Take a look at Sen. Sanders' Agenda for America...

[Playinghardball]

1.Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure
2.Reversing Climate Change
3.Creating Worker Co-ops
4.Growing the Trade Union Movement
5.Raising the Minimum Wage
6.Pay Equity for Women Workers
7.Trade Policies that Benefit American Workers
8.Making College Affordable for All
9.Taking on Wall Street
10.Health Care as a Right for All
11.Protecting the Most Vulnerable Americans
12.Real Tax Reform

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/agenda/

[a kennedy]

1. Holy cow.....that's exactly what I want in my 2016 candidate!!!!!!

Run Bernie run!!!

[yuiyoshida]

51. Sounds good to me too...

Maybe I have become skeptical but a lot of candidates make lots of promises, keeping them is something else. If that is his agenda, I hope he sticks with it, seriously, cause its needed.

[zappaman]

2. Unfortunately, not one of those will get through the Republican Senate.

Not one.

[grahamhgreen]

7. When Obamacare repeal failed in the Congress, what did the Republicans do? Did they

give up before they even had the battle?

Or did they fight for what they wanted?

[gelsdorf]

9. +1,000,000,000 (top .01%) n/t

[LWolf]

11. +1

[zappaman]

12. Just saying these are all great things

and none of them will get through a Republican House or Senate.
Which means that needs to change.
Hopefully it will in the next election.

[Enthusiast]

16. Precisely.

[LiberalElite]

35. Repugs do fight for what they want -

but regarding Obamacare, after +50 attempts they haven't gotten it repealed, just lots of well-deserved ridicule. Maybe not the best example?

May not be the best analogy but somehow I'm reminded of this oldie:

[grahamhgreen]

40. How bout football? "We can't get the ball to their endzone, they don't want us too!"

[zeemike]

14. I reject that as an excuse.

Give me a president that will say to the congress this is what I want and if you don't give it to me then I will go to the people and tell on you...and then do it.
Speak like Harry Truman and act like FDR...call them on their bullshit and mobilize people go after things that will directly help them like public works and Medicare for all.

The president has power and must use it or power will use him.

[Tommymac]

25. ^^^ This ^^^

[calimary]

17. That could be a good thing - let's really push for it and make these GOP bastards look like the

Last edited Wed Dec 31, 2014, 08:17 PM - Edit history (1)

hard-hearted selfish asshole Scrooges they are.

It presents an excellent opportunity to make them look HORRIBLE. And thoroughly UN-Christian, regardless how loudly and obnoxiously they boast about being exactly that.

A SUPERB opportunity! If only our Dems would seize upon it. Let's shit all over the enemy's "good name" in the new year - and keep infusing the Dems and the White House with calcium supplements for their freakin' BACKBONES!!!! With Elizabeth Warren in her new elevated position with a seat at the table, and MORE realization that we need to stand by liberal/progressive principles, AND a President who's finally decided to be defiant against the bad guys - at long last, MAYBE our forces will remember what they should really be standing for, and standing STRONG for it, dammit!

[AgingAmerican]

31. Defeatism

Has gotten us where we are today.

[sabrina 1]

46. Well, there you go. No point in fighting for what we want, it's all a done deal.

So, since this is what you believe, what is the point of voting at all then?

Funny, we have had Dems who were faced with huge opposition to their policies, yet due to being willing to fight, managed to get them through.

But hey, if the situation is so bad that Republicans will always win, no matter what, people may as well just stay home, no? Is that going to be a campaign slogan?

'Vote but don't expect anything'?

[zappaman]

47. No need to put words in my mouth.

Like you usually do.

[YoungDemCA]

54. Yup

nt

[hifiguy]

3. Now that is a REAL Democratic Agenda.

Go, Bernie, GO!!!

He is the BEST.

[pampango]

4. Love them all. I hope he raises each of them during the campaign. n/t

[Dustlawyer]

5. He adds to those with fighting to eliminate campaign contributions and enacting Publicly Funded

Elections! Whether any of these make it through or not, just getting the subject focused on these issues would be refreshing and puts the Republicans on the hook for some terrible votes against Americans!
You would never have to worry about a President Sanders continuing to protect the Wall Street banking and the media oligopolies, or NSA spying. Ask yourself, what would Hillary do?

[Enthusiast]

6. Polls indicate these policies are popular across a wide political spectrum,

including independents and many Republicans. These are not some wild eyed policies, they are centrist.

Of course cheerleaders for the status quo and predatory corporations want you to believe no one supports these policies.

Go, Bernie!

