Sanders Is Counting on His Own Firewall: Michigan’s Blue-Collar Voters

Right now it is paramount to beat Trump, hold the House, and win the Senate. Health care issues can be negotiated later. A recent Times article said it took Canada 10 years to build their current health care system—and it wasn’t easy. But nothing happens on the social agenda if Trump makes faces at us from the White House in a second term. A Times commentator said that if Biden is elected (or Bernie) the newly elected president should form a cabinet such as Lincoln did in the Secession Winter of 1861—form a “team of rivals” (to use Doris Kearns Goodwin’s term) of the field of the presidential primary candidates. Personally, I think that makes all kind of sense. It is an impressive field. Great to have all those wonderful minds working together.

Article states: “White working-class voters lifted Bernie Sanders to victory over Hillary Clinton in Michigan four years ago.” Are we sure about that? Perhaps those same people simply wouldn’t vote for a woman.

"Mr. Sapkowski, who worked 35 years “turning wrenches” as an auto mechanic, has lived the contradictions of the American economy, where unemployment is low but incomes for those who aren’t rich feel like they’ve flatlined." Correction unemployment is officially low, since it's based on who gets to file unemployment. Furthermore having a full time job often doesn't provide the income to pay basic bills. I see the NY Times still doesn't understand why Trump won, and won Michigan in 2016.

"Bernie can't win" = "Hillary Clinton can't lose" "Independents/some Republicans want Trump out so badly, they'll vote for Biden, even though he promises to reinstate a 'do-nothing Dem' Obama era that they hated" = "Everyone is so disgusted by this Trump guy that they'll vote against him will Hillary or not at all" The only truth here is that we do not know who will win the general election. Part of that is because we don't yet know who will be the Democratic nominee. It's tempting to latch onto a candidate who seems to be getting everyone else's vote. Going along with the herd during primaries gives us a sense of control and relief. I'm an independent, I'm not a fan girl for any of the candidates this cycle, I just want Trump OUT. I feel the fear, too. But I'm not going to vote for someone just because it seems like everyone else is doing it. That doesn't mean they're going to get Trump out. No one can know. The risks of groupthink decisions far outweigh the risk of electing people who don't stand for what's important to you.

Here in Michigan, we delivered 2 white parental votes, 2 African American sons votes, 2 first-time just--turned-18 votes of our sons' girlfriends. What brings us together is our older perspective on what is looming with Climate Change for our children, our sons' lived experience being so different than their white parents, and for all of our younger people, the fact that college is out of reach without going into massive debt as they start their adult financial lives. Senator Sanders speaks to the structural changes needed to change things. Vice President Biden wants America to go back to sleep.

Blue -Collar voters know what it means, on a generational basis to work hard, provide for yourself and your family. Many don't have it in their character to side with Bernie's give away mentality. Bernie is badly underestimating the values and tenacity of the working class. It will work against him.

my main "issue" with a biden presidency is his platform: Beating Trump. Thats a goal, it is NOT a platform. WHY do you want to president—to beat Trump? And then what. Sanders has hammered his ideas relentlessly, for which he's been branded, abused, scoffed at, etc. But he has actual, credible, concrete ideas. What does Biden have? He'd better get on it...

Is it only that Biden is "confident"? Is that why he doesn't have many speaking engagements? Or is it because his campaign would rather not let him speak not wanting any more gaffes just before the voting day?

"$30,000 a year in health costs." Absolutely unthinkable here in Germany and the rest of the civilized world. But then again, we are a dystopian communist nightmare, of course.

For a campaign whose slogan is “Not Me, Us”, I’m hearing a lot of “me, me, me” from both Sanders and his supporters.

No report on Biden's disastrous visit to a Chrysler factory? Why couldn't the party nomenklatura focus on a Klobachar, Warren, or some of the Governor's that were running? It could be that the elite is all in their 70s, and Biden's behaviour doesn't look that strange to them. People want to go back to 2014-15, not 1987 or 1920 with an incapacitate Reagan/Wilson.

