The Bernie effect: Noam Chomsky says Sanders will push the entire Democratic party to the left

[DonViejo]

BETHANIA PALMA MARKUS
11 AUG 2015 AT 14:05 ET

Noam Chomsky is glad to see Bernie Sanders (I-VT) running for president because, even though he doesn’t think he’ll win, he’ll provide a needed “thorn in the side” of the Clinton juggernaut.

Chomsky, a beloved public intellectual, linguist and MIT professor emeritus, said in an email to a friend of Alternet’s Zaid Jilani, that Sanders’ campaign is an important vehicle for ideas and facts in an electoral system beset by big money and political dynasties, writing:

I’m glad that Sanders is running. A good way to bring important ideas and facts to people. His candidacy might also press the Dems a little in a progressive direction. In our system of bought elections he has scarcely a chance of getting beyond the primaries, and even if by some miracle he were elected he wouldn’t be able to do anything, lacking any congressional representatives, governors, etc. As far as I can see he’s a thorn in the side of the Clinton machine, which is not a bad thing.

Sanders told the Guardian he isn’t as pessimistic as Chomsky.

more
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/08/the-bernie-effect-noam-chomsky-says-sanders-will-push-the-entire-democratic-party-to-the-left/

[RiverLover]

1. It needs to be pushed!

Center is just not-so-bad-as-republicans. Its been hurting this country since the early 90s.

[rocktivity]

2. .

rocktivity

[apnu]

3. Good.

Win or lose, if Bernie moves the party left, that's a good day and a job well done.

[artislife]

9. Thing is

It just might snap back if he isn't the nom.

How painful will that be?!

[apnu]

14. Its on us to make sure that doesn't happen.

Its always painful. Its painful now. The Right Wing has dragged the whole country over to right during the Bush years and the old white men of the GOP in Congress are fighting, daily, tooth and nail, to prevent Obama from taking a tiny step to the left.

Is us, the progressives, the liberals, the socialists, fighters for civil rights, GLBT -- and all the rest, job to keep pushing. The work never ends. Bernie isn't the end of it, he isn't the beginning of it, he's just part of us pushing things in the right direction.

Sure he can, as an individual of power, push with more strength than you or I, the anonymous citizen, but he can't do it alone and he won't be around forever in any case. We're lucky to have somebody like Bernie.

For that matter, we're lucky to have Hillary. Yes, I know she's not progressive and she's cozy with the very financial interests that maintain the racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, war mongering culture we have. But she's sympathetic to our social causes. She can listen, she does listen, but we have to break through the class wall to get her to listen. The work is harder to be sure, but its possible to do. Its within our reach. I can't make that statement with any Republican.

But, again, all of this comes from us. Using our voices, every day, all day, to not only prevent erosion of our hard fought rights, but to expand them, so that all people in America are equal.

[mmonk]

4. Revolutions, movements or government change take more than one election cycle.

That is why I'm pushing so hard this go around. It's the best way to make up some ground in a visible way.

[HereSince1628]

12. And they take place across multiple levels of government...

the sentiment on the left is boiling up. Warren, Chuy Garcia, Bernie tapped into the same sentiment about the establishment machine

The game is not only rigged, it's locked in. Time to reinvigorate the entire product line.

[DanTex]

5. I agree with him, and pulling the Dem party to the left is a good thing.

Also, if the Sanders movement could last beyond just the primary, and go on to get people elected into congress, that would be great.

[ellie]

6. Let's hope

And let's hope these same people come out to vote next November.

[ericson00]

7. Chomsky is a blowhard

and makes the viable part of the left look stupid

[SoLeftIAmRight]

8. "might also press the Dems a little in a progressive direction"

do not like the qualifier "might" and I hope it is much more than a little push

[Armstead]

10. "Sanders told the Guardian he isn’t as pessimistic as Chomsky."

Nobody is as pessimistic as Chomsky. he's the ultimate buzzkill.

Unfortunately, he's often right, and is good to listen to for some cold water of truth.

But for inspiration, hope and fueling efforts to instigate positive change -- not so much

[magicmama]

11. I still don't want Clinton to lead the party.

I want Bernie to lead the party

[Roy Ellefson]

13. huh?

huh? wait, I thought it would racist for the Democratic Party to move to the left? Now I'm really confused.