Will Bernie Sanders' long-ago praise of Socialist regimes hurt Democrats in November?

[OldWiseGuy]

Living expenses and interest rates.

Live cheap and pay off the loan.

Or don't pay it off and vote for Bernie.

 

[Silmarien]

Live cheap and pay off the loan.

Or don't pay it off and vote for Bernie.

So you think people shouldn't get married and have children until they're forty? Because that's part of what living cheap means.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

So you think people shouldn't get married and have children until they're forty? Because that's part of what living cheap means.

My bible suggests being able to afford a family before you start one. Proverbs 24:27

If you graduate in your mid 20's, have a salary of $50,000, you should be able to pay off $30,000 in about five years.

Also it's probably a mistake to bring that much debt into a marriage, especially if both have it.

 

[Silmarien]

If you graduate in your mid 20's, have a salary of $50,000, you should be able to pay off $30,000 in about five years.

I like how you think it's the Sanders supporters who don't know anything about the real world.

Paying off a $30,000 loan in five years would involve monthly payments of $560. Our hypothetical college student is taking home $3300 a month after taxes. They could be spending as much as half of that in rent, as well as a significant chunk more in food, utilities, and other bills.

A ten year plan with $311 payments might be possible, depending on your expenses, but a five year plan is laughable. Even if someone is living from paycheck to paycheck, that type of schedule is extreme, and saving literally none of your income is generally considered financial irresponsibility.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I like how you think it's the Sanders supporters who don't know anything about the real world.

Paying off a $30,000 loan in five years would involve monthly payments of $560. Our hypothetical college student is taking home $3300 a month after taxes. They could be spending as much as half of that in rent, as well as a significant chunk more in food, utilities, and other bills.

A ten year plan with $311 payments might be possible, depending on your expenses, but a five year plan is laughable. Even if someone is living from paycheck to paycheck, that type of schedule is extreme, and saving literally none of your income is generally considered financial irresponsibility.

Find a roommate to share housing costs, and eat cheap.

Ten years is a good plan too, but the sooner one is debt free the better.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I like how you think it's the Sanders supporters who don't know anything about the real world.

I think they know all about the real world, but it's too scary for them.

 

[Silmarien]

Find a roommate to share housing costs, and eat cheap.

Ten years is a good plan too, but the sooner one is debt free the better.

I agree, especially if you want to avoid paying a ton in interest, but the national average still seems to be 21 years. That's a bit of an issue for the whole economy, especially when we consider that the problem of student debt is getting progressively worse, not better.

I think they know all about the real world, but it's too scary for them.

Well, yes. Our corporate dystopia is pretty scary.

 

[Cis.jd]

Just to make sure no one confuses my political side based on my comment, I consider myself a centrist and have been more left leaning for a long time it's just now based on our current times that it has become hard to side with the left.

 

[Tom 1]

Welcome to grad school in the United States. I had $65,000 after law school, but I know people who had $100,000 or even more. I live at home, so I don't have to pay rent and was able to pretty much spend virtually my entire income on it to pay it off before getting crushed too badly by the 6% interest rate, but a lot of people don't have that option.

I could say, "Well, I had to pay it off, so you should too," but frankly, our whole system is broken. Practically a whole generation has been destroyed economically, and conservatives just complain about why people aren't buying houses, marrying, and having children. Because apparently that's an option if you can barely pay off more than the interest rate on your student loan.

6%? That’s atrocious.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I agree, especially if you want to avoid paying a ton in interest, but the national average still seems to be 21 years. That's a bit of an issue for the whole economy, especially when we consider that the problem of student debt is getting progressively worse, not better.

Not really, as the money borrowed for their education is already in the economy (it never really left). All that remains is to balance the books.

 

[Albion]

He has certainly said things in the past to support that. But I haven't seen signs of admiring communist governments in the last few decades.

