Is Bernie Sanders's message more popular than Ron Paul's?

[Son_of_Liberty90]

I hate to admit it, but as much as I was hopeful in 2012 for a breakthrough for Ron based on the great campaign ads and grassroots support, it seems like Bernie Sanders's message is gaining more traction by democratic and independent voters. Is it because of the "FREE STUFF" message he's espousing?

Why was it than Ron was considered "crazy" for his extreme views on role of government but socialist Bernie is being embraced like wildfire?

Put it another way: how many Ron Paul supporters do you think support Bernie Sanders today, and how many people who were against Ron Paul/support Bernie Sanders?

Especially young voters. I saw a disturbing newscast that interviewed students supporting Bernie Sanders, and one student said, "Bernie Sanders was not a successful candidate before because he didn't have a generation like us."

*Shudders*

[squarepusher]

Bernie could loosely be considered the "left's Ron Paul," only he is doing much better and actually has a good chance of getting elected.

[presence]

Bernie could loosely be considered the "left's Ron Paul," only he is doing much better and actually has a good chance of getting elected.

I'm not seeing that

[Anti Federalist]

Is Bernie Sanders's message more popular than Ron Paul's?

Of course it is.

It's some of the freedom, with all sorts of "free" stuff to go along with it.

[idiom]

Bernie is getting huge traction because of a lack of options.

Imagine if the entire 2008 race had been Ron Paul vs McCain, or 2012 was Ron Paul vs Romney.

Bernie is the *only* non-Hillary option.

A lot of his supporters don't know or dis-like his policies, but they hate Hillary more.

Nobody who supports him actually wants to get rid of NASA etc, they just really really hate Hillary and would take anyone.

[juleswin]

Bernie is getting huge traction because of a lack of options.

Imagine if the entire 2008 race had been Ron Paul vs McCain, or 2012 was Ron Paul vs Romney.

Bernie is the *only* non-Hillary option.

A lot of his supporters don't know or dis-like his policies, but they hate Hillary more.

Nobody who supports him actually wants to get rid of NASA etc, they just really really hate Hillary and would take anyone.

Yep, essentially he alone is the anti Romney for the dems.

[Kotin]

we have a completely uniformed and misinformed public so why be surprised by this?

[Dianne]

Bernie could loosely be considered the "left's Ron Paul," only he is doing much better and actually has a good chance of getting elected.

Actually Ron Paul did great, but no news media outlet would cover his success. The only reason they are now covering Sanders, is because people are so damn pissed off with the media, and watching everything they do and say. It wasn't like that in 2007 and 2012. Ron Paul was a pioneer in exposing the corrupt news media, but too late for him. Sanders now has the benefit.

[TheTexan]

One promised to take away your free stuff, the other promised to give you more free stuff.

Easy choice

[unknown]

Ron Paul was never "considered" crazy.

He was constantly name called and personally attacked by the establishment and their minions in the media because they could never successfully challenge him on his ideals and principles.

Of-course Sanders' message is more popular than Ron Paul's.

Ron Paul wanted to get government out of our lives and do away with the IRS (among other things).

Sanders wants more government, taking more of your money in order to give you more "free" $#@!.

Of-course thats going to resonate more, especially with the OWS well intentioned but completely misguided $#@!heads.

[idiom]

If there were six governors running against Hillary + Sanders nobody would know who the $#@! he was. He has got nothing on Ron. Intellectually he is weak sauce, his record is a shambles.

Unlike the GOP, the Dems *LOVE* to upset the DNC apple cart for $#@!s and giggles, that is how Obama got nominated.

[misterx]

Without a doubt! People love free stuff.

[ShaneEnochs]

Bernie is getting huge traction because of a lack of options.

Imagine if the entire 2008 race had been Ron Paul vs McCain, or 2012 was Ron Paul vs Romney.

Bernie is the *only* non-Hillary option.

A lot of his supporters don't know or dis-like his policies, but they hate Hillary more.

Nobody who supports him actually wants to get rid of NASA etc, they just really really hate Hillary and would take anyone.

Not sure where you're getting this, but as a Bernie supporter myself (and former RP supporter), I've never heard or met anyone who supports him while disliking his policies. His rallies have tens of thousands of very passionate supporters who know very well what his stances and policies are.

Also, Bernie has never said anything about getting rid of NASA. He just doesn't see it as a priority, which is one of the two stances I disagree with him on. The other is nuclear energy.

