This political rhetoric is aimed at a target demographic. It is not for the informed voter. It is for the low information Democratic “base” voter. It’s aimed at the 40% of the taker pubic who get their information from the Communist News Network, National Public Radio, ABC, NBC and MSNBC. And, it is very effective with them. I know a couple and they see and live in an entirely different universe than I see and live in.
You've hit the nail on the head. Leftist pols can say pretty much any outrageous falsehood they want, with impunity, because they understand two things: 1) the majority of the general public listens ONLY to mainstream media sound bites, and repeats them to others to prove their "knowledge of politics"; and 2) the mainstream media that is conveying the sound bites is invested in the falsehoods, so they will never correct or question the Leftist pols. It's a win/win circlejerk for the Left.