Actually, he has. But neither do I recall him ever renouncing his earlier support and admiration which, by the way, was substantial and ongoing, not just some slip of the tongue or a single questionable political policy. In the case of almost every other candidate who did something in the past that doesn't play well today, he apologizes or at least firmly moves away from it. Not Bernie.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

Find a roommate to share housing costs, and eat cheap.

Find a roommate but don't marry a wife who would be your roommate? Huh?

 

[ArmenianJohn]

Actually, he has. But neither do I recall him ever renouncing his earlier support and admiration which, by the way, was substantial and ongoing, not just some slip of the tongue or a single questionable political policy. In the case of almost every other candidate who did something in the past that doesn't play well today, he apologizes or at least firmly moves away from it. Not Bernie.

Do you have any evidence of all this "support and admiration" for communists/communism? If it's substantial and ongoing I expect you have several trustworthy sources. Otherwise, I'll just chalk this up to more red-scare-mongering a la McCarthyism.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

I am curious about how Bernie and the others are really going to make this happen, and how long will that be once the bill is done.

Is it really possible for student debt to be wiped out if one of them are in office or is this all blowing smoke so that millennials and snowflakes will vote them in?

Believe me, if I see a realistic and possible plan that will take away student debt quickly, I will vote.

He details it on his website:
Free College, Cancel Debt

Just as he details all the other plans he has. Just because other people say "Bernie doesn't say how he'll pay for it!!!" ad nauseum doesn't mean it's true - he does explain it. One can agree or disagree with his plans but the notion that he doesn't even explain his plans is a myth.

 

[Albion]

Do you have any evidence of all this "support and admiration" for communists/communism?

You're quoting me as saying something I have not said, so I don't suppose there is any way to answer your question.

If it's substantial and ongoing I expect you have several trustworthy sources. Otherwise, I'll just chalk this up to more red-scare-mongering a la McCarthyism.

..which is what you would do no matter what the facts of Bernie's past happen to be, right?

 

[ArmenianJohn]

You're quoting me as saying something I have not said, so I don't suppose there is any way to answer your question.

No, I'm not. I'm calling you out on what you actually did say.

lordjeff said:

Bernie is more than a socialist. He is a communist-politically & very much economically. He justs uses the democratic label to caucus. If he used communist, people would flee. They should flee now but voters fall for false labels & false idols.

to which hedrick replied:

He has certainly said things in the past to support that. But I haven't seen signs of admiring communist governments in the last few decades.

to which YOU replied:

Actually, he has. But neither do I recall him ever renouncing his earlier support and admiration which, by the way, was substantial and ongoing, not just some slip of the tongue or a single questionable political policy. In the case of almost every other candidate who did something in the past that doesn't play well today, he apologizes or at least firmly moves away from it. Not Bernie.

So there you are saying exactly what I said you said. Now you want to deny what you actually said?

So give me some examples of these "substantial and ongoing" support of communists/communism. You made the claim, now either back it up or admit you were wrong.

..which is what you would do no matter what the facts of Bernie's past happen to be, right?

You're dead wrong, but I guess it's easier to just make things up when you have no rational defense.

 

[Albion]

No, I'm not. I'm calling you out on what you actually did say.

Stop playing gotcha games and just post a serious question if you are interested in my views, and I will respond.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

No, you aren't. Post a serious question if you are interested in my views, and I will respond.

No, I am - anyway, anyone can see the posts I referenced and that you're now dodging what you said earlier. Certainly not the first time this has happened.

 

[Albion]

No, I am - anyway, anyone can see the posts I referenced and that you're now dodging what you said earlier. Certainly not the first time this has happened.

Then I will be generous and say that you misunderstood. My offer to respond to something other than a loaded question still stands.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

Then I will be generous and say that you misunderstood. My offer to respond to something other than a loaded question still stands.

You SAY a lot of things but you never back them up. Don't worry about it - it's obvious you don't want to answer for what you actually said. Not surprised. You can't even demonstrate that you didn't actually say what you said, LOL. Everyone can see it.