Redux: Bernie Sanders v. Michele Bachmann

Bachmann Blitzed Sanders

Before his first stint on "Meet the Press" Independent US Senator (and democratic socialist) Bernie Sanders had tested out his liberal populism campaign rhetoric earlier this year, but Congresswoman and former Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann (R-MN) took the offense, responding with effective examples and characterizing the lofty ideals of government intervention and income distribution for the failures that they become.

On a CNN blitz debate with Wolf Blitzer, the two federal legislators discussed income equality (the underscoring marquee).

Here is a short list of Sanders' talking points:

1. Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare

2. The cost of education is rising

3. The need for the United States to learn from other (i.e. European, socialist) countries

4. The Top 1% are getting richer at the expense of everyone else.

5. 95% of income wealth went to the Top 1%


Congresswoman Bachmann did a phenomenal job tying the moral bankruptcy of liberal policies, which prevented  poor single mother on federal entitlements from improving her living situation and getting a job.

"It's not income inequality. It's income opportunity."

"Ann wants a job."

Bachmann is learning what conservative activists have demanded repeatedly from Republican lawmakers: go on the offense. Somewhat crude but necessary, Bachmann pointed out the Democratic Party's War on (Working) Women.

Sanders focused heavily on the importance of education, a worthy point, but offered nothing substantive in this discussion about expanding access to a quality education. The Minnesota Congresswoman returned to the personal focus: the single mother in the previous clip wanted a good job.

Bachmann stated a moral argument, while Sanders' conflict-theory socialism rhetoric diffused quickly.

If Sanders maintains any pretense of running for President, his drive for the Europeanization of America will invite little support, especially from a bloc of voters who have experienced the relative freedom of a capital  economy.

(NB Senator Sanders provides clips of his interactions with public figures, on news media programs, and with his constituents on YouTube, yet he did not provide this interview through His YouTube account. Perhaps he did not want to present a discussion which cast his rhetorical skills and arguments for socialist policies in a poor light.)