I hope Michigan voters choose Senator Sanders over the neoliberal/DINO Biden, thus reversing the societal suicide the country has been bent on since 1980. Watching people choose Biden and Trump is like watching people throw themselves off a cliff. A privatized cliff, of course (formerly Grand Canyon National Park).

Senator Sanders’ campaign is not the fairy tale of 2008 While Biden Filled churches and College auditoriums in Jackson, Mississippi, Sanders’ canceled Mississippi altogether. That spoke volumes to me. Bernie, when you were in a hole quit digging. The shrill contempt for your opponent Only energizes us to vote en masse for Joe Biden.

After viewing the video of Biden stuttering and going absolutely nutty on a blue collar worker on his factory floor there is no way I can support him. I was willing to consider him but no more. I find Biden unfit for duty.

If the working-class doesn't rally, Trump wins Michigan again. Just a hunch as Trump would say.

I’m from California, which now serves as the prototype of a media-driven and service-oriented “techno-state.” Denizens of these places now vote essentially Democratic (with only declining pockets of holdouts in rural areas who still are GOPers). These articles about the swing states in Super Tuesday II, led by Michigan, reconfirm the truth of the old adage that “all politics are local” - at least in the family-dominated manufacturing heartland of America. However, I suggest that, whilst these “heartland states” have yet to make the politico-cultural transition to become a part of “Hotel California” - that is, a highly variegated service-based agglomeration of diverse residents, they inevitably will. Stated another way, both “populism of the right” (as mobilized by the likes of Trump) and “populism of the left“ (as energized by the Bernie Bros) are merely a product of societies in transition. The times, “they are a changing,” and both Trump and Sanders are outliers to a new normal.

Bernie Sanders is The Man. Working overtime and never, ever giving up. He got the Jesse Jackson endorsement--hardly got air time. Sanders is Meghan Markle to Biden's Kate Middleton. He could walk on water but then he couldn't float like Joe.

I thought it was that Muslims and Arab Americans that tipped Bernie over to the winning column in 2016. Michigan has a lot of both.

It's not just white people--young people of color are turning to Bernie. Stop forcing this narrative of Biden inevitability on us.

We will know in 8 to 10 hours but polls out this AM and posted on 538 show Biden with a leads from 10 to 40- as in FORTY. It appears that late-deciders in MI are breaking massively for Biden.

You have to fight fire with fire. Biden is no match for trump, that is obvious...he can't even last 7 minutes at a campaign event without his staff hustling him off stage. What is going on? Can someone at the NYT please report on that? Biden's staff is actively concealing/limiting his increasing odd speeches. At this point Biden is just coasting along on his name and the aura that he is the "most electable", but polls show Bernie is just as electable!

It’s amazing how much better the NYT coverage of Sanders is the moment his chances for victory declined. If he does lose, millions of us will sit out the general and Trump will beat Biden. So primary voters choose wisely!

Sanders won amoung Michigan white working class voters because HRC didn't connect with them. She acknowledged she had problems talking to them and simply ignored them, as she did many of those 'fly over states'. This time Sanders is up against another old guy who does connect and the voters may have a different opinion.

Biden is the centrist choice, the "safe" choice, and the choice of the Democratic establishment. Sounds like Hillary in 2016. Hillary lost to Bernie in the Michigan primary in 2016 and to Trump in the general. It appears the Democratic establishment and most voters want to try the same approach again, convinced that Bernie Sanders cannot defeat Trump and that Biden represents the Democratic parties best and only chance. Doesn't make sense to me, unless, of course, they think that Hillary only lost to Bernie and Trump because of anti-Hillary sentiment or because America is just too misogynistic to elect a woman. So my question to Biden supporters is, am I supposed to hope that is the case?

The poll I saw yesterday had Joe Biden up 24 points on Sanders. My opinion is that Washington may be the only state Bernie may win in today's contests. The rest will likely be Biden's to lose. This raises the question of how Sanders will react. Will he see the handwriting on the wall, step back and concede the nomination to Biden thus supporting the primary objective of ousting Trump? Or will he choose to fight on taking cheap shots at Biden that will supply fodder for Trump's attacks in the general election? My gut tells me it will be door number 2, but I am hopeful I could be wrong and he just might choose country over ego.

