Today's... OUCH !!! (MUST SEE/READ !!!)

[WillyT]

Sander’s rise fueled by the failure of propaganda
by Ted Rall - JapanTimes
1/22/16



<snip>

NEW YORK – The independent senator from Vermont says the economic system is rigged against working-class Americans. He’s right. The electoral political system is a subsidiary of those who rule the economy. Which is why Bernie Sanders never stood a chance. The political system was rigged against him.

And yet, despite the formidable institutional obstacles stacked against him, Sanders is doing great: largely considered a shoo-in to win New Hampshire, leading in Iowa, closing the gap nationally. Surprised pundits are marveling at his popular momentum, ground organization and fundraising prowess. There is now a credible path to the Democratic nomination and, if he runs against GOP front-runner Donald Trump, to the White House.

Center-right Hillaryworld wants to know: how did this happen? Leftists wonder: is this cause for hope?

It is an amazing story. Everyone in a position to block Sanders’ campaign did everything they could to sabotage him.

Knowing that coverage is the essential oxygen of politics, the media mostly ignored him. By one measure, corporate media gave Trump 23 times more coverage than Sanders! On the few occasions when they spilled a little ink on Bernie, it was to insult him and his socialist politics. (My personal Exhibit A was a New York Times piece that carried a photo that emphasized his bald spot.)

Marginalization always used to work. Remember John Edwards? His 2008 primary campaign was doomed because TV networks refused to cover him. But the media’s cold shoulder isn’t hurting Bernie.

In the bag for Clinton and remembering the lesson of 2008 — the more voters hear from her the less they like her — the Democratic National Committee fed her aura of inevitability by refusing to give Bernie the exposure and legitimacy offered by a robust round of debates. Debates, the few of them the manipulative DNC chair and Hillary toady Debbie Wasserman Schultz allowed to take place, were scheduled for the nights known for low television viewership.

That tactic backfired. Hillary did better than Bernie in the first three debates. But no one saw her flex her foreign-affairs muscles. Bernie got nothing but chicanery from the DNC, to the point that the Sanders camp had to sue to access its own voter data. Which only reinforced his image as a rebel — not easy for a U.S. senator — and further endeared him to his supporters.

Despite everything, Sanders could win. Moreover, it’s not just Sanders the candidate who is doing well. His “unusual” politics are becoming usual.

<snip>

And...

As Che Guevara observed, people will not resort to armed struggle before they exhaust every last opportunity to nonviolently reform the existing system by casting their votes in elections.

A Sanders administration would be our best, last, 100 percent doomed shot at fixing a rigged regime.

Link: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/01/22/commentary/world-commentary/sanders-rise-fueled-by-the-failure-of-propaganda/

[LWolf]

1. Finally.

The failure of propaganda.

[Punkingal]

5. +1

[stillwaiting]

6. The onslaught continues. Let's hope they continue to fail.

The media will create scandals for Bernie if they can. We have to overcome the media's voice. Thankfully, very few people trust the media these days and for very good reason.

[CorporatistNation]

41. People Who Are Generally NON Political Are Catching On... That Is Why Bernie Is UP!

People see right through the media antics. Watch the shit on Monday... You can bet that there will be some insider cheating afoot with Lil Deb and the Hillbot brigade for Clinton Incorporated!

[Fawke Em]

13. Thank the Internet.

And that is why the elite oppose net neutrality.

Real people talking directly with other real people and spreading the news makes propaganda-style "news" a failing medium every time.

[Chef Eric]

15. Exactly.

I wish we would hear more about net neutrality from all of the candidates.

[Enthusiast]

32. You are absolutely correct! They hate net neutrality because we can get the truth out.

Every stinkin' TV and radio station is pure misinformation. But through the internet we can get to the truth.

[CharlotteVale]

2. K&R

[artislife]

3. That is the way it feels.

Thanks for the OP.

