Why Bernie Sanders Matters More Than People Think by Benjamin Studebaker

[Beringia]

https://benjaminstudebaker.com/2019/02/19/why-bernie-sanders-matters-more-than-people-think/?fbclid=IwAR1Z79japh90k5ZjX9V9Iqz_TjcH0VWjLfzuEomRCl7-1YGMiZkzLWX6vQY

(Excerpts)

Every time I find a way to say that there is no one like Bernie Sanders, there are people who don’t believe me. Aren’t there other candidates who support the same policies he supports now? Some of them are younger. Some of them aren’t old white guys. Why can’t it be one of them, why can’t it be someone new? Over and over, I have tried to find ways to explain that there is a real difference between Bernie Sanders and everyone else. Today, as Sanders announces his candidacy for the presidency, I’m going to try one more time.

Elizabeth Warren was a Republican until 1996. Kamala Harris has already begun courting Wall Street. Joe Biden voted with the party establishment for decades in the Senate. None of these people endorsed Sanders last time–they all preferred Clinton or stayed silent. Sanders’ opponents are neoliberals building on the legacy of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. They don’t think the Democratic Party needs to change. Many of them got into Democratic Party politics to make it into the very sort of party it is today. Today they say they care about Medicare for All and a Green New Deal, but their actions tell a different story.

Bernie Sanders is a democratic socialist building on the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. He understands that inequality is the core structural factor in economic crisis and that growth in real wages and incomes is required for robust, sustainable economic growth. He recognises that the Democratic Party must fundamentally change to tackle this problem. He has been an independent and kept himself separate from the party machine because he recognises how corrupt and lethargic it has become over the years. He’s running not just to change the country, but to change the Democratic Party into the kind of party that can deliver for poor and working Americans.

(Oddly, this is what I like about Bernie the most, better economic quality for working Americans, but also why I think he probably cannot win. Money is honey)

[elleng]

1. Thanks

[Beringia]

6. You're welcome, I look forward to finding out about all the candidates

I have always liked Biden since I saw him and Ted Kennedy questioning Robert Bork on his nomination for Supreme court, but I really think he is a dinosaur.

[elleng]

7. Ditto, but Biden no dinosaur.

[R B Garr]

2. LOL! Just a quick scan and all the silly buzzwords-

Establishment, Wall Street, neoliberal...

[elleng]

3. Silly buzzwords,

'Bernie Sanders is a democratic socialist building on the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. He understands that inequality is the core structural factor in economic crisis and that growth in real wages and incomes is required for robust, sustainable economic growth.'

[R B Garr]

4. This is such recycled, self-serving, ineffectual spin.

We’ve heard it all before. He is no FDR.

[comradebillyboy]

15. FDR had actual accomplishments after all.

[lapucelle]

35. They're running on the Democratic Platform.

Those who have never read it, should. It could probably, however, be considered an accomplish of sorts to show signs of evolving on some important issues.

(NB pages 34, 35, and 39.)

https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2016_DNC_Platform.pdf

Welcome to DU!

Have a donut.

[Blue_Tires]

40. Keep telling yourself that, chief

[Eliot Rosewater]

47. I wish people would research this what you just said, like no tax returns as well.

[CentralMass]

30. This is not FDR's Democratic party.

[lapucelle]

37. Indeed.

Have you ever read the 1932 Democratic Platform? I have.

While it is full of many groundbreaking economic policies, it is totally silent on civil rights and social justice...save for an endorsement of repealing Prohibition.

The modern Democratic Party couples Democrat FDR's economic policies with the civil rights and social justice policies that were absent from his platform.

Democrat FDR would be proud of the progress that Democrats have made in understanding that without social justice there can never be economic justice.

I also imagine that he would see the necessity of and wholeheartedly support strong sanctions against Russia.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/1932-democratic-party-platform

[Cha]

51. Tired, stale, insulting Buzzwords that have

Absolutely no meaning. Just BS' way to attack my Democratic Party.

It's ridiculous to compare BS to FDR.

BS is too divisive.

[snowybirdie]

5. Now if he could only

get some real legislation enacted that meant something to his supporters. In the 20+ years in Congress, what has he accomplished except shout out his dissatisfaction with government? Gotta have a plan Bernie, not just bitches.

