Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020 | 2 a.m.
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The national media are failing us terribly in their coverage of the Democratic presidential nomination campaign, because they assume the candidates are able to follow through with their policy positions.
Let’s use Bernie Sanders as an example. He favors nationalized medical care. Those who oppose him, like pundits, Republicans and other candidates, use this position to label Sanders a left-wing radical socialist. The unspoken suggestion with this accusation is that if Sanders were to become president, our present medical system would be taken from us. This is untrue.
Congress stands in the way of drastic changes, no matter what change is proposed. Even if Democrats capture the presidency, the Senate and the House in this election cycle, there are still enough moderate and conservative Democrats who won’t approve such a drastic change out of fear of alienating their supporters. That kind of change won’t happen until an overwhelming majority of Americans demand it.
This leads to two conclusions. First: We should be choosing our next president based on character. Ignore the rhetoric. Ask yourself who has shown that he or she can be trusted to make legally and morally correct decisions that benefit our people and country? Who displays leadership? Secondly, the media, by failing to educate people about this kind of analysis, reveal how far they fall short of being a responsible and helpful entity of democracy.
