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wildeyed

(11,240 posts)
73. Nah. All you need is a politician
Fri Jan 29, 2016, 08:05 PM
Jan 2016

who is willing to walk through that door once the activists push it open far enough. That's the easy part. You gotta make them do it. That's the hard part.

Activist are responsible for giving the politician the cover they need to get the work of the legislation done. King famously pushed Kennedy and LBJ on civil rights. The depression opened the door for FDR. None of that groundbreaking legislation gets done without both timing and the right activists in place to agitate on the issues.

Sanders math on single-payer doesn't work. His job is to present a workable policy that we can move toward. He has not done that.

"And isn't that the entire point of the Democratic Party?"
NO. That is not the point of a political party at all. They are a tactic to allow politicians to win elections. Nothing more.

Y'all should quit dumping your responsibility to agitate the shit out of this issue onto Sanders or a political party's lap in the first place. Because it goes nowhere if you do that. MAKE THEM DO IT. Show up at every board meeting, at the state house and vote in every single election that you are eligible for. Write OpEds and register voters. Make the local pols who oppose you fucking miserable every time they see you coming until they pass your law just to get you off their back. Yes you can!

I know if we do nothing then we get nothing. Fearless Jan 2016 #1
+1 daleanime Jan 2016 #11
This is it. tecelote Jan 2016 #12
No Dem candidate is talking BlueMTexpat Jan 2016 #26
so the not doing nothing dem canidate tk2kewl Jan 2016 #44
ACTUALLY that's exactly what she's saying Fearless Jan 2016 #70
She is NOT saying that BlueMTexpat Jan 2016 #72
She has come out against single payer. ACTUALLY. Fearless Jan 2016 #86
I lived in Europe and liked the way single payer worked there. It is especially good for JDPriestly Jan 2016 #2
SP enid602 Jan 2016 #43
I was brought up with the British UK and I miss the NHS Rosa Luxemburg Jan 2016 #94
The term "single payer" is in common parlance Ron Green Jan 2016 #3
He never promised anything. Just talking bout things valuable to shoot for. With our help. highprincipleswork Jan 2016 #4
I do and I have wondered for years why the Democratic keep rolling over on the Todays_Illusion Jan 2016 #5
Three things EdwardBernays Jan 2016 #6
Would be fun watching him try unc70 Jan 2016 #7
I buy into that it is probably the best way long-term, but he's not being honest about the cost or Hoyt Jan 2016 #8
Who voted for war? Omaha Steve Jan 2016 #9
+1 daleanime Jan 2016 #13
Yep. You never hear the corporatists or their cheerleaders spreading anti-war messages with GoneFishin Jan 2016 #29
+1 kristopher Jan 2016 #30
Yes, of course people want choice. freedom fighter jh Jan 2016 #34
Good to know chervilant Jan 2016 #71
If Sanders isn't elected, we won't even have the ACA mdbl Jan 2016 #10
Becasue of her close ties to the Insurance Industry and pharmacuticals INdemo Jan 2016 #41
So many other countries can do it. tecelote Jan 2016 #14
Yep! I'm a sucker for a good deal. I plead guilty. Stevepol Jan 2016 #15
I dunno. Do you buy into the cowardly doublespeak of his detractors? Android3.14 Jan 2016 #16
No one believes it will be easy or happen over night bowens43 Jan 2016 #17
It's funny... With regard to women's right to vote, not too long ago... Helen Borg Jan 2016 #18
If we get progressives in on his coat tails....... Half-Century Man Jan 2016 #19
Oh boy wtawilltaw Jan 2016 #20
Not the way it works MichMan Jan 2016 #33
You dont start at zero and expect to go up.. wtawilltaw Jan 2016 #59
who is putting forth "Bernie Sanders thinks if he's elected President, we will have single payer." ? corkhead Jan 2016 #21
If you are living in Fantasy Land - maybe liberal N proud Jan 2016 #22
It matters what the General Election voter believes. Bernie's put his plan out there, pnwmom Jan 2016 #23
As I recall, this was a fantasy most often seen in 2008. Vinca Jan 2016 #24