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Great piece! Love these four paragraphs too:

<snip>
Propaganda is still effective. But when it’s broadcast by elites who are widely despised, its effect is opposite of what’s intended. Clinton racks up endorsements from unions and left-leaning organizations like Planned Parenthood. In the past, these would have given her a boost. This year, it reinforces a negative framing of her as bought and paid for by special interests.

In days of yore the endorsement of a young actress starring in a hip TV show would have been a feather in Hillary’s cap. In 2016, it’s hard to imagine how poor Lena Dunham will wash away the stink of Hillary’s hard-edged corporatism.

Hillary has an incredible resume: first lady, senator, secretary of state. This year, she’d be better off as an outsider. Credentials subtract from her credibility. What’s wrong now, voters feel, is partly her fault.

Sanders’ campaign gets accused of improperly accessing Hillary’s data on DNC servers. In the old days, the smell of an ethical breach might have doomed his candidacy. Now, because Democratic voters are disgusted by the DNC’s brazen attempt to fix the primaries for Hillary, the controversy looks like another sleazy attack on Bernie. Because the public distrusts journalists, the media blackout works in Bernie’s favor. Through the lens of this new politics of contempt, if the powers that be want to censor the “wild and crazy” socialist senator, he musn’t be that bad after all. What Bernie really needs is for Hillary to receive Obama’s endorsement (which she obviously, foolishly, wants.) That would be the end of her.
<snip>

[Divernan]

11. "Lena Dunham can't wash away the stink of Hill's hard-edged corporatism."

[daybranch]

7. Where do you get Hillary won the first three debates?

Did you see Bernie get his message out frankly and consistently?

[thereismore]

9. Ted Rall is not right on every account... a valuable opinion nonetheless! nt

[thereismore]

8. Ted Rall's book "Wake Up: You're a Liberal" woke me up to the fact that I was a liberal.

After reading this, I think Ted is actually a democratic socialist. Maybe I am too!!

[Duval]

10. K&R. Thanks WillyT !

[ChiciB1]

12. WOW! They're Finally Getting It!!

Thank you Willy T for yet ANOTHER great post!

[Fawke Em]

14. Dr. Evil Pantsuits

[paleotn]

18. Damn! You're right!

[mmonk]

16. My son who has a Che clock on his bedroom wall would agree.

Me too.

[paleotn]

17. Great piece.

...one point to clarify. DWS supposedly didn't set the debate schedule, she inherited it. IF that is in fact true, it was within her's and the committee's power to right the wrong and they refused. For obvious reasons no less. One must keep the oligarchs happy, you know. And the shills and propagandized will defend it to the last!

[Proserpina]

19. Well, Willy T., when the media conducts itself as unfair and imbalanced

and the Hillary campaign conducts itself as unfair and imbalanced,

then I'm going to believe the evidence that they are unfair and imbalanced!

And so are a lot of other reasonable people who don't have to pass through the looking glass every morning upon wakening.

Now they are entering the unhinged phase; it's scary, and another reason to vote for Bernie.

[Matariki]

20. The cynicism of thinking voters are stupid and easily manipulated

and voters are sick of that.

Great article Willy.

[SoapBox]

21. OMG....Exactly!

"In the bag for Clinton and remembering the lesson of 2008 — the more voters hear from her the less they like her..."

I've been saying the whole time...the more she is exposed to the majority, the more they will be reminded of how much they do NOT like about her (or him).

While Bernie was holding his huge mega-rallies, she was no where to be found because she was having private max donation dinners with millionaires and billionaires. Her campaign and the DNC know exactly how much she is disliked and have done their damnedest to keep her hidden from view.

Bernie is the only chance we have of winning the Presidency and turning around Congress by GOTV in this Political Revolution.

[Punx]

27. Case in point,

Here in Portland last year, Bernie has a large rally at the Moda center (approximately 20k attending), and the week before (later?) Clinton had come through and had one of those $2,700 a plate fund raisers. Just average Joes/Janes with a couple of grand in their pockets.

