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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Cow Creek Umpqua Tribe announces layoffs Downtown Grounds burglarized Woman sentenced for harboring Jackson County Jail escapee Work will close west Medford alleys Get ready for a wet, windy week in Southern Oregon Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Downtown Grounds burglarized Woman sentenced for harboring Jackson County Jail escapee White City house fire displaces couple Emergency Services, Feb. 2 Emergency services Politics and Elections Amid rising scrutiny, governor says fiancee won't have role in administration Ashland aims for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Oregon Legislature convenes, session starts Feb. 12 Education SOU students targeted in Drive Less campaign Parent files discrimination complaint against Ashland schools Some gains, some losses Medford reconsiders full-day kindergarten State boosts class time expectation Environment Commissioners won't object to BLM road closures Mt. Ashland Ski Area crew dips to five Public sounds off on gas pipeline Mt. Ashland ski area announces layoffs Bear cub headed to rehabbers in Idaho State News 'Seven Wonders' ads pay off, Oregon park officials say Sales call leads to rescue of beaten woman Feds: Oregon logging rules don't protect fish, water Amid rising scrutiny, governor says fiancee won't have role in administration Oregonians face Feb. 15 health insurance deadline Nation - World Obituaries Nordica Mae Irvin William (Bill) Earl Shewman III A Celebration of Life for Karen Weaver Joseph Richard �Rich� Halliday, Jr. Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Beavers turn focus to UCLA Koepka rallies to win Phoenix Open Whiteside comes up big for Heat in win Ducks have some work to do Detroit downs Houston, ends four-game skid Varsity 541 College Sports Beavers turn focus to UCLA Ducks have some work to do Kennedy earns 200th win as Raiders roll Defense keys No. 7 OSU's rout of USC Duke knocks Virginia from unbeaten ranks Pro Sports Koepka rallies to win Phoenix Open Whiteside comes up big for Heat in win Detroit downs Houston, ends four-game skid Bucks cap fine week at Blazers' expense Sons represent Seau at Hall ceremony Community Sports Local Events Business Latest Stories Ride & Drive: The 2015 BMW M4 Silvio Calabi: Jeep’s Patriot earns respect Blog: Aussies send Erickson's Elvis into retirement Homes for the long haul Blog: Southern Oregon Business Conference 2014: Gross, unadulterated enthusiasm Real Estate News Homes for the long haul New owners of Medford Center promise a hands-on approach: Home loan rates continue to fall, applications soar Jackson County real estate market headed back to normal People In Business People in Business Transportation The heart of Brammo will remain Want to be an investor? 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Live Music in Local Clubs Terrapin Flyer plays Historic Ashland Armory Eric Johnson and Mike Stern at The Rogue Theatre Alcyon Massive and Frankie Hernandez play acoustic at Howiee's Theater Camelot presents Playwright Richard Manley's 'A Question of Words' Classics, premiers highlight '15 season for OSF Randall Theatre presents playwright Charles Ludlam's comedy "The Mystery of Irma Vep" Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Thanks for the Memories Theatre presents 'Cardenio' Music Here it is! Live Music in Local Clubs Jesse Cook plays the Craterian Theater Shybo Torres plays South Stage Cellars Terrapin Flyer plays Historic Ashland Armory Trio Valtorna plays SOU Music Hall Community Events Comedian Susan Westenhoefer pulls no punches Paula Poundstone performs at the Craterian Len Dickson's 'Fall Harvest' to grace Belle Fiore wine label A look at the life and vision of Martin Luther King Jr. Ty Barnett and Ian Harris are 'Divided' Dining Sandwiches and burgers are hits at The Rogue Chef The Vine offers a taste of Italy Cheeseburgers on the cheap Valley View — It's all in the family Patty Groth's Morning Glory is still a delight Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Woman sentenced for harboring Jackson County Jail escapee ... Cow Creek Umpqua Tribe announces layoffs ... Downtown Grounds burglarized ... Woman sentenced for harboring Jackson County Jail escapee ... Cow Creek Umpqua Tribe announces layoffs ... Downtown Grounds burglarized ... ANOTHER VIEW Dana Milbank: Bernie Sanders is right to be outraged Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Feb. