Anonymous wrote:
The fact that you only address left wing sources does not help your point at all, when you know fully well that there are issues at Fox that are just as problematic.

PP. I just want to say that I agree 100%. Fox News, Tucker Carlson, and the Limbaugh's of the world are really entertainers who put money over nation. I should have mentioned that. To be frank, I guess I didn't because I l am moderately conservative (just owning it).

My points stand though but they apply to both sides.

Media:

I think we need a balance and get the best ideas from both sides but the media is too skewed.

MSM
- The right can't have a good idea. Left is perfect.
- Rachel Maddow: HUGE HUGE liar. Deceiving so many people. Can't believe people don't know how to logically fact check her. I am embarrassed for her followers.
- Biden is shaper than ever. Harris is hope and change.
- Massive editing of source material for inflammatory leftist propaganda. Make the other side look as bad as possible. What happened to honesty and integrity?
Media is not focusing on the $$$ influence in politics, because they benefit. Media as the 4th Branch of Government? Nope. Gone.
- Covering a subject in detail and summarizing it well for an audience? Gone (except for some like PBS).
- Talk shows don't start with the facts, but opinions and tells us what to think. Maybe that's needed for us to watch, but it doesn't inform us.
- Everything is hyperbolic and dialed to eleven.

I'll stop there. It's really bad right now. Media has almost no credibility left except with the brainwashed who can't think independently.

Anonymous wrote:
I agree that Bernie’s ideas resonate but they will never go anywhere due to Citizens United and social media. The “people” will always be vulnerable to whatever social media algorithms and disinformation is fed to them. It’s safe to say that big tech, hostile foreign nations and the GOP who fuel these methods are never looking out for the working people. Bernie himself was amplified by the troll farms in 2016 despite him disavowing them and never seeking it. He was used as a spoiler to hurt Clinton. Had he gotten the nomination, the troll farms would have been directed against him.

PP. I appreciate your point but it is unfortunately (and respectfully) self-defeating. When people think things can't ever change, then they never do. It can change from the grass roots. If it weren't for bad actors inside the Dem political machinery in 2016, Bernie would have won the 2016 nomination and his ideas would have likely beat out Trump. We would be looking at an entirely different America today. We were so close once and people are more dissatisfied than in '16. If Dems don't figure out how to channel the working class anger at being screwed by "the system", then you risk losing more national elections.

There are some interesting comments in this thread. Some thoughts:

- "His ideas didn't go anywhere" - Good ideas sometimes need the right moment and Bernie has a few good ones that people want.
- Healthcare - We will eventually get to basic healthcare for all, if the pharma/insurance/medical device industry monster can be slain. Every other developed country has done it and it would be amazing for the working class, poor, and everyone really. It is a massive burden on families and the #1 reason for personal bankruptcy. We need better/more HC for about half the cost. It is completely achievable and it is time.
- Bernie truly wants to remove $$ out of politics and he keeps lobbyists mostly at arms length. Voters need to align with his (and others') vision and push of legislative curtailment of lobbying power. We need this!!
- He knows that most establishment politicians are corporate shills. He is truly an ally of the people.

There is a reason why he almost co-opted the entire Democrat party in 2016. His ideas resonate.

The root problem is that the entire political system is bought and paid for by the rich to take money from the citizens and provide poor value (think pharma costs, health care, cable companies, monopolies, monopsonies, some defense companies, etc., etc.). The system indeed is rigged in many sectors and it isn't being solved politically. Republicans, Democrats, traditional media, and special interests are in on it. Until that is addressed, you will have a large portion of the population looking to wreck the system. We need to take money out of politics or you will keep getting an angry voter base looking for an outlet, even if terrible.

Harris is smart and knows fully well that fully forgivable loans are like building 1,000,000 little dumpster fires. It will be the destruction of wealth and will harm many who touch the program, when cash grab projects without meaningful personal risk fail. We have already learned this many times, both with national-level and international aid. It is buying votes and gaining favoritism at a loss. Sadly, we keep getting dumber as a nation.

Fully forgivable government loans is a great way to flush straight down the toilet. Harris is smart enough to know this; she is buying votes and favoritism by burning resources. Can't believe that we keep getting dumber as a nation.