I don't need a campaign, show me a man's past, and I'll show you his skill set, and what he will do in the future. These two stories are just the beginning of my uneasiness about this man.
More concern about "socialists" stem from the fact that they present themselves as "for the people" but when the cameras are turned off, another agenda is exposed. This other agenda is backed by influence, force, and threats.
I believe this is what we see in this video below. It is entitled, Bernie Sanders view on Government and rights, by Jan Helfeld.
Watch the video first, then read my comments below. If you choose, you can then go back and index times and responses with my comments. Enjoy!
Start - (in a office of Jan Helfeld, I'm guessing in Washington, DC based on the conversation about going to vote later in the video)
:13 - Jan Helfeld: "Is government power derived by the people?"
:18 - Bernie Sanders: "Yup."
:19 - Jan Helfeld: "Do individual have the right it initiate force against other individuals who have not initiated force?
1:00 - Bernie Sanders: (visibly flustered) tries to explain the answer by defining what he believes are the rights and rules of Democracy. This was not the question, but that's Ok.
1:10 - Bernie Sanders: "I reject the premise."
1:25 - Jan Helfeld: repeats the question about individuals using force.
1:40 - Bernie Sanders: refutes the question.
1:50 - Jan Helfeld: repeats the question. Asking for a simple answer.
2:30 - Bernie Sanders: (defensive) doesn't like the question.
3:00 - Bernie Sanders: tries to turn the tables on Jan Helfeld.
3:22 - Jan Helfeld: directly answers Bernie Sanders question, and then reaskes his own (still waiting for an answer).
3:35 - Bernie Sanders: (reluctantly agrees) that one citizen has no right to act violently against another citizen who is not violent.
4:00 - Jan Helfeld: "Can you delegate a right you don't have?"
4:03 - Bernie Sanders: tries to explain our system to Jan Helfeld.
4:30 - Bernie Sanders: (getting visibly upset) "What is your background?"
4:50 - Bernie Sanders: (Stands up, storms out)
5:00 - Bernie Sanders: states his superiority by saying, "He has to go vote" because that's what important people in the system do.
5:15 - AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING - Bernie Sanders: (stands off camera and demands the following from Jan Helfeld)
"What is your background?"
"I want more information about you."
"I'll have my people looking into who you are."
"Show is over"
"Leave me your card, so I can get specific info on you."
"Who finances your show?"
The ending of this video is typical bullying type stuff. It's Bernie saying to Jan, "I don't like how that went, and you're finished in this town, if you air that interview."
It's implied threats the same way a power hungry ruler would intimidate and use influence to manipulate situations. It's SS, CIA, FBI type stuff. It's a guy that realizes that his reasoning has a fatal flaw, but instead of entertaining that he might be wrong or learn from the situation: he chooses to lash out at the questioner, and threaten and rant.
This isn't good.
This make him the kind of person that wants more centralized power under his belt, so that he can more easily flex that muscle to get what he wants - regardless of differing views, or reasoning, or an opportunity to learn or discuss a topic to a logical conclusion.
After watching this interview, I begin to see Bernie as one of the antagonists in a Ayn Rand novel. The kind of person that wants "change" so that they can use influence to get things they could never achieve using intellect, or skill or persuasion or choice. A kind of bottom-feeder, who does his intimidation in a back room, so that when the cameras come on: he can claim to be "for the common man", knowing no one dare challenge him.
I believe this guy is dangerous. Not the "outsider" he claims to be. But instead, the ultimate "insider" who manipulates our system of governance even further from deriving power from the people, and more towards centralization - where he will be glad to be sitting on his throne.
“It only stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.”
“We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.”