There were a number of factors that combined to actually give him a chance. Obama's 2008 victory told voters they COULD escape the chosen establishment candidate. And even if they didn't get what they thought they were, it still was an awakening for many. OWS brought economic inequality to the forefront, brought forth ideas about how to start to fix it like FightFor15, and in the same way that BLM led to CampaignZero and other focused projects to actually DO something to start fixing these structural problems, got people ready to reject the 'status quo' Democrats who are happy to sit around being placeholders, and not really do much of anything about any kind of injustice.

We've got to quit striking down our marginalized, and start giving them the helping hand up. Stop locking them up to 'protect' our elites, and empower them to survive in ways that don't pit one against another.

What's your price?

Never in the U.S.A. should it have been allowed.

Just a disgusting abuse of power to stop those people from trying to get out their message. One of the worst things that I've seen in my life (mass murders aside for this comment).

When the beatdown started.
Not under a Democratic President who had pledged to restore civil liberties.

Sorry that was off topic.
User ID is referencing Mark Twain right?

The War Prayer, which rang true as a bell for the Iraq invasion.
Thank you.

and it is still true in most churches today, when the man left and everyone thought him an idiot.

He was light years ahead of his fime, or rather immortal, as his writing is true for all times.

the critics mocked: "If they're sooo concerned, then why don't they engage the system and run their own candidates?!1?"

Careful what you ask for!

Occupy rising from the ashes

but I strongly believe that Bernie is a logical part of the continuum of Occupy. He was around long before, but didn't have the environment to do what he's doing now. Win or lose; the movement for a sane, compassionate, fair and equitable, sustainable, people-powered 21st century society will continue to advance from the embryonic snow flake of Occupy to an avalanche of change.

Derailing the bastards before their dream of a planet of slaves becomes full reality.

So many people forget, or at this point have never heard of, The Battle of Seattle. The backlash against the 1% began in earnest in late '90s but was interrupted for jingoism and the PATRIOT Act post-9/11. I know the economy was one of the reasons I was protesting at the first Dubya Bush inauguration (along with the stolen election, of course). Anyone who was paying attention could see Clinton had fucked over the US economy, and poor and working people. I voted for Nader not because I hated Gore but because I hated Lieberman, that DINO troll loved by Republicans and the DLC for his fiscal conservatism.

Thank you for posting. I hadn't considered Sanders' campaign within the economic justice continuum that encompasses OWS and WTO protests until just now. It's a rich connection to add to my Sanders talking points.