What Americans abroad know about Bernie Sanders, and you should know too...Today's LA Times.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by one_voice (a host of the General Discussion forum).

As the prospect of Donald Trump in the White House moves from ludicrous to terrifying, it’s time to reconsider the electability question. Despite polls suggesting that Hillary Clinton is more likely to lose the general election than Bernie Sanders, her supporters routinely argue that Sanders’ program is too radically utopian to have a chance. Often a note of condescension is injected: Young people support Sanders because they want free stuff. Once his proposals are seriously considered, it’s argued, any adult will reject them out of hand.

Although countless analyses have been devoted to the demographics each candidate needs to win, one demographic has not been part of the national conversation. Sanders won the first global Democratic Party primary by a landslide — 69% of the vote — that the media hardly noted and never analyzed. Democrats Abroad, the overseas arm of the Democratic Party, organized the election, which took place in March, to represent citizens who live outside the U.S., a group the Democratic National Committee considers the 51st state.

Expatriate Democrats could choose to send primary election absentee ballots back to their home states, or they could participate in the global primary, which will send 21 delegates to the party convention in July. Ballots could be cast by fax, email or snail mail in the global primary, or at one of 104 polling places that were organized in cities from Lima to London. (Since I was traveling at the time, I faxed my ballot, but my daughter sent me a festive photo showing her feeling the Bern in Berlin.)

Of the 8 million Americans who live abroad, 34,700 participated in the global Democratic primary. Although the sampling is not huge, it’s considerably larger than that used for polls that play crucial roles in the electoral process. While we are wondering what drives young Latinas or older white men to support this or that candidate, we ought to consider why 69% of Democratic voters who live in 40 countries preferred Bernie Sanders.

All of it at the link:
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-neiman-sanders-global-democratic-primary-20160603-snap-story.html

[Democrats Ascendant]

1. Hard to say, but definitely worth greater study!

From what I can tell, the process seems to be pretty different in each place. The ones that I'm more familiar with were very low turnout caucus-style events (sometimes held in a bar). The biggest were in the UK and Canada, but still 34.7K/8M = a .004 voting ratio!

I'm not surprised that the myopic Amero-centric media largely ignored this; hell, they've basically ignored PR and its SIXTY delegates (that's 1 less than OR, but 1 more than NH and NV combined!).

I really love that this contest exists for Dems, but I'm not entirely convinced it's a voting block as such. Why would Clinton win The Dominican Republic and Singapore (VASTLY different), but not say Guatemala or Hong Kong? (The only other country she won was Nigeria, 4-1, but only 5 people total voted.)

My caution at generalize folks in such vastly different places aside, Americans in expat communities are often younger-ish, very liberal, and financially quite well off (at least compared to their current environs).

Reaching/campaigning to them can be pretty tough. Obviously the internet and social media are the best ways, but the websites/FB pages I've studied are pretty barebones wastes of cyberspace....

With 13 delegates and global bragging rights, I agree that it merits some figuring out!

[chknltl]

2. KnR nt

[saidsimplesimon]

3. How about we demolish

"The Hotel California"? The next generation is more positive. I have "Great Expectations".

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="

" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[FairWinds]

4. Does it really take a whole bunch of study to figure out . .

why Bernie did so well among Americans living abroad?

NO !! Most of them live in social democracies that ALREADY HAVE
free college tuition, medicare for all, and much more.

They know that Sanders proposals are NOT too radically utopian to have a chance.

They exist.

(And by the way, the award for the most condescending remark of the campaign
has to go to Hillary for pointing out that "the US is not Denmark.&quot

[Dont call me Shirley]

7. +1,000,000!

[geardaddy]

5. Thank you Peggy!

[Blue_Tires]

6. Help me out here:

Why is Sanders such a lock against Trump in the general when he can't even defeat Hillary in the primaries?

[Surya Gayatri]

9. 'Tis a conundrum, indeed! Could it have anything to do with the fact that

the Bern's never been vetted at the national level? Humm?

[Fuddnik]

12. You'll have to think that one out for yourself.

[ish of the hammer]

13. as Cenk of the young turks pointed out, some states are closed primaries

and independents did not get to vote and independents ( the largest voting block) are overwhelmingly for Sanders. further, they do get to vote in the general, but guess what? mostly they don't like Clinton!
notice I didn't mention the DNC rigging the primaries to help Clinton.

[bjobotts]

14. Because the primaries are all Democrats not the general population.Clinton had superdelegates

long before Sanders even entered the race. Supporters in places of power since her '08 run. Trump is turning republican but has been running on democratic policies (expanding SS, no trade deals,etc) but now he agrees with Lyin' Ryan on budget and SS and gutting Medicare as he falls in line with the repub party. He was non establishment now he's just non experience know nothing. The majority of the general population when polled want what Bernie Sanders stands for and that is why the polls show him easily defeating Trump and by much greater numbers than Hilllary who does not stand for what the majority when polled claim they want. 33% of dem voters does not equate to 79% of the general population voters which is why Bernie would win.

[floriduck]

18. My thought is that Bernie will attract some Republicans who have no desire to see Hillary in

office. And I expect more independent's will vote for Sanders over Clinton. Just my opinion.

[Dont call me Shirley]

8. A Giant KnR!

[Betty Karlson]

10. Huge K&R

[sufrommich]

11. Why is this in GD? nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. I thought this was the appropriate forum. n/t

[sufrommich]

16. Regardless of the very specific instructions on

not posting primary crap in GD?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. I did read the instructions, and it seemed appropriate to me. n/t

[one_voice]

19. Locking...

Discussions about Democratic presidential primaries and or their candidates belong in GDP. Please repost there. Thanks.

Star Member Skinner (61,811 posts)
1. If it mentions one of the primary candidates then it still belongs in GDP.

You are welcome to post about the general election in GD without reference to the primary candidates.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12599837#post1