Right now what our country really needs is a VISIONARY

[BigBearJohn]

vi·sion·ar·y
ˈviZHəˌnerē/Submit
adjective
1. (especially of a person) thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom.
"a visionary leader," see "Bernie Sanders"

Any good administrator can get the easy and routine things done. What takes real talent is the person with creative problem-solving ability who has the drive and passion and can see through the barriers and obstacles. A LEADER who has the determination and courage needed as well as the insight and vision to know how to knock the barriers down and overcome or remove the obstacles blocking his path. Bernie is that leader.

[global1]

1. Bernie Has Shown Us Throughout His Career That He Has The Courage To Lead....

His courage stands out during this campaign and The People are seeing and realizing that. That's why The People are rallying around Bernie. Go Bernie!!!!

[newfie11]

2. He has my vote! Nt

[stillwaiting]

3. We need the visionary if we are to EVER end the Reagan Revolution.

We need someone to get the American people to BELIEVE that we can do things again.

No more Democrats that respect and admire Ronald fucking Reagan please.

[Still In Wisconsin]

37. Exactly correct. We've been living in this bullshit Reaganomics system for 36 years now.

We need a fundamental shift- not just a slight slowing of the slide into oligarchy.

[DrDan]

4. as evidenced by the success of legislation he has introduced

[eridani]

5. Actual legislative scorecard

[DrDan]

6. those represent votes (except the last) - the OP claims leadership

wouldn't that suggest new legislation?

how many of his bills have been enacted?

[eridani]

8. Top 10% of senators for introducing legislation = leadership n/t

Amendments are more his style in a Repuke congress, though.

[DrDan]

25. I would think bills passed would be a measure of a leader

you know - like actually moving us forward.

how many was that?

Also, after 25 years or so I would hope he would be in the top-10% of bills introduced.

That would put him in a group of 50 or so, right?

[eridani]

45. So why would we want to pass Republican legislation?

I'd rather that Sanders keep advocating for policies that actually benefit the little people.

[DrDan]

48. not arguing that he is not a great advocate for our issues

I am simply saying that "leadership" has to go beyond stating one's "support" for an issue. It has to include some action. His 25 years of introducing bills has not led to much success in bills being actually passed.

[eridani]

49. He is in the top 10% for bill passage. I think this includes his activities as--

--the Amendment King as well.

[DrDan]

51. that 10% represented bills introduced and out of committee - not passed

in 25 years or so, how many of the bills he introduced have passed?

An easy question and indicative of his leadership abilities, don't you think?

From vision to actually getting something done.

[eridani]

52. Most of the stuff he has accomplished has been with amendments

Clinton is a follower, not a leader. wrong on Iraq, wrong on marriage equality--until the wind changed direction and she changed her mind.

[stillwaiting]

11. Bernie will lead the American People to reform our political system.

At least he'll try his best, and that's all I expect him to do. Ultimately, it's up to us, the people, to make it happen.

Expecting Bernie Sanders to single handedly get his agenda passed within an Institution that is THOROUGHLY corrupted and compromised is ridiculous. Most Americans fully realize and understand that our Congress has been captured and is corrupt. Blaming one of the very, very few that isn't corrupted is silly. We, The People, have to work with Bernie to clean up the Congress. Or we continue to be subjected to oligarchy. Period.

[BigBearJohn]

16. Wish I said that! Great points!!!

[DrDan]

18. Agree

Last edited Sat Jan 23, 2016, 11:55 AM - Edit history (1)

I never said he would not try.

And congress . . . yep - pretty corrupt.

The topic, though, involved his leadership. What indicates he is a great leader - certainly not his ability to get legislation passed.

[appalachiablue]

35. Damn well said!

[mikehiggins]

36. Payback

Years ago I ran for a post in an organization that had generally open elections. Great bunch of people, without doubt. However, they had a tendency to buy off potential opponents and, on occasion, make running against the "slate" an uncomfortable place to be. Since I was seen as something of a pain in the ass no one really worked against me and, I did indeed, lose (got 666 votes, which led to my being labeled the "devil&quot

During the course of the campaign I was approached by a man who represented a group that had a specific agenda. He offered the support of his group if I would only agree to get them certain concessions from the "agenda". I explained that IF I won I would only be ONE person out of FIVE in the post I was seeking and the chances of my being able to deliver on my end were zero. The point was, I explained, to shake up the whole structure by taking out one of the pillars holding it up. Showing it could be done would be an unheard of development that might encourage lots of others to have hope that things could change and that they could achieve that. Needless to say that wasn't good enough.

Had I promised I would make the deal and got the support of his group I might have won. Probably not all that likely, but possible. However, promising him what he want would be politically astute (my earliest contacts with politics were with NYC's Tammany Hall) but a lie.

To get to the point, the Sanders campaign may win out BECAUSE he doesn't lie.

[tecelote]

10. Excellent!

This should be it's own OP.

[BigBearJohn]

17. I agree 100%!!!!

[randome]

7. A visionary will not save us. It takes the support of the masses.

So far, I don't see that occurring. Where are the on-the-street protests demanding a visionary make things right again? Why aren't the people getting in the faces of legislators? What I see are hordes of keyboard warriors demanding that someone save us.

