In one tweet, Bernie Sanders just summed up how distorted America’s economic debate has become

[n2doc]

Bernie Sanders has a sense of humor. At least that is what the Democratic presidential candidate’s latest tweet appears to be attempting to demonstrate.

But Sanders also offers a compelling point about the distorted nature of America’s economic policy debate.

This morning, the self-described democratic socialist and advocate of wealth redistribution joked about critics who vilify his economic platform as too extreme, pointing to the teachings of Pope Francis, who regularly decries economic inequality and the mindless pursuit of economic growth at the expense of human ends. In a tweet, Sanders wrote, “Some people say my economic ideas are radical. You should hear what the Pope is saying”

Sanders’ joke is particularly timely considering a new poll shows Pope Francis’ popularity in the U.S. has taken a considerable nosedive, driven almost wholly by conservatives. After the Pope made a name for himself early on as a “progressive” with tweets denouncing economic inequality and most recently his encyclical on climate change, the pontiff has stirred the ire of right-wing conservatives. A new Gallup poll shows the Pope’s favorability dropping to 59 percent from a 76 percent peak early last year, with only 45 percent of conservatives holding a favorably view of Pope Francis favorably, as opposed to 72 percent a year ago. Francis’ favorable rating have also dropped among liberals, but by a much smaller 14 percentage points.

http://www.salon.com/2015/07/28/in_one_tweet_bernie_sanders_just_summed_up_how_distorted_americas_economic_debate_has_become/

[corkhead]

1. once again, in case you didn't know, before you know anything else about Bernie Sanders,

know that he is a "self-described democratic socialist"

[Ed Suspicious]

3. They need to ensure that he is a novilty and that he will

remain a novelty.

[hootinholler]

4. You forgot the wealth redistribution aspect. n/t

[merrily]

11. self AVOWED is more cultish. More scary.

Everyone knows what it means to describe, but what's that vow stuff all about.

Also, he's a curmudgeon. A self avowed socialist curmudgeon.


Ewwww.

I may have to vote for Chafee.

[Cleita]

2. Well, the Pope just punched the industrialists with his climate change encyclical.

No, it didn't help his popularity with the polluting class.

[SoapBox]

5. Those "people" that say his ideas are radical...

Hmmm...

Banksters...Billionaire Kokeheads...PukeBaggers...Citizens United "People"...Hill (couldn't resist)...

Talk about those that have radical ideas...they want to Rule with an Iron Fist...take your money, robbing you blind...pollute the planet and strip Earth of every ounce of her resources...and bow down before THEIR God.

THAT seems pretty damned radical to me!

Go Bernie!

[appalachiablue]

6. Bernie's into the Pope big time. Even Maher is fond of 'Pope Frank'.

[merrily]

12. It's the opposite of guilt by association. Pope Frankie Two Sticks and I are on the same page.

In fact, I'm more conservative than he is.

Nothing hard to understand or novel about the Papacy.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. I look forward to the day when everyone says, "Who CARES what conservatives think?"

[Enthusiast]

14. Me too.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. We were THERE not too long ago. In the 60s....

Back when Bewitched came out the fundies were screaming that it would encourage kids to take up witchcraft and everybody laughed at them for being ridiculous.

These days a lot of people would say, "Well, they've got a point." (...and some of them are here)

[daybranch]

8. You leave out a great point

Liberals and Catholics are upset that he is not allowing ordination of women and priests to marry. They are not upset with his views on economic inequality, nor on the LGTQ issue, nor on his stating Christians have a duty to protect the world's climate. The Pope's visit will rally attention to progressive across the board as he brings attention to the perpetrators of the problems he sees. Heck everything he says will become an implicit endorsement of Bernie Sanders views and a rebuke to Hillary and her class of donors. Do you think those donors will try reduce coverage of his remarks in their owned media, just as they have those of Bernie Sanders. I really do not see any real Christians willing to deny Christ's teaching regarding the poor. Therefore I do not believe there are economic conservatives who can really be Christian. I also believe that many conservative businessmen and women join the church for business contacts and contracts.
Wherever the Pope goes Bernie's identical views are magnified. As a Presbyterian, born again Christian, I abhor so called Christians willing to let their hate and greed override Christ's message of love for our fellow man- ie it is harder for a rich man to get into heaven than for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle
I think the Pope is great. He is a real uniter of people across the world and carries a bold message of Christian concern for the poor.

[n2doc]

9. I didn't write this n/t

[sabrina 1]

10. The Pope and Bernie are getting all the RIGHT people very angry!

Why is there such resistance to Bernie wanting Economic Equality for ALL Americans, especially those who have been denied it for so long?

Just follow the money.

Eg, the draconian Welfare Reform legislation which pushed poor single mothers into slave-wage jobs benefited Corporations.

Cheap labor is the goal of Corporations, which is why they took their jobs to third world countries where they were free to exploit workers.

Meanwhile what used to be summer jobs for high school students, are now the main source of income for the working poor.

They played into the bigotry of the Right when passing that legislation, 'get these 'dependent' people OFF the tax payers pay roll and into the workforce, force them to become independent'. It played well with the far right and sadly, not just on the right.

Now we have the Republican Catholics being lectured by the Pope of all people, on what they OUGHT to be doing instead of 'judging' others. And suddenly their Catholicism isn't as strong as they claimed when they were seeking the large Catholic vote.

I love watching hypocrisy so blatantly exposed.

[merrily]

13. Bernie, Frankie Two Sticks and Hillary, all trying to out liberal each other.

Heh, heh, heh.