Why Sanders is Doing so Well

Many wonder how a 74-year-old socialist candidate can be doing so well in our capitalist society.  The answer is simple.  Socialism rises out of discontent regarding the economy and jobs.  When people think that they are not getting a fair shake and the rich are getting richer while they keep getting poorer, socialism seems an attractive solution.  Even as flawed as that assumption is, after 7+ years of Obama, those aren't just perceptions...they're realities.

Currently, we have a record 47 million Americans in poverty; and that number rose again in the latest reporting.  Pre-recession the number was 10 million less, at about $37 million.

Then, there is this chart:

As this shows, the bottom 99% saw their incomes rise by less than 1% per year over the first five years of the Obama Administration. To put this into perspective, in 2006 and 2007, wages grew at an average of 4% per year. In the 1970's and 1980's, it was not uncommon for salaries to grow by 8% or 9% or more.

In addition to all of that, the middle class keeps shrinking.  Today, only 45.8% of Americans find themselves in that segment of the population.  Well below the normal target of 50% or more, and certainly below the 53% that were in the middle class in the 1960's.   In fact, the median household's income and buying power is where it was in 1996.  This is also why the greatest contributors to Sanders' campaign are the unemployed.  Nearly 29% of donations are coming from this class of worker.

Simply, the conditions are ripe for the false promises of socialism to take hold and Bernie is the beneficiary.  The American dream is dissolving before our eyes.  What worries me is that, if Hillary Clinton becomes President, we will have another 4 years of Obama's policies and a further decline in wages and the middle class.  Poverty and income inequality will likely continue to rise. If so, America is sure to become a socialist nation in the future.  Mark my words.

References:

Source of Chart: Obama's Economy in 7 Charts: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: http://fortune.com/2016/01/12/obama-economy-charts/

Poverty in the United States, 2007: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0104520.html

Record 46.7 Million Americans Live In Poverty: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-09-16/record-467-million-americans-live-poverty-median-houshold-income-back-1989-levels

5 Charts That Show How the Middle Class Is Disappearing: http://billmoyers.com/2015/01/26/middle-class/

The Shrinking American Middle Class: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/01/25/upshot/shrinking-middle-class.html?version=meter+at+1&module=meter-Links&pgtype=article&contentId=&mediaId=&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&priority=true&action=click&contentCollection=meter-links-click

Our analysis of nearly 7 million donations offers unprecedented detail about the army that's funded his insurgent campaign: http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-pol-sanders-donors/

Elkhart, Indiana: Obama Touts His Economic Success

Last week, while giving a speech on the economy in Elkhart, Indiana, President Obama said this:

“By almost every economic measure, America is better off than when I came here at the beginning of my presidency. That’s the truth.”

The problem with that statement is that it isn't "the truth".  The folks at Zero Hedge, a business, stock market, and economics site, presented this series of 9 graphs to refute it:

Pink Shading Obama's Term in Office...Click on image to enlarge

This is a President who has increasingly presided over one negative economic record after another.  And, there is another not included in the above records: The highest number of Americans in poverty --  nearly one in seven -- since Lyndon Johnson declared a "War on Poverty" more than 50 years ago.  Also, Obama is slated to have the 4th worst economic record in the history of the country.  Only Herbert Hoover, Andrew Johnson, and Teddy Roosevelt were worse.

This President not only thinks, but knows, that most people will believe his lies because they don't understand all the facets and facts that make up the economy, and aren't interested in researching what he says.  And, for sure, the liberal media isn't going to do their job and expose his lies.

References:

Obama visits Elkhart to discuss economy: http://www.idsnews.com/article/2016/06/obama-in-elkhart

Chart Source: These Are The 9 Zero Hedge Charts Showing "Obama's Recovery" That Angered The Washington Post: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-03/these-are-9-zero-hedge-charts-showing-obamas-recovery-angered-washington-post

Record 46.7 Million Americans Live In Poverty; Household Income Back to 1989 Levels: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-09-16/record-467-million-americans-live-poverty-median-houshold-income-back-1989-levels

Barack Obama's Sad Record on Economic Growth | RealClearMarkets:  http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2016/02/01/barack_obamas_sad_record_on_economic_growth_101987.html

Inequality: Hillary's Vacation in the Hampton's

Hillary Clinton is always talking about income inequality on the campaign trail; excoriating CEO's for their million dollar plus salaries and benefits. Once, she said we need to "topple" the top one percent of all wage earners in the country.  She should look in the mirror. She is in that one percent.

While taking a break from campaigning, she and Bill will spend two weeks in the Hampton's in a multi-million dollar mansion at a rental cost of $100,000 for two weeks.  That's almost twice what the average family makes in a year, and it's 2-1/2 times what the average home in bankrupt, beat down Detroit sells for.

Enough with the hypocrisy!

References:

Hillary: We Must Topple the 1 Percent: http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/417227/hillary-we-must-topple-1-percent-jim-geraghty

Hillary Clinton surprises with early attack on CEO pay: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/13/us-usa-election-clinton-inequality-idUSKBN0N421620150413

Hillary Clinton Highlights Income Inequality: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/7/13/hillary-clinton-highlights-income-inequality.html 

EXCLUSIVE: Sea views, sweeping lawns, and a private beach - how Hillary Clinton plans to spend break from campaigning among 'ordinary Americans' in $50,000-a-week Hamptons home: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3202295/Sea-views-sweeping-lawns-private-beach-Hillary-Clinton-plans-spend-break-campaigning-ordinary-Americans-100-000-week-Hamptons-home.html

Median Sales Price in Detroit - Trulia: http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Detroit-Michigan/market-trends/

Median Household Income: https://www.google.com/search?q=real+median+household+income+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8