[R B Garr]

8. Exactly. Everybody has a high horse. Most have

to actually accomplish something before they demean others for that which they haven’t done themselves.

This gets really old.

[NurseJackie]

10. I believe that anyone who wants to represent the Democratic party should avoid saying things like...

I believe that anyone who wants to represent the Democratic party should avoid saying things like... Democrats are "ideologically bankrupt" and Democrats are "feeble". Obviously, that's completely untrue

I also believe it's important for anyone who wants to represent the Democratic party to be someone who can unite the party and motivate the party. It simply serves no good purpose for anyone to publicly state that the Democrats are "corrupt" or that the Democratic party is an "absolute failure". Those types of smears do not unite or motivate us.

And lastly, I think it's vital that we stand up to anyone who says that the Democratic party is "the party of the one-percent", or that the Democrats are the party is the "party of the elite". Again... totally false!

It's very dangerous (and demoralizing) to someone who's supposed to be our ally making false statements that clearly infer that there's "no difference between Democrats and Republicans." Nothing could be further from the truth!

All I'm trying to say here is that these types of smears only divide us. They make us suspicious of each other and question motives and agendas. And all of those things only serve to demoralize us and weaken us as a party. It's very destructive, and anything that weakens the Democratic party only serves to benefit the GOP, and Trump, and Russia.

[LowcountryMichael]

19. You're right, Nurse Jackie

"ideologically bankrupt" or "feeble" is the kind of "eating our young" thinking that sews divisiveness and makes us look strident and incompetent to govern. To be honest, it's what I fear most from the Bernie or bust diehards. It's why I'm reluctant to sign on to the Bernie train.

Yes, he pushed the discussion to the left in 2016, and for that I'm grateful. But he isn't the only progressive candidate, and possibly not the most electable. Let's get a sense of where the general population stands before we start circling our wagons. We can't afford to blow this one.

[Gothmog]

25. I agree

[R B Garr]

28. Exactly, NJ! The false statements and misrepresentations

about Democrats is just served up to bolster one man’s image. There isn’t one excuse for the continuity of these dishonest representations in face of all that cost us in 2016. There should be nothing but an apology tour and some grand mea culpas, not the same damaging routines.

[Politicub]

14. Out of more than 907 bills Sanders introduced, only three have become law

1. To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1 Marble Street in Fair Haven, Vermont, as the "Matthew Lyon Post Office Building".
2. A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 35 Park Street in Danville, Vermont, as the "Thaddeus Stevens Post Office".
3. Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013

His track record of legislative accomplishments is a bit thin, I would say.

[namahage]

26. After 28 years in Congress, all he got was 3?

And none until his next-to-last year in the House and his sixth in the Senate?
If in 2023 Kamala Harris doesn't even have a post office to her name then we can reassess...

[betsuni]

48. Three of the bills Harris introduced became laws since 2017.

[sheshe2]

78. After ONE year in office!

ONE!

[betsuni]

82. Impressive! I like progressives who get things done.

[sheshe2]

83. Some do.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. Hillary Clinton was very effective. Here are her passed laws.

Bernie can’t hold a candle to her.

S. 1241: A bill to establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site in the State of New York. Bush signed the bill Dec. 3, 2004.

S. 3613: A bill to name a post office the "Major George Quamo Post Office Building." Bush signed the bill Oct. 6, 2006.

S. 3145: A bill to designate a highway in New York as the Timothy J. Russert highway. Bush signed the bill July 23, 2008.

[R B Garr]

29. Hillary never claimed to be a savior.

This isn’t WhataboutHillary.

[SidDithers]

31. It's always WhataboutHillary...nt

Sid

[R B Garr]

34. Yes, it sure does look like it.

[lapucelle]

58. I don't know why people are still running around in circles about these things. It's 2019.

[Trumpocalypse]

39. Undecided????

Really?

[sheshe2]

49. ;)

[sheshe2]

79. What about Hillary!

Fact is, she is not running for President.

[NurseJackie]

32. Thank you for those facts. These things are important to know and help...

Thank you for those facts. These things are important to know and help others (myself included) when deciding on which candidates deserve our support, and which ones deserve to be dismissed and sent packing (so to speak).

