This is what a real politician who fights for the middle class and poor sounds like....

US Senator Bernie Sanders....Independent from Vermont.

Audio of him taking questions from REAL middle class citizens. He does it every Friday and has done it for years....something no other politician does that I know of.

sanders.senate.gov...

"What kind of America do we want?"

That's how Sen. Bernie Sanders summed up the debate over the federal budget. The stakes will be high in the coming week when the Senate votes on a reactionary House-passed budget resolution. The measure would eliminate Medicare and Medicaid as we know them and give away $1 trillion in new tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and profitable corporations. Sanders offered an analysis on Friday on The Thom Hartmann Program.

Also in Washington, the Senate on Tuesday blocked consideration of a bill to take tax breaks away from the biggest U.S. petroleum companies. What do you think? And with corporate cash corrupting American democracy, Bernie broached the idea of a constitutional amendment.

Budget - Sanders, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, made the case on that panel for lowering deficits by reducing spending and raising more revenue. A surtax on millionaires was one of several proposals he offered. Even after the committee chairman postponed consideration of a Senate version of the budget, Sanders pressed his case. "In the midst of a severe recession with millions of middle-class and low-income Americans experiencing deep financial pains, deficit reduction cannot be brought about solely on the backs of the sick, the elderly, the children and the poor as the Republicans proposed in their budget," Sanders said on Thursday.

Gas Prices - The CEO of Exxon Mobil blamed oil speculators for 30 percent to 40 percent of what motorists pay for gas. Last year's Wall Street reform law gave federal regulators authority to stop excessive speculation. Sanders said on Wednesday that "they're not doing what the law says they should do." He called the Commodity Futures Trading chairman to demand action.

Energy - Sanders is the prime mover behind a federal-state partnership with Sandia National Laboratories Speaking at a conference in Burlington, Sandia's Richard Stulen called Sanders "the sparkplug" for a rare level of collaboration between academia, utilities and the state on new smart-grid technology. The federally-funded smart grid will give consumers across Vermont real-time data about energy consumption that will improve efficiency and save consumers money on their utility bills.

Citizens United - Sanders said he would support a constitutional amendment to overrule the Supreme Court's controversial "Citizens United" decision that permits corporations to anonymously give unlimited sums of money campaigns. "We need to pass legislation to minimize what it is doing," Sanders said. "But at the end of the day we probably will have to pass a constitutional amendment."

sanders.senate.gov...

Bernie Sanders is the only politician I know of who takes actually takes calls every single week from real Americans....and actually fights for the middle class and the poor.

I urge you to listen to something different...not the same crap you see on corporate TV every day.

Gasp...Bernie Sanders is the only "proclaimed" SOCIALIST in our federal government. He is beloved in his home state.

Originally posted by David9176
Gasp...Bernie Sanders is the only "proclaimed" SOCIALIST in our federal government. He is beloved in his home state.

I've always wondered why the frenzy over "Socialism" here... I happen to work every day with some guys who live in a Socialist economy country, and they don't seem particularly oppressed, they get more vacation time for less time in the company than I do, because of their national laws, they have no healthcare worries, they have enough disposable income to come to those US on the long vacations, etc etc etc.

Anyway, great article!

I'm from the UK and i have been following Bernie on twitter. I really like the guy, he has a great accent too. I guess he's way too left though for most Americans.

I enjoyed this little debate,

This is what is amazing....this will largely get ignored...but isn't this the type of guy you'd want fighting on your side in government?

Thanks for the comments.

This is the only man that I'd actually go out and help campaign for....unfortunately he doesn't get much air time from the corporate media...and he's not going to run because even though he's an independent...he caucuses with Democrats....which means he won't run against Obama.

Most who hear him and take the time to listen will agree with him I believe.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Rand Paul recently tried to compare universal health care to slavery.

The man is a fricking lunatic.

David, I can't agree with you more. People don't seem to realize that what we're doing isn't working! I'm always reminded of this video when talking about the distribution of wealth in this country.

From 2007

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I used to be one of those people.

Kidding aside....Bernie Sanders has got to be the most legit congressman I know. He doesn't just speak for the middle class...he gets angry. He goes after the big boys...unfortunately he's usually alone in what he does. He's not bought by lobbiest either...and he got great health care for the people of Vermont which just went into law.

He also put good things into the Obama health care bill...opening up 1000's of new community centers to help people with little money get health care. He also increased the amount of Doctors that are allowed to practice legally. People don't know it...but he's working hard for them.

reply to post by David9176


Ah yes, Bernie the socialist. People are so distracted, but then again I do believe that for most people, they WANT to be distracted. I like Bernie, but he is a lonely independent among a shark infested sea of corrupted Republicans and Democrats.

You know that Obama promised billions to Egypt? To a political government we don't know anything about? What about the Republicans proposal to eliminate medicare?? This country is being eaten alive, and americans are willingly participating in the feast.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by woodwardjnr

 

Rand Paul recently tried to compare universal health care to slavery.

