Bernie Sanders
Related: About this forumPublic’s Disgust With the Democratic Party Propels Sanders
Thomas Frank is the author of "Listen, Liberal, or What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?" and "What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America."
UPDATED MARCH 14, 2016,
Bernie Sanders is a fine politician, but that is not why he has emerged from obscurity to win so many Democratic primaries. The real story here is the breakdown of the ideology pursued for decades by the Democratic Partys dominant faction.
The party gave up its historic mission to serve working people years ago and chose instead to represent the New Economys winners.
The Great Recession started in 2007, and for millions of average Americans no recovery has come. For most of the years since then, there has been a Democrat in the White House, and those Americans have a right to wonder why the eloquent hero they voted for has done so little to improve their situation. They see that banks, health insurance companies and Silicon Valley are doing extremely well; why, then, dont their wages grow?
The answer, and the key to Sanderss success, is staring us in the face: Because the Democratic Party gave up years ago on its historic mission of serving working people and chose instead to make itself into the party of professionals, of the New Economys winners, of a group they love to flatter with phrases like symbolic analysts, wired workers and the creative class.
This shifting allegiance is the fundamental reason that Democrats began to identify with Wall Street back in the 1990s (and then with Silicon Valley) but what makes this story so aggravating is the way Democrats keep choosing professionals over workers again and again. One class of Americans they reward with subsidies and forgiveness; the rest of us get discipline. The 1994 crime bill and the end of welfare were all brought to you, remember, by the same Democratic administration that rolled back the rules for banks and telecoms. The North American Free Trade Agreement and its many successors have brought, well, freedom to those who employ but anxiety and diminished lives to those who work. The present Democratic administration has hounded individuals who lied on mortgage applications, but it seems to find top bankers incapable of wrongdoing. And in these years of galloping industrial concentration and power grabs by Silicon Valley, antitrust enforcement has dropped off the agenda.
more
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/03/14/has-bernie-sanders-been-underestimated/publics-disgust-with-the-democratic-party-propels-sanders
Stevepol
(4,234 posts)n2doc
(47,953 posts)They have pro HRC ones too. The main ed page will remain solidly behind her.
m-lekktor
(3,675 posts)cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
erlewyne
(1,115 posts)Yes, and I second that point
LittleGirl
(8,292 posts)but the evil that has inflicted itself in America is GREED. Pure massive GREED.
Myrina
(12,296 posts)When you see Harry Belafonte sitting with Obama & HRC saying (paraphrase) "People use us to get into power, and then the power takes over and we get nothing" and "I wondered if there was anything left of the ravaged Democratic party to save ... "
The entire piece is breathtaking, wish it could be used as an ad.
http://m.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/223559/now_is_the_time_bernie_2016/
bonniebgood
(943 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)appalachiablue
(41,182 posts)seabeckind
(1,957 posts)Fixed it.
The democratic PARTY decided that chasing money to be elected was more important than doing the right thing for the people.
The democratic PARTY joined the reagan revulsion because they didn't want to rub shoulders with the commoners. They thought it was better to throw in with the nobility than the people.
in_cog_ni_to
(41,600 posts)They always professed the mean old Republicans wouldn't let them pass good legislation or Republicans had all the power, even when Democrats had a majority in Congress. BERNIE HAS EXPOSED THEM. That's why none of them endorsed him....THEY'RE ALL ON-THE-TAKE CROOKS. Their gravy train ends when Bernie becomes president and they know it.
We've always known they were giving us a dog and pony show, but how do we prove that and stop it? With a politician like BERNIE - honest, trustworthy, reliable, ETHICAL and authentic - who cares more about his country and its citizens than he does money! Their charade is coming to an end, finally.
PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE
raouldukelives
(5,178 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)dembotoz
(16,864 posts)interesting read so far would rec
highprincipleswork
(3,111 posts)underpants
(182,951 posts)Bernie didn't come out of obscurity.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)raging moderate
(4,312 posts)I suspect it is a euphemism for the true motivation of the 1%.