While covering the Democratic and Republican debates in Miami, Florida, a Bernie Sanders supporter talked to me about presidential elections.
“The best liar wins; millions are spent to award the biggest liar,” he said.
He’s right.
Ronald Reagan ignited conservative orgasms throughout America by telling us “government is the problem.” He then used his government to lift the oh-so–struggling plutocrat class with huge tax breaks, deregulation, union-busting and race-baiting.
George W. Bush was a moderate, compassionate conservative eager to sanitize the smell of Clinton out of the White House.
He certainly was compassionate—for the same struggling plutocrat class Reagan championed. And that smelly, Clinton stink in the Oval office? Gone, replaced by the smell of dead American soldiers, killed in a war launched not in reaction to weapons of mass destruction but in response to theNeocon-Cowboys-Club egging him on.
Barack Obama would end politics as usual and change establishment hearts and minds through hope and change. He’d usher in a post-partisan D.C utopia and finally offer the country the progressive shock therapy it needed to halt an economic collapse.
Instead of fighting extremist Republicans full-force and tapping into his exemplary oratorical gifts to rally voters against them, he’s constantly met them on their turf.
Historic universal healthcare originally spawned right out of the conservative Heritage Foundation that gave insurers a big, sloppy kiss. A trade deal that’s corporate America’s wet dream; a moderate, Republican-light Supreme Court nominee—you hoped, but the change was artificial, tickling establishment Democrats while leaving struggling Americans left clinging onto hope (and some onto Donald Trump).
And now 2016, with a series of candidates that lie almost as much as they breathe.
Ted Cruz loves the constitution as he calls for Republicans to abandon it to block Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.
Donald Trump says Obama’s economic stimulus was exactly the right course to take; assault weapons should be banned; Syrian refugees should be allowed into the U.S.; and the U.S. should launch a preemptive war against Iraq.
That all happened in reality: but how would you know? Media laziness and ratings greed allowed him to recreate history, launching birtherism; becoming a 2nd-amendment zealot; calling for a refugee and Muslim ban into the country; and you guessed it, assuming the position of clairvoyant who opposed Iraq before it began.
Hillary Clinton—the progressive who “gets things done.” You just have to guess what things she’ll do since her positions change poll to poll, news cycle to news cycle. election to election.
And Bernie Sanders—the one candidate who tells the truth, inspires a groundswell of citizen support and funding, pops the lid wide open on the revolving door between lobbyists, bankers, media, and lawmakers—is just too radical to be president.
Which of the liars will ultimately win? Ultimately, whichever one’s most glaring lie gets leaked out closest to election day.
When we all lose.
Follow Jordan on Twitter @JordanChariton
Comments
Everything Bernie Sanders has to say and all of his positions and policies get me excited as much as anyone. But I am extremely critical of any politician especially any presidential candidate. Although to his credit, I have been pleasantly suprised with some of the risky rhetoric that has come out of Bernie’s mouth in regard to the corruption and unjust rule of the Oligarchy “establishment.”
But I often ask myself. Why am I being so naive. What should make me think that after he takes office he will execute any of the reform and regulation he speaks of. Why would I think he will be any different than anyone else, who once they are in office, gets pressured from the corporate masters (Rothschilds, Rockefellers, DeBeers, etc, etc). Yes those persons, not the Kochs, Murdok, Tilletson, Roberts Family, and other public CEOs of big business we are all fooled to think are the main influencers.
Are any of us, some alot more intelligent and informed than others, really going to fall for the dupe and beleive he will be able to fight against those powers and influencers. Or is Bernie just as much of a distraction as Trump is to keep us occupied while the plan and intentions of the Oligarchy to put Hillary in office is carried out no matter what? Someone should ask her what is discussed at Bildeburg? Or who are all of her connections and influencers on the Council on Foreign Relations.
