Bernie Sanders is a Fucking Joke

[spoonitnow]

This is a post about why Bernie Sanders is a fucking joke. Retarded socialist doesn't even cover the shit at this point, and I don't know why anyone who actually knows what he's about could even remotely consider voting for the creepy bastard. Originally, the guy was supposed to be this big fucking deal because he's the longest-serving independent in Congress, but that just means he's the king of the stupidest fucking kingdom. Listening to this prick go on and on about how great socialism is, which he has admitted numerous times to be a democratic socialist, would give Joseph Stalin a fucking erection. Liberals are even like, "Jesus fucking Christ, this guy is so far to the left we can't even find him on the fucking map." I don't really know why everybody is riding this guy's nuts like this, but it's fucking scary, and it just goes to show how none of these liberal nutjobs and "smart young people" do anything but fuck off on Reddit and jack off to anime porn in their mom's basement. No one with an ounce of fucking self-respect or two brain cells to rub together would even consider voting for this fucking guy. Geez man, I don't even know what else to say except to read his Wikipedia entry and wonder how the fuck he's not been charged with treason this late in the game.

Also, the first letters in this paragraph spell out a secret message.

[Renton]

He excels at tapping into the growing anti-capitalist sentiment of the younger generation. I think progressives are generally just excited to see someone with such far-left views getting mainstream respect, so they can drop the progressivism schtick and say what they really want: an America modeled from Western European values.

One thing I like about Bernie is that he at least seems to be earnest in what he believes. And he's fairly strong on social issues, corruption, the drug war, and a few other things. If I thought comprehensive socialism in America was inevitable, I'd rather Bernie Sanders take us there than Hillary Clinton. He might actually (gasp) improve how the government works. I would also probably vote for him over Trump, but not over Jeb Bush.

[wufwugy]

I'm not sure if the younger generation likes socialism as much as people say. Late Millennials are surprisingly economically conservative. Early-mid Millennials have a libertarian streak, but we're mostly affected by the perceived warmongering of the right and the perceived failure of capital interests in 2008. Jeb Bush's policies probably represent Generation Z more than any other candidate, but they've only just started reaching voting age.

[spoonitnow]

This is a post about why Bernie Sanders is a fucking joke. Retarded socialist doesn't even cover the shit at this point, and I don't know why anyone who actually knows what he's about could even remotely consider voting for the creepy bastard. Originally, the guy was supposed to be this big fucking deal because he's the longest-serving independent in Congress, but that just means he's the king of the stupidest fucking kingdom. Listening to this prick go on and on about how great socialism is, which he has admitted numerous times to be a democratic socialist, would give Joseph Stalin a fucking erection. Liberals are even like, "Jesus fucking Christ, this guy is so far to the left we can't even find him on the fucking map." I don't really know why everybody is riding this guy's nuts like this, but it's fucking scary, and it just goes to show how none of these liberal nutjobs and "smart young people" do anything but fuck off on Reddit and jack off to anime porn in their mom's basement. No one with an ounce of fucking self-respect or two brain cells to rub together would even consider voting for this fucking guy. Geez man, I don't even know what else to say except to read his Wikipedia entry and wonder how the fuck he's not been charged with treason this late in the game.

Also, the first letters in this paragraph spell out a secret message.

I'm sad that no one has gotten it yet.

[wufwugy]

what do you mean

[BennyLaRue]

I don't get spoon's joke either but I do want to say that every time I see Bernie's name it makes me want some fried chicken.

[spoonitnow]

Ctrl+A

[a500lbgorilla]

I just got the Autocracy branch in my game of Civ 5.

[wufwugy]

never go full spoon

[boost]

He excels at tapping into the growing anti-capitalist sentiment of the younger generation. I think progressives are generally just excited to see someone with such far-left views getting mainstream respect, so they can drop the progressivism schtick and say what they really want: an America modeled from Western European values.

One thing I like about Bernie is that he at least seems to be earnest in what he believes. And he's fairly strong on social issues, corruption, the drug war, and a few other things. If I thought comprehensive socialism in America was inevitable, I'd rather Bernie Sanders take us there than Hillary Clinton. He might actually (gasp) improve how the government works. I would also probably vote for him over Trump, but not over Jeb Bush.

