Link to tweet

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Will Bernie try to portray himself as a non-partisan alternative who actually cares about the people?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/us/government-shutdown-workers-pay.html?fallback=0&recId=1FVgdMvE69DCv1UzogwiKPdw9SH&locked=0&geoContinent=NA&geoRegion=CA&recAlloc=als1&geoCountry=US&blockId=trending&imp_id=356511392

Government Shutdown Leaves Workers Reeling: ‘We Seem to Be Pawns’

No sooner had the news of an impasse come out of a meeting room in Washington than thousands of miles away, on an island in the Pacific, Tomas Kaselionis had to start making decisions.

“For me, it’s do I consider a car payment or do I pay the gas bill or the phone bill?” said Mr. Kaselionis, who is working on typhoon recovery for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, unpaid and far from home in the United States commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. “Those are conversations within the next week that I have to have with my wife.”

By Saturday, the federal government will have been shut down for two weeks, a full pay cycle for federal workers. If the shutdown lasts through Monday, it will surpass the one of 2013, and if it lasts beyond the following Saturday, it will be the longest shutdown in United States history. Politicians have said they were hopeful that the standoff could be over in a matter of “days and weeks,” a reassurance that rang hollow to hundreds of thousands of federal workers who were not getting paid.

...yet Bernie chooses this time to make it all about him. Donald Trump is steam rolling over the Constitution, and Bernie decides to remind everyone that he is not a Democrat.

Last edited Wed Jan 9, 2019, 03:34 PM - Edit history (1)

Last edited Tue Jan 8, 2019, 11:17 PM - Edit history (1)

another peep from him or his supporters about him running as a Democrat in 2020.

Not a word.

He is waiting for them to finish to pull a Susan Collins move. Split the blame or at least present yourself as above the fray.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/collins-getting-ready-for-2020-run-splits-shutdown-blame/ar-BBRSbi6

PORTLAND, Maine — Sen. Susan Collins is "getting ready to run" for re-election, she said during a television appearance Sunday, but she reiterated that she won't make a decision until the end of the year.

Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, also said on NBC's "Meet The Press" that she thinks Republicans and Democrats are both at fault for the government shutdown and that a compromise could be brokered soon.

Democrats and liberal groups have targeted Collins for her role in the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh last year. A crowd-funded effort to boost her opponent in 2020 has received more than $3.7 million.

Collins has yet to make a firm commitment about whether she's running for re-election. She told "Meet The Press" host Chuck Todd she would prefer to use this year to legislate rather than campaign.

I don't know. Vanity? Fundraising stunt? It all remains to be seen.

Oh well, Trump is personally fundraising for his Presidential campaign based on his speech.

https://www.vox.com/2019/1/8/18174142/trump-border-crisis-fundraising-speech

President Donald Trump wants you to believe there’s a “National Security crisis” on the southern border. During his Rose Garden press conference last Friday, Trump justified shutting down the government over his desired border wall by saying, “This is national security we’re talking about — we’re not talking about games.”

But hours ahead of his primetime Oval Office address about the situation at the border and his wall, Trump’s campaign is also using the speech to try to raise $500,000 in a single day.

“Your safety is not a political game or negotiating tactic,” an email blast sent to potential donors says. “Please make a special contribution of $5 by 9 PM EST to our Official Secure the Border Fund to have your name sent to me after my speech.”

The fundraising email was shared on Twitter without any added commentary by George Conway, the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, who has emerged as a prominent critic of the president.

I guess he thinks he's still relevant

e.g., climate change, health care, etc. and that a manufactured crisis is the last thing we need.

It was a good, brief speech that helps our side.

He smashed Тяцмр and brought up the real crises facing Americans.

I highly suggest watching.

Last edited Tue Jan 8, 2019, 11:24 PM - Edit history (1)

...and even if it was a better speech than Trump's, do you think Republicans would say, "Hey, that was a good speech!"

No, they and we would all be saying that Ted Cruz was being an opportunist.

Speaker Pelosi and Leader Shumer were great.

Bernie was also great.

I have no problem with him speaking out.

But to counter your point, Republicans loved it when Nutcase Bachmann gave a second, alternate rebuttal to one of Legitimate President Obama’s SOTU addresses.

They weren’t salty about it.

I can't really think of a response to that. I would not never want anyone on our side to take cues from Michelle Bachmann.



Quote:

Bernie was also great.

I have no problem with him speaking out.

But to counter your point, Republicans loved it when Nutcase Bachmann gave a second, alternate rebuttal to one of Legitimate President Obama’s SOTU addresses.

They weren’t salty about it.

Carry on with your bashing of Sanders. That’s all this is about to you.

...of Bernie to Michelle Bachmann. You won the argument. Feel free to drop the mike, because you won the argument with that comparison.

were coordinated. Pelosi, Schumer, Bernie and AOC were one hell of a team tonight, I don't think I've ever seen anything like this response.

I’m glad someone gets it.

...was done as a favor to Chuck and Nancy? Also, besides the reference to the House bill at 5:32, Bernie said little in support of Democratic efforts to end the shutdown. Instead, he hyped his platform, but did not mention that it consists of a lot of items supported by most Democrats.

