Bernie Sanders for President 2016

Composition Paper 1: Bernie Sanders for President 2016

Leonardo Brito

Communication Putting Theory Into Practice
Bellevue University

With an average donation to his campaign at $28.95, having an army of supporters and volunteers, differentiating himself from the rest of the Senate through financial reports. Bernie Sanders has proven to mathematically prove how improbable campaigns can blossom into an improbable career with even more improbable longevity (Fuller, 2014). Not only has Sanders initiated the idea of a single-payer health-care reform, free public college for everyone, $15-an-hour minimum wage nationwide, the fragmentation of conglomerate banks, and higher taxes for the rich; Sanders has allured young voters by contextualizing scientific proof for climate change. But, Sanders’ diplomacy-leaning foreign policy (Nation, 2016) has fired-up a so-called political revolution that has the media fabricating a superlative downplay of Sanders’ victories (Patrick, Curl. 2016).

            It is strenuous and arduous to disengage ethics from politics, and the two are frequently characterized as “incompatible”. Given that the United States is going through cynical times; when scandals related to politics correspond to lobbyists, corporate campaign financing, deception, corruption, conflicts of interest, conspiracy, tax evasion, et al. (West & Turner, 2014). The Sanders’ campaign has taken this moment by intuitively riding a wave created by the anger and frustration of the biggest sector in the United States, the middle class.

            Reintroducing -if not for the first time in the United States- democratic socialism as a political campaign. Sanders has beaten the odds of those who criticize Sanders’ views and link such views to those of Hitler’s, Castro’s (from Cuba) or Chavez’ (from Venezuela). Considering that socialism has been horribly viewed by especially those who relate images of the Cold War, nuclear threats, government domination of private industry and gulags. Democratic socialism means something else to Millennials, economic equality and social justice (Zaino, Jeanne. 2016).

            In accordance with much of the stigma that socialism has evoked, notwithstanding Sanders’ overcoming of such negative views thereof. Bernie Sanders’ campaign has formed a process of bonding with voters -especially Democrat voters- by conjuring a relationship from superficial to intimate communication. The social penetration process has given Sanders’ the ability to gain momentum because the process in itself involves verbal and nonverbal behaviors, and environmentally oriented behaviors (West & Turner, 2014). Watching Sanders’ communication techniques on television in juxtaposition with other politicians, an audience can relate with much more significance.

            It can be said that Sanders’ self-disclosure of the truth, the issues that prevail throughout the majority of the population has given relational development from non-intimate to intimate. Further, the campaign has an enormous reciprocity, breadth, and depth all across the nation of voters, from young to old. Sanders’ campaign has emerged with a voter relationship that has more rewards than costs by identifying orientation, affection, and promised stability (West & Turner, 2014).

            Hereafter, Bernie Sanders has produced a dyadic uniqueness (distinctive relationship qualities) (West & Turner, 2014) over all other politicians running for president of the United States in 2016. This is seen when Sanders’ main competitor (Hillary Clinton) adopted all of Sanders’ main issues: trade, income inequality, national defense, and the environment, among others (Borowitz, Andy. 2015). This uniqueness is the purpose of analysis within the Social Penetration Theory and as a political campaign in general. To better understand democratic socialism for what it truly is and to help identify why Sanders could be a good president if elected in 2016.

References

West, R., & Turner, L.H. (2014). Introducing Communication Theory (5^th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Fuller, J. (2014). Bernie sanders for president? it's the longest of long shots, but that doesn't mean he won't do it. Washington: WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.bellevue.edu:80/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.bellevue.edu/docview/1552802702?accountid=28125

(2016, February 8). Bernie Sanders for President. (cover story). Nation. p. 3.

Patrick, Curl. (2016) Bernie Sanders Wins 7 out of 8 Last Contests By Landslide Victories. Retrieved from https://pivotamerica.com/bernie-sanders-wins-7-last-8-primaries-caucuses/

Zaino, Jeanne. (2016) What Bernie Sanders’ ‘Democratic socialism’ means to Millennials. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/03/01/what-bernie-sanders-democratic-socialism-means-to-millennials.html

Borowitz, Andy. (2015). Hillary Expected To Adopt All Of Sanders’s Positions By Noon. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/hillary-expected-to-adopt-all-of-sanderss-positions-by-noon