Should I vote for Bernie?

I'm unaffiliated and can vote in either primary. I'm considering voting for Sanders to send a message to the Democratic Party. Any reason I shouldn't?

Bernie is a socialist

Vote for him because he's the best candidate. What's the alternative? Biden - Hillary 2.0 status quo corrupt elitism. Buttigieg - fresh young corporate tool. Bloomberg - racist hardcore Republican his whole life until 5 minutes ago, lots of skeletons. Warren - decent policies but her star is fading. Trump won because he ran a populist campaign based on fear, Obama won because he ran a populist campaign based on hope. Sanders will win because he's running a populist campaign based on actually fixing things. Trump fears him because Sanders is a populist like him, but Sanders means it and will come across as genuine, instead of just being a shifty orange con-man telling people what they want to hear.

As a Republican, and thus without a say in the democratic primaries, I would rather Biden win the Dems than Sanders. Part of this stems from the fact that AOC (who is supporting Bernie) makes me weep daily for humanity after the whole "Milton Keynes" fiasco, but I also feel that Biden better understands politics and would have a better chance of beating Trump in an election, as he could garner some of the moderate vote, while Sanders' (as well as most of the other Dem candidates) socialist/far left views would push moderates away.

It's funny how some Americans are terrified of giving their citizens free health care like the rest of the civilized world does.

Sanders isn't advocating for Stalinist communism despite the right wing propaganda will no doubt flood the 2020 airwaves, he's talking about civil rights, helping people, and getting money out of politics. Sadly, this conflicts with the 'American dream' which apparently means being an ultra-rich a**hole who pays no taxes. Not sure if you've noticed, but this pathology has resulted in the rest of us watching the USA flush itself down the toilet.

"I also feel that Biden better understands politics and would have a better chance of beating Trump in an election, as he could garner some of the moderate vote, while Sanders' (as well as most of the other Dem candidates) socialist/far left views would push moderates away." That's what the democrats thought about Clinton in 2016, despite the fact that Sanders scored better vs Trump in poll after poll.

Iowa: Sanders 1st equal, Biden 4th

New Hampshire: Sanders 1st, Biden 5th

@clousems

"Part of this stems from the fact that AOC (who is supporting Bernie) makes me weep daily for humanity after the whole "Milton Keynes" fiasco ..."

Please tell me about this.

I don't think Sanders is a Stalin style communist, although it bothers me that he hasn't fired his campaign workers who are that type of communist. I'm talking about his paid employees who support throwing people who disagree with them into gulags.

My main concern is that the DNC is going to maneuver Bloomberg to the nomination.

Well, if I could choose a president I'd choose Bernie, but, in the primaries, I would vote for Pete Buttigieg, because he, being more moderate, could get the votes of Independents and some more centrist-Republicans.

PS: @clousems you do not come across as a Republican to me; nor a Democrat! You seem like a Federalist who would preach that political parties are stupid (like Washington). But then, of course, you are a huge fan of Grover Cleveland (his music), who was a member of the NDP, which shared Republican ideals.

@Crapablanca64 Yes and no. He'd be an amazing president, but if he is the nominee I don't believe that he'd be able to harness the centrist voters. Too left. I'd vote Buttigieg in the primaries. But, Sanders would be an amazing president.