Sanders is Mediocre?

[angrychair]

In a Congress with a lower approval rating than cockroaches, Sanders has one of highest constitute approval ratings in all of Congress.
He is so well liked in Vermont that Clinton was not even viable in the primary there this year. He took 100% of the pledged delegates there. HRC could not do the same in New York or Illinois against Sanders.
In fact, neither PBO nor HRC was able to achieve that feat in their 2008 nomination contest in their respective "home" states (though both from Illinois, I am also including New York, Hawaii and Kansas).

Co-founder and former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

The longest serving Independent in the history of Congress.

Caucusing and fundraising with Democrats his entire history in Congress (25+ years)

He was one of the most effective chairpersons of the Veterans Affairs Committee in recent history and was so effective in moving legislation and it being voted on during the most ineffective and gridlocked Congress in US history that many took notice.
He was actually awarded for his efforts by the VFW, The American Legion and other veteran's organizations.

If he is so "mediocre", why is he the only candidate for president in 2016 that has a 100% rating from both PP and NARAL for 23 years in a row?

If he is so "mediocre", why is he the only candidate for president in 2016 that has a 100% rating from The Human Rights Campaign for 17 years in a row?

Might not agree with him or even like him but he has been a strong ally for Democrats and an amazing representative and senator for the people of Vermont.

[redwitch]

1. Bravo!

[Hortensis]

2. He's famous for being the "socialist" Senator.

In discussing the Senate, Sanders was almost never mentioned and then only when discussing the makeup of the Senate. He was the "independent" "socialist" pointed out with some humor at the end of the discussion - EXCEPT for his 95+% record of voting with the Democratic caucus for 25 years - i.e., one of the crowd.

[angrychair]

7. Reading comprehension is your friend

I humble suggest you read my OP again.

[cali]

9. Quite simply, that is false. Your opinion is not fact

[TCJ70]

3. He didn't have a D by his name...

...so the Hillary folks don't think any of that is worth peanuts.

[Progressive dog]

4. Bernie had to caucus with Democrats to

get committee assignments.

[cali]

10. So?

[Progressive dog]

12. If you choose not to read

the OP, you shouldn't reply to a reply to it--unless you are just taking things out of context.

[TM99]

15. So you do realize

that even if he caucuses, he doesn't necessarily get a committee assignment. He earned those through his work, support of D's, and his positions.

[Progressive dog]

16. Committe assigments are given based on senority

in the caucus.

[Progressive dog]

20. In other words he only joined the Democratic

caucus to get committee assignments.

[Progressive dog]

23. My Logic is right

Bernie had decades to join the Democratic party and only did it when he had something to gain. He caucused with Democrats to get seats on committees.
Then, unlike his hero, Socialist Party candidate Eugene Debs, he chose to run as a Democrat for President.

[Lizzie Poppet]

5. Only a special sort of fuckwit would call Bernie "mediocre."

Or someone with ulterior motives...

[Dragonfli]

6. K&R

[bettyellen]

8. and a late bloomer, to be kind.

[cali]

11. Who are you to pass that kind of nasty judgment?

[mythology]

13. Sanders was also called an apologist for the VA by IAVA

For refusing to take action on the VA issues until well after the scale of the problems were known.

It's also at the very least incredibly misleading to compare Sanders' individual approval rating to that of Congress as a whole. Most individual members of Congress are well liked by their constituents.

Also calling him an ally of Democrats is a stretch. People I consider allies don't call me ideologically bankrupt or say that it would be hypocritical to be in a group with me. Sanders can only afford to operate as an independent because Democrats have made a space for him, not the other way around.

[angrychair]

19. Your attacks are disingenuous at best

The problems at the VA existed well before Sanders was chair of a senate veteran affairs committee and he did take action. To lay the blame for inaction on the VA at Sanders feet is grossly unfair and unrealistic.
If by "constituents" you mean the majority of his state than yes, he is very well liked.

This statement, by itself, shows you have zero understanding of Sanders and is record:

Sanders can only afford to operate as an independent because Democrats have made a space for him

You do realize he has run as an Independent his entire political career and run 12 successful campaigns in a row. Many of them against republican and Democratic challengers at the same time. He is not a political lightweight or a hack.
They choose each other as a common ally in the cause of doing right by the people.

[thucythucy]

14. In contexts like this I always like to point out the fact

that Abraham Lincoln was, prior to becoming president, a one term Congressman and failed Senate candidate with zilch executive experience aside from running his law partnership.

Anyway, to call Bernie "mediocre" is absurd. Especially compared with so many of his Senate colleagues.

[seabeyond]

18. "Sanders is Mediocre?" At best.

[BernieforPres2016]

21. In the context of Hillary, Bernie is mediocre because he hasn't used his office to get rich nt