WaPost: Sanders campaign ‘fiction’

[hoosierlib]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by petronius (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Hill

The Washington Post slammed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in its lead editorial on Thursday, saying he was peddling "fiction” to progressive voters.

“Mr. Sanders is not a brave truth-teller,” the editorial stated. "He is a politician selling his own brand of fiction to a slice of the country that eagerly wants to buy it"

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The tough opinion piece comes days before the Iowa caucuses, where Sanders is seeking to defeat Hillary Clinton. A win by Sanders in Iowa could change a race many thought was Clinton's for the taking.
The editorial is also likely to enrage some of Sanders's supporters, who see him as standing up to establishment interests.

The Post editorial argues that the Vermont senator needs a "reality check" for his suggestion that Wall Street is behind the country's economic problems, including income inequality.

“Here is a reality check: Wall Street has already undergone a round of reform, significantly reducing the risks big banks pose to the financial system,” it said.

“The evolution and structure of the world economy, not mere corporate deck-stacking, explained many of the big economic challenges the country still faces,” the article continued. "Even with radical campaign finance reform, many Americans and their representatives would still oppose the Sanders agenda.”

It also says Sanders is like other politicians who tell their supporters what they want to hear while ignoring counterpoints.

“Mr. Sanders’ success so far does not show that the country is ready for a political revolution. It merely proves that many progressives like being told everything they want to hear," it said.

“He assures Democrats concerned about the political obstacles in the way of his agenda that he will lead a ‘political revolution’ that will help him clear the capital of corruption and influence-peddling,” it said.

“This self-regarding analysis implies a national consensus favoring his agenda when there is none and ignores the many legitimate checks and balances in the political system that he cannot wish away.”

Sanders has styled himself as a political insurgent battling well-entrenched interests in Washington.

Polls suggest his message has been winning over many Democratic voters, and particularly young people.



Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267301-wapost-sanders-campaign-is-fiction

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What a load of horse shit! Wall Street greed and corporate America's policy of maximizing shareholder at all costs coupled with 30 years of trickle down economics and financial industry de-regulation led to our current economic situation. Voters are tired of the status quo and both parties' establishmenta which work for the rich and corporate America. Fuck them, fuck the establishment and their cronies. It's time for a revolution!

[SoapBox]

1. Horse Shit is correct.

It's stunning how The Powers are crapping their pants over Bernie...but not Rump!

[CharlotteVale]

2. I've been calling it the Bushington Post for years.

[Fuddnik]

3. Load of horse shit is right.

Funny how reality ends and Wonderland begins once you cross that beltway ringing DC.

[november3rd]

4. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Who doesn't like being told what they want to hear, especially when it's right and nobody else has been saying it?

The shillionaires at the Big Media outlets are going to get apoplectic if Sanders wins Iowa.

Don't people know Big Media are the sole proprietors of America's political discourse?

According to the networks, the cable channels and the consolidated newspapers, our only hope to avoid catastrophe (for now) is to cling desperately to the status quo ... at least until Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch or one of their shillionaire friends tells what we are supposed to believe next.

[Gregorian]

5. When you don't use your body, it becomes immobile. The same applies to fraud.

You get locked into a type of thinking based on fear and immobility.

There are big corporations which depend upon a stagnation in order to benefit. The military depends upon our fear. Fear is an immobilizing emotion, with respect to creativity and the things that benefit a healthy society.

This author is representing fear. But this time the table is turned. It's corporate fear rather than actual people fear, like the country has been experiencing ever since anti-American Ronald Reagan took it upon his group to tear down our economy. We could be on the eve of regaining control over corporate power in politics.

[NoMoreRepugs]

6. WaPo editorial writers have bathed in the wall street koolaid way too long

[scottie55]

7. Bernie Should Address This

All he has to say is the MSM can't take the heat.

The people who own us have been robbing us blind for decades.

The people, with Bernie's help pointing it out, are going to change this.

The gravy train is over plutocrats.

Sorry.

[houston16revival]

8. This is a dog chasing its tail

Is it income inequality that's the problem?

What's the root of that? Wall Street? Wall Street provides the financing
and growth the economy needs, and people need to pay their bills.

What's the root cause of Wall Street? Campaign contributions? There is some
truth in that.

How about Congress and the laws it passes? That's where the structure that
runs our lives came into being. Restrictive laws, and I would argue there are more that
control citizens than control corporations. The tax code you could hardly finish reading
in the next 2 years.

A lot of it stems from insurance law. Managing risk. Auto, home, life, health insurance.

Wall Street in my view is only the financing root cause. Bernie should keep the heat on
Congress and Washington. Removing the influence of money has many trails.

[7962]

9. "not a brace truth teller"? He's the only one brave enough to TELL the truth!

