New York Times photograph of Bernie Sanders’ “fervent supporters.” (photo: Lauren Justice)

Beating Trump is Not The Goal. I’m Voting For Bernie To Restore Democracy and Fight Corporate Fascism

Political Commentary

The corporate-owned media, establishment democrats, and a lot of self-proclaimed pragmatists are currently using their power to downplay and demean the grassroots movement that includes current presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. As this mass movement is a threat to the status quo, a small number of billionaires who own almost all of the major television and print media outlets in America are using their vast power and control to showcase their conservative agenda. And the rich talking heads on channels like MSNBC and CNN serve as lackeys for these billionaires as they attack the Sanders campaign and the broader progressive movement involving millions and millions of American people.

The corporate media opposes a progressive grassroots movement because, in part, they staunchly oppose the possibility of political and economic power being taken away from billionaires and corporations and returned to the hands of the people. Moderates head onto the television airwaves to argue that candidates like Mike Bloomberg have the best chance of defeating Donald Trump. Let me be clear: this election isn’t about Donald Trump. If democrats select a so-called moderate candidate out of a fear of Donald Trump, not only will they lose the election but they will also lose the opportunity to strengthen and legitimize the progressive movement working to put people back in control of their own lives, their own healthcare, their own education, and their own government.

The corporate media focus on Trump’s twitter accounts and misbehavior as well as foreign meddling in American elections. They ignore or discount the progressive movement that the Sanders campaign is a part of. Much of this is a distraction from the fact that the influence of corporations and the corporate owned media over America’s political system, however, is actually a greater threat to American democracy than Donald Trump. The corporate media continuously orchestrate the coverage of the election in ways that impact voting outcomes to skew towards more moderate, corporate friendly candidates. If these candidates are nominated, they will likely lose to Donald Trump because they will not generate grassroots energy among the progressive base. However, even if they do win, corporations will remain in control of Americans’ lives, health care, and government. Honestly, very little will change if Michael Bloomberg beats Donald Trump in November. Since the media are owned by these very corporations, they continue to push democrats to nominate a moderate.

Recently, on the day of the 2020 New Hampshire Primary, for example, networks such as MSNBC bombarded the airwaves with anecdotal suggestions that the moderate, centrist candidate Amy Klobuchar had enormous momentum. As in the weeks leading up to the election, they barely talked about Bernie Sanders consistent polling advantage and grassroots political movement that seeks to restore control over the American political system into the hands of citizens, rather than corporations. When they have talked about Bernie, even supposedly “liberal” networks such as MSNBC have ignored or dismissed Bernie and his policies as socialist and resorted to conservative talking points in their analysis of and interviews with progressive candidates.

All of the pro-Klobuchar coverage began before most New Hampshire voters had cast their ballots and undoubtedly helped fuel her distant third place finish in the state as many last-minute voters vibed with the enthusiasm for Klobuchar coming out of the corporate media in those days. After hoodwinking the electoral system and at a minimum helping Klobuchar to her relative “victory,” the media pivoted to suggest it was primarily her strong debate performance the prior week that fueled her “surging” candidacy and “victory” in New Hampshire. They seemingly talked more about her third-place finish than Sanders actual first place performance. The simple explanation for this is that the corporate owned media, even those labelled as “liberal,” are extraordinarily conservative in their support of the status quo: which is the continued corporate control of America’s political, economic, and cultural institutions. In short, corporate fascism.

In the days before the next debate in Nevada, the media increasingly pivoted to the candidacy of Michael Bloomberg to point to another “pragmatic,” “moderate,” and “centrist” alternative to a Sander’s nomination and a political movement aimed at restoring political power and economic freedom to the people. One of the most popular arguments used to support their conservative, establishment agenda all along has been: electing a moderate candidate is only way to beat Trump. The argument is absurd not only because Bernie has the best chance to beat Trump, but more importantly because Bernie’s nomination would fuel a political movement that is likely to continue long after the election this November regardless of who wins. The establishment, including rich liberals, know this and see this as a threat to their wealth and their power.

