Kinda odd to announce in an interview, instead of a rally.
Also, the outside possibility that he announces he's not running.
Bernie's a weird dude when it comes to announcing, the previous one was in the middle of nowhere in front of the press. lol
I find the problem with "pragmatism" is that it implies the existence of a "correct" goal when the goal is often relatively vague and undefinable.
If your goal is to get elected, and you make promises you can't keep in the service of that, like, just a random suggestion I'm pulling out of the blue, building a wall across the southern border to curb illegal migrants, and making these promises successfully fulfills your goal of being elected, despite your promises being illusory for the most part and basically nonviable, what was "pragmatic" here? Keeping your promises or getting elected? Which is to say, if blood-and-soil populism actually gets you into power (assuming this is your goal), how is it not "pragmatic"? And if it is "pragmatic", then what virtue is "pragmatism" if it can be used for good ends and for bad ends?
Really makes you think.
Pragmatism is the key to legislation in congress regardless of what the goal is and some are more difficult to pass then others. That's wy it's the correct route. Making massive sweeping changes through congress is a non-starter for everyone, unless they have the votes to pass it and Bernie usually doesn't. That's why he's the amendment king, not he sweeping changes king. This is about process.
Don't operate like Trump is the norm, he isn't. Certainly not for Democrats, unlike the right we actually care about governing and politicians upholding their promises, sometimes to a flawed degree which the GOP takes advantage of. Look at how the left, the party and the media scolded Obama for not being able to accomplish the change he swore to uphold in Washington, and ignored the fact the majority of his terms were blocked in record numbers by the GOP via obstruction. That can very easily happen to Bernie. Not accomplishing things depresses turnout for the left, rather than embolden it. We're not Republicans, who don't even believe in the wall. The best politicians get elected and accomplish their goals in congress, which is why it's crucial they must oversell things because Bernie failing to get free college would be devastating to his rank and file if he can't do it. They're not riding his coattails to spite the GOP, they want action.
Of course, this argument brings into question - if you think Bernie has no hope in achieving anything why are you voting for him? You'd get the same result with Kamala or Warren being POTUS.
Popularism is vastly more popular on the right than it is on the left, otherwise Bernie would have had higher chances of becoming the nominee rather than simply being a sacrificial lamb to the all consuming centrist because centrists play to win rather than fucking around for 40 years.
Getting into power is one thing, getting things done while in power is quite another. That requires being pragmatic and compromising because presidents aren't kings. They have to work with congress, and those who don't have trouble governing - like Trump is doing. His congress is a disaster because despite holding the majorities and the presidency he fails to get numerous bills through due to the infighting and having bad leaders. They weren't smoothly shoving everything through congress like W. was.
I think that, in many ways, Bernie represents a positive future of the Democratic vision.
Although his age is a legitimate problem and he would really need to pick a good VP because we dont want another Truman situation.
Nah, AOC does. She's the true manifestation of socialism in the party's future. Bernie did his bit in '16, now he needs to give the torch to Warren since he's abysmal about growing the socialist branch for POTUS candidates through his decades in office.
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