In Sanders and O’Malley, Iowa Democrats received double dose of progressive candidates Firday

DES MOINES - Iowans got a double-barrel dose of progressive, even radical, ideas Friday from two Democratic presidential candidates offering to 'rebalance” the economic landscape to revitalize the American dream for working and middle-class citizens who, they say, are losing ground to the wealthy and powerful.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent seeking the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, said a 'political revolution” is needed to address the issues of income and wealth inequality that has developed, in part, by the ability of large corporations and wealthy individuals to exert influence via massive campaign contributions.

Meanwhile, across town former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley echoed Sanders' support for an increased minimum wage. He pushed for 'common-sense economics” that invest in education, energy innovations, infrastructure and workforce development while reforming a dysfunctional federal government.

'For a lot of us, it seems like our economy and our national politics are upside down and backwards, and we have to right-size them and get them moving forward again,” O'Malley told a Greater Des Moines Partnership forum.

Sanders told a separate forum on children's issues that it is 'shameful” the way the United States treats its youngest citizens and an 'embarrassment” that child-care workers are paid 'McDonalds-type wages” for nurturing the nation's future. He called for universal preschool and prekindergarten child care and free tuition to public colleges and universities as a way keep children on track to get a good education and marketable job skills.

Achieving that goal will be 'an expensive proposition,” Sanders conceded, saying he would fund education and other program needs by taxing major corporations that currently 'don't pay a nickel” due to loopholes and other advantages.

'You have to be prepared to ask the wealthiest people and largest corporations to start paying their fair share of taxes,” he said.

O'Malley told reporters he believes his campaign is beginning to gain traction with Iowans who will make the first choices in the 2016 presidential nominating process during Feb. 1 precinct caucuses. He credited his 15 years of leadership as a mayor and governor with him gaining support.

'People are responding to the fact that I'm unapologetic about having progressive goals and, more importantly, I know how to get things done,” O'Malley said.

'We can't be as dissatisfied as we are with how our national politics and our national economy are working or not working for us and believe that a return to old leaders is going to fix what ails us.”