Sen. Bernie Sanders’ performance in the Tuesday night debate showed why his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination has gained traction.
As a voice for the down-trodden, his audience is growing.
“Millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages, and yet almost all of the new income and wealth being created is going to the top 1 percent,” he said.
Sanders targeted fellow politicians for designing laws that favor big business in order to secure their seats of power.
“Millionaires and billionaires are pouring unbelievable sums of money into the political process in order to fund super PACs and to elect candidates who represent their interests, not the interests of the working people.”
His answer?
A revolution to throw the bums out.
Sounds like a Tea Party — in reverse.
Because while Sanders is anti-establishment, he’s pro big government and favors such things as a free college education to every public institution of higher learning, expanded Social Security benefits and universal health care.
THOUGH HIS platform doesn’t stand a chance in such a conservative country as the United States, his candidacy is doing wonders to stir up voters who have long felt ignored — bona fide liberals, if not downright socialists.
For too long politicians have pandered to their interests to only turn their backs once elected. Bernie is the real thing, with a voting record — save on gun control — to prove he is passionate about income inequality, climate change, gay rights and prison reform.
At the debate, Hillary Clinton tried to bring Sanders down to earth, reminding him there’s such a thing as Congress, and when its majority is of the opposing party it can be particularly obstructive.
Former Sen. Jim Webb also threw water on Sanders’ enthusiasm, cautioning, “I don’t think the revolution’s going to come.”
Such naysaying seemed only to fuel the fire.
“Wall Street controls Congress,” Sanders said outright. And “the greed and recklessness of Wall Street, where fraud is a business model, has wrecked this economy.”
Bernie Sanders. He calls it like he sees it.
Too bad we prefer the color of rose-tinted glasses.
— Susan Lynn
