Poll Finds 80% Of REPUBLICANS Agree With Bernie Sanders On Citizens United

[Segami]

Sen. Bernie Sanders is often characterized by the media as an out of the mainstream presidential candidate, but a new CBS/New York Times poll revealed that 80% of Republicans agree with Sanders on the issue of getting money out of politics.

The CBS/NYT poll found that:

– 80% of Republicans believe that money has too much influence in our politics.

– 54% believed that most of the time candidates directly help those who gave money to them.

– 81% of Republicans felt that the campaign finance system needed fundamental changes (45%) or a complete rebuild (36%).

– 64% are pessimistic that changes will be made to reform the campaign finance system.

– 71% want to limit the amount that individuals can give to campaigns.

– 73% felt that super PAC spending should be limited by law.

– 76% thought that superPACs should be required to disclose their donors.


http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/06/02/us/politics/money-in-politics-poll.html?_r=0

All of these positions are held by Bernie Sanders, and the opinion of the majority on each question is the exact opposite of the reasoning used by the majority of the Supreme Court in the Citizens United decision. Where Republicans differ from the rest of the country is that a substantial number (48%) believe that money is free speech, and they believe that both parties benefit equally (62%), but among those who picked a party that benefitted more, they felt that Democrats (24%) benefitted more from the current campaign finance system than Republicans (6%). Fifty-five percent of Independents and 53% of Democrats felt that money is not free speech. Fifty-two percent of Democrats believe that Republicans benefit more from the current system.

This is unprecedented and it is the most savage attack against American democracy, and the concept of one person, one vote that we have seen in our lifetime, and what it is is saying if you are a billionaire, you can buy elections. You can by politicians, and by the way, on the floor of the Senate, on the floor of the House, you can intimidate members, because you will be saying to them if you are going to vote against Wall Street, or the insurance companies, or the military industrial complex, you just do that, and we’re going to have millions of dollars in thirty-second ads in your state this weekend.”

So this whole effort to put huge unprecedented unbelievable amounts of money is the one percent saying look, we’re not content that the top one percent owns forty percent of the wealth. We want more. We want more. We want more, and we’re going to buy the political process to get what we want. So this is the worst assault on the basic democratic traditions which have made our country great that you and I have seen in our lifetimes, and what it means, we have to overturn Citizens United. We have to pass a disclose bill, disclosure legislation next month, which at the very least forces these CEOs to get on television when they do a negative ad, and say I approve this message, and it forces us to know who is contributing.

Overall, 84% of Americans agree with Bernie Sanders that money has too much influence in U.S. politics. Seventy-five percent favor donor disclosure and 77% favor limiting contributions. Hillary Clinton and President Obama also favor getting the money out of politics, but both of them have been forced to raise huge sums of money in order to be competitive.



cont'

http://www.politicususa.com/2015/06/02/poll-finds-80-republicans-agree-bernie-sanders-citizens-united.html

[daleanime]

1. K&R.....

so let's do some thing about it.

[GummyBearz]

2. One of the few times they get something right... I agree with them on this issue too.

[DesertFlower]

3. but how many of them will still vote republican.

[L0oniX]

8. Look at their choices in the clown car. Of course some would vote for Bernie over those idiots.

[DesertFlower]

9. let's hope so. nt

[Volaris]

17. That, plus those who will support the Democratic Nominee,

That's the election right there.
We do this one right, and we can win this bitch walkin' away from a mike drop, with both middle fingers in the air.

[TM99]

13. So many Democrats voted for Reagan

that the title Reagan Democrat was created.

I would not be surprised in the least if a significant enough block of Republicans get the title Sander Republican in the 2016 general.

[arcane1]

15. Especially considering the way their candidates are kissing up to billionaires for campaign cash

It's going to turn off a lot of voters, who will either stay home on election day, or try something new.

[TM99]

22. I agree

and I think it will turn off a lot of voters across the political spectrum.

[BrotherIvan]

18. The ones who won't fall for god, guns, and gays

And who don't think their taxes will go up. That's all they care about. But by the time Fox is done with the red scare and anti-semitism, I don't think too many. Unless it's Ben Carson, and then they'll be in a hatred Catch 22.

The best thing Republicans can do is stay home.

[wcollar]

30. One issue

I agreed with Rand Paul on the "Patriot" Act, but there is no way in Hell that I'd vote for him.

[Jefferson23]

4. It is in part, about connecting the dots..he does a great job of that.

The street fighting man mensch...Bernie.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

5. If Bernie is just talking about dark money...

Hillary agrees, too!

[Wilms]

6. Republican neighbor of mine has nice things to say about Bernie.

Liked that Bernie was turning down PACs. Whoa.

