Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumReich on Sanders: "He was an effective legislator - in fact, one of the most effective legislators"
'What do you say in response to Barney Frank saying that Bernie Sanders was ineffective in congress?' Well, actually, I was there! I mean, I was Secretary of Labor through some of those years. I saw how effective Bernie actually was. He was tenacious. He kept getting changes, amendments, and very large pieces of legislation ... his name was often not on those pieces of legislation. He did not have a, and does not have, a huge ego, so he didn't hold out for his name to be highly placed on pieces of legislation, but he did hold out for amendments and for changes that almost, in every case - virtually in every case - helped working people, and helped the poor, and I saw it again and again and again. He was an effective legislator - in fact, one of the most effective legislators, because the more you work behind the scenes and don't try to push yourself out there and don't try to get the limelight, the more effective you can be, which, ironically, invites the complaint from some people that he was ineffective because he was not in the limelight. He was behind the scenes, enormously effective."
https://stalkture.com/media/1218316973573148720
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
floppyboo
(2,461 posts)Not taking anything away from Frank, but ...
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
George II
(67,782 posts)....Clinton's administration.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Thekaspervote
(32,606 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)And..
https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/politics/election/iowa-caucus/fact-checker-just-how-effective-was-bernie-sanders-with-a-republican-congress-20160108
Fact Checker: Just how effective was Bernie Sanders with a Republican Congress?
"The Gazette
Fri., January 08, 2016
Fact Checker: Just how effective was Bernie Sanders with a Republican Congress?
Bernie Sanders passed more amendments in a Republican Congress than any other member.
Analysis
The television ad airing in Iowa and New
Fact Checker examined whether Sanders passed more amendments than any other colleague in a Republican-controlled Congress, which is a statement he has repeated elsewhere. Well look at the pieces of the claim one by one.
The Sanders camp cited congressional research showing 17 amendments sponsored by Sanders passed between 1995 and 2005. The data is a little dated but the time frame lines up with his service.
During Sanders career House, 1991-2007 and Senate, 2007-present Republicans controlled the House from 1995-2007 and the current Senate, which began in 2015.
The research identifies the top 10 senators for 1995-2005. Sanders ranked No. 1 at sponsoring successful amendments, edging out Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, with 16; Rep. Christopher Smith, R-NJ, with 14; and Benjamin Gilman, R-NY, with 13, according to the data.
Sanders research has an important qualifier: The query includes only amendments passed by roll-call votes, which excludes a substantial portion passed by voice votes.
The Fact Checker independently researched the votes using a congressional database.
When searching only roll call votes, we found the same numbers. The picture looks a little different when including voice votes. Sanders sponsored 42 adopted amendments, 18 of which became law. Traficant, who served one less term in that time frame than Sanders, had 121 amendments, including 41 in bills that became law. Some bills had multiple amendments.
For comparison, in that time frame, former Iowa Rep. Jim Leach, who served in the House from 1977-2007, sponsored one successful amendment, which passed by roll call; former Iowa Rep. Jim Nussle didnt sponsor any; Iowa Rep. Steve King had 12, four by roll call; and former Iowa Rep. Tom Latham had five amendments, one by roll call. In a review of a dozen more congressmen, no others had more success with amendments than Sanders, other than Traficant."
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)And, by that I'm referring only to your ability to cut and paste and format a message on your phone. That takes a lot of patience.
Amendments are not legislative accomplishments. I'm not impressed. Anyone can toss an extra found apple into a cart that's already headed to market. I'm more impressed with the person who actually builds the cart and fills it the first time.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
thesquanderer
(11,955 posts)They are if they get passed. Many don't.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Uncle Joe
(58,112 posts)Thanks for the thread floppyboo.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
crazytown
(7,277 posts)While impressive, Sanders candor does not itself represent political courage. The nation is teeming with outspoken radicals in one form or another. Most are sooner called crazy than courageous. It is the second half of Sanders political role that puts the first half into perspective: he is a powerful force for conciliation and bi-partisanship on Capitol Hill. In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy wrote that we should not be too hasty in condemning all compromise as bad morals. For politics and legislation are not matters for inflexible principles or unattainable ideals. It may seem strange that someone so steadfast in his principles has a reputation as a peacemaker between divided forces in Washington, but this is what makes Sanders truly remarkable. He represents President Kennedys ideal of compromises of issues, not of principles.
Sanders has used his unique position as the lone Independent Congressman to help Democrats and Republicans force hearings on the internal structure of the International Monetary Fund, which he sees as excessively powerful and unaccountable. He also succeeded in quietly persuading reluctant Republicans and President Clinton to ban the import of products made by under-age workers. Sanders drew some criticism from the far left when he chose to grudgingly endorse President Clintons bids for election and re-election as President. Sanders explained that while he disagreed with many of Clintons centrist policies, he felt that he was the best option for Americas working class.
(18 years old)
https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/past-winning-essays/2000-winning-essay-by-peter-buttigieg
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
elleng
(130,156 posts)[Republican AND Robert REICH] Praises Bernie Sanders For Effective Legislating & Humility
Both a former Repub and Robert Reich featured in this vid on Sanders' effectiveness and humility in congress.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287268885
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Cenk Uygur is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this, and considering Former Republican Congressman Bob Ney's sordid past and his trouble with the law... it's amazing to me that his judgement (regarding anyone's character) would be held up and displayed as a source of pride.
Something like this only works if the viewer/reader/listener is clueless has no idea what came before in Bob Ney's life. But for anyone actually who knows WHO he is, this is something that would cause more harm than benefit.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ex-rep-bob-ney-gets-30-months-in-jail/
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
elleng
(130,156 posts)more slam.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Bob Ney had to deal with it when he was sentenced to THIRTY MONTHS in jail for corruption. It's just amazing to me that his "endorsement" is being held up as some bright guiding light of truth that everyone should be drawn to. Fact of the matter is, Bob Ney's judgement is severely lacking. He has no moral compass.
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6280001.stm
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ex-rep-bob-ney-gets-30-months-in-jail/
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
vsrazdem
(2,176 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Deja vu.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
revmclaren
(2,488 posts)IMHO.
ONLY!!! 2019 and beyond.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)We need people like him there.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
floppyboo
(2,461 posts)Liz would make a great Senate leader.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
NYMinute
(3,256 posts)or laugh continuously.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BlueMississippi
(776 posts)He named not just one but TWO whole post offices.
That is a whopping one post office every 16 years. Bravo!!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
JI7
(89,182 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
JI7
(89,182 posts)according to Jacobin or common dreams
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
JI7
(89,182 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NYMinute
(3,256 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
delisen
(6,039 posts)So much has changed
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
krawhitham
(4,634 posts)2 were renaming Post offices
1 was to designate March 4, 1991, as Vermont Bicentennial Day
1 to protect Vermont's Taconic Mountain Range
1 to make the Federal charter of Veterans of Foreign Wars gender neutral "men" switched to "veterans" & "widows" switched to "surviving spouses"
1 for injured vets (increased the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities)
1 to "Granting the consent of Congress to the Vermont-New Hampshire Interstate Public Water Supply Compact." whatever that means
29 years, 7 passed bills 4 of which are BS
If that is one of the "most effective legislators" ever, we're pretty screwed.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/browse?sponsor=400357#enacted_ex=on
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bluepinky
(2,260 posts)is more important than working in the public eye. The issues Bernie fought for in the most recent Presidential election seemed extreme to some people at the time but now are mainstream ideas, like the $15 minimum wage.
Predictably, some posters cant stand reading something positive about Bernie, they have to spew their hatred of him every chance they get.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
thesquanderer
(11,955 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Duppers
(28,094 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden