Bernie Sanders playing a catalytic role in American politics

Bernie Sanders catalytic campaign has spawned an emerging conversation about what socialism is and how it has emerged in Western Europe.

The editorials make an important distinction between communism and the moderate, democratic socialism that Sanders favors. One even suggested that the National Football League is socialist since it shares revenue with its "poorer" franchises to equalize the haves and have nots. That must have caused some NFL team owners to forget about deflategate for a moment.

Sanders' ideas are causing many narrow-thinking Americans to think about socialism, many for the first time. Some even recognize how narrow our spectrum of respectable political ideas is compared to most others in the world.

Sanders is espousing a powerful message about equity, middle-class power and disgust with billionaire control of our political system. Judging by poll numbers, it resonates with many.

Although he is unlikely to get nominated (I can imagine the scurrilous and blatantly demagogic attack commercials that the Karl Roves of this world would run against him), Sanders is moving the ideological needle a bit to the left and forcing candidates and commentators to deal with his ideas.

The long right-wing monopoly of ideas in American politics and economics is being challenged by Sanders, and that will have beneficial effects on our national debate if we are open-minded enough as a nation to think and avoid reflexive ideological stereotyping.

The more Sanders gets heard, the more those who agree are encouraged to speak out. That, in turn, is likely to encourage more Sanders-like politicians in the future and widen the spectrum of ideas in our political system. That's not a bad thing for anybody, except those who say either accept the status quo or be labeled a subversive. Joe McCarthy must be turning over in his grave.

Jeffrey R. Orenstein, Ph.D.

Lakewood Ranch

This story was originally published November 4, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bernie Sanders playing a catalytic role in American politics ."