BERNIE SANDERS IS TO THE LEFT OF FDR IN MANY WAYS

To a great extent Sanders is more radical (in the good sense of the word) than were Franklin Roosevelt and the FDR-wing of the Democratic Party. First, he has the entire political establishment against him, including its moderate-liberal wing. Moderate-liberal leaders, almost without exception, are supporting Hillary (including the Black Caucus, Michael Dukakis, Howard Dean, and the list goes on and on). As a fitting response, Sanders calls for a revolution from below.

Second, he attacks his adversaries super-aggressively. His attack on Kissinger in the last debate is just one example. Another is his refusal to minimize the importance of Hillary's Wall Street ties, and his statement in the last debate that 'Americans are not stupid' (or some such words) in response to Hillary's claim that Wall Street patronage does not influence her positions. The Democrats tend to treat their adversaries to their right with kid gloves, while often lashing out at the left (that's the treatment Nader got). Sanders' performance in the last two debates (the fourth and fifth) was crisp and clear as he lashed out at the establishment on many different fronts and issues.

And third, he is not a member of the Democratic Party, which may ease the immigration of his rank-and-file supporters to a third party.