Bernie Sanders Sayings

During the 1980s, some multibillion-dollar corporations did not pay one penny in taxes.

Nate silver's 538 thinks Bernie Sanders can win Iowa caucuses

Hillary Clinton led Barack Obama 30% to 24% at this same point in the 2008 Iowa caucuses. She leads Bernie Sanders an average of 53% to 37% in this past month. Nate Silver, 538's founder and editor, thinks Bernie could catch up and capture the state, making New Hampshire a tougher win for Clinton. Where we disagree, Silver believes Clinton will still get the nomination. I certainly don't have the data that 538 does--dating back to 1980--but Bernie Sanders has a campaign momentum that might be explained by the following numbers.

It's the young vote; this group is 97 million strong and likely to surprise the pollsters starting in February through November of 2016. It did wonders for Obama in 2008, due to his stand for change, and Bernie Sanders Revolution is exciting this same collection of youth in 2015/2016. 61% of that 97M is registered to vote or over 59 million. 49% of that 59 million voted in 2012 or more than 29 million.

As an example, according to the Washington Wire, Iowa figures show that 60% of this age group supports Bernie Sanders for the February Caucuses. And in New Hampshire, where he leads Clinton now, Bernie has 55%. Nationally, he is viewed positively by 45% of age 18-34, 37% 35-49, 33% 50-64 and 35% 65+. There is a hushed underground working fervently for Bernie Sanders that most of the pollsters are ignoring; it is obvious to me daily from the correspondence I receive on the Sander's campaign.

I have been supporting and covering Bernie Sanders from the first day he entered the race and plan to be around when he is nominated in July.

Happy New Year 2016 from Nasty Jack!

Bernie Sanders Sayings

In 1953, corporations contributed 33% of all tax dollars. Today, they contribute less than 10%.

Merry Christmas...You're dead

As we end the year today, it is tragic that we have to reflect back on Christmas day 2015, with a statistic showing that 27 Americans were shot and killed on December 25, and 63 injured in shooting incidents. The Washington Post uses a comparison between the U.S. and the countries of Austria, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Estonia, Bermuda, Hong Kong and Iceland, combined, that had only 27 gun deaths all year long. And the reason for this is the number of guns on the street.

As an example, Hong Kong has 0.03 gun deaths per 100,000 population compared to the United States, 10.64, the U.S 354 times more. Again based on better gun control. In Hong Kong gun ownership is tightly controlled and possession is mainly in the hands of law enforcement, the military, and private security firms. You might assume, based on this, that the United States cares less about the lives of its citizens than it does about the right to possess a gun.

And I think that would be right, based on the fact that the general population--the ones being slaughtered--support less gun control. Go figure? But the tables are turning. There is a certain faction out there that has had enough and they are speaking up, making it known that Wayne LaPierre and his National Rifle Assn. control of Congress is no longer acceptable. That daily gun deaths will not become the norm. And that new, reasonable gun control will become real, even if by Executive Order of the President.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FDR was a Democratic Socialist

In case you don't know, or didn't remember, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a Democratic Socialist and served an unprecedented four terms in office. Bernie Sanders is a Democratic Socialist but only wants to serve two terms as President. That's what the law says now, and it is probably as good for the person in office as it is for the American people. It is interesting how Presidents age while serving, most evident by their hair turning grey during their tenure. Bernie Sanders doesn't have to worry about that.

In a Politico article, it reported that "...Roosevelt implemented a series of programs that put millions of people back to work, took them out of poverty, and restored our faith in government." Sanders added, "He transformed the country, and that is what we have to do today." Do you see the parallels between the political philosophy of these two men. Each is for the working man, the impoverished and the middle class.

“And, by the way, almost everything he proposed, almost every program, every idea, was called ’socialist,'" Bernie proudly exclaims. It is obvious that Bernie Sanders has removed the tarnish from the once forbidden "S" word, and transformed its meaning so that, even back in 2010, a Gallup Poll found that 36% of Americans have a positive image of socialism.

So, those of you out there that are old enough to remember or who have studied FDR and think Sanders can't win because he is a Democratic Socialist, think again. 

Bernie Sanders Sayings

Carter and Reagan substantially raised the regressive Social Security tax for working Americans. From 1970 to 1990, the Social Security tax was raised nine times--an increase of 31%.