[idiom]

Not sure where you're getting this, but as a Bernie supporter myself (and former RP supporter), I've never heard or met anyone who supports him while disliking his policies. His rallies have tens of thousands of very passionate supporters who know very well what his stances and policies are.

Also, Bernie has never said anything about getting rid of NASA. He just doesn't see it as a priority, which is one of the two stances I disagree with him on. The other is nuclear energy.

He has voted repeatedly to defund NASA. He defended it in the Reddit AMA even.

But the reason anybody cares is the lack of options.

[ShaneEnochs]

He has voted repeatedly to defund NASA. He defended it in the Reddit AMA even.

But the reason anybody cares is the lack of options.

Context is important. This is what he actually said:

I am supportive of NASA not only because of the excitement of space exploration, but because of all the additional side benefits we receive from research in that area. Sometimes, and frankly I don't remember all of those votes, one is put in a position of having to make very very difficult choices about whether you vote to provide food for hungry kids or health care for people who have none and other programs. But, in general, I do support increasing funding for NASA.

Which can be read as "I support NASA, but there are bigger priorities."

Like I said, it's not something I agree with, but it's rare to agree 100% with anyone.

[idiom]

Between advancing the ability to produce for all humanity, and giving out free food the man picks free food.

There is almost nothing commendable to him except he is the least bad option.

Its also fun and exciting to support someone who could win and knock Hillary out.

[ShaneEnochs]

There is almost nothing commendable to him except he is the least bad option.

That's it? You're not interested in getting huge amounts of private money (read: bribes) out of politics? Even right-wing folks should be able to get behind that.

[Bastiat's The Law]

It's certainly a lot easier to convey the premise that "you, person in the audience deserve free stuff" over explaining spontaneous order to the miseducated and uninformed masses.

[ShaneEnochs]

It's certainly a lot easier to convey the premise that "you mister person in the audience deserve free stuff" over explaining spontaneous order to the miseducated and uninformed masses.

I pay roughly $33,000/year in taxes between Federal, State, Medicare, and Social Security. Know what I get out of it? Some crumbling infrastructure. Know what I'd like to get out of it? Free college and healthcare would be a nice start.

[The Gold Standard]

That's it? You're not interested in getting huge amounts of private money (read: bribes) out of politics? Even right-wing folks should be able to get behind that.

I've heard this bull$#@! before. How is he going to get private money and bribes out of politics? Politicians are banned from working in the private sector after their terms? No more speaking fees? Politicians don't give a $#@! who funds their campaigns, they can't keep that money anyway. It's the money they get to keep that Bernie won't stop, can't stop, and doesn't want to stop, because the only way to stop it is for the government not to have the power to grant favors or interfere in the economy. Bernie wants the government to control the economy, so there will just be more bribes.

[The Gold Standard]

I pay roughly $33,000/year in taxes between Federal, State, Medicare, and Social Security. Know what I get out of it? Some crumbling infrastructure. Know what I'd like to get out of it? Free college and healthcare would be a nice start.

You know what I would like to get out of it? My money back. How the $#@! did you ever support Ron Paul? Bernie Sanders is the anti-Ron Paul.

[ShaneEnochs]

You know what I would like to get out of it? My money back. How the $#@! did you ever support Ron Paul? Bernie Sanders is the anti-Ron Paul.

Ron Paul's economic message wasn't what resonated with me. He brought in a lot of people from a lot of places.

[Working Poor]

Bernie doewsn't have the media saying he is unelectable every time he is on the news like Ron did.

[Working Poor]

Bernie doesn't have the media saying he is unelectable every time he is on the news like Ron did.

[The Gold Standard]

Ron Paul's economic message wasn't what resonated with me. He brought in a lot of people from a lot of people.

Whatever message resonated, Bernie doesn't have it. But whatever floats your boat. At least you gave up with this nonsense about getting bribes out of politics.

[ShaneEnochs]

Whatever message resonated, Bernie doesn't have it. But whatever floats your boat. At least you gave up with this nonsense about getting bribes out of politics.

Remember when there were ten million threads when someone dropped out of the 2012 race about how everyone should be nice so people would come here and see how nice and hunky doory it was? These kinds of comments was why those threads needed to be created.

Some of the people on this site can't even fathom that opinions or leanings or candidates other than their own could be right or worthy. Then they write off everyone else as statists.