[grahamhgreen]

10. Exactly why Sanders will win:)

[mother earth]

29. Amen to that, which will also be why they will fight any progressive candidate tooth

and nail, and why we see it here just talking about it. Is Sanders unelectable, is he too old? Hell no to both. The only candidates who will work toward dealing with real issues are NOT of the two dynasties pushed on America. With them we will see more of the same and a greater push toward the corporate state.

[AtomicKitten]

8. K&R

[Thinkingabout]

13. Maybe Bernie is a Democrat afterall, he has listed items which has been in the Democrat

platform for years. It did not address his plans on keeping this country safe and his voting indicated this isn't an issue he thinks is important.

[Tommymac]

26. We have the largest Pork Barrel Defense Budget in the History of the World.

The whole freaking world knows it; Sen. Sanders is intelligent, a realist and a sane sober person, it is implicit in having a responsible fiscal policy.

If he cut's out the unneeded Pork in the budget, a measly 10 or 20%, we would have a lot of $$$$ to spend on Social programs and infrastructure. Just because he is a liberal doesn't mean he is weak. Wanna stop this meme before it gets started.

The U.S. spends more on defense than the next eight countries combined

[link]http://pgpf.org/Chart-Archive/0053_defense-comparison[/link]
We currently spend more on defense than the next 8 countries combined. Defense spending accounts for about 20 percent of all federal spending — nearly as much as Social Security, or the combined spending for Medicare and Medicaid. The sheer size of the defense budget suggests that it should be part of any serious effort to address America's long-term fiscal challenges. National security threats have evolved over the past 50 years, changing the nature of U.S. commitments around the world. We need a defense budget that matches these new security challenges, not the threats of the last century. We should also recognize that a strong economy is essential for providing the resources to meet future threats, and addressing our long-term structural debts will keep our economy strong. Indeed, as Admiral Mike Mullen, the past Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said: "The single greatest threat to our national security is our debt."

[Thinkingabout]

30. I seriously doubt the first thing on your mind when terrorist are coming to where you are is going

To be defense spending and if it is why worry about infrastructure if defending the land of the US.

[Tommymac]

33. I don't worry about terrorists. I do worry about getting hit by lightning or drunk drivers. eom

[Autumn]

34. I vacuumed out from under my bed. The bad boogiemen are ALL gone.

Like you I don't worry about terrorists, I worry about the politicians that are out to destroy our way of life. And by our I mean the American people, the working class and the poor.

[Tommymac]

36. ^^^ This ^^^

[Thinkingabout]

38. Did you find any corporations?

[Autumn]

39. No silly. I can't look under the bed in the Lincoln bedroom,or ANY bed in the White House.

I looked under my bed. But you are on the right track, that's probably where the corporations are. Under a bed, in the White House. Yep, you got it. Good thinking.

[Thinkingabout]

41. In your reply you said "my bed", it is reasoning the only issue a president has to

Think about is financial and yet one of their responsibilities is defense of our nation. A candidate which glazes over is an issue of defense is not responsible enough to be president.

[Autumn]

44. I think that that republicans that shake and quiver in fear, and then cry "defense of our Nation"

are fucking pathetic. I think the same about moderate republicans.

[Thinkingabout]

48. Can't help you, don't think Bernie is serious about the office of president if

He continues to hold on to the issues listed, I will be voting for some one else.

[Thinkingabout]

37. Good for you, some of us deal with reality, some has to protect others.

[Tommymac]

43. And Some of us do both. Sen Sanders - a Realist and Fighting for We The People.

[Thinkingabout]

53. His record does not indicate he is "fighting for we the people". I think I heard about the TP

Fighting for "we the people", sounds like Sarah Palin.

http://conservatives4palin.com/2011/10/sarah-palin-the-we-the-people-president-encouragem​ent-and-observatio​ns-from-england.html

[Tommymac]

57. Comparing Bernie Sanders to Sarah Palin on DU tells me all I need to know about you.

Crawl back into the dark, please.

[Thinkingabout]

58. You can attack me and you are the one who used "we the people" and I pointed out this is a TP

Quote, why did you give this in a post about Bernie, it does tell me you just might be a Sarah Palin TP member. You said it, you are the guilty one.

[Tommymac]

62. I have been Fighting for We The People all my life.

I used that meme protesting in the 70's on the streets against the evils of the Nixon/Ford administration.

I used that meme out in the grassroots in the 70's fighting to elect, and them re-elect President Jimmy Carter.

I used that meme in letters to the Editor in the 80's fighting Ronald Reagans bullshit.

I used that meme campaigning (twice) for President William J. Clinton.

