or anyone else who won't play along.
Sadly, you are probably right. He would probably be mysteriously assassinated because playing ball is not an option. I think that every President is read the riot act by "the powers that be" and they are all told just how far they can go, beyond which they will be stopped. Perhaps he knows this, but since he isn't young, he's willing to try to change this dynamic? Perhaps by not taking their money he thinks that he can neutralize them.

Peter1469
06-28-2015, 11:49 PM
The establishment controls our government. Play ball or get dead.