Bernie is all about campaign finance reform, and that's a big issue with me. Healthcare and college are also important, as is raising the minimum wage. I know many of you have differing opinions on those topics, but being in the hive mind of this forum doesn't elevate your opinion to fact. It's okay to have a difference of opinion, and having that difference doesn't mean that you can't respect the opinion of others.

[The Gold Standard]

Remember when there were ten million threads when someone dropped out of the 2012 race about how everyone should be nice so people would come here and see how nice and hunky doory it was? These kinds of comments was why those threads needed to be created.

Some of the people on this site can't even fathom that opinions or leanings or candidates other than their own could be right or worthy. Then they write off everyone else as statists.

Bernie is all about campaign finance reform, and that's a big issue with me. Healthcare and college are also important, as is raising the minimum wage. I know many of you have differing opinions on those topics, but being in the hive mind of this forum doesn't elevate your opinion to fact. It's okay to have a difference of opinion, and having that difference doesn't mean that you can't respect the opinion of others.

Well, you came here, and learned nothing, and aren't going to, so why keep being nice? I didn't even think I was being that bad. Maybe you need to go back to your Bernouts with your safe spaces and all of that $#@!.

That's fine if campaign finance reform is important to you. It means nothing to me, and it certainly does nothing to "get bribes out of politics", but if you like it, have at it. The rest of your views are shared by many who have no regard for the rights of others. Being robbed and robbing others does not appeal to me. Again, have at it if it appeals to you. The "hive mind" of this forum these days is all about protectionism and hating foreigners, so the rights of others seems to mean little to them too.

[ShaneEnochs]

Well, you came here, and learned nothing, and aren't going to, so why keep being nice? I didn't even think I was being that bad. Maybe you need to go back to your Bernouts with your safe spaces and all of that $#@!.

That's fine if campaign finance reform is important to you. It means nothing to me, and it certainly does nothing to "get bribes out of politics", but if you like it, have at it. The rest of your views are shared by many who have no regard for the rights of others. Being robbed and robbing others does not appeal to me. Again, have at it if it appeals to you. The "hive mind" of this forum these days is all about protectionism and hating foreigners, so the rights of others seems to mean little to them too.

Taxation isn't robbery. It's the price of civilization. I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to find a country on this planet that has even half of the standard of living that we have that doesn't have taxes. I guess you could go down and live in the Bahamas, but unless you're a banker or some kind of tour guide, you're probably going to end up pretty poor.

[idiom]

That's it? You're not interested in getting huge amounts of private money (read: bribes) out of politics? Even right-wing folks should be able to get behind that.

That's not a policy. That's a before-the-policy policy.

You know what the problem is? The people to whom the bribes are going. Sanders most popular "policies" are actually just huge $#@!ing bribes.

Expanding Medicare? Medicare is a huge $#@!ing money shovel to vested interests.

Actual socialized medicine would mean expanding the VA system to cover every American. Bernie did a bang up job running that mess.

His general problem is that he actually identifies issues (no gold star for that) but then comes up with ideas that make them way worse.

Also "getting the money out of politics" is like "taxing the rich". The people doing the taxing and the campaign reform simply aren't as good at it as the people they are fighting, or they would be wealthy too.

The rich work day and night to avoid taxation and to accumulate wealth and power. It wasn't handed to them, they acquire it with immense discipline and effort. The major "bribes" don't go anywhere near campaigns.

Are you going to make it illegal to work on Wall street before or after working at the SEC? Going to cut defense spending? Going to repeal Obamacare? End Medicare? End Ethanol and agricultural subsidies? These are the real bribes.

[ShaneEnochs]

That's not a policy. That's a before-the-policy policy.

You know what the problem is? The people to whom the bribes are going. Sanders most popular "policies" are actually just huge $#@!ing bribes.

Expanding Medicare? Medicare is a huge $#@!ing money shovel to vested interests.

Actual socialized medicine would mean expanding the VA system to cover every American. Bernie did a bang up job running that mess.

His general problem is that he actually identifies issues (no gold star for that) but then comes up with ideas that make them way worse.

It's not even medicare that he's proposing. Medicare has premiums. His plan wouldn't, as it's fully funded through taxation. It's a single payer plan. As far as the VA, it had problems long before Sanders was on the Veteran's Affairs Committee. When the whole scandal went down, he and McCain passed a bipartisan Veterans Choice Act which helped a ton. It hired more doctors and nurses and created more hospitals to help drive down the wait times and help vets get the services that they needed in a timely manner.