Juan Cole: How Mainstream is Bernie Sanders?

[eridani]

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/05/29/how-mainstream-bernie-sanders

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the presidential candidate for the Democratic nomination, has trouble being taken seriously by the corporate media, what with him being a democratic socialist and all.

If you go to Google News and put in his name, you get headlines about him being nothing more than a protest candidate, or having “odd views,” or promoting “dark age economics.”

But Sanders’s positions are quite mainstream from the point of view of the stances of the American public in general. Of course, the 1%, for whom and by whom most mainstream media report, are appalled and would like to depict him as an outlier.

Sanders is scathing on the increasing wealth gap, whereby the rich have scooped up most of the increase in our national wealth in the past twenty years. The average wage of the average worker in real terms is only a little better than in 1970; the poor are actually poorer; but the wealth of the top earners has increased several times over.

Some 63% of Americans agree that the current distribution of wealth is unfair. And in a Gallup poll done earlier this month, a majority, 52%, think that government taxation on the rich should be used to reduce the wealth gap. This percentage is historically high, having been only 45% in 1998. But there seems to be a shift going on, because Gallup got the 52% proportion in answer to the question on taxing the rich both in April and again in May of this year.

[merrily]

1. This is one of the first things I've read from a member of professional media that I can respect

even minimally--and not only because Cole comes down on Bernie's side.

For one thing, this piece actually discusses Sanders' political positions in a serious way. Gee, how unusual in professional coverage of a Senator and long time member of Congress who is running for the Democratic nomination for POTUS! That this is even remarkable in any way speaks volumes about the crappy way media covers Bernie, if it covers him at all.

Whether he supports Bernie or not, Cole has gone up in my estimatation for not being a total jerk about how he covers Bernie.

[BrotherIvan]

2. Well, he is talking about economic populism and that's a very dangerous thing

“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.”

Not a real quote by Gandhi. But it seems like we're going to see all of them all at once. DU is trying to pull ahead in the smear you with made up shit category though. Winning.

[Enthusiast]

3. Bernie Sanders is the most mainstream of all candidates—both sides.

[merrily]

4. Great insight and quite true, according to polls, although you'd never know it from the media.

Although....Jon Stewart this week said Bernie was a perfectly rational, slightly left of center candidate--which is something of a shift for Jon Stewart that I was happy to see. Maybe members of this group should give Jon and Juan (Cole) some love.

[Enthusiast]

6. I was happy to see it too.

[merrily]

5. Members of the Bernie Group should thank Cole for this. I'm not kidding.

I'd rather give positive reinforcement than gripe.

[marym625]

8. Great idea

Do you want me to post something? Or make it part of next week's media target? Or maybe only the media target?

[merrily]

10. Thanks, Mary. I think thanking both Cole and Jon Stewart would be great.

[sabrina 1]

7. The Corporate Media promotes Corporate Candidates. Not sure why anyone is surprised by that.

Social Media otoh, is on fire for Bernie. And that is what counts.

Pointing out the bias however, is important as it is another reason WHY we need Bernie Sanders. To restore the Fairness Doctrine at least, and begin the process of ending the grip of Mega Corporations on this country.

[libdem4life]

9. Juan Cole definitely leans left, but he is well respected, like Paul Krugman and the like.

For Bernie, this long period of time until the Primary is helpful. It's going to take longer to get the message out without 6 figure ad budgets. But it is so simple, and undeniably correct, that it's just a matter...thankfully we have it...time.