Hillary keeps peddling the fantasy that she can pay for everything by just taxing the "rich". Bernie has been up front about the reality from the start

[bread_and_roses]

10. Right! Let's all tug our forelocks in respect for Wall St crumbs

We should be GRATEFUL! Grateful don't you know for the crumbs the Banksters and Billionaires and their establishment enablers let drop for us! Maybe soon they'll build us some barracks to live in if we're good and grateful.

How I love seeing Democrats embracing this - this - I am at a loss for words to even describe the depraved dishonesty we're seeing.

Hey WaPo - tell it to the people out here suffering on $8 or $9 an hour. Tell it to the people who can't afford their prescriptions. Tell it to the people who's kids are going to crumbling schools, or who hold their breath every time they have to cross that ancient bridge. Tell it to the people of Flint.

[Gene Debs]

11. Ah, mainstream media...still trying to shape events the way you want them to happen...

[Javaman]

12. so amusing.

jeff bezos, mr. libertarian himself, owns the post.

nothing else needs to be said.

[Roland99]

13. What a disingenuous and naive piece

Wall Street reform has already gone thru round one? Yeah, some additional capital and paperwork is now required (which led GE to divest itself of Synchrony) but without Glass-Steagall's protections re-established, all it means is the consumer is still at risk at losing everything while bondholders and preferred stockholders are better protected.

And this:

"It also says Sanders is like other politicians who tell their supporters what they want to hear while ignoring counterpoints. "

What complete and utter horseshit!! The American public is FED UP with the oligarchy. Plenty on the right and in the middle feel the same as we progressives on the left. We are SICK AND FUCKING TIRED of the M-I-C and Wall St ruling the roost. SICK AND FUCKING TIRED of the Koch-addicted Congress.

[pandr32]

14. Sanders IS a politician

Perhaps some of the points made deserve consideration instead of an instant and total rejection. A lot is at stake.
I know...under the bus I go.

[jwirr]

15. They are totally wrong. Bernie is not telling us anything that

we don't already know. He has merely confirmed our knowledge. Once again the Rs and Hillary think we are stupid. They insult us and think we will bow down and follow them right over the cliff.

I think it is funny that they are insisting that Wall Street has already gone through a lot of reforms. Yet economists are telling us that nothing has changed. We could crash tomorrow. They are still too big to fail and that means that if even one of them fails WE have to bail them out regardless of any so called reform. The only other choice we would have is to let ALL of them and the rest of the world fail right along with us.

[IDemo]

16. editorial != LBN

[bread_and_roses]

17. Meant to add that "horse shit" is way too kind

Horse shit is good fertilizer. This is slag - which for those who didn't grow up next to a coal-burning power plant as I did is the waste left over from the coal. Good for nothing. They left it in heaps along the river.

[Akicita]

18. The Establishment Empire srikes back.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. I bet Hillary supporters are all throwing this at the Bernie supporters as "fact"....

Wasn't that long ago when they were acting like every editorial against Bernie was the death blow and he should drop out of the race.

Ah,....fond memories.

[Jack Rabbit]

20. WaPo has been publishing this kind of nonsense for years

According to WaPo's editorial staff, the War against Iraq was a good idea years after we unwashed peons figured out otherwise. The paper has fallen into an abyss since those proud days they doggedly pursued Nixon and his waterbuggers.

[johnnyrocket]

21. Billionaire Bezos and other corporatists are shitting their pants...

...that the 'commoners' might make some political headway in the near future, they can't have that.

[Dems to Win]

22. Bernie's got Jeff Bezos running scared

If we succeed in our Fight for $15 and a union, Amazon will have to change how it does business.

[elleng]

23. and this too??? Washington Post Poll-- America MOST Comfortable With President Bernie Sanders.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511081953

Y'all can make your decisions based on polls, if you'd like. Me, I'd rather decide based on SUBSTANCE:

O'Malley's Plans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12813600

Here's why I support him:

Martin O'Malley:

1. Ended death penalty in Maryland
2. Prevented fracking in Maryland and put regulations in the way to prevent next GOP Gov Hogan fom easily allowing fracking.
3. Provided health insurance for 380,000
4. Reduced infant mortality to an all time low.
5. Provided meals to thousands of hungry children and moved toward a goal for eradicating childhood hunger.
6. Enacted a $10.10 living wage and a $11. minimum wage for State workers.
7. Supporter the Dream Act
8. Cut income taxes for 86% of Marylanders (raised taxes on the rich).
9. Reformed Maryland’s tax code to make it more progressive.
10. Enacted some of the nation’s most comprehensive reforms to protect homeowners from foreclosure.

Mother Jones magazine called him the best candidate on environmental issues.
Article here:
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/12/martin-omalley-longshot-presidential-candidate-and-real-climate-hawk

[petronius]

24. Locking. Sorry, but this piece does not fit the LBN SoP:

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