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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsVile smear against 12 Democratic Senators exposed as false
Last week saw the introduction in Congress of the Workplace Democracy Act. Its goal is to make it easier for workers to form and join unions and to bargain collectively. The sponsors were Bernie Sanders in the Senate and Mark Pocan in the House. Each introduced the bill, put out a press release crediting the other, and posted the text to his website. (Sanders press release and bill text; Pocan press release and bill text) In each chamber, several Democrats signed on as cosponsors.
Congresss website reported the bills introduction but didnt yet have the text. The website itself noted that bills arent posted immediately after introduction. Nevertheless, the charge was made that Sanderss bill didnt even exist, meaning that twelve Democratic Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) were being accused of cynically touting themselves as supporters of a nonexistent bill.
Well, the text of the Senate bill, S.2810, introduced on May 9, is now available at Congress.gov, along with the previously posted list of cosponsors. This should dispel the lie that those twelve Democrats were backing a bill that didnt exist. Props also to the Democrats in the House whom Pocan identified as the cosponsors there: Representatives Brendan Boyle (PA-13), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Keith Ellison (MN-05), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Mark Takano (CA-41), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
We can assume that the bill isnt likely to pass in this session. Still, its a good thing for progressives in Congress to persist in putting ideas like this into the public dialog. Theres also the practical point that it can provide a campaign issue for Democrats who are challenging vulnerable Republican incumbents.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Could have just gone to one of the many of them for similar verbiage.
It's nice to see that people with legislative accomplishments are attached.
I completely missed all of the vile smears against the Democrats.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,343 posts)Hes not called the Amendment King for nothing. Thats Bernie, gettin it done even when the repigs are in charge.
In 2005, Rolling Stone named Sanders the "amendment king" of the House. At the time, the title held true with a specific qualification: amendments agreed to by record votes. (Amendments can also be passed with voice votes, in which the volume of yeas and nays dictates passage, or by unanimous consent, in which no one raises an objection.)
Out of 419 amendments Sanders sponsored over his 25 years in Congress, 90 passed, 21 of them by roll call votes. Heres a breakdown (bold indicates Republican Congresses):
....................
Of course, amendments are just one of the ways lawmakers press their agendas. Sanders has had much less luck with passing bills.
During his 25 years in Congress, Sanders introduced 324 bills, three of which became law. This includes a bill in a Republican Congress naming a post office in Vermont and two more while Democrats had control (one naming another Vermont post office and another increasing veterans disability compensation). Clinton, for the record, also passed three bills in eight years.
But the sparse number of bills isnt surprising. Volden and Vanderbilt Universitys Alan Wiseman assess the legislative effectiveness of House members by comparing their records to a benchmark. According to this analysis, Sanders has either met or exceeded expectations during his tenure in the House (bold indicates Republican Congresses):
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I didn't expect that shot from you. Well done.
Patrick Leahy has passed 2.5 times more amendments.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,343 posts)Especially not over some petty vindictive ax grinding that, with even a cursory search, falls apart under the slightest scrutiny.
I especially like this part:
Lawmakers who belong to the party in control are five times more likely to have their bills go anywhere than minority party members, according to Volden. So Sanders legislative approach may seem like fixating on small potatoes, but for an independent who caucuses with the minority party, its a smart strategy.
"He could have either resigned himself to that fate, changed the nature of his legislation and coalition-building strategy, or offered amendments on the floor," Volden said. "He chose the third of these paths, making him more influential in shaping policy than if he had taken the first path. Why he did not take the second path is an open question likely linked to his ideological views."
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I can't get enough of that. Really didn't expect it from you.
Petty and vindictive is the dismissal of the great Senator from Vermont, Leahy.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,343 posts)Im also not regurgitating easily disputed falsehoods.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Then again, we both know it isn't really a vile smear. You are more just discounting Leahy and his great accomplishments. It was just the week before last Leahy secured solid additional funding for his state.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,343 posts)Good day.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Then they would clearly see how calling him the amendment king is a vile attack on a number of Democrats.
Of course you and I wouldnt do that as we recognize the heaps of smoldering hay that has been outlined.
Uncle Joe
(58,425 posts)Thanks for the thread Jim Lane