Bernie Sanders: This Election isn't a Soap Opera or Football Game

[Armstead]

Sen. Bernie Sanders -- I Vt.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-bernie-sanders/this-election-is-not-a-so_b_124889.html


This Election is Not a Soap Opera or a Football Game: It is About the Future of Our Country


The corporate media would have us believe, based on their coverage, that the most important issues in this presidential campaign are political tactics and the "character" of the four candidates. But what is at stake right now is not primarily the life stories of Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden or Sarah Palin. An election is not a soap opera which deals with the trials and tribulations of the candidates and their family members. Election coverage must not descend into becoming a pre-game football show, one which deals only with "who's going to win" polling data and never-ending tactical discussions of "what the candidate must do" to win this or that state.

In a democracy, elections are not beauty pageants or reality shows, or soap operas for political junkies. Elections are the real business of democracy, and they should be about real things.

Without sounding too corny, what this election is about is the well-being of hundreds of millions of Americans and about what kind of country we will be leaving to our kids and grandchildren. And, at a time of global warming and severe environmental problems, this campaign is also about whether our planet survives in a condition that can sustain human life in the decades and centuries to come.

Given all that is at stake, as American citizens we must demand that the media not continue to trivialize our democratic process, dumb down coverage and, in the process, deflect attention away from the most important issues impacting our lives. This election must, first and foremost, be about the needs of the American people. As Vermont's senator and the longest-serving Independent in American congressional history, let me lay out what I believe some of those issues are.....

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[Patsy Stone]

1. Amen, Bernie!

Say it again and again!

[DarthDem]

2. One of Our Best Senators

LOVE this man. Words of true widsom.

[Stuart G]

3. Excellent word to describe Bernie...Wisdom..

[cali]

4. Alas, Bernie like the state he represents, is irrelevant

when it comes to national elections. How sad.

[bdamomma]

5. hey Bernie, you got to say that over and over again

cause Americans always vote against their best interests. this election we cannot afford to lose, or we will suffer the consequences.

[alwysdrunk]

6. What do people really expect?

These people are in the Entertainment business. Education plans aren't all that entertaining. It's funny to hear people say that the media "isn't doing their jobs". They are doing exactly their jobs, they are selling commercial time to play between entertainment. How else could 4 different 24 hour news channels stay profitable?

[RoccoR5955]

7. Bernie is THE man!

He speaks out on issues, and ALWAYS votes for WE THE PEOPLE.
He is the kind of politician they ALL should be.
What the heck, he's originally from Brooklyn, and Brooklynites KNOW about the diversity, and the needs of WE THE PEOPLE!
GO BERNIE!

[Armstead]

8. He;s the real "Maverick"