Alan Caron’s recent commentary, “Sanders: the real story of election” (Oct. 15) claims that Bernie Sanders represents a more pure form of populism than Donald Trump. Supposedly, conservative anger at mass immigration, post-1950s sexual permissiveness, welfare, etc., is misplaced and should be directed instead against the rich and powerful.

What Caron fails to acknowledge is that the rich and powerful are the ones who have been pushing mass immigration (cheap labor and more consumers), sexual permissiveness (traditional families are less effective as consummate consumers) and expanded welfare (more money to use to consume) down our throats. Overwhelmingly, the rich support socially liberal positions (on immigration, almost exclusively so).

Almost all of the billionaire Republican donors were strongly supportive of the Gang of Eight amnesty bill, which would have vastly increased inequality by importing poor workers and flooding the labor market. Rich donors advocate for all sorts of socially liberal causes: Paul Singer for same-sex marriage, Helen Krieble for in-state tuition for illegal aliens, Tim Cook against religious freedom bills.

While Sanders-style socialism may seem to be an attack on the rich, the fact that so many rich people are on both sides of the tax issue while almost all are on one side of the immigration issue should tell you all you need to know about what the one-percenters really care about.

On immigration and trade, Trump’s populism represents to many a rich man who has defected to the side of the average American. His recent stances repudiate much of the “donor class” agenda. Folks like Caron are mistaken when they think that you can oppose the 1 percent while supporting their social agenda, or that opposition to that agenda is “blaming” those the agenda purports to help.

Michael Jose

Augusta