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SHORTLY AFTER DONALD Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential election, many people began musing over how a businessman with little knowledge of world affairs beat a well-established career politician.
And that was where the analysis started and ended – the reason he won was because he wasn’t a part of the establishment, and hadn’t spent his life tweaking his political stances in order to climb to the top of the political ladder, bemused analysts decided.
This led to a commonly-repeated theory that if the Democrats had chosen the socialist Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, as their candidate, then he would have beaten Donald Trump.
Although he’s affiliated with the Democratic party, Sanders is an independent candidate; he’s gathered a loyal following, particularly among young people, for his criticism of the Iraq war, his calls for banking reform and affordable healthcare, among others.
This would have made him the perfect alternative to Donald Trump, political pundits argued in hindsight.
Unsurprisingly, Bernie’s wife Dr Jane O’Meara Sanders, who also served as his policy and press adviser, agrees.
“He would have beaten Trump, because people vote for someone with ideas and a vision, rather than with somebody who is negative,” she said in an interview with TheJournal.ie ahead of a panel discussion in Cork next week.
We saw signs of [Trump's win] beforehand – but Trump was a pointed disruption rather than a different vision for the future.
“But that is water under the bridge, the next election we’re focusing on is to the US Senate. We’re campaigning all over the country for governors or Senators and government people, we can’t wait for the next presidential election to instigate change.
People need to vote in the midterms because they put in place checks and balances against the President.
The House of Representatives has a Republican majority of 54.9% to 45% ; in the Senate there’s a slim Republican majority of 51-49% (those percentages represent the voting share – there’s a certain portion of non-voting members in each party).
The elections to vote in members of both houses, called the Midterm elections, will be held in November. Democrats are hoping to regain control of the houses in order to limit the influence that the Trump administration has by block voting against legislation.
But what about the presidential election after that? With Donald Trump already talking about the next election as if it’s already been won, will Bernie Sanders run against him?
“He is considering it, he has not made a decision yet,” O’Meara Sanders says.
It’s not about him. It’s about making sure whoever runs can beat Donald Trump in 2020. It’s not about him, it’s about ‘How do we win?’
But would it be difficult to work with the Democrats again after they treated Sanders so unfairly at the Democratic National Convention last time round?
This August, the Democratic party voted to change the influence “superdelegates” had over nominating the parties candidates; in 2016, Hillary Clinton jumped forward into a huge lead, giving her a major advantage in the primary (which is like the US presidential semi-final that decide the two final presidential candidates).
They definitely had a favourite candidate, it was very hard to see it going in our favour – but to see it publicly was hard. Bernie said to me: ‘Jane, this is no surprise, we saw this coming. We need to keep fighting’.
It’s not a sore point anymore, the Democrats have changed some rules at the DNC so that it’s less likely to happen again, whether its for or against Bernie or other candidates.
She says that after November elections, mostly likely early next year, Sanders will decide if he’ll run for the office of US President.
So does O’Meara Sanders think Trump will get a second term?
“Some people have reached saturation at this point, some people are turning off. They don’t believe our media, which I don’t blame them for.
Some media are very even handed, but most are either anti-Trump or pro-Trump, and I think that’s turning people off the political process, and that’s not good for democracy.
“The people who are activists will vote in the Midterms. The way they are treating women in this country will motivate men and women to go to the polls and to vote. My concern is that they have not been able to be as involved in affecting change as we would like.”
Sanders Institute
O’Meara Sanders, who has Irish roots – in fact, a ancestry test she took indicated that she’s 96% Irish – is coming to Ireland in a week’s time to take part in a debate about ‘Re-Vitalising Democracy’.
The panel discussion, which will be moderated by David McWilliams, is being hosted by the Sanders Institute and the I.NY Festival, which is a project that celebrates the links between Ireland and New York.
So what’s her take on how we do that?
“Bold ideas and civil discourse, actions: I’ll mention some of that at the INY conference.
The rise of autocratic leaders around the world – it demands that people get involved. Democracy is not a given – we need to make sure people get involved.
She says that this is the kind of work that the Sanders Institute is involved in.
“What we’re trying to do is to engage individuals and organisations, to address issues that affect ordinary Americans’ lives rather than the latest scandal or the latest gossip.”
We’re not going to be talking politics, or complaining the other side, we’re going to be talking about real solutions to real issues.
It is going to be conversations, we could get thousands of people and then propose policies, and then distribute this.
You see Seth Meyers on A Closer Look address serious political issues in a funny way, Robert Rice brings complex issues down to a five-minute video. That’s what we’re trying to do for people with political policies.
“And it’s not just talking to each other and then going – talking is just the start.
She mentions the calls for affordable healthcare in America and the rebuttal being how do you finance that.
“Stop paying for all those wars, is one argument, but it needs to be more specific.”
