Bernie Sanders Is a Loud, Stubborn Socialist. Republicans Like Him Anyway.

[steve2470]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/bernie-sanders-is-a-loud-stubborn-socialist-republicans-like-him-anyway-20150727

In the Senate, Bernie Sanders should be all alone.

Sanders is constantly ribbing Republicans in his trademark condescending Brooklyn-accented tone. He offers up legislation that's so far to the left that it couldn't get a vote even under Majority Leader Harry Reid. He's the curmudgeon in the Senate Democratic conference, rarely satisfied with how far his leadership will go to pursue progressive policies, and not afraid to vote 'nay' when his leaders come up short. And none of his Senate colleagues, on either side of the aisle, think he could ever be elected president of the United States; most of them even believe he shouldn't be.

But rather than earning the frustration and ire of his peers in the vein of other Senate hard-liners such as Sen. Ted Cruz, Sanders has managed to be respected—even liked—by much of the chamber, according to members on both sides of the aisle. The Vermont independent actually has much more in common with Sen. Tom Coburn, the now-retired "Dr. No," whose hard-line opposition killed many bills in the Senate but also earned him the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

Sanders also has been able to work well with his colleagues. He's passed bipartisan legislation and forged strong relationships with members of both parties in nearly 25 years on Capitol Hill. But most of all, members say, even when Sanders is ideologically an outlier, he lets others know where he stands. He's not the type to suddenly stab a colleague in the back. And that's earned him respect both on and off the Hill.

more at link

[newthinking]

1. Been saying this for a while. If the democrats truly went progressive in the bully pulpit, we would

win heavily.

People are confused but they are ready to be led out of the usury system of politics and many only adhere to Conservative economic ideology because they have been roundly told that is the only option that works. Nobody has offered an alternative vision for many years.

People are ready to be woken up. But that would also mean that the perks and riches that both democrats and republicans benefit from might get questioned and they might have to live somewhat close to the rest of us, or at least closer.

[ruffburr]

2. An honest man-

Stuck in a house full of Snakes. The Republicans and a good portion of Democrats have sold their souls for the almighty dollar abandoning any pretense of working on behalf of the people , And still people vote for these crooks, Criminy sakes, Guess you can't fix stupid.