Thursday, February 04, 2016

On Chris Matthews' Unending Efforts To Smear Bernie Sanders As A Soviet-Style Socialist

Chris Matthews is trying to say that Bernie Sanders doesn't believe in capitalism or the market, which is a complete lie. Either Chris Matthews is profoundly ignorant - which I don't believe for a second. I think he's one of the smartest guys out there. Or this is the leading edge of the establishment/insider spear thrown against the outsider Bernie Sanders ~ Thom Hartmann (Progressive talk radio host) on his eponymous program, 8/3/2015.

It's getting ridiculous. Yes, Matthews is clearly in the bag for Hillary Clinton, but his constant distorting of Bernie's politics is really pissing me off. Right now I'm watching the "pre-debate" (ahead of the 5th Democratic debate) and this a-hole breaks out the dictionary definition of "Socialism". Of course he definition-shopped and chose the one that says government owns the means of production.

And, even though Howard Dean is a Hillary Surrogate (as well as a sell out), he still had enough integrity to correct Matthews, saying NO, Berie isn't a (Soviet-style) Socialist, but a Social Democrat like in the UK.

This is one of the reasons I've largely given up on msnbc. Up until Bernie showed that he is a viable contender (with his virtual tie in Iowa and his likely upcoming win in New Hampshire) msnbc was all Trump all the time. Now I expect more of the Bernie bashing (although I'm sure they'll continue with the Trump coverage as well unless he implodes).

The voters are so hungry for the genuine populism of Bernie Sanders that he's pushed Hillary to the Left. But I'm wondering that if Hillary is elected... how long will her populist views last? Remember in 2008 Barack Obama said he'd renegotiate NAFTA? Now he's pushing the job-killing TPP. And Hillary, before being pushed to the Left by Sanders, said the TPP was the "gold standard" (Politifact says HRC is guilty of a "full flop").

Even Debbie Wasserman Schultz (for crying out loud!) said she thought either of the two could beat the Republican. This she said in spite of an incredulous Chris Matthews' disbelief at what he was hearing. I've been hearing that the Repubs will break out the Hammer & Sickle if Bernie is the nominee, but Chris is practically doing that already. Proof the Corporate Dems are afraid of Bernie's populism, I think.

2/11/2013 Update: Thom Hartmann, in a discussion with Chris Matthews on the 2/2/2016 airing of his eponymous program said "Bernie doesn't believe that government should be involved in the means of production and supply. He isn't a Marxist"... to which Matthews replied "Uhhh, it hasn't come up yet. I don't know him that well. I just know that everytime I hear him talking it's a government solution". So Matthews apparently genuinely believes that Bernie is a Soviet-style socialist?

This despite the fact that Bernie himself has said (in a speech on democratic socialism at Georgetown University on 11/19/2015) "I don't believe government should take over the grocery store down the street or own the means of production". OK, so shouldn't Matthews, as a political commentator know this? Chris either has his head in the sand re "it hasn't come up yet", or he's lying.

SWTD #321

3 comments:

  1. I don't think there is anything that Sanders has said that can be interpreted as advocating the government ownership of the means of production.

    ReplyDelete
  2. He has in fact said the opposite.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bernie Sanders: "I don't believe government should take over the grocery store down the street or own the means of production".

    This from Bernie's speech on democratic socialism at Georgetown on 11/19/2015. Questions: (1) Shouldn't Matthews, as a highly paid political commentator, know this? (2) Is Matthews lying in order to continue smearing Sanders?

    ReplyDelete

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