Knowledge is power!

[DSV]

41. This demonstrates either intellectual dishonesty or misunderstanding of how modern legislating works

in the US Congress.

[Politicub]

42. Look it up for yourself

https://www.congress.gov/member/bernard-sanders/S000033?q=%7B%22sponsorship%22%3A%22sponsored%22%7D

[DSV]

45. Most legislating is done by amendment of existing bills, not introduction of one's own bills,

at least at the Federal level in the modern era. The number of bills introduced and enacted by successive congresses has fallen precipitously over the years, while the number of amendments introduced and enacted has soared, a reflection of the fact that the modern Congress favors large pieces of omnibus legislation with many amendments as opposed to many individual bills introduced and passed on their own.

To that point, Bernie Sanders is known as the "Amendment King" for his extremely prolific introduction and passage of amendments, though only some fraction of them have become law. Thus, he has many legislative accomplishments, far, far more than you are suggesting.

[ehrnst]

60. I imagine that someone who puts the final frosting flowers on a wedding cake

might call themself the "frosting flower king" but those who did all the work before the final few icing flowers went on are the ones considered the pastry chefs. Teamwork gets the cake made.

Can you cite a source for your claim, "Most legislating is done by amendment of existing bills?"

That doesn't seem to be indicated here, anyway.

https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/Enactment+of+a+Law+-+Learn+About+the+Legislative+Process#EnactmentofaLaw-LearnAbouttheLegislativeProcess-TheAmendmentProcess

[George II]

62. ....

[lapucelle]

66. Satirist Matt Taibbi's old Amendment King talking point.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-taibbi/u-s-journalist-faces-sexual-harassment-furor-over-memoir-idUSKBN1CX0QC

[DSV]

68. Here you go. Slides from the classes of my former Political Science professor,

the widely-respected Andy Taylor:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DU2HDtlwcCweSoBHOrTDuplRSnyIG4m1/view (slides 7 to 11)

and here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m83k-u4-g34Benozy25VTNKTsGiBizvC/view (about halfway, look for the chart entitled "Number and Pages of Statute Produced by Congresses, 1951-2013)

If you'd like an indication of how reputable the man is, here's his bio:
https://sites.google.com/ncsu.edu/taylor/home

As for your cake metaphor, I take your implicit point to be that much bill-writing is done in committee. Even so, Sanders has done a great deal in committee over his many years of service as well, especially in his capacity as chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

[ehrnst]

84. Not seeing support for the statement ""Most legislating is done by amendment of existing bills."

[DSV]

87. I concede I may be incorrect in that statement depending on the interpetation. My apologies.

The fact does remain, however, that large omnibus spending bills are the main legislative vehicle of the modern era, and beyond having the good fortune to be appointed to certain committees, especially appropriations, the most effective way to legislate has more often than not been via amendments and riders to such bills. That is the point I was attempting to get at, and moreover that there is far more to any given legislator's accomplishments than simply sponsoring bills, contrary to Politicub's implication.

[ehrnst]

96. What other things would you include as metrics of a legislator's success at the job? (nt)

[George II]

65. Sorry, not true. Most legislating is done by writing and introducing legislation.

So, can you ballpark how many amendments he's offered for legislation that have become law?

[DSV]

69. The most solid number I can find is 90

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/mar/24/bernie-s/bernie-sanders-was-roll-call-amendment-king-1995-2/

[George II]

71. 90? He's been in the House/Senate since 1990.

[DSV]

75. Yes and?

I admit, the "Amendment King" title is somewhat overwrought, but to the original point of the original post made above, Sanders' legislative accomplishments do not include merely three bills. 90 amendments is certainly not nothing.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

85. Look at how many years the repigs controlled ....

the gavel.

I have news for some people. Nothing is getting accomplished except by amendment. Unless of course you want to cut taxes or pass flag burning legislation. Maybe a war resolution

[George II]

93. If that's the case (republicans in charge) why is it that Booker, Warren, Harris....

....all have more legislative accomplishments?

We keep hearing about these "amendments". So, where can one find a tally of amendments each has had added to bills that have become law?