I.NY Festival 2018 is part of the Global Irish Festival Series and takes place at venues across Limerick City from 7-14 October. For tickets and information visit www.thisisINY.com
I.NY and The Sanders Institute ‘A Conversation on Democracy Now’ takes place on Monday 8 October at 8pm in The Lime Tree Theatre. Tickets priced from €5 – €20 from www.thisisINY.com
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I will watch the washing machine instead at least the result will be clean and won’t deceive me
Be nice to watch a potential leader of Fine Geal do some actual debating after all these years of not having a leader who will go on live TV. Can’t stand either one but would like them to put their case forward even if it’s just so we can point them to it when they deviate from what they say. As they surely will.
If it ended with a duel with pistols then I’d tune in for the last few minutes!
I could go for that!
@Setrakian: What about a UFC match, or a head to head and would Leo prefer that?
@Setrakian: Swords?
I’d watch it if i had a vote but no i don’t.
Why would FG agree to doing it? They’ve enough problems without airing their dirty laundry like that. Anything could come out if it got contentious.
no, lifes is too short.
Think I’ll just comment on The Journal about them instead….
I will follow the journals live updates
A resounding no.
Ask him you’re. Simon.coveney@oir.ie
I’ll be far too busy watching my toe nails growing…more productive too
@Colm Moran: Like the echo from a toilet bowl…
How is it relevant when we don’t have a say? Get on with choosing a leader, and whomever it is can state your case at the next General election
If your a member of Fine Gael you get a vote.
Get lost Leo -Get lost Simon-Get lost Fine Gael.
One of these guys is going to be our next taoiseach. It’s very relevant to our lives. I’m interested in what they have to say. I’ll definitely watch a debate if it happens.
@Bennythekid: Bilderberg will slap you on the wrists for that lol.
@Bennythekid: What the fcuk would they debating about? at the end of the day blueshirt policy will still be the same. Save all the trouble and just toss for it. Ye 2 tossers tossing.
@Rónán O’Suilleabháin: Leader fight off last about 6 weeks and nothing will be done, both of those wannabe curates will be getting their lies prepared for them by now. And the “winner” will be left in charge. Kenny is such a lame duck and these two are hopeless.
@Jack Bowden: Health is our priority, we are going to make reforms to give Ireland a world class health service.
Housing is our priority, we are going to bring in new legislation to alleviate the housing situation in Ireland.
Old people are our priority, we will work hard to ensure that those who have worked hard all of their lives can grow old in comfort.
Young people are our priority, we will invent in our youth because an educated workforce is best for Ireland in the long term.
The sqeezed middle are our priority, we will put measures in place to ensure that the tax take is fair and that all citizens get a decent living wage.
etc, etc, etc, etc,
And once they get in they’ll suddenly forget all of the above. Now you don’t have to watch.
I never thought I’d ever say I would rather watch The Ray D’Arcy Show.
That’s a tough one…
@Beachmaster: Take that back
@Beachmaster: If it clashes with the late late then I guess it will be tg4 that night and even though I dont speak Irish it will make more sense than the other 2.
Its like trying to decide between two equally priced brands of bottled water.
Simon Varadkar, Leo coveney can’t see the difference myself.
Id rather wash my hair and get an early nite thanks.
” Would you watch Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar going toe-to-toe in a live debate?” No seriously watching 2 privileged politicians telling us how their going to make things better for the citizens of Ireland. No chance my priority would be cutting my toe nails….
Not really interested on who is the best performer, it’s about who can get something done…….
37% said yes? Can we get a fact check on that please?
Fake news
@alan: Lol,
Frape news!!
Why no option for: I’d rather stick nails in my eyes?
I would rather watch paint dry.
It’s finally happened. The first to take a poll. Can you tell me why I picked NO yet 100% of 1 vote are for yes?? Something fishy here!
TV3 can’t be serious? Who gives a damn!
Can we just have Fianna Fail back in power already? Like the prodigal son, they will return to the top of Irish politics.
No.
Coveney,Varadkar and Bruton appear to be the three front runners.
Well, what have they got in common?
All were privately educated.
None of them ever did a real days work in their life.
They don’t mix with the ordinary man in the street.
They are so far removed from the realities of life. None of them could empathise with the those who have to lie on a hospital trolley, those who are waiting to be housed or anyone who has has fallen on hard times. They are all silver spoon merchants who have never experienced any hardships.
What the country needs is a man or woman of the people.
Who do you suggest? Boysd Barrett? Paul Murphy?
I suggest you should familiarise yourself wit the topic?
This idea is intuitively appealing but then what exactly do you want? These people do have jobs: their job is to represent us.
There is indeed a debate these days that politicians are not representative of the society they are supposed to represent, but you’d have to admit there is a conundrum here.
We offload the difficult decisions to them. This is their job. We expect them to be trained to know the dossiers, because they’re meant to act as our delegates. A carpenter may know the hardships of carpentry, and plausibly the accompanying hardships of holding on to the job and the mortgage or rent, but you would not honestly expect them to be able to make complex calculated decisions on the economy, right?