No Hillary supporter has BlueMTexpat Jan 2016 #27
Hillary supporters are, almost to a person, running opposed to single-payer. Vinca Jan 2016 #32
That is much different from saying, BlueMTexpat Jan 2016 #40
Just to discuss one point mikehiggins Jan 2016 #50
Are you kidding? wildeyed Jan 2016 #78
Calm down. I don't think I've ever called anyone on this site a mental defective. Vinca Jan 2016 #89
Asking for a workable budget on single-payer wildeyed Jan 2016 #90
"Trashing" ACA hasn't been proposed. Vinca Jan 2016 #93
The math will work. OkSustainAg Jan 2016 #25
THIS^^^ MrMickeysMom Jan 2016 #28
Stop over inflating the military OkSustainAg Jan 2016 #37
Where? wildeyed Jan 2016 #79
The Bernie Sanders Health Plan Is Too Good To Be True, Analyst Says Gothmog Jan 2016 #49
Let's give single payer a try. OkSustainAg Jan 2016 #58
Why single payer died in Vermont Gothmog Jan 2016 #69
I totally read this as wildeyed Jan 2016 #80
Yes, I do. OkSustainAg Jan 2016 #95
when can we start calling buying into > $1 trillion for wars a "fantasy" ?? - n/t Locrian Jan 2016 #31
I believe in single payer Duckhunter935 Jan 2016 #35
Negotiate from a position of STRENGTH. Bernie knows this. yodermon Jan 2016 #36
Yes, I do think that adopting a single payer system would be the best thing for this country. bklyncowgirl Jan 2016 #38
No magic wands here. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jan 2016 #39
No. LWolf Jan 2016 #42
Be careful. You're horning into Dan's territory. You guys need to coordinate. HERVEPA Jan 2016 #45
If you get a chance, can you let me know.... vi5 Jan 2016 #46
The Sanders plan depends on hypothetical costs savings that Prof. Krugman thinks are false Gothmog Jan 2016 #47
Bernie Sanders's fiction-filled campaign Gothmog Jan 2016 #48
It's not a fantasy for the rest of the civilized world! Zen Democrat Jan 2016 #53
Singld payer is a great goal. hrmjustin Jan 2016 #51
Bernie is out to bring in a revolution from the White House to the House of Reps and Senate. Zen Democrat Jan 2016 #52
Do you honestly think Clinton will lift a finger gyroscope Jan 2016 #54
+1 CharlotteVale Jan 2016 #61
I love the way Senator Sanders reaches for the entire pie, Obama should have done that too. Sunlei Jan 2016 #55
Why would politicians oppose Medicare for All? Money. gordyfl Jan 2016 #56
Sanders main platform is defeating special interrest monies that BLOCK to their Jefferson23 Jan 2016 #57
Bernie will fight for it, but an "incrementalist" will cave to the Insurance Ind and Big Pharma amborin Jan 2016 #60
It's so nice to read an equally weighted OP, one that does not prejudge or load the question. nt TheBlackAdder Jan 2016 #62
The ACA was sold as a stepping stone, the fear that Benrie will undo Obamas "greatest" Autumn Jan 2016 #63
I do and it's no fantasy Nanjeanne Jan 2016 #64
If Bernie is elected single payer will inevitably follow. Zorra Jan 2016 #65
fantasy? - stupid question - the question should be SoLeftIAmRight Jan 2016 #66
Is this a rhetorical question, wildeyed Jan 2016 #74
Defeatism AgingAmerican Jan 2016 #67
Hopefully, we'll find out with Bernie. With Hillary we already know we won't. Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2016 #68
Nah. All you need is a politician wildeyed Jan 2016 #73
Please stop. H2O Man Jan 2016 #75
How rude ... Trajan Jan 2016 #76
We return to caring about PEOPLE, or fuck them? wildeyed Jan 2016 #81
Gone Trajan Jan 2016 #83
Gone. wildeyed Jan 2016 #85
Hah ... 'The Right Direction' Trajan Jan 2016 #77
Vermont is a small state Nanjeanne Jan 2016 #82
I trust Bernie to do everything he can to steer us in the right direction. senz Jan 2016 #84
It may take longer than that, Blue_In_AK Jan 2016 #87
Yes, it will happen. It is only sensible. Betty Karlson Jan 2016 #88
"A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" JustABozoOnThisBus Jan 2016 #91
‘Single-payer is the only health reform that pays for itself’ Ferd Berfel Jan 2016 #92
The same people who are claiming Obama didn't get it treestar Jan 2016 #96
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