Which is why little of actual substance will get done.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

[eridani]

12. I take it that all the masses are at Clinton rallies. Any pix? n/t

[randome]

13. I couldn't care less who wins the nomination.

Although I believe Clinton will have a better chance in the GE, that's anyone's guess at this point. If Sanders wins the Primary, he gets my enthusiastic support. I have no problem whatsoever in swallowing my pride for the greater good.

But I still say there doesn't appear to be the kind of mass uprising that is needed to support the visionary who will in turn support the people. It's a two-way road.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

[eridani]

14. The big numbers at Sanders rallies are a start.

There are about a million people doing phonebanking every week as well.

[Cosmocat]

26. You are 100% correct

People are ginning themselves up like they did with BHO, only to end up turning on him.

He isn't the "problem."

The problem is the 535 absolute worthless clowns in congress.

If it ends up being Bernie, he will face the issues BHO has faced.

Anyone ginning themselves up to believe otherwise is just not dealing in reality.

We may or may not elect a democrat to POTUS, but he or she will still face absolute, 100 percent opposition from the republicans in congress while having absolutely on support for the spineless democratics.

[Armstead]

28. I guess you'vce been asleep

Lots of people have been doing lots of things for years. Occasionally they make the headlines, but usually not even a mention. Their efforts aren't always sexy and are often on a local or regional level.

Bernie is expressing that for millions of people.

Feel free to have your views, But don't be arrogant and dismissive of people simply because you don't care for their candidate.

[randome]

33. 'Local' or 'regional' means Occupy, right?

You know the Occupy forum went for 4 months last year without a single post. If 'local' or 'regional' is what it takes to make real change, then why aren't people organizing to get Congress changed? Which is where the real power is located.

Instead, DU (to use as an example) seems focused on the Presidential primary without the faintest admission that nothing can get accomplished until Congress is changed.

It's not a good recipe for success to think one man or woman can make things happen. It isn't a groundswell and it isn't a grass-roots effort to sit back and expect someone to 'save us', which is what it sometimes sounds like people expect.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

[Armstead]

41. No it doesn't just mean Occupy

It means people working in organizations, businesses and politics oriented to progressive change.....Many different ways on many different levels.

You are engaging in the handy and dismissive stereotype of assuming that everyone has been napping and now are only waking up to elect Bernie as a Savior of it all;. That is total,fucking bullshit. This is a political discussion board, so people discuss politics. Surprise.

But the drive for change that Bernie represents is much deeper and broader and more complicated than that.

[appalachiablue]

39. NOT hoardes of keyboard warriors. Pls.- no Ron Paul, Dean, Kerry rally repeats, heard it all.

[randome]

40. Showing up at a rally is pretty passive for revolutionaries.

We need to hear the anger, the noise, from people. Not applause for someone else.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

[Armstead]

42. I think you wouldn't hear a cannon if it went off next to you

[appalachiablue]

43. +1. Howitzers, Bofors and mortars are going off, metaphorically speaking & they don't hear it.

240 mm howitzer just before firing into German held territory, Mignano area, Italy, Jan. 30, 1944.

[tecelote]

9. Yes.

America needs to take a hard left turn.

Bernie is the man to make it happen. And, he is the only one trying.

[hrmjustin]

15. We need realistic politicians.

Divided goverment sucks but it is political reality.

[kenn3d]

20. Realistic...

Realistic by definition implies: appearing to be, but not real.

I think we have always had more than enough realistic politicians. We need a REAL politician, and that's Bernie Sanders.

[hrmjustin]

21. Sanders is a politician but not the one we need.

We simply disagree.

[Kermitt Gribble]

31. I think by realistic, you mean

not willing to disrupt the corrupt status quo.

[hrmjustin]

34. You think wrong!

[Still In Wisconsin]

38. Divided government is in fact a political reality.

My issue with Hillary is that she is a conservative on economic issues and a military hawk. We don't need the POTUS helping the Republican congress to take us even further right.

[Odin2005]

50. We would not have divided government if...

...The Democratic party put up politicians willing to vote for. All it takes to beat GOP gerrymandering is turnout, and Bernie can bring out that turnout. If Hillary is the candidate people will stay home.

[ypsfonos]

19. I know one I know one!

Bernie Sanders

(bet you knew it too!)

[CharlotteVale]

22. K&R

[Enthusiast]

23. Kicked and recommended!

[mountain grammy]

27. I agree! Bernie Sanders is my candidate!

[Ferd Berfel]

29. Visionary?

[BigBearJohn]

44. But but but she gets things done..all those speeches to Goldman

Sachs couldn't have been easy.

[Politicub]

30. Which is why I'm so glad Hillary is running

Ideas are cheap. Vision without the ability to make it come to life and get things done is nothing more than a fever dream. Only one candidate running this election cycle has the ability to get things done in Washington. And that candidate is the one I enthusiastically support.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

32. Bernie is wise

He is solid unlike the other one who is malleable.

[Uncle Joe]

46. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, BigBearJohn.

[BigBearJohn]

47. Totally my pleasure UJ