By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher| The national political scene leading up to the presidential election has been a wild one so far, primarily thanks to the whirlwind politics of Donald Trump. Though many do not think he will eventually be the Republican nominee, nevertheless Trump has dominated the media, blown most of the other GOP candidates nearly out of the water, and engineered an unusual candidacy.
On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders has voiced several proposals which certainly are not conservative, though they have been well-received by his supporters. One last week, aimed at the big financial institutions, had Sanders maintaining he would vigilantly watch banks, even possible breaking up the big banks who are “too big to fail.” That was met with enthusiasm by many both in and outside the Sanders camp, though perhaps not by Wall Street.
Trump has identified sensitive issues which many people have agreed were key issues, and these where not the “usual suspects” of issues for standard politicians.
Meanwhile, the Democratic candidates have mostly been flying slightly under the radar while Trump has ballyhooed. For Hillary Clinton, Trump’s blasts have removed her from the spotlight, perhaps enhancing her candidacy.
For Bernie Sanders, he has acted more like Trump, but getting less press. He continues to have amazing staying power, raising small donations from lots of people. A recent report had him raising $33 million in one period, while in the same time frame, Mrs. Clinton raised $37 million. But most of the Hillary money came in big chunks, while Bernie easily out-distanced her in the number of donors. To think that Sanders can raise this amount of money in the face of what was supposed to be a cakewalk for Mrs. Clinton raises some doubt in the Democratic hierarchy.
If there is one thing that has rankled the Average Guy, it’s how big business, and especially big banks, seem to steamroll over people. Then throw in the Savings and Loan debacle, the way Wall Street tosses money at politicians to keep Congress in tow, the problems most Americans have with the large utilities, and the continual stories of mismanagement of some big money funds taking money out of pockets of the Average Joe, and you can see how Sanders has hit a raw nerve.
“Too big to fail,” which applied to the banks, is still stuck in people’s minds. And meanwhile the banks want to get even bigger by buying out their competitors. This deeply distresses people, and Bernie seems to understand this. He’s taking a page out of the Trump book. And people are responding.
Who can tell at this time how the campaigns will go here three weeks still before the Iowa caucuses? Afterward the start of the primaries, New Hampshire and South Carolina will be on the horizon. No doubt the winners will smile and indicate their way is the future!
Yet the significant element of the current campaigns seems to be how outlandish statements can give candidates more of a groundswell, no matter who the candidate or what the party. Soon we’ll be down to just a few presidential aspirants. That may mean we’ll be able to see a clearer picture of what 2016 will bring.
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