Further, the republicans have been in charge of the Senate only since 2015 - Booker and Warren have been in the Senate since 2013, Harris since 2017. Sanders since 2007. He had a Democratic majority to work with for six of his 12 years in the Senate, Booker and Warren only two of their 6, and Harris has never had a Democratic majority since being elected.

So, how do you address those facts?

[lapucelle]

70. Satirist* Matt Taibbi gave BS the Amendment King title in a 2005 Rolling Stone story.

Some people have been dining out on it ever since.

* https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-taibbi/u-s-journalist-faces-sexual-harassment-furor-over-memoir-idUSKBN1CX0QC

[ehrnst]

44. Can you specify what Politicub got wrong? (nt)

[lapucelle]

61. He's underwhelmed by satirist Matt Taibbi's old Amendment King talking point.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-taibbi/u-s-journalist-faces-sexual-harassment-furor-over-memoir-idUSKBN1CX0QC

[lapucelle]

53. Wecome to DU.

Care for a donut?

[DSV]

54. I love donuts!

Thank you very much!

(Wow, we have so many wonderful emoticons to choose from!)

[Cha]

59. NO.. you don't try to accuse

one of our members of "intellectual dishonesty".

[George II]

63. You're saying the poster is being intellectually dishonest?

[honest.abe]

73. OMG.. thats it?!?

I had no idea he was so incredibly unproductive.

[CentralMass]

33. I would counter that much of what congress has passed in the last 20 + years has been detrimental to

the middle and poor classes way of life.
We have been in a downward spiral.

Bernie has been a voice of one or of a few but he and his ideas are gaining traction.

[ehrnst]

56. Are you talking about legislation introduced by Democrats? (nt)

[Garrett78]

9. This is built on a false premise that says the Democratic Party is static.

And that's BS. No, not that BS, the other one.

[ehrnst]

43. "Mainstream Democrats?"

What's your definition of those?

[Cha]

50. NO.. BS is Not "the only real

and authentic progressive in this race". Far From IT.

BS is Too Divisive.

[ehrnst]

97. Binary, dualistic thinking doesn't work when choosing a candidate.

All are human.

I will however pause when I hear any candidate pushing the message, "Only I can save us."

[Blue_Tires]

12. Who in fuck's name is "Benjamin Studebaker" and why should I

give a rat's ass what he thinks about anything?

EDIT: Oh, fuck me... He's a doctoral student in England who hasn't set foot outside of campus yet.

[Beringia]

13. If I found this article by you

explaining Bernie Sanders and other presidents' approach to economics, I would be happy to read and post that too. So I don't care if he is an important person or not, just that he took time to write about an issue I care about.

[Blue_Tires]

16. Nothing against you personally

but the author's piece was vapid, devoid of critical thought and bordering on intellectually bankrupt. God forbid I expect a more nuanced take from an alleged Ph.D student. Extra credit for him servicing the stereotype that the political wisdom of the average Berner is ten miles wide and a half-inch deep. He's cherry-picked some certain stats while ignoring others, he has completely over-simplified or otherwise misrepresented history, he has served another Berner stereotype by falling in with the "savior complex", i.e., "ONLY HE AND HE ALONE CAN SAVE US!" (Protip: Political revolutions aren't built from the top-down) After taking the time to throw shade at all the so-called "establishment Dems", he has oddly neglected to mention that growing pile of unsavory shit in Bernie's background (yeah yeah, I know I'm not allowed to bring any of it up here)...

In short, it's just some cult member hero-worship bullshit and "Vote for my guy because all the other candidates are corporate neolibs!" Is the type of argument I'd expect from a college soph and not a doctoral student (nevermind the fact that his writing and his arguments are what I'd expect from someone in ENGL-151), but I get it -- Studebaker (no way is he related to the automaker, is he?) has likely NEVER had to support himself and as far as I can tell he's never left the cushy ideologically sterile liberal enclave of the college campus where ideas, theories and declarations discussed over pizza and beer never have to be tested in the real world. I know this because when I was his age I was in grad school pimping the HELL out of Nader 2000 and believe me, nobody could tell me nuthin' in those days. So Studebaker clearly has a lot of growing up left to do.

If you wanted to compare and contrast St. Bern's economic policies to the other candidates, then there were a million better ways it could have been done.