Bernie’s candidacy and nomination are fuel for a political movement

The corporate owned media spend very little time discussing policy proposals. Instead, they call Bernie old. They bait him to publicly discuss his recent heart procedure. They call him a socialist. They say a socialist can’t beat Trump. In fact, MSNBC and CNN use these talking points at least as often as Fox News. In fact, I’ve been shocked to see more positive coverage of Bernie Sanders policies and campaign on Fox News in recent days.

The corporate media don’t report that democratic socialism merely means that political power is returned to the hands of the people, instead of massive corporations. Since these news organizations are the very massive corporations that need to be taken on to return power to the people, these companies and their lackey journalists come up with every reason possible as to why his candidacy is doomed and then people on CNN and MSNBC pivot to promote more “moderate” candidates.

They’ve said all along Bernie isn’t doing well with minorities, but it turns out he has received more financial support from minority groups such as Latinos than any other candidate. On the campaign trail, Bernie keeps saying “Not me. US!” He knows the movement to restore political power to the American public is more important than his nomination or his candidacy. And, the corporate media ignores the unprecedented way millions and millions of grassroots volunteers are working to transform America and put power back into the hands of the people. This is a political movement that includes a presidential candidacy, not the other way around. After the election ends, these millions of people will keep fighting regardless of whether Bernie wins or not. We might even fight harder if he loses, but either way, we will end the tyranny of capitalism eventually. Yet, the corporate blowhards spend hours covering Trump’s twitter accounts and fabricating reasons why their preferred candidates are the most “electable.”

They ignore the reality that Bernie is part of a movement big enough, passionate enough, and progressive enough to change the direction of this country and change the culture. We know we are better off when we work together, when we take care of one another. We need a culture that values treating people with care, respect, and dignity regardless of their income, race, citizenship status, ability, gender, sexuality or religion. Not only would the nomination of a progressive candidate such as Bernie move the needle toward such a culture, Bernie’s nomination would make this movement stronger and bring more attention to his actual policies.

If Sanders is nominated, more Americans would learn that we are the only major country in the world that does not guarantee health care to every single citizen. They would learn that many European countries make sure every child has an opportunity to attend college even if they can not afford it. They would learn that we don’t have to let billionaires and corporations control our political system and our lives—we can do things differently. More people would learn about the ways capitalism is fueling the destruction of the planet’s ecosystems and accelerating climate change in order to fuel profits into the pockets of Scrooge McDuck like billionaires.

It is the poor an people of color who face the worst consequences of the environmental devastation brought on by an economic system that values the profits of the rich over all else. Instead of letting corporations stay in control, we can have universal health care, accessible college education, and control over our own lives. The conversation would change. The political landscape would shift. Young people would learn to organize and a new generation of progressive leaders could develop so that they can tackle issues such as climate change, racism, sexism, and massive financial inequality.

Beating Donald Trump Is Not the Goal

Although Bernie has polled very well against Trump and there are many reasons to believe he is the best candidate to unseat the sitting president, defeating Trump is not the reason anyone should be voting for Bernie or any other candidate. Donald Trump is not the problem with America. He was elected by millions and millions of people. He has helped change the culture of the republican party and the culture of America, but he has not done that alone. Donald Trump is part of a political movement—a movement of far-right wing climate change deniers, evangelical extremists, white supremacists and greedy capitalists.

America has a racist, jingoistic, and sexist culture. America’s institutions are corrupted by greed and bigotry. These are the real problems, not Donald Trump. The culture and corrupt institutions must be changed. Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, and Amy Klobuchar will lose to Trump, but even if they beat Trump, they will not be catalysts for change. The country will stay, essentially, the same. The corporate media will remain intact and continue to control the information that is consumed by the general public, especially older citizens and voters. Corporations and billionaires will remain in control of America’s political and economic system. The only way real change is possible is with a massive political movement where millions and millions of people take action. Although a vote for Bernie Sanders is the best we can do in the voting booth, there is a lot of other work to be done in our day to day lives, our backyards, and our communities.

This election isn’t about Donald Trump. This election isn’t about Bernie Sanders. This election is about a mass movement to put people back in control of their government, their communities, their planet, and their lives. Only one candidate in the democratic primary is a leader in this movement. And I’m voting for that candidate. I’m voting for Bernie Sanders.