100%

[spoonitnow]

This is a post about why Bernie Sanders is a fucking joke. Retarded socialist doesn't even cover the shit at this point, and I don't know why anyone who actually knows what he's about could even remotely consider voting for the creepy bastard. Originally, the guy was supposed to be this big fucking deal because he's the longest-serving independent in Congress, but that just means he's the king of the stupidest fucking kingdom. Listening to this prick go on and on about how great socialism is, which he has admitted numerous times to be a democratic socialist, would give Joseph Stalin a fucking erection. Liberals are even like, "Jesus fucking Christ, this guy is so far to the left we can't even find him on the fucking map." I don't really know why everybody is riding this guy's nuts like this, but it's fucking scary, and it just goes to show how none of these liberal nutjobs and "smart young people" do anything but fuck off on Reddit and jack off to anime porn in their mom's basement. No one with an ounce of fucking self-respect or two brain cells to rub together would even consider voting for this fucking guy. Geez man, I don't even know what else to say except to read his Wikipedia entry and wonder how the fuck he's not been charged with treason this late in the game.

Also, the first letters in this paragraph spell out a secret message.

Sigh.

[wufwugy]

Sanders is a Scandinavian socialist. The main positive to this version is that it wholly contrasts against Bolshevik and Nazi style violence. This makes it about a billion times better than those, but it still isn't without problems.

The specific problems of the Scandinavian model is that they require total homogeneity and assimilation. Scandinavians have strong national identities (while each being far more similar to each other than to non-Scandinavians), a resilient work ethic, and a coherent and compatible moral culture. Its chief problem today is probably immigration, where its streak of social justice clashes with its relative need for homogeneity. Its immigration has been less conducive to assimilation than it would need to be, yet the social justice and political correctness of the mainstream Scandinavian culture is not conducive to identifying this problem and solving it. I've seen some Swedes lament some pretty outlandish policies when it comes to their government's and mainstream culture's acceptance of radical Muslims, for example.

I'd be quite interested in hearing what CoccoBill has to say about some of this. He's from Finland right? The stuff I said is really just hearsay, so it might not be accurate.


It has been said that welfare programs in Scandinavia work because everybody is Scandinavian. ~90% of the people share a common culture and values. When they think of the downtrodden in their country, it hits closer to home since they share a common identity. Contrast this to the United States, where there is virtually no common identity. We have upwards of like 20 different serious subcultures or some shit. Our politics is just a bunch of "othering". Sanders would be unlikely to heal any divisions. I don't understand the Northeast labor nationalist socialist mentality that much, but it's a different language to half the country.

To note, this is another argument for why the principle of limited government and states rights work. Big, federal government policies need the kind of homogeneity it gets in Scandinavian countries. But a policy that would go over well in Vermont has next to nothing to do with a policy that would go over well in Utah.

[boost]

Sanders is a Scandinavian socialist. The main positive to this version is that it wholly contrasts against Bolshevik and Nazi style violence. This makes it about a billion times better than those, but it still isn't without problems.

The specific problems of the Scandinavian model is that they require total homogeneity and assimilation. Scandinavians have strong national identities (while each being far more similar to each other than to non-Scandinavians), a resilient work ethic, and a coherent and compatible moral culture. Its chief problem today is probably immigration, where its streak of social justice clashes with its relative need for homogeneity. Its immigration has been less conducive to assimilation than it would need to be, yet the social justice and political correctness of the mainstream Scandinavian culture is not conducive to identifying this problem and solving it. I've seen some Swedes lament some pretty outlandish policies when it comes to their government's and mainstream culture's acceptance of radical Muslims, for example.

I'd be quite interested in hearing what CoccoBill has to say about some of this. He's from Finland right? The stuff I said is really just hearsay, so it might not be accurate.


It has been said that welfare programs in Scandinavia work because everybody is Scandinavian. ~90% of the people share a common culture and values. When they think of the downtrodden in their country, it hits closer to home since they share a common identity. Contrast this to the United States, where there is virtually no common identity. We have upwards of like 20 different serious subcultures or some shit. Our politics is just a bunch of "othering". Sanders would be unlikely to heal any divisions. I don't understand the Northeast labor nationalist socialist mentality that much, but it's a different language to half the country.

To note, this is another argument for why the principle of limited government and states rights work. Big, federal government policies need the kind of homogeneity it gets in Scandinavian countries. But a policy that would go over well in Vermont has next to nothing to do with a policy that would go over well in Utah.

Nice post. I think our biases let us slip into making attacks when we mean to be making critiques-- this seems like a very thoughtful and even handed critique.

[spoonitnow]

Related: Diversity + proximity = conflict, every single time.

[a500lbgorilla]

Related: Diversity + proximity = conflict, every single time.

Brothers share some level of diversity and great proximity and they always conflict. Checks out.

But American soldiers share a greater level of diversity and perhaps closer proximity and they're always training for conflict. Half checks out.

[CoccoBill]

So socialism can't work because all people are racist bastards?