So the problem is to find those politicians who have an intuitive feel for the man in the street, and yet also possess the intellect so that we can trust them on the complex stuff.
Let them fight it out on this very issue. They need to be close to ordinary people on the one hand, but on the other hand they have to be capable of understanding a shitload of issues that most of us would either be incapable of grasping or simply not want to be bothered with.
No.
I’d rather drive a bus blindfolded up the Karnali highway while tripping on magic mushrooms.
@Emmet O’Keeffe: Well, you have the trip sorted already.
Sorry but I have a pair of socks I’d rather wash, than waste time watching two neutered, toothless sheep circle each other aimlessly, while the rest of their flock follow their current gormless leadership over the cliff, clearly marked Irish Water Danger Stay Away!
@Jarlath so funny but true
No. Politicians should run the country correctly not just stand on live TV and share insults
@kevin murphy:if it got personal I think we d all watch
If there was an interactive fact check and an option for questions from the public
I’m right wing. I’m more right wing than you.
I’m a true blue FG. I’m a new FG and more FG than you.
I believe in neo-liberal free market economics. I believe in neo-liberal free market economics even more than you.
At least we both believe in Boston more than Berlin.
Find it hard to see photo here of them 2…
Bring back repeats of The Paul Hogan Show from ’80s co-starring Leo W@nker.
Waste of time. The 25000+ ordinary members of the party are only getting 25% of the vote, whereas around 70 FG politicians are neing given 65% of the say. The contest will be decided long before any telivised debate.
There isn’t a vacancy yet. For either one of them to agree to a leadership debate before Kenny fires the starting gun would be political suicide.
“Varadkar told the Irish Examiner that he would be ‘happy’ to take part in a live debate with his rivals for the leadership.” (http://www.thejournal.ie/tv3-fine-gael-debate-3263637-Feb2017/)
I might be mistaken but this seems pretty close to creating a vacancy.
What would be the point !
Both are as FG as the other. A debate of personalities is pointless if they both follow the same party policies.
This is a joke by TV3. Only person worth watching in such a scenario would be Vinny Browne as the compare.
Who cares about two dopes.
Vera and Ava: Both of you should be the leading story today. I wish you and your daughter the very best of luck. Andi
Where’s the “I would rather gouge out my own eyeballs” option?
To use that famous Irish phrase: I will, yeah!
Or as Mrs Brown says.. “That’s nice”
Not interested in what either has to say because past experience shows that it would all be a pack of lies. Instead I can watch many other shows that have to decency to state upfront that they are fiction.
No. They don’t represent the majority of this Country.
And who does? There is no majority
Why would I bother whoever gets in it’ll still be same old, same old. Nothing ever changes in Irish politics it just lurches from one scandal to another scandal and on and on. Feels like we’re on 0if Magic Roundabout
Vatman versus Dr. Strange, what a movie that would be lol.
I’ve always wanted to see 2 almost identically sized snakes simultaneously begin to consume the other, from the tail end at the same speed to see the confusing outcome. I can’t picture it, that would be the only fascination in watching those morons who stood by Enda for years.
I have no interest in who leads FG
They are pathetic in my view
But I would like to point out that the media seem to show a bias toward L.V.
In the photos and images put forward on all articles of this type
Have a closer look
Leo called to my parents door a few years back while canvassing. I answered the door and he was very charming and he quickly realised he had gone to uni with my sister. He was so nice!! Oh!!! “Tell her I said hi” bla bla bla. .. a few months later I met him on grafton st. I said hi and said well done on appointment .. he looked a little confused. I went to remind him who I was and he said he knew who I was. And quickly barked he had no time. You wouldn’t talk to a dog like he talked to me and he does a good job of hiding who he really is in front of the cameras..
I’d rather watch paint dry than fg rubbish
Its not a general election. Public don’t have vote. Too much time spent on this. Just change leader & get on with it & do job elected to do.
Toe to toe in a boxing ring
Dumb and dumber and not an ounce of real life experience with any of them. They are only virgin blotting paper for neoliberal globalisation.
Well if it replaces any of the soaps dished out each night yes I’d find it more entertaining. If
I’d rather watch ryan turbridy.
Liar liar the best liar wins and the public get fooled again
Yawn zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
@FlopFlipU:Well said!
ONLY if they fight in the style of Kirk v Spock in the original Star Trek. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rl46Dpy-P4
I’ll wager 400 quatloos on ……….
That MS Paint job on the photo.
Toe to toe, it is not celebrity dancing again yikes.
Cianan , have you been drinking ?
No. There is only so much level of crap I can take assaulting my ears!
Vote Kang… no.. wait…..vote Kodos!
No thanks. I would rather be shot with balls of my own $hyte.
maybe
No thanks. I’d rather be shot with balls of my own $hyte.
have your say