New York Times deputy opinion editor Patrick Healy (8/20/24) described Sen. Bernie Sanders’ speech to the Democratic National Convention as an attempt to “make policy proposals that put [Kamala] Harris in a big-government vise, binding (or pushing) her in a direction that a lot of moderates do not want to go.”
Healy depicted Sanders as
grasp[ing] the lectern with both hands as he unfurled one massive government program idea after another in a progressive policy reverie that must have been music to the ears of every democratic socialist at the United Center.
New York Times deputy opinion editor Patrick Healy (8/20/24): “On Tuesday night, Sanders put Harris on the hot seat.”
Healy followed the standard New York Times line (FAIR.org, 7/26/24) that progressive candidates need to move to the right to win—and scorned Sanders for ignoring that advice: “Harris needs some of those swing-state moderates if she’s going to win the presidency, but the electoral math didn’t seem to be on Sanders’s mind.”
Strangely, though, the specific policies that Healy mentioned Sanders as promoting don’t seem to be particularly unpopular, with moderates or anyone else. Rather, opinion polls find them to be supported by broad majorities:
- “Overturning Citizens United“: Three-fourths of survey respondents (Center for Public Integrity, 5/10/18) say that they support a constitutional amendment t0 overturn the 2010 Supreme Court decision that allows the wealthy to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections. In the same survey, 60% said reducing the influence of big campaign donors is “very important.” According to the Pew Research Center (5/8/18), 77% of the public says “there should be limits on the amount of money individuals and organizations” can spend on political campaigns.
- “Making healthcare ‘a human right’ for all Americans”: A 2020 Pew Research Center poll (9/29/20) found that “63% of US adults say the government has the responsibility to provide healthcare coverage for all.” Another Pew poll (1/23/23) reported 57% agreeing that it’s “the responsibility of the federal government to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage.”
- “Raising the minimum wage to a ‘living wage’”: According to the Pew Research Center (4/22/21), 62% of Americans want the federal minimum wage raised to $15 an hour. (Most of the remainder wanted the minimum wage increased by a lesser amount.) According to the think tank Data for Progress (4/26/24), 86% of likely voters do not think the current federal minimum wage is enough for a decent quality of life.
- “Raising teachers’ salaries”: The 2023 PDK poll found that 67% of respondents support increasing local teacher salaries by raising property taxes. The AP/NORC poll (4/18) reported that “78% of Americans say teachers in this country are underpaid.”
- “Cutting prescription drug costs in half”: A poll from 2023 by Data for Progress found that 73% of all likely voters supported Biden administration initiatives allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug costs. Health policy organization KFF (8/21/23) reported that 88% of adults support “limiting how much drug companies can increase the price for prescription drugs each year to no more than the rate of inflation.”
Back in 2015, when Sanders was running for president, Healy co-wrote an article for the Times (5/31/15; Extra!, 7–8/15) that declared him “unelectable,” in part because he supported “far higher taxes on the wealthy.” But raising taxes on the rich turns out to be consistently popular in opinion polls (FAIR.org, 4/20/15).
What we’re learning is that progressive policy proposals are deeply unpopular—with the New York Times‘ deputy opinion editor.
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Great article! Hope the policy makers or, at least the very least, the Democrats, take it to heart. We need real change.
And open those borders too (oh, they are open already). OK and yea, just more free stuff for everyone then!!
Brandon,
How can a country be sending record high number of migrants back to Mexico….and also have “Open Borders”?
Oh, right, it can’t.
You sound like conservative troll when you say dumb things.
Also, you may not like that the public wants something, but in a democracy, the public should be getting things that they want from their government.
Right now, that is only the wealthy elites.
Sanders was the only address for four days that did not belong in the duopoly facade.
The Dems proved to be enthusiastic for funding bombs and weapons to Israel for the continued butchery in Gaza.
Additionally they were enthusiastic supporters of the military wall street USA imperialism.
Exactly, that’s why he was attacked. All the other reasons are just to undermine him. The general rule is if you are not 100% pro Israel, you will be attacked mercilessly on everything else you say.
Bernie is our lider true politician got kick out from previous candidates corruption candidate even that still fighting for Iqbal oportinity for all
I sure wish Sanders had won.
Won what ? First of all, the outcome was cooked and baked in by the monied powers to be. Crazy crooked stuff that no one (including FAIR) discusses. Think about it, NO ONE voted for VP Kamala, who won ZERO primary States which are now in her pocket. Just criminal stuff there …. To your comment, with maybe 5% of the country is in the hard left Socialist and Marxist camp. A win by Bernie would have guaranteed a Trumpster run away election win. Unlike decades ago, independent voters decide US elections today.
Oh my God… Any candidate would surly lose who ran on policies that are wildly popular with actual people/voters! Uhhh, sure.
You’ve been listening to too many “wholly owned” talking media heads.
OMG ?? … Take your head out of the sand, BS on your dreamy wishful thinking and get real. Do your really think this country isn’t split 50/50. Haven’t the last two Presidential elections taught you anything? If not, you are a total fool as to the facts and political reality in this country.
Ad homina homina hominem… You have shown us you have no argument.
The “last two” Presidential elections are not the only available data point. We have had more than 20 such elections, and many more non-Presidential ones.
“The country” is not “split 50/50”. That is a stupid and statistically obtuse thing to say. Trump lost the popular vote both times, by a lot. He only “won” because the Electoral College does not reflect the popular will *as indicated by the election in question*. This is how we get Republican presidents in general: only once in the last 20 years have we had a R president that won the popular vote.
Your “reply” fails to address any of the points in the comments to which you are ostensibly replying. Did you know that’s what replies are for? They aren’t here so that you can have litle name-calling spats against those with whom you disagree, nor for you to advertise your ignorance, dunderheadedness, and spite to the English-speaking world.
Bernie always speaks truth to power. He is not a feckless politician spouting empty rhetoric
Folks keep calling Sanders “unelectable” but he keeps getting elected. I’m pretty sure he has won more elections than Harris has. For sure he’s won more of them than Trump has.
On the world stage, Bernie Sanders is a moderate. The policies he proposes are in use in all modern countries, and are accepted by a large majority of Americans. So why isn’t he President?
American scare easily. And the Republican party has for decades been trying to terrify Americans about progressive ideas.
And it’s worked. When it’s time to move forward Americans listen to the Right, and decide it’s just too much change. Of course it isn’t, but they listen and quake.