By: Tank Murdoch
(TNS) We haven’t spent much time this election cycle covering the Democratic debates because for the most part, unless you’re a diehard Leftist — and most of our readers aren’t — they have been snoozefests layered with candidate pledges to spend the country into oblivion even more quickly than Congress is doing so currently.
That said, new 2020 frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders said something during an exchange with billionaire media mogul Mike Bloomberg, who made his first appearance after buying his way on stage.
Finally, the subject of Bernie’s preference for socialism came up, mostly because Democratic pollsters and party insiders have consistent polling data showing that Americans aren’t hip on an economic model known for destroying countries, not building them up.
As POLITICO reported in a segment dedicated to the “millionaire socialist”:
A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed that two-thirds of voters are uncomfortable with a socialist candidate for president, which could be a problem for Sanders. But when asked about it, Sanders pointed out that he was leading in that very poll.
“Let’s talk about democratic socialism,” Sanders said, adding: “We are living in many ways in a socialist society right now. The problem is, as Dr. Martin Luther King reminded us, ‘We have socialism for the very rich, rugged individualism for the poor.’
“When Donald Trump gets $800 million in tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury condominiums, that’s socialism for the rich,” Sanders said. “We have to subsidize Walmart’s workers on Medicaid and food stamps because the wealthiest family in America pays starvation wages. That’s socialism for the rich. I believe in Democratic socialism for working people. Not billionaires. Health care for all. Educational opportunity for all.”
Bloomberg quipped: “What a wonderful country we have. The best-known socialist in the company happens to be a millionaire with three houses. What did I miss here?”
Sanders: “You missed that I work in Washington.”
Bloomberg then cut in: “That’s the first problem.”
Sanders continued, saying he has a home in Burlington, Vt. “I do have a summer cabin. Forgive me for that. Where is your home?”
“New York City, thank you very much,” Bloomberg responded. “And I pay all my taxes. And I’m happy to do it because I get something for it.”
Yes, well, this exchange is revealing for a number of reasons.
First of all, Sanders’ class-warfare rhetoric is no different than that of any socialist/Communist/Marxist since those politico-economic models were first created.
It’s the language Vladimir Lenin used to lead the communist “revolution” in Russia that led to the 75-year failed experiment called the Soviet Union (and a very expensive Cold War). And it’s the same rhetoric used daily by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as his country continues to collapse into a third-world nightmare.
But it was his claim that we have “socialism for the rich” that caught our attention. Whatever tax breaks and other laws Trump and Bloomberg and other successful Americans use to expand their business empires, it’s important to remember that they were all passed and implemented with the help of Democrats. That includes Sanders, who, by the way, has suckled at the teat of taxpayers his entire professional life.
Finally, Sanders’ blatant hypocrisy was on display as well, and to a national audience. He deflected from it with his wailing about ‘the rich’ and wanting to provide free this and free that (without having to explain how he’ll pay for it all). Did you see how Bernie bristled when Bloomberg dared to bring up the fact that Sanders is a millionaire with three homes?
The key thing to remember about all devout socialists/Marxists/Communists is that they live by this rule: “Socialism for thee but not for me.” You’ll notice that in every case, socialists/Marxist/Communist leaders live much more lavishly than the peons they lead. Sanders is no different. While he rails against “the rich,” he’s every bit the one-percenter he complains about.
This seems an obvious point, but it’s not because Sanders’ rhetoric — ‘I’m a crusader for the poor!’ — is distracting and intoxicating.
This article originally appeared at The National Sentinel and was republished with permission.
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