The first time I read the headline, I read it as: "Sanders Is Counting on His Own Farewell". I was just a day early. Tomorrow, after the Biden steamroller, Sanders may start thinking about scripting a Farewell. Sanders is a good man with great ideas; however, because so many are maverick, the U.S. isn't yet ready for them.

The article does not state why Mr. Burdick (or one or more family members?) has $30,000 in annual health costs. At age 65, however, Mr. Burdick himself is eligible for full Medicare benefits (including premium-free Part A). If he has $30,000 in annual medical expenses attributable to his own health problems that are not covered by Medicare, it's not clear how Sanders's Medicare for All plan will help him.

Let's not get caught up in the primary contests and forget about the ultimate price which is winning November 2020 general election. There's something really wrong when a former Vice President finished fourth in the first Contest in Iowa and fifth in the second contest in New Hampshire despite big endorsements including John Kerry; while a Mayor of a small village in Indiana tied as first in Iowa and finished as second in New Hampshire. The Earlier We Address The Elephant In The Room, The Better It Helps In November General Election. Historically, no candidate that Finished Below Third in Iowa and New Hampshire has ever been elected President of The United States. Based on my observations here in Pennsylvania in 2016, I predicted in that Summer 2016 that Trump would become the President whenever Bernie drops out, and that's what exactly happened. That's because a lot of people here in Pennsylvania are Independents who really distrust any Republican or Democratic Establishment Candidates. They mostly said in 2016 that Bernie was their first choice and Trump the second choice because they're both Independents. In fact, the two major political parties we have now in this country is ESTABLISHMENT AND ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT Parties, not Republican and Democratic Parties. I can tell you to brace up for the night of November 2020 general election if Biden is the Nominee.

I was disappointed when Sanders announced his second run for the nomination after Warren had already announced hers. To me both Sanders and Biden time has passed. I truly believe if Sanders had thrown his support behind Warren from the beginning she would be the front runner today and would have easily won the nomination.

It is pretty telling that Elizabeth Warren has not endorsed Sanders, but not surprising. She dislikes him and his supporters, despite some of their shared ideology. "Nobody likes Bernie" wasn't hyperbole. It's his way or the highway. That sounds like someone else.

The choice is clear! If you look at the polls, only Bernie beats Trump in Michigan. A vote for Biden is a vote for four more years of Trump. I hope the people of Michigan make the right choice today.

Biden will likely do well in MI since most Dems are concerned with evicting the orange monster. But Joe needs to make sure he doesn’t repeat Hillary’s mistake and not pay attention to blue states. She never made a serious effort in MI or WI and lost by small amount of votes. That was on her.

The Main Rreason That Democratic Party Lost to Trump in 2016 was because They Were Not Fighting For Something,but They Were Only Fighting To Stop Something (Fascism and Racism) or Somebody (Trump). It seems like Democrats are trying to repeat the same mistakes this year; both in The Primary (Stop Sanders) and The General (Stop Trump). History shows that Voters Respond To A Campaign That Offers Something or Ideas than the one that's just against something or ideas or Somebody. Democrats must come up with a Clear Vision and Irresistible Brand. Like him or not,Trump has an irresistible Brand called " Make America Great Again". Instead of offering their own irresistible Brand,Hillary and the Obamas wasted their time and energy trying to prove that America is already great. As we now know,many voters didn't believe that America is already great. Among all the two dozens democratic candidates,it's only one that has a Brand which is "For All" in terms of Medicare For All,Public Colleges For All,Government Should Work For All,Housing For All,This Country For All and not for the few wealthy people,and he also has a Motto which is " Not me,Us". Can anyone tell me the Brand or even the Motto of Joe Biden besides "Defeat Trump" and "I'm The Most Electable" ? While defeating Trump might be the number one goal of tribal Democrats,it might not be the number one goal of Independent and Swing Voters who actually decide the outcome of any presidential election.