I think wuf's analysis is pretty spot on, I'm just not totally convinced of the main point. Finland has been extremely isolated for millenia compared to the rest of europe, even our DNA is strikingly different from both european and asian. Immigration policies are becoming the hottest topic with the growing numbers of Syrian and Afghani refugees to europe. There's been a growing far right sentiment and ignorant hostility towards foreigners, some of the public debate is quite literally making me sick. So yes, there are definitely growing pains with this newfound multiculturalism, but I really don't see a direct correlation with that and our political system.

Unless, you're suggesting that the refugees are coming in hopes of our welfare benefits? I hear that a lot nowadays, but I personally think that's largely bullshit. People come here because there's nowhere else for them to go. Finland accepts something ridiculous like 10000 asylum seekers per year, out of which maybe 1/3 are accepted. In comparison, Germany takes something like 600000, Sweden 50000 and Turkey over a million. Economically we're talking peanuts, but they are of course a handy scapegoat for our perceived economical issues. People come here because it's safe and the standard of living is high.

We have a growing deficit and people seem to think it must be paid off any day now, and are demanding heavy public spending cuts. Our credit rating is still among the best in the world and our foreign debt per capita is something like 25th in the world, something to keep an eye on for sure but absolutely not the doomsday some people here are chanting.

[wufwugy]

So socialism can't work because all people are racist bastards?

I'm not sure I would say that. What I think is really going on is that the socialism isn't working even in Scandinavia, but it is still maintained because other aspects of Scandinavia are incredibly strong. The homogeneity is one example, the northern European style work ethic is another (as opposed to the Mediterranean European lack of traditional work ethic). On top of that, Scandinavia has some of the best capitalist policies on the planet. Even though they are big welfare states with big taxes, they have fewer and more sensible business regulations than most places. Sweden and Denmark are particularly good on this. I don't know much of the details, just that several economists say the business environment is a true strength there.

Socialism doesn't work because, well, the economics of it are bad. The reason I think Scandinavia hasn't gone the way of the USSR isn't because they have a version of socialism that "works", but because they have a lot of capitalism that works really well.

Unless, you're suggesting that the refugees are coming in hopes of our welfare benefits? I hear that a lot nowadays, but I personally think that's largely bullshit.

It is bullshit. They don't come in hopes of welfare, and the idea that they do is wrong. Ironically, those who think that tend to also be anti-welfare, yet it is this same nationalism that creates a society more conducive to welfare. Arguably one of the best ways to undermine welfare is to have a large legal immigration system. This blows up the cost of welfare and natives don't want to pay for things for people they think of as others.

[wufwugy]

It has been said that welfare programs in Scandinavia work because everybody is Scandinavian.

I want to make sure that I see that this line is confusing. I didn't mean to suggest socialism works when people aren't racist, but that racism undermines socialism as a political ideal.

[spoonitnow]

It is bullshit. They don't come in hopes of welfare, and the idea that they do is wrong.

lol yeah ok

[wufwugy]

lol yeah ok

Illegals don't have access to most welfare.

[spoonitnow]

I didn't know we were talking about undocumented illegals.

[wufwugy]

My bad. I never see anybody talk about immigrants immigrating for welfare when they're legal. It's always when they're illegal. The irony is that legal immigrants do get a good chunk of the welfare state and illegals don't.

[Phyuck_merica]

Fuck it lets elect Trump and let our once glorious and now floating turd of a country get flushed. HAIL SATAN 666

[spoonitnow]

Trump would be a better president than Obama.

[a500lbgorilla]

Trump would be a better president than Obama.

Now you’ve got Persian messenger syndrome. The Persians really did kill the messenger who brought the bad news.You think that is dead? I mean you should’ve seen Bill Paley in his last 20 years.[Paley was the former owner, chairman and CEO of CBS; his bio is athttp://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/lewis/crosby/paley.htm] He didn’t hear one damn thing he didn’t want to hear. People knew that it was bad for the messenger to bring Bill Paley things he didn’t want to hear. Well that means that the leader gets in a cocoon of unreality, and this is a great big enterprise, and boy, did he make some dumb decisions in the last 20 years.

And now the Persian messenger syndrome is alive and well. I saw, some years ago, Arco and Exxon arguing over a few hundred millions of ambiguity in their North Slope treaties before a superior court judge in Texas, with armies of lawyers and experts on each side. Now this is a Mad Hatter’s tea party: two engineering-style companies can’t resolve some ambiguity without spending tens of millions of dollars in some Texas superior court? In my opinion what happens is that nobody wants to bring the bad news to the executives up the line. But here’s a few hundred million dollars you thought you had that you don’t. And it’s much safer to act like the Persian messenger who goes away to hide rather than bring home the news of the battle lost.

Trump lives in a bubble. You wanna be in that bubble. Because you're an idiot.

