Bernie and Trump look like saviours to voters who feel left out of the American Dream

The Guardian UK ^ | February 27, 2016 | Michael Sandel

[2ndDivisionVet]

The tumultuous early months of the US presidential primaries reflect a populist moment in American politics. Among Democrats, Bernie Sanders, the only self-proclaimed socialist in the Senate, has shown surprising strength against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was expected to win the Democratic nomination virtually unopposed. Among Republicans, Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman and television personality, has vaulted to front-runner status over a crowded field of politicians, including former Florida governor Jeb Bush, the brother of former President George W Bush. Despite having raised more than $100m in campaign contributions, Jeb Bush failed to connect with voters and ended his candidacy.

In different ways, both Sanders and Trump have defied conventional wisdom by challenging the complacencies of the political establishment. Although Clinton remains the front runner for the Democratic nomination, polls show her lead over Sanders among Democratic voters has shrunk from 25 percentage points two months ago to only six percentage points today. Clinton's shrinking lead has partly to do with voters' doubts about her honesty and trustworthiness. Many voters find Bernie's gruff, plain-spoken manner refreshingly authentic, in contrast to Hillary's cautious, calculating style.

Young people are especially attracted to the 74-year-old Sanders, who draws large, enthusiastic crowds....

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Harvard moral philosopher and author of the highly acclaimed What Money Can't Buy examines the febrile mood of his nation.

[BobL]

I’ve actually lived the American Dream and God-willing, will continue to do so. But since I have kids, I would like to leave a country where they also have a chance to live the American Dream - which is why Trump’s position on Western Cattle Grazing is not one of my top concerns.

[stockpirate]

I have been over taxed, punished for producing more, my taxes wasted on foolish projects to enrich friends of the ruling elites in both parties, ignored about my concerns of our future, lied to by our RULERS.

I have no desire or need to be ruled, and that is what DC is doing, ruling us.

as someone once said, “A people unwilling to use extreme violent force to obtain or preserve their liberty deserves the tyrants that rule them.” I said it.

[pepsionice]

For twenty years.....the journalists have dished out the ‘America-is-broke’ message. So, a significant number of people now believe the message, and also believe that regular political players can’t fix or solve the problem. That’s why so much attention is drawn to Bernie and Donald.

Maybe that selling point from eight years ago....about “change”....is what people are secretly desiring. They’d like to see something change but it simply never happens.

[catnipman]

“Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump look like saviours to voters who feel left out of the American Dream “

Typical pathetic ignorance of Americans and American politics by yet another elitist know-it-all “Progressive” Brit rag.

Myself and my family and my friends have lived the American dream and we are ALL major Trump supporters.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I have to read this in more detail later. But I want to point out that both of those candidates are caricatures of their party oppositions’ criticism.

Bernie the Socialist
Trump the greedy, crass, big business, racist, hypocrite

[DoughtyOne]

Trump appears to be a savior, but Bernie is a savior of another kind.

Bernie is not the good guy coming to the rescue.

[Parley Baer]

Bernie will not get the nomination. I do believe some of the Bernie supporters will vote for Trump in the general election. Just another area where Trump will get cross over votes.

[Secret Agent Man]

I hardly view trump as a savior.

I view him as a way to start expunging the rino goper vichy republicans from power.

[kempster]

To put these two groups of people in that same category is dumb and inaccurate.

[spodefly]

The unexpected resonance of the Sanders and Trump campaigns does not represent a decisive turning of American voters towards the left or towards the right. It represents a populist protest against a neoliberal economic order embraced by the establishment wings of both parties, which bestows lavish rewards upon those at the top and makes life precarious for everyone else.

That's about as good a summation as I have heard.

[tumblindice]

The first couple years will be a trial for Trump. He will adjust the last two years, if we have to nudge or even ride him, or resign himself to being a one-termer.
And Senor Cruz will be waiting.

[Big Red Badger]

It’s called”Draining the Swamp”.

[bigbob]

So I guess thee choice is, do you want the opportunity to work to achieve the American Dream? Or do you want to live on the government dole?

I don’t like the answer I get...

[Retain Mike]

I believe people in this country have lost sight of what constitutes the American Dream, so I sent this letter to papers and commentators every July 4.

American Dream

On July 4 we recognize the Declaration of Independence which defines the American Dream as inalienable natural rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution establishes a government to secure those rights by promoting the general welfare, and the blessings of liberty.

Whatever he Constitution further defines is subservient to natural human rights independent of and superior to any government construction. Most importantly they are intangible property sourced in personal opinion, religion, communications, use of abilities to labor physically and mentally, and in conscience. Only by application of these inherent rights can one truly hold material things.

The American Dream never meant government largess ensuring home values, college funds, retirement accounts, savings, executive severance packages, affordable health care, home ownership, lifetime employment, corporate wealth, political careers, and union benefits.

Politicians become patricians offer enchanting elements of material security such as described above, while obscuring subservience to rules vastly increasing their power. Legislation routinely negates our Bill of Rights confiscating freedoms for apparitions of material prosperity.

The accomplishment of this fraud requires administrative laws that are the soft underbelly of our Constitution. Under English common law, which is the basis for our Constitution, a person is innocent and not subject to the penalties of the law until proved guilty. Under administrative law like Roman civil law a person is subject to its penalties and restrictions until they discover a way to legally extricate themselves. Citizens routinely make Faustian bargains exchanging the essence of their humanity for illusions of material comfort.

The History and Danger of Administrative Law
https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/history-danger-administrative-law/

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Very well said.

[nathanbedford]

I quite agree, that is an excellent summation. I think you might agree that what follows at the foot of the article, if true, is a damning summation of our current condition:

The American Dream has never been about reducing inequalities of income and wealth. It has been about enabling people to rise

Mobility, not equality, is the measure of our freedom.

The US has less mobility than most major European countries. Forty-two per cent of American men born in the bottom fifth of the income scale remain stuck there as adults (compared with 25% in Denmark and 30% in Britain). Only 8% of American men rise from the bottom fifth to the top. Studies of mobility from one generation to the next tell a similar story. Class mobility is greater in Denmark, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Germany and France than in the US. The American Dream is alive and well and living in Denmark.

[kearnyirish2]

I agree Bernie can’t win; his popularity (such as it is) reflects the acknowledgment that young liberal whites know Obama/Hillary are simply liars and untrustworthy.

[bigbob]

That’s a good letter, and I hope it opens a a few minds every time your publish it.

Sadly, far too many Americans would’t know what a faustian bargain is, because they lack the education and even the desire to read a newspaper. By allowing the left to take control of education, pop culture, and the media, ignorance of things like you write about has become institutionalized. The present generation has grown up in a culture that not only doesn’t teach these things, but where many have never had personal contact with them (e.g. held a job).

Still it is important to say it, because as Edmund Burke said, to not do so is to allow evil to triumph.

[Retain Mike]

Thank you. That is a great link to hold onto also.