I think the more important discussion to have on Bernie Sanders is 'socialism.'

[wyldwolf]

And, honestly, I'm taking a very neutral approach to the word and the concept.

Several polls a few years back that found millennials and other key demographics in the Democratic coalition are quite receptive to socialism. There is some ambiguity in the polls and I'll leave that to the number crunchers.

“Socialism” is a negative for most Americans, but certainly not all Americans. “Capitalism” is regarded positively by a majority of the public, though it is a thin majority. There are certain segments of the public – notably, young people and Democrats – where both “isms” are rated about equally....

... Reaction to “capitalism” is lukewarm among many demographic groups. Fewer than half of young people, women, people with lower incomes and those with less education react positively to “capitalism.”

http://www.people-press.org/2010/05/04/socialism-not-so-negative-capitalism-not-so-positive/

More than one-third of Americans (36%) have a positive image of "socialism," while 58% have a negative image. Views differ by party and ideology, with a majority of Democrats and liberals saying they have a positive view of socialism, compared to a minority of Republicans and conservatives.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/125645/socialism-viewed-positively-americans.aspx

I think, after the big recession, these numbers might swing more in favor of socialism. But that's just a guess. But what I do come away with is Bernie's socialism won't be a big issue in the Democratic primaries. Should he make it to the general election, the key (as with any election) will be turning out the Democratic block that is at least receptive to it or, at the very least, vehemently opposed to the alternative. But that should be obvious, anyway. It would be interesting to see how he would respond to the smears.

Good luck Senator Sanders.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. He'll be an excellent ambassador for Socialism

Americans love "Socialist" policies. They're just afraid of the name. Bernie's great at explain that:

Socialism = Policies U Like

[Live and Learn]

3. +1 nt

[cali]

2. Nope. Wrong. the important discussion is ISSUES. ISSUES. ISSUES.

[Cheese Sandwich]

4. Socialism is actually fuckin awesome and I think the USA is getting hip to it.

[JonLP24]

5. Well certainly the young vote is the only area the Republicans have a chance at

The only groups they have locked up are the older white conservatives & the evangelicals, also the poor would have much more of an incentive to turn out (turnout gaps widen the poorer you go)

[JHB]

6. Another important point is how the meaning of those words have changed...

Perhaps not the textbook definitions, but what people mean by them in everyday usage.

What counted as "capitalism" back in the depths of the Cold War is derided as "socialism" today. The terms have been very deliberately been pushed rightward, so that their usage today was the stuff of ranting cranks back in the 50s and early 60s.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

7. Republicans have spent 6+ years calling Obama a socialist.

They'll call any candidate fielded from the left a socialist. This waters down the the word to meaninglessness for most people.

[rogerashton]

8. Socialism is a word with many meanings.

Let me quote two important economists:

1) Schumpeter: By the twenty-first century capitalism will evolve into “an order of things which it will be merely a matter of taste and terminology to call Socialism or not.”

Schumpeter, J. A. (1928), “The Instability of Capitalism,” The Economic Journal v. 38, no. 151 (Sept.) pp. 361-368.

2) Sir Arthur Lewis: “Socialism is not, in the first instance, about property any more than it is about the state. Socialism is about equality. A passion for equality is the one thing that links all socialists; on all others they are divided.”

Lewis, W. A. (1969), Principles of Economic Planning (London: Allen and Unwin).