[libdem4life]

22. Pitchfork Politics ... I'm taking mine to the voting both and pulling the lever.

The failure of propaganda. That's quite a statement coming from Japan. They'd know a bit about it. Then we have Thom and now Ed on Russia Today. What does that say about our MSM?

[Punx]

25. What does that say about our MSM?

It says a lot, and none of it good.

[Arugula Latte]

23. I think social media is the establishment's kryptonite.

[bvar22]

26. I agree.

The LIES and DISTORTIONS can be addressed IMMEDIATELY by millions.
The old system of having to wait two weeks to get a LTTE addressing the distortions are OVER.
The citizens NOW have Rapid Response Capability with immediate access to MILLIONS, most of whom have given up getting a true story from "The Media", and that has punched a BIG hole in the bottom of Hillary's little swift boat.

[Arugula Latte]

31. Definitely. And the younger generations are quite savvy to propaganda in many forms,

be it political, religious, corporate advertising, etc., so this problem will only get worse for establishment types in coming years. I don't think a Dean Scream type tactic will work anymore. I know my teen kids are so much more aware of how people with power and money try to manipulate other people. They realize politics is largely now just the pushing of money agendas (with a few exceptions, like Bernie). They are so much more tuned into the backstories than I was as a kid, and they can sniff out Clintonian phoniness instantly.

[Fearless]

24. Hillary did not do better in the debates. Literally ask anyone who doesn't work for Hillary.

[Duckfan]

28. Yuuuuuuuuge

[jomin41]

29. And these are lefties!

HRC is hated by Repubs and even Independents.
Bernie is drawing support from independents and even some repubs.
Bernie has won more elections than HRC, a lot more.
Bernie has way more experience as an elected representative. He knows how
Congress works. He knows how to deal with people effectively and respectfully.

So, in truth, Bernie is not only MORE electable than anyone else currently around BUT,
Bernie has a better chance of working with Congress, or, alternatively, calling on his "army"
of supporters to put on the pressure. HRC + Congress = A big mess.

Also, imho, Bernie will have coattails.

[Mike__M]

30. "the more voters hear from her the less they like her"

Maybe that explains the 5-minute speech in Iowa City.

[questionseverything]

33. i keep seeing that referenced....have a link by chance?

[Mike__M]

34. You mean the perfunctory speech?

The Guardian: Hillary Clinton angers Iowa fans who waited hours for five-minute speech

[questionseverything]

35. thanks for the link

that is just so rude i didn't really believe it

<<shakes head>

[Mike__M]

42. I'm no fan of Clinton

But I do hope there's an actual good reason for her short appearance. I feel sorry for the people who came out, especially any that were all jazzed up like Bernie's crowds. I'm thinking how I was planning to go to Bernie's Seattle event, but decided to go to Portland instead -- totally different, I know, but the disappointment's real in both cases.

Strange deal.

[PatrickforO]

40. Boy, you all should go into Mike_M's link and

read some of the comments. Clinton REALLY isn't well liked. I even had to complain about one of the comments it was so offensive. Geez. I mean, I'm all for Sanders, but this commenter just didn't want to be decent.

[smiley]

36. for the first time today...

I heard Bernie talked about on the radio (clear channel news), and it was in a positive light. I was shocked to hear his name, but it gave me hope that he is finally starting to break the mainstream media blockade.

[in_cog_ni_to]

37. kick!

[Paka]

38. K&R

GO BERNIE!

[Babel_17]

39. The Talking Points Memo site is somewhat solidly behind Clinton, but ...

The Talking Points Memo site is somewhat solidly behind Clinton, but I saw near uniform disgust at how Clinton ally Brock was going about his business. I take that as a very solid indicator of how badly the smear campaign is being met by undecided primary/caucus voters.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/david-brock-sanders-black-lives-matter

[John Poet]

43. K & R

[raouldukelives]

44. K&R nt

[Warren DeMontague]

45. "Quick! Plan more spontaneity!"