Well by now yes but I'm not so certain he started his 2016 bid with that in mind. He would not have drawn the sort of crowds he did back then if he wasn't authentic in some way. (Though I agree his ideology is flawed, I do think that, back then he really believed it. Also listen to Trump's opinion of him back then. He calls him "crazy Bernie" but never implied that he was corrupt like the other Dems. That's a good summary for how Bernie was until the 2016 DNC convention)

My theory is that with new people, the Clinton machine uses threats & after that, "sweetens it up" with money. If they take the money they are forever bound by blackmail. If they don't take the money, they are dead. Bernie didn't want to die. Something about his voice changed after that. I couldn't stand to listen to him from that point on. Something about him wasn't authentic anymore. So I can't hate him. He's a fool who got in over his head & then from then on, was too afraid to not obey the godmother. I certainly can't stand to listen to a word he says anymore & yes, I agree that he's controlled.

What Bernie should have done back then was secretly meet up with Trump, tell him all this, beg him for protection & then endorse Trump. Maybe cut a deal with Trump where Bernie is head of some sort of agency where Trump & he both agree on. There must be something. Bernie was too stupid for that. Or who knows what. By now yes, he's a useless old fart.