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News Bernie Sanders is in his natural state — of agitation. It's just 9 a.m., but the socialist senator, contemplating a presidential run as a Democrat or as a populist independent, is red in the face and his white hair askew. In a conference room at The Washington Post, he's raising his voice, thumping his index finger on the table and gesturing so wildly that his hand comes within inches of political reporter Karen Tumulty's face. "We are living in the United States right now at a time when the top one-tenth of 1 percent own more wealth than the bottom 90 percent," the Vermont lawmaker says in his native Brooklyn accent. "One family, the Walton family of Wal-Mart, owns by itself more wealth than the bottom 40 percent of the American people." And then there are the Kochs, "the second wealthiest family in America, worth $85 billion ... who are now prepared to buy the United States government." "You're looking at the undermining of American democracy, OK?" OK, OK, OK. I remark on his prodigious indignation. "It's early in the morning," Sanders boasts. "Catch me later in the afternoon." The real outrage, though, is that so few people share his fury. There's widespread agreement about the problem — that inequality is as bad as it has been in America since the crash of '29. Even Republican leaders are talking about it (their solution, alas, is a tax system with even more breaks for the wealthy.) But there's no sign yet of the mass anger that could turn into a political movement. This is the week we would have seen it. As my colleague Matea Gold reported, the Koch brothers and their fundraising network plan to spend $889 million on the 2016 race. That sort of brazen bid to buy an election should come with naming rights — perhaps the Charles G. and David H. Koch White House, to match the Charles G. and David H. Koch United States Senate they financed in 2014. A half dozen of those whose new Senate seats were acquired with Koch money attended a Koch confab in Palm Springs over the weekend to thank their patrons. But the news elicited no more outrage than previous acquisitions of the House of Representatives (aka Citi Field). "The anger is there," Sanders says, but "it's an anger that turns into saying, 'go to hell, I'm not going to participate in your charade. I'm not voting.' So it's a weird kind of anger. It's not people getting out in the streets. ... We're at the stage of demoralization." That leaves Sanders' populist candidacy in an awkward place. He can mount a symbolic primary campaign against Hillary Clinton that goes nowhere. "Can you mobilize people? Can you tap the anger that's out there?" Sanders asks rhetorically. "The answer is — you know what? — I don't exactly know that we can." Or he can run as an independent and perhaps take enough votes in a general election to be a spoiler. But he doesn't seem inclined to be a Ralph Nader, who doomed Al Gore in 2000 and saw no difference between the two parties. "There is a difference," says Sanders, who caucuses with Senate Democrats. Sanders faults President Obama for the current demoralization. "I think he had a moment in history to do what President Roosevelt did in 1932," he says. "He had the opportunity to say to the American people, 'look, millions of people have lost jobs ... [and] it's because of what JPMorgan did, it's because of what Morgan Stanley did, what Goldman Sachs did." "Is that moment today?" Sanders continues. "No ... I think he lost that extraordinary opportunity." Democrats remain "too tepid" in taking on big money, and Clinton won't be "as bold as she needs to be." Clinton comes from the corporate wing of the party. Though there are nascent signs of a tea party of the left emerging, no candidate represents it. Sanders, a 73-year-old socialist, is charismatically challenged, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has more flair, doesn't appear to be contemplating a run. Even if she did, the primaries are so dominated by big money that it's not clear Warren could pose a viable challenge to Clinton. No wonder Sanders is so agitated. "You have to take on the Koch brothers and you have to take on Wall Street and you have to take on the billionaires," he says, gesticulating madly and fuming about the "oligarchy" running government. "Not to get you too nervous," he says, but "I think you need a political revolution." As Sanders is learning, you can't have a populist revolution without people. Follow Dana Milbank on Twitter, @Milbank. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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