[libdem4life]

7. I can't wait to see how this new "debate format" Bernie has put out...and the tantalizing thought

that he neither answered nor denied, that he might "go rogue" and somehow create a situation...outside the two parties...where Rs and Ds could debate. He did give a little smile/smirk. My mind is wondering who could create a structure for this series of events, kind of like the Women's League of Voters before they got so disgusted and gave up. It would apparently to go on for some time...to give each Republican a chance to make his/her case. Being they are saying the same thing, it wouldn't take long to figure that out, and Hillary would have a tough time and O'Malley, who knows.

I'll be he could get Rand Paul in on it...the outside the party candidates. A free for all...like the British Parliament...I love watching them. Old Bernie, the Rabblerouser.

Just call it free campaign speeches...maybe just the cost of the venue and the organizers.

[Raine1967]

11. is there a backstory about him possibly going

'rogue'?

is there a link to media source for this idea? I am asking to know if he was actually asked a question regarding this idea.

[libdem4life]

14. He was on Rachel ...strongly "inferred" it and she carried it through.

The whole 7 minutes is worth it, but the debate starts about 5 minutes in.


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/sanders-pitches-issues-focused-debate-changes-456070211818

[Marr]

29. God, I'd love it if he could do that.

If he manages to gain enough traction before the official debates start, then the party refusing to let him into the DNC debate because of that exclusivity rule would only play into his narrative.

[libdem4life]

31. Yes. He is a Rabblerouser...going to shake a few from their comfy or lofty positions.

[Raine1967]

10. Thanks for this. I want to say something:

I am sick and damned tired of polls being presented in the prism of the Republican POV.

[BrotherIvan]

19. Yes

[thesquanderer]

12. The people who say "Bernie can't win"...

...don't say it because they think he's out of touch on the issues. He's great on the issues. At least as good as Elizabeth Warren, who everyone thought could be a contender, and he's got lots more experience to boot. His positions aren't the issue. It's the stuff on the periphery. The socialist label, the "most liberal" identification, maybe age, maybe religion, maybe that he's not courting/getting big money. But the more people hear him, the more we can get away from the reasons the establishment says he can't win. The debates could be huge for him.

[NorthCarolina]

16. If it is true that Bernie simply cannot win because he can't financially compete,

then "Government of the people, by the people, for the people," has surely perished from the Earth.

[tk2kewl]

20. 80% of Republicans have no clue what their party stands for

[valerief]

21. But they're only supposed to ask 1% of Republicans. nt

[lonestarnot]

23. So why did they vote for the crap? Are they forgiven? Nope.

[freshwest]

24. ^^^^THIS^^^^

[Recursion]

25. PEOPLE. DON'T. VOTE. BASED. ON. ISSUES.

I don't know how many times people have to be "astounded" by polls like this before that will sink in.

[lonestarnot]

32. Well just what is it they base their vote?

[NCjack]

33. When I was a Christian, my pastor told his flock how to vote -- and they obeyed. nt

[lonestarnot]

34. So you belonged to a cult or some such then?

[NCjack]

37. Yes, I was. Specifics: SE Texas, 1950s. Became a Baptist at 10 and excommunicated at 18. I was

lucky to have such a short run. Was tutored on how to register DEM and vote conservative in primary. (At that time, conservative DEMs ran Texas.)

[staggerleem]

35. In that case ...

... then your old church should be paying taxes. That was the deal LBJ made, after passing the Civil Rights Act - you southern pastors keep politics off the pulpit, and we'll let you slide on taxes. Preaching how to vote voids that agreement.

[NCjack]

38. Yes, that was one of the smaller hypocrisies.

[CrawlingChaos]

26. Bernie is also very strong on veteran's issues

Maybe I'm naive, but I'm thinking Bernie's message of taxing billionaires to provide care for returning veterans could resonate with some Republicans.

[merrily]

27. First, a majority of Americans of all political views agree with Bernie on many issues.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12777036

However, hoping for a Constitutional amendment that will repeal the Citizens' United decision in its entirety is a pipe dream, IMO.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12776799

As far as money in politics, remember, all we had BEFORE Citizens' United was McCain Feingold, a purely voluntary law against which Obama opted and even McCain did not adhere fully. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/world/americas/27iht-27plane.12375296.html?_r=0

I'd settle for repealing only the part that says corporations are people, but I doubt even that would make it out of Congress.

[lovemydog]

28. Good.

I think Sanders has a real good message for a lot of republicans and independents. They should consider supporting him. They should abandon the republican party in droves.

All the republican party ever seems to focus on is divisive culture issues. If more people wake up they will start to understand that democratic socialists are on their side, against the super elitist interests that republican politicians favor.

[staggerleem]

36. If you could get them to be honest with themselves ...

... I think you'd find that MANY Republicans agree with Bernie about a LOT of things!