2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhen perfect becomes the enemy of good
"Sign comprehensive immigration reform into law to bring over 11 million undocumented workers out of the shadows. We cannot continue to run an economy where millions are made so vulnerable because of their undocumented status."
https://berniesanders.com/issues/fair-and-humane-immigration-policy/
This is currently on Sanders website. Yet in 2007, Sanders was against comprehensive immigration reform that was sponsored by one Edward M. Kennedy. Not perfect but there was a path to citizenship for millions. His arguments against, mostly economic. In 2007 it was economics that stopped him from giving his support to bringi millions out of the shadows. Obama, Biden and Clinton were in favor of it.
Martin O'Malley on Immigration
https://martinomalley.com/the-latest/immigration/
elleng
(130,156 posts)New Americans have endured the uncertainty and fear of legislative inaction for far too long. They deserve to know that when they go to work in the morning, their contributions will be valued, and that theyll return home safely to their children. The next president must provide that assurance. And he or she can do so immediately by using the full power of the presidency to secure administrative relief for millions of New American families.
To give Congress a running start on advancing a lasting legislative solution, Governor OMalley is committed to providing that relief his first year in office. From expanding the use of deferred action and exercising discretion to keep families together; to rewriting punitive regulations and ending harmful law enforcement policies; to greatly limiting detention and restoring due process to our immigration system; an OMalley Administration will use all legal and executive authorities to safeguard and welcome New Americans and restore greatness and justice to Americas immigration system.
It's truly impressive.
elleng
(130,156 posts)Thanks for the opportunity to present it.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)good reason. He is spot on with his views on economics. His major platform is the incredible imbalance of our economic system. And no the perfect is not the enemy of good, not when our economy is as unbalanced as it is.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)It was mainly based on economics. Low income earners were his concern. That concern hasn't simply vanished and if it had passed there would possibly be ten million more citizens in this country instead of living in the shadows.
Sanders vote wouldn't have won it but his position was clear. He actively worked to defeat it. The economic reasons have not disappeared.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)I worked along side those workers in a high-tech company. They were abused and made to work long hours, and paid much less and they were taking jobs from Americans.
They were often sent back to their home countries on a whim.
I saw first hand why Bernie opposed the increase in guest workers.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)A path to citizenship for over ten million people. But the timing wasn't economically right. Well, it isn't right with respect to that very argument today. That is my point.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)It was that abusive giveaway to corporations that wasn't right
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Over ten million. Hence the title of my post. They would be out of the shadows today.
Autumn
(44,762 posts)Nothings perfect but my opinion is: Don't vote for it just to be voting for it if there no benefit to it.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)kenn3d
(486 posts)Sen. Sanders supports and always has supported both the American worker and the millions of undocumented workers in this country.
It has long been the SOP of our legislature to bundle competing and often outrageous contradictions into every bill offered up for vote. These contradictions continue to gradually accrue to the outrageous economic advantage of the 1% and to the detriment of the great working majority of citizens in this country. Bernie is a truly rare man of principle who stands up for the common people in our country in ways that none of the other politicians you mention can match.
He should be our next president.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Economis was put over that of a social crisis pinning down a whole group of people. The thought we have to have a clean bill before letting them see the sunshine doesn't work with me.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)so it is a moot point....it wasn't close
The Democrats had huge majorities in both the house and senate in 2008
That is when a clean bill could have been passed and they could not get it done.
They won't be able to get it done in 2016 either unless we have a huge landslide.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)No reason to discuss why Sanders joined with some of the most vile republicans to block citizenship for tens of millions doesn't work. He actively worked against it. Over ten million who he fought to keep in the shadows.
For economic reasons alone he fought to continue the oppression of millions. The visa argument is still valid today yet he now wants citizenship for them knowing congress is even more conservative today. He is pandering for personal gain after he fought to keep them underground. It is absolutely a fair topic to discuss. Both of the other candidates running have a better record in this area.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)"Economic reasons" is a code word for allowing corporations like Dell and HP and Disney to fire american workers, with their last duty to train H1B replacements from China, India, or Greece who they will discard in two years. Bernie does not throw American workers under the bus just because corporations demand it.
This was one year before the Presidential election. When President Obama was elected, he had large majorities in the house and Senate....that was the moment where a good bill that did not sacrifice American workers could have been passed.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)separating the two issues. You cannot have social justice without economic justice. Yes, it is true the economic problems are still there today, and he is doing his best to do something about it. What other politician in our history has refused campaign donations from big business in order to correct our corrupt government and economic system? What other politician is proposing Medicare for All? What other politician is proposing a tax supportive college education like we have with our K-12 system? What other politician is calling for an end to for profit prisons? He is addressing the economic problems, much more than any other politician out there.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)that IT visas were more important than over ten million people living in the shadows. These are people who would be loging into healthcare.gov today if the reform would have passed. How is that IT visa thing going today after Sanders fought so hard? I can tell you where the ten plus million people still are.
restorefreedom
(12,655 posts)Skwmom
(12,685 posts)NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)He fought relentlessly against a pathway to citizenship for over ten million people because he took issue with the visa aspect. It was all about protecting IT. Well, those ten plus million are still out there living in the shadows ten years later all while there is still a huge visa problem in the IT sector. Both problems literally still exist today.
Over ten million people were detrimentally effected by those who fought against the 2007 immigration reform bill. Now Sanders reason for fighting so hard against it. Visa's in the IT sector. Still a huge problem today. Migrant workers bringing wages down. That is what happens when people like Sanders fight to keep them undocumented. He fought against them having a voice, yet the reason he claims to have done so still exists today.