Bernie Sanders' full statement to @chrislhayes on how @TheDemocrats avoid repeating 2009

[Donkees]

Link to tweet

[riversedge]

1. Keep fighting.

[JI7]

2. Vermont re-elected a Republican for Governor for the 3rd time in a row last year

And he got like 70 percent.

[Hortensis]

3. Umhm. I-Sanders' base in VT includes a fair number of conservatives.

Overall, most aren't as rabid up there, and he keeps them satisfied and helps them keep from losing that senate seat to a Democrat.

Speaking of, VT's minimum wage, set by state government of course, is $10.78. So Sanders' refusal to consider a national minimum wage increase to $11, choosing to keep it at $7.25, won't affect his Vermont voters and will even presumably please many.

[JI7]

4. So that's why he focuses on other states instead of trying to make his state more progressive

[Hortensis]

5. Well, he's been in national office since 1991. State government

is the business of those the people elect to that.

I just realized that keeping the NATIONAL MW at $7.25 is the most impactful action by far of his congressional career. Previously he'd accomplished very little, and none of that begins to come close to this contribution to his country.

Go Dems! Speaking of, Biden's endorsing restoring the original filibuster, making dozens of Republicans remain on hand while one holds the floor continuously to delay votes. Looks like we're going to do it!

[Donkees]

6. It's $11.75, and $12.55 in 2022 ...

In February, the Democratic-controlled Vermont Legislature mandated the increase to $12.55 after the body overrode a veto of the plan by Republican Gov. Phil Scott.

After 2022, the minimum wage will resume increasing annually with inflation as calculated by the Department of Labor.

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2020/12/30/vermont-laws-taking-effect-january-2021-minimum-wage/3921655001/

[Hortensis]

8. Good for VT's legislature for protecting MW residents. Rather unfair

for it to provide Sanders with protection from fallout, though, don't you think? People going hungry across the rest of the nation can't hurt him.

Btw, you're a fan, Donkees. WHY did Sanders choose to keep the $7.25 minimum wage?

[betsuni]

7. No. all politicians are not "corrupt" and the Democratic Party has not been dragged to the Left

by populists. DUH. "Taking on big money interests" What the hell does that mean? Repeat of "Taking on the big banks"?

[NurseJackie]

9. It's an insinuation that Democrats are cowards. Yet another not-so-subtle and aggressive smear...

It's an insinuation that Democrats are cowards. Yet another not-so-subtle and aggressive smear of our party, our elected representatives, and Democratic leadership. The phrase "big money interests" serves to convey the insinuation that Democrats are corrupt or "bought and paid-for" ... which is not true.

This is just a continuation of the ongoing smears and attacks against Democrats that we've been hearing for years. Fact of the matter is that Democrats are NOT cowards. Democrats are NOT corrupt. Democrats are NOT the "party of the one-percent". Democrats are NOT "coastal-elites". Democrats are NOT ideologically bankrupt. Democrats are NOT "do-nothings". Democrats are NOT and "absolute failure". Democrats are NOT "feeble".

All I'm trying to say is that these types of smears and attacks do NOTHING to unify and strengthen the Democratic party. Instead when people say things like that, it divides us and weakens us. It creates resentment, distrust and suspicion. Ultimately, that ONLY has the effect of benefiting Trump's GOP (and Russia).

What good purpose does that serve? I think that loyal Democrats and reasonable people everywhere can all agree that doing (and saying) things like this is harmful and destructive.

[betsuni]

10. It's populist delusional nonsense.

[NurseJackie]

12. I fail to understand WHY anyone believes it to be helpful.

It's populist delusional nonsense.

I fail to understand WHY anyone believes it to be helpful. Now, I can certainly understand how things can be said in haste, or in the heat of a fast-paced argument... or even in an unguarded hot-mic moment or a "gotcha" question from a reporter. --- But there's just NO excuse for this type of divisive rhetoric and back-handed smears against our party, our elected Democratic representatives, and our Democratic party leadership.

[Hortensis]

11. :) Biden and the truth about Democrats is not good news to everyone.

As for crediting antagonistic LW "populists" for anything but Trump, I didn't see that. God! Antagonism is the defining characteristic of populist groups, and they make Sanders' non-populist socialists look like high-minded angels in comparison.



Fortunately, the LW populist movement did much worse in 2020 than 2016. A lot of people learned from 2016. Btw, that new intelligence report says Russia is STILL, not again but still, the wind beneath their now-saggy wings. Sanders disassociated again after the 2020 primary, and an attempt to form a new party to continue the battle against the Democratic Party fell apart basically during a gathering to announce it.

And right now, good news from Democrats is of course bad news for the angry ones, who are no more able to change their antagonistic anti-Democratic-"establishment" stripes than their counterparts aligned with Trump.

Link to tweet

[Donkees]

13. Ghosts of 2009 Drive Democrats' Push for Robust Crisis Response

In their quest for Republican backing, Democrats say they missed opportunities in 2009 for a stronger response to the Great Recession. They are determined not to repeat the mistake.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the new majority leader, at the Capitol on Wednesday. “We should have learned the lesson of 2008 and 2009, when Congress was too timid and constrained in its response to the financial crisis,” he said last week.

By Carl Hulse
Jan. 31, 2021

Haunted by what they see as their miscalculations in 2009, the last time they controlled the government and faced an economic crisis, the White House and top Democrats are determined to move quickly this time on their stimulus plan, and reluctant to pare it back or make significant changes that would dilute it with no certainty of bringing Republicans on board.

“The dangers of undershooting our response are far greater than overshooting,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the new majority leader. “We should have learned the lesson of 2008 and 2009, when Congress was too timid and constrained in its response to the financial crisis.”

Their strategy can be traced to 12 years ago, when Barack Obama became president, Democrats controlled both houses of Congress, and they tackled both an economic rescue package and a sweeping health care overhaul.

In retrospect, in the quest to win Republican backing for both, Democrats say, they settled for too small an economic stimulus and extended talks on the health care measure for too long.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/democrats-agenda-coronavirus-economy.html

[Donkees]

14. Biden: "Senator Sanders and his supporters have changed the dialogue in America ...

"Senator Sanders and his supporters have changed the dialogue in America. Issues which had been given little attention — or had little hope of ever passing — are now at the center of the political debate. Income inequality, universal health care, climate change, free college, relieving students from the crushing debt of student loans. These are just a few of the issues Bernie and his supporters have given life to."

[betsuni]

15. ...

[Nixie]

16. Bernie is about single payer . Biden is being kind.

Universal healthcare has been pushed by Democrats way back since Hillary’s hearings. Sanders was a hold-out in favor of single payer. Biden is very kind to Bernie.

Gore was on the forefront of climate change back when it was a political risk to be so bold. Now it’s a cool and safe topic.

[MrsCoffee]

17. Nails, chalkboard.

It’s a whole lot harder to shine than undermine.