I truly hope I’m wrong and all of my concerns are silly and ridiculous. But unfortunatley, the reality track record and status quo has prevailed for a very long time now. I love the passion and the effort of the progressive movement. I want it to influence and change politics and economy and social issues just as much as anyone. But there are many more issues that are much more important and evident that need to be openly addressed other than those of what our beloved Bernie uses to get everyone excited about “a future, to believe in.”
Regardless, to see this much activism, truly makes me happy and kindles an ember of hope within me.
What is really troubling with the lies that are told is the media doesn’t follow up when a candidate does lie. Here is a simple example from the lowest hanging truth. Hillary Clinton is constantly saying that she has always been in support or against an issue, when if you know the facts, that it is a lie. She says she has always been for Gay rights; she supported DOMA. She says she has always been against trade deals: she supported NAFTA and she called TPP the “gold standard”. But you don’t hear anything in the contrary from the media.
Keep at it, Jordan! Along with the legal bribing of government officials, this is the key to many of our problems. If anyone behaved in a job interview as Trump does, he’d be out on his rear in a second. The same goes for lying. But when it comes to our government officials, we (the people) hire the liars. The best liar wins is the system we set up, and the only thing that would change it is kicking liars out.
Tax “breaks” are subsidies that are given out at tax time instead of by check, coupon, or at the register. You’ve fallen for their framing on taxes when you say breaks instead of subsidies, even if you have the right substance otherwise.
I am currently active duty in the Marine Corps and I can honestly say at this point… I’m starting to feel ashamed to be a part of this country’s sword and shield… This country has lost nearly all the dignity, pride and legacy that the legends of the past devoted their lives to building for us future generations. What is left rests solely on the shoulders of progressive fire starters like Mr. Sanders to bring back the the United States of old. I don’t agree with all of his policies, but at this point I’m willing to be flexible with my values in order to be sure of what I will get in a leader post-campaign and election.
To Jasper:
Firstly, I’d like to personally thank you for your service as one who serves in our military. I hope you are able to be near your lived ones and that you stay safe.
Second, as an American citizen living abroad, I completely understand how you feel. In the foreign press, we are becoming an absolute joke. I have more people ask me all the time when I might go home and I’d rather not at this point. Back home to what? A place where greed and money out weigh basic human rights? Where you are judged solely on the color of your skin, your sexual orientation, or the size of your bank account? I’m have this immense shame in admitting my citizenship when my accent is detected. I’ve voted for Sanders and I really hope he wins, because the rest are just going to drag us down further.
another excellent post, Jordan. So Happy you joined TYT!
I think Bernie was laying low until the Southern states were over- catching some Z’s before he wakes up swinging.
Completely agree. Whether it is Bernie’s desire not to go negative or fear of success, his strategy leaves a lot to be desired.
As Cenk mentioned, and I unwittingly thought many time before – even Bernie Sanders and his campaign staff have gaping holes in their strategy when it comes to attacking Hillary and gaining Sen. Sanders exposure via the platform that has garnered him arguably most of his support. From Reddit to Facebook to TYT, his supporters are all in and spreading all of the documented video evidence of Clinton’s fickle moral axis. Sanders is still playing nice while being rightfully critical of her relationship with big money – which tells me he’s giving people too much credit to interpret the underlying meaning of what he’s saying. They’ve let the media get away with painting this fight as young vs. old when it’s empirically a divide in information. He didn’t make inroads with blacks because they simply DON’T KNOW he fought for civil rights and where he stands on the issues. I say that as a 29-year-old black man in Texas that converts most people I come across to Sanders supporters after the initial shock of how little they know about what’s happening. Sanders is without a doubt being treated unfairly in the mainstream press, but who would expect anything else given his message? His campaign advisers are failing him in not throwing him head first into the platform that supports him most and could galvanize young people unlike any other point in history.
I agree. Bernie needs big endorsement’s to corral pessimistic and uninformed voters because the media is robbing him of his due exposer.