I used that meme in the 90's on MSNBC and other mainstream boards fighting Limbots attacking President Clinton.

I used that meme in public fighting against the Florida Election Theft in 2000.

I used that meme on The John Kerry Boards fighting Bushbots attacking his campaign.

I use that theme on DU today fighting against those who would steal the Democratic Party and make it into another Corporate tool.

Sarah Palin is an insignificant mockingbird that picks other's memes and throws them around like rancid worms. She is at the heart of the corruption of our system....along with others of like species of carrion eaters such as the TeaParty, 3rd Way, Blue Dogs, DLC, and any other Corporate backed astroturfed political group.

[Thinkingabout]

63. Yep, TP.

[Ramses]

15. these are all things that you will NEVER hear Hillary

Speak about or stand up for.

Thats why these will be excuses here that we need to give into the Republicans and enact republican policies

You will hear Sanders will never have a chance and that we should give up and support Hillary and the Republicans

Its shameful, because Sanders is exactly the right person. But he will be ignored and reviled here as usual.

[Thinkingabout]

42. Then you don't know HRC's record.

http://hillary.ontheissues.org/Hillary_Clinton.htm

I realized where Bernie is on defense, he can not pick and choose issues he is interested in, it has to be all issues which confront a president.

[sadoldgirl]

18. These 12 items as well as

the issue of getting money out of the elections
should be publicized everywhere and be known to
all the voters.

RUN, Bernie, RUN!

[lovemydog]

19. I want every one of these things.

I'm glad he listed them. Every democratic candidate should get behind every single one of these. Every democrat who wins election should introduce simple legislation

I know Senator Sander is an independent.

The democratic party should adopt a clear and concise plan similar to this. A plan to move American forward. Not mealy mouthed ambiguous or ambivalent statements and campaigns that are like, hey I'm not a republican but I don't really stand for anything else. What is the democratic party plan?

I want specifics that show they are out to help the large majority in specific ways. I would also add: prison reform and reducing black unemployment.

[aspirant]

20. President Bernie

How about expanding SS and lowering retirement age to 55 while slowly sliding into an annual living income for all.

[Utopian Leftist]

21. While we're looking at raising the minimum wage,

why not look into raising social security benefits, as well?

Half of all social security recipients make less than the poverty level. Many could desperately use a raise in benefits and, just like the minimum-wage workers, many SS recipients SPEND their money when they have it, as anything more than a paltry savings is pretty much impossible.

[Autumn]

22. This is why I support Bernie for President in 2016

It's time to go big or go home.

[liberal_at_heart]

23. K&R

[tclambert]

24. "Reversing Climate Change" isn't possible anymore.

CO2 lingers in the atmosphere for about 1,000 years. The effects of the current level of CO2 won't be fully felt for two or three decades. Those long lead times mean we needed to take action two or three decades ago to prevent a climate disaster. (That's right, I said, "disaster.&quot

[LondonReign2]

45. Several firms are working on making sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere feasible

A long way to go, but imagine devoting 10% of the War budget to this instead.

[zappaman]

50. 10%?

Hell, even 3% would make a huge difference!

[wildbilln864]

27. k & r & thanks! n/t

[MadDAsHell]

28. "Crumbling infrastructure"

What a shame. If we had taken this on back in the 90's (before the MN bridge collapse and these words becoming a popular political buzzphrase) we would have both saved lives and probably done it all at a fraction of the cost.

[Octafish]

32. Progress

[MohRokTah]

49. I can get behind this.

Of course, only if he runs as a Dem, though. IF he runs as anything else, I would oppose him as much as I oppose any Republican.

But if he runs as a Dem, I think I could give up on Hillary to support him instead.

[arcane1]

52. Giving him a national platform for these common-sense ideas will open a lot of people's eyes.

At minimum, people will wake up and think "why the heck haven't politicians been doing this all along??" and even if he fails as a candidate, the word will be out there, and the comparisons will be made.

[moondust]

55. But how does any of this help

the super-rich get richer?

Isn't that the real litmus test for "successful" policymaking today?

[djean111]

56. Send this list to Schumer. Evidently he is looking for ideas.

Of course, he wants campaign and platform ideas, not stuff that will really be done by conservadems.

[Autumn]

59. Campaign and platform ideas. Nothing to really act on. Just needs the ideas

because no democrat could ever come up with those ideas and certainly can't remember Democrats used to stand for those things.

[djean111]

60. It would almost be refreshing if Schumer just asked for "campaign blather". :-O n/t

[Autumn]

61. I want to see one of them just say, vote for me or I'll be unemployed and poor and that sucks.