[Beringia]

17. Ya, you could be right

[CentralMass]

36. Please expand on "all this unsavory $hit in Bernies background"

[Blue_Tires]

38. 1. Trust me, you don't want that...

But this endless "St. Bern the Immaculate" shtick got stale years ago.

2. Regardless, this isn't the thread for it...
3. Are your google reflexes injured?

[lapucelle]

72. Studebaker has another article called "The Decline and Fall of Elizabeth Warren".

One of the "Fallen" Elizabeth's transgressions... well, she did something unpardonable in 2016.

[George II]

74. Did she wear a tan pants suit?

[lapucelle]

90. She endorsed a Democrat!

Studebaker carefully mansplains in detail and at length what Senator Warren should have done to avoid becoming a...gasp ..."fallen" woman.

[George II]

76. Bazinga!

[sheshe2]

80. Boom.

The vetting is coming.

[Garrett78]

52. I don't care that the author isn't famous, but...

...I do care that he's promoting a false and simplistic narrative. A narrative that says the Democratic Party is static (false premise from which his whole argument is made void), and that only Sanders wants the party to change in some fashion.

That's just garbage. It's lazy journalism.

And "neoliberal" is so overused.

[Gothmog]

24. I was wondering the same thing

Last edited Fri Feb 22, 2019, 08:57 PM - Edit history (1)

This is a very poorly written article that is not meaningful.

[ehrnst]

46. +1000.

[namahage]

91. What'd you think of his other work,

"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Seems Confused About Race"--whitesplaining at its finest!

[BannonsLiver]

99. He's the new HA Goodman

[emulatorloo]

18. Why the Studebaker and the Edsel Still Matter

By Bernie Sanders

Still not sure what Bernie offers that Warren does not. Plus she is accomplished and very good at concrete policy, which are just a couple of her many pluses.

Will be a fun primary

[lapucelle]

64. Benjamin Studebaker has lots to say about Elizabeth Warren.

He judges her quite harshly. According to Studebaker, she has declined and fallen.

The Decline and Fall of Elizabeth Warren
by Benjamin Studebaker

There was a time when everyone on the left in the United States liked Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), when she seemed like the most left wing option available in a sea of swamp creatures. Warren gave the left the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2011, and in return she became its darling–the person everyone on the left wanted to see run for president, the person everyone on the left hoped could someday win. This is the story of how that changed...

I won't link to the screed, but it's not hard to find.

[emulatorloo]

94. No surprising considering the source.

Seems like the plan is to name call and destroy all candidates not named Bernie.

[betsuni]

20. "I hate you, Mom and Dad!" Benjamin yelled as he strode toward the front door.

"I'm going over to Bernie's house where it's not NEOLIBERAL ESTABLISHMENT." The door slammed behind him.

[ehrnst]

57. ......

[sheshe2]

81. Bwahahaha

[lapucelle]

95. ....

Maybe he'll feel better if he hs a donut.

[Horizens]

55. LOL

"Elizabeth Warren was a Republican until 1996."

And Bernie's been an Independent most of his political career.

[Uncle Joe]

67. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread Beringia.

[stopbush]

77. Now, THAT OP is a steaming pile of BULLSHIT.

[JustAnotherGen]

86. So I went to this guy's blog

I read the about section and two posts.

I still don't know anything about him.

Here's what I DO know - the Russian Meddling Machine is already in gear and three of their four targets have declared:

Harris, Warren, and Sanders.

O'Rourke might not run at all.

I won't be making a pick or two until after Super Tuesday. At that point I will have an idea about the field that is left in June.

Until then, I'm scrutinizing every pressure point of communication.

I don't know enough about him to even weigh his words.

[workinclasszero]

88. Thanks

I like that about Bernie too. You know where he stands.

He moved this whole party to the left where it needs to be. And it needs to stay.

I have no doubts that he would turn back to the right if elected. None at all. He was for a living wage and health care for all when it wasn’t cool. When it wasn’t the norm.

And it’s now the norm because of him.

[quickesst]

89. I am a big Studebaker fan....

...... The automobile I mean.

[BannonsLiver]

98. Good to see HA Goodman is back with a new pen name.