[wufwugy]

Trump would be a better president than Obama.

A wet sock would be a better president than Obama.

[wufwugy]

Do we need to turn this into a "literally everything Obama has done has been wrong" thread?

[a500lbgorilla]

Do we need to turn this into a "literally everything Obama has done has been wrong" thread?

Your funeral.

[wufwugy]

I don't get it.

[a500lbgorilla]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...your%20funeral

[baudib]

I don't get it.

you know gets it?

Spoiler: Show

someone other than you, perhaps

Spoiler: Show

fake

[wufwugy]

heh that would actually be a debate id be interested in having. some other time.

[JKDS]

Republicans have done an absolutely terrific job at downplaying and concealing every good act Obama has done as president. Democrates have done an equally terrific job at staying completely silent on the subject.

[baudib]

I was thinking about putting this statement on Facebook to see if everyone would agree with it. But I decided against it because I despise political arguments and wingnuts of every affiliation.

"Over the past 35 years, we've seen two of the worst presidents in American history. Agree or disagree?"

I'm pretty sure that Republicans and Democrats would all agree.

Yet I think it is really difficult to be intellectually honest and disagree that the presidents we've had in that time period were all remarkably effective at instituting widespread change and moving the country in a markedly different direction. Whether you think those changes are good or bad is obviously up for debate, but they certainly stimulated huge change.

[baudib]

I'm very skeptical what a true outsider could accomplish in the White House.

[spoonitnow]

Republicans have done an absolutely terrific job at downplaying and concealing every good act Obama has done as president. Democrates have done an equally terrific job at staying completely silent on the subject.

Millions of people are now underemployed thanks to Obamacare.

[JKDS]

You dont know that. There are still tons of debates over how many people even gained coverage through Obamacare, and many economists think its a fallacy to track Obamacare to job growth or loss at all. Some even say that what is happening with job growth and part time work growth is what would have happened absent Obamacare.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamo...hey-say-now/2/

Annual healthcare cost increases have also been the lowest theyve been in years. https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/def...embargo_v2.pdf

It also, at the very least, has helped thousands of people with pre-existing conditions pay for those conditions.

Its also largely a congressional thing, not a potus thing. Yeah, Obama played a significant role, but the biggest role was congress. If you wanna take pot shots at Obama personally, attacking his policy on drone strikes shoulda been number1.

[spoonitnow]

You dont know that.

Actually I do know that. Take nearly every single entry level person making $10/hour or less who was full-time before Obamacare and cut their hours by 25-33 percent. Now add in a bunch of "new hires" working 10-20 hours/week to make up the difference. That's what the incentive structure does that was created by Obamacare. This is where the "part time job growth" is coming from.

Millions of people who want to work to support themselves simply cannot do it now without working two or three part-time jobs.

Yes, there are people with pre-existing conditions who are able to get care now. There are also millions of people who are forced into paying for an over-priced, under-producing product that they don't want at threat of a government gun in their face.

I've got news for you: Gaining coverage through Obamacare is not a good thing for the vast majority of people who are actually paying more than $20/month for it. That's something that most uppity liberal fucks who aren't actually affected by it fail to see. It's fucked over more Americans than any other government policy in the past five decades aside from the war on drugs.

As an aside, Forbes online is no longer reliable as a source on pretty much anything in general because of how easy it is to pay a few hundred bucks and get just about anything you want posted there. That's actually a lot of fun in and of itself. Mst online news outlets based on reputable brands are doing the same thing because it's more profitable that way.

[JKDS]

Didnt know that about forbes, thats sad. Googled quickly to see if there were other sources to back it up, and the whole first two pages were crap like buzzfeed and the huffington.

[wufwugy]

I changed my mind, I've figured out one thing Obama has done well: hunt and kill Bin Laden.

Let's see if I can find a second thing.

[spoonitnow]

I changed my mind, I've figured out one thing Obama has done well: hunt and kill Bin Laden.

Let's see if I can find a second thing.

Yeah Obama totally did that.

[wufwugy]

Yeah Obama totally did that.

Given what POTUS is, it's okay to say he did. Probably all he did was give policy directions and approvals, but that's all POTUS could ever do in the circumstance. He gets credit for giving the right policy directions and right approvals.

[spoonitnow]

Given what POTUS is, it's okay to say he did. Probably all he did was give policy directions and approvals, but that's all POTUS could ever do in the circumstance. He gets credit for giving the right policy directions and right approvals.

Don't forget that if you run a business, you didn't make that.

Maybe Obama did that too.

[spoonitnow]

Btw I'm just carrying on in this thread. The only real thing I have against Obama is how he's a total beta and how Obamacare is compulsory and created fucked up incentives for employers.