I think his liberal bent has made him a reputation and given him some crtical acclaim, but his personal movies do not make money.
Its that man again!!

No, it's not because he's socialist, but because his films simply isn't the kind that makes a beepload of money. And Sayles knows that. That's why he finances them himself, because noone else would. And the world is all the better for it. Imagine what schmaltzy loa111cd of crap he would produce if he had gotten a fifty million dollar Hollywood deal and a lot of no-nos.
I find it actually quite vigorating that people like John Sayles can work within the capitalst system of today with total free reign, and still make exactly what he wants. There's an old maxim about journalism, if you want the truth be told in the news, you have to buy your own newspaper. If you have the money and the means, the world is your oyster.

There is the same problem with Ken Loach in Great Britain.