The man is a fricking lunatic.

Yeah, lets hope his dad has a bit more sense. I very much doubt the surgeons and doctors here in the UK feel like slaves. Most are paid very well, have decent working hours and their own homes. I saw Rands slavery remarks and had to laugh. Kinda reminded me of the arguments put forward by certain ATS members

reply to post by woodwardjnr




This video of an old record will help you understand where these ideas come from.

When this came out, healthcare was actually affordable for the common person in the u.s. It sadly is no longer affordable on a working salary.

reply to post by Seiko


Yeah I try to keep out of the healthcare debates, American members dont really want to hear from a Brit telling them the benefits of a universal health system. Our current government is proposing privatising certain parts of our NHS, needless to say these proposals are going down like a lead balloon with the British public

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Just had the opportunity to watch this, great clip!

A belief in a right to health care equals support for slavery? The cops are going to beat down the door of one specific doctor and force him/her to go treat somebody in the middle of the night?

And Rand Paul is considered coherent and rational? Talk about instantly taking an idea to its extreme, absurd conclusions....

I've never been a big fan of Rand Paul and this is one reason why. This guy is a joke. In poor taste.

reply to post by Southern Guardian

You know that Obama promised billions to Egypt? To a political government we don't know anything about? What about the Republicans proposal to eliminate medicare?? This country is being eaten alive, and americans are willingly participating in the feast.

I know...everything is nutty. We're handing out money everywhere, trying to fix other problems in other countries while ours continue to drift into nothing.

Republicans need to to compare Obama's policies to Bernie Sanders....then they can see how "Socialist" Obama really is.

Getting tired of seeing him being called a Socialist when he's done little in terms of "Socialist" policies...regardless of what his past associations may have been.

I'd take Bernie over anyone else working in our government right now...right or left.

I would definitely vote for Bernie Sanders in a heartbeat! I even wrote President Obama on several occasions telling him just that. I told him that he had better hope that he doesn't get challenged by Bernie Sanders or Anthony Weiner.

reply to post by David9176


I like Sanders, I don't agree with his political philosophy at all, but I enjoy seeing other anti-statist besides Ron Paul getting attention. I would definitely vote for him if he ever decided to run for president or anything, because I know that if he ever had an opportunity to end the government, he would.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
David, I can't agree with you more. People don't seem to realize that what we're doing isn't working! I'm always reminded of this video when talking about the distribution of wealth in this country.

Well that settles it, if the most liberal person on this board likes the guy he must be a raging leftie loon. No thanks.

If Sanders was such a genius he would have at least understood where Rand Paul was coming from. I did and I'm not even a senator.

If I was that passionate about everyone having healthcare, you know what I'd do? I'd become a doctor. This would lower the costs of healthcare in my community, and I could provide free healthcare to as many people as my noble heart desired.

The irony here is that you have a man, Rand Paul, who has provided FREE healthcare to many people. Then you have Sanders who has done jack but sit there and "discuss philosophy" all day talking down to him.

You simply have no right to tell the doctor, the person who is saving your life, what to do. You are PRIVELEDGED to have such a noble soul saving your ass from whatever bad situation your own stupidity got you into, whether you fell off a ladder, or you ate junk food for dozens of years straight and never did anything healthy.

I LOVE doctors, I have never had a bad experience. I am a good patient, I understand they are saving my ass. Who the hell are these people that feel like they are entitled to complain and moan when they are in the best hands they could possibly be in.

Originally posted by i am just saying

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
David, I can't agree with you more. People don't seem to realize that what we're doing isn't working! I'm always reminded of this video when talking about the distribution of wealth in this country.

Well that settles it, if the most liberal person on this board likes the guy he must be a raging leftie loon. No thanks.

Pardon my but this is too much... If you think Benevolent Heretic is the most liberal person on this board, you have not been paying attention...

reply to post by David9176


I personally have been impressed politically by Vermont on many occasions. It must be a decent place to live, with a fair percentage of intelligent people, or, its just a function of the size of the state that people have managed to retain some real influence over their government.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by woodwardjnr

 

Rand Paul recently tried to compare universal health care to slavery.

The man is a fricking lunatic.

That was difficult to watch. Bernie didn't miss a beat and jumped on the " Slave" statement . Unfortunate choice of words. I believe the point, although poorly made, was one of moving health care from the realm of a service provided, to placing it under the authority of law.

Would this mean I could walk into Johns Hopkins ,the Mayo Clinic ,National jewish health Center or ANY DRs. office and DEMAND I be treated under the color of law?

Admittedly I do not pay much attention to this issue. I just don't understand what people expect to change. Now, no matter what your income level, YOU WILL BE TREATED. Maybe it is a question of quality ? If that is the case, one usually gets what one pays for.

I frequently get the feeling that people think they will get the same attention to quality and CONVENIENCE that is reserved for the well to do.