Bernie Sanders revitalized the economy and solidified support for progressive municipal policies.

[Skwmom]

http://www.thenation.com/article/bernies-burlington-city-sustainable-future/

The federal program that had subsidized the Northgate Apartments for 20 years had a loophole that allowed the landlords to convert the buildings into market rentals or luxury condos. (I wonder who paid for the loophole..).

 “Bernie pounded his fist on the conference table in his office and told the owners, ‘Over my dead body are you going to displace 336 working families. You are not going to convert Northgate into luxury housing,’” recalled Davis, who was Sanders’s key housing aide. (Passionate defense of the poor working class versus reaching across the aisle to pass legislation detrimental to working families - e.g., NAFTA). Doesn't he understand we need more moderates (aka Corporate Democrats).


Today, Northgate Apartments is owned by the tenants and has long-term restrictions to keep the buildings affordable for working families. (Home Ownership for Working Class - what a radical idea!)

The battle over Northgate Apartments illustrates Sanders’s general approach to governing. In addressing this and many other issues, he encouraged grassroots organizing, adopted local laws to protect the vulnerable, challenged the city’s business power brokers, and worked collaboratively with other politicians to create a more livable city.

 “Bernie and I worked very well together for the betterment of the town,” Pomerleau said. “We were the odd couple.” (Now that is some reaching across the political divide that actually benefits the people, not the 1% or the person doing the reaching!)

 After Sanders’s re-election victory in 1983, business groups concluded they could not defeat him and thus had to work with him. But many businesspeople also saw that Sanders shared their interest in “development”—what he saw as “good development”—while opposing projects that would hurt middle- and working-class neighborhoods or victimize low-wage workers.

“Bernie was never anti-growth, anti-development, or anti-business,” explained Monte. “He just wanted businesses to be responsible toward their employees and the community. He wanted local entrepreneurs to thrive. He wanted people to have good jobs that pay a living wage. If you could deal with that, you could deal with Bernie and Bernie would deal with you.” OMG - will his radicalism never stop!

 The Sanders administration provided new firms with seed funding, offered technical assistance, helped businesses form trade associations (including the South End Arts and Business Association and the Vermont Convention Bureau), focused attention on helping women become entrepreneurs, funded training programs

[Snotcicles]

1. The man really does have a brilliant thought process. nt

[Skwmom]

2. This is a great article. I am going to email it to everyone I know. n/t