Attached to this article I see they provide us with "Our 2020 Election Guide" - with big pictures of our three candidates, Biden, Bernie... and Tulsi Gabbard! So NOW they want to start pushing Tulsi with a big (and great) photo of Tulsi, obviously the only female and young option available to us. They REALLY want Bernie to falter today, this much is clear. They really don't mind manipulating election outcomes, this much is clear.

Myth: Sanders supporters are a voting block bound mainly by strong loyalty to their candidate, and a belief that very bold changes could be enacted if Sanders win. Truth: Prioritizing the need to beat Trump above all else, and seeking the best, "most electable" candidate, with highest hanes of beating Trump, many of us are choosing Sanders over any of the others (including Biden) because there are many reasons to believe he would be the strongest candidate in the current electoral environment. I won't detail the arguments along these lines, but there are many, largely ignored by mainstream pundits. Many of us (Sanders supporters) know that bold change won't happen suddenly under a Sanders administration -- he won't be a dictator -- but we want someone in the White House who will fight to steer the country along some initial steps in the right direction, toward a long-term, bold vision. And we are diverse. Finally the voting that has taken place so far has forced "analysts" to recognize how diverse we are. The constant refrain from NYT reporters and TV pundits about our "fierce loyalty" is used as a substitute for saying anything of substance about the reasons for so many people's strong support of the Sanders campaign. There is no content or substance in the word "loyalty" in this context, when you fail to explain what we are loyal to and why. Sanders supporters, and small-donations donors, by the millions, diverse millions, want the policies that Sanders wants.

Correlation is not cause and effect. In 2016 Bernie won Michigan (49.7%) and Minnesota (61.7%). Minnesota just voted last week and Bernie couldn't break 30%. 2020 is not Bernie v. Hillary. Plenty of white collar professionals voted for Bernie in 2016 because we knew that Hillary was unelectable.

The rust belt suffered inordinately from the neoliberal policies and trade deals pushed and supported by Biden, Clinton and Obama. I hope they vote for Sanders.

Bernie won’t win Michigan or perhaps any of the other states voting today. His best shot is Washington. It won’t be enough to keep him in the race. I supported Bernie in 2016, but after 3 years of Trump, Bernie’s rhetoric is too angry and divisive. The country needs a calm, steady leader. Biden is the only one left who can do that. I am far to the left of him and hope he will be our last neoliberal, centrist democratic leader. Warren’s vision best represents the future of the party, with a slate of bold, progressive policies that put middle and working class people before corporations and big money interests. I hope she runs again in 4 years. Biden is the status quo candidate, but at least he doesn’t scare the living daylights out of me like Trump.

Let's not get caught up in the primary contests and forget about the ultimate price which is winning November 2020 general election. There's something really wrong when a former Vice President finished fourth in the first Contest in Iowa and fifth in the second contest in New Hampshire despite big endorsements including John Kerry; while a Mayor of a small village in Indiana tied as first in Iowa and finished as second in New Hampshire. The Earlier We Address The Elephant In The Room, The Better It Helps In November General Election. Historically, no candidate that Finished Below Third in Iowa and New Hampshire has ever been elected President of The United States. Based on my observations here in Pennsylvania in 2016, I predicted in that Summer 2016 that Trump would become the President whenever Bernie drops out, and that's what exactly happened. That's because a lot of people here in Pennsylvania are Independents who really distrust any Republican or Democratic Establishment Candidates. They mostly said in 2016 that Bernie was their first choice and Trump the second choice because they're both Independents. In fact, the two major political parties we have now in this country is ESTABLISHMENT AND ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT Parties, not Republican and Democratic Parties. I can tell you to brace up for the night of November 2020 general election if Biden is the Nominee. View your comment

While many Michigan voters like what Bernie is saying, reality has set in and realize the number one issue is not an issue, it is getting rid of Trump. They realize Biden is a uniter unless Bernie and he for a long time leads Trump in the polls especially in the swing states where Bernie is a little further behind and likely to alienate swing voters in the end.