Does someone have a link to the text of Bernie's speech? This idea that Bernie was somehow supporting Nancy and Chuck is hard to swallow. Perhaps Bernie recorded a different version of his speech where he was more supportive of Democratic efforts to end the shutdown.

You consider him telling the truth about Trump a slam on Chuck and Nancy? Here you are commenting and complaining about something you obviously didn't even watch. He wasn't supposed to be lifting Chuck and Nancy, he was rebutting Trumps bullshit speech and he went after him good.

Well fucking duh it's the same platform most Dems support. He's a Democratic ally.

AOC really threw down on Maddow.. she had some anger in her tone - and we(on the left) need more of that.. ANGER

For our party. He is, despite theories here, part of the democratic leadership in the senate.

I am glad he attacked Trump, which is a no brainer, and he noted the plight of folks affected by the shutdown. But except for a reference at 5:23, he says little about the fact that Democrats are ready to end the shutdown now. Bernie can't do it alone, but he acts as though he is the only one fighting for federal employees. Also, saying that federal employees as "political pawns, suggests that Democrats are also playing political games.

Then, Bernie proceeds to talk about his platform, but really? No mention of the fact that most Democrats also support the policies that he advocates? Again, watch his response. Accept for 5:23, he says little to support Democrats or to mention that Democrats support many of the policies he listed.

Finally, he pushes for immigration reform, which is ironic given that Bernie's opposition to immigration reform is one of the reasons why Dreamers are being persecuted today.

http://time.com/4170591/bernie-sanders-immigration-conservatives/

Why Conservatives Praise Bernie Sanders on Immigration

But the praise is not accidental. Sanders’ opposition to the 2007 immigration reform bill and his rhetoric about the effect of immigrant labor on American workers have dismayed immigration activists and liberal allies in the past. He has expressed concern repeatedly over the years that guest workers in the United States depress wages and squeeze Americans out of their jobs.

Sanders opposed comprehensive immigration reform in 2007 on the grounds that it would expand the number of guest workers in the United States. It included a measure that would allow 200,000 guest workers to stay in the country for two years on temporary visas. The bill was widely supported by immigrant rights groups and would have put the undocumented on a path to citizenship.

“If poverty is increasing and if wages are going down, I don’t know why we need millions of people to be coming into this country as guest workers who will work for lower wages than American workers and drive waged down even lower than they are now,” Sanders said in a television interview in June 2007.

http://time.com/4170591/bernie-sanders-immigration-conservatives/


Why Conservatives Praise Bernie Sanders on Immigration

But the praise is not accidental. Sanders’ opposition to the 2007 immigration reform bill and his rhetoric about the effect of immigrant labor on American workers have dismayed immigration activists and liberal allies in the past. He has expressed concern repeatedly over the years that guest workers in the United States depress wages and squeeze Americans out of their jobs.

Sanders opposed comprehensive immigration reform in 2007 on the grounds that it would expand the number of guest workers in the United States. It included a measure that would allow 200,000 guest workers to stay in the country for two years on temporary visas. The bill was widely supported by immigrant rights groups and would have put the undocumented on a path to citizenship.

“If poverty is increasing and if wages are going down, I don’t know why we need millions of people to be coming into this country as guest workers who will work for lower wages than American workers and drive waged down even lower than they are now,” Sanders said in a television interview in June 2007.

Let's break it down:
1. Strongly goes after Trump for causing and continuing the shutdown.
2. Highlights numerous bills and efforts that could have kept things open. Including specifically the Democrats in the house passing a bill on Jan. 3 to reopen things.
3. Highlights actual people affected by the shutdown.
4. Calls out McConnell on his inaction and role in all this.
5. Attempts to refocus people on actual crises facing the country.

I don't see anything bad here. What? He didn't sufficiently praise and fawn over anyone with a D after their name enough for you? If you can find one statement that suggests only he alone can do it, I will apologize.

In fact, I'll save you some time. I took a transcript of the speech and did a search for " I ". There are 9 instances of this character set in the statement. Seven are in quotes from either government workers or Trump taking credit for the shutdown. It appears two times in reference to himself. I'll quote them below:

Let me be as clear as I can be: This shutdown should never have happened.

Tonight, I urge Senate Majority Leader McConnell to allow that bill to come to the floor to get a vote.

Neither of those suggests he can do it himself and in fact calls out one of the main people responsible for the situation we're in.

As for his immigration stance, we're still cool with people changing right?

https://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/bernie-sanders-and-immigration-its-complicated-119190

The son of Polish immigrants, Sanders has a record on immigration that’s broadly praised by advocates.

In December 2010, Sanders voted for the Dream Act — legislation that would have legalized immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children. It passed the Democratic-led House, but blocked in the Senate. Sanders voted with all Senate Democrats to support the so-called Gang of Eight bill in 2013.

And last year, when Sanders began flirting with a presidential run, he pressed Obama on taking executive action for millions of undocumented immigrants at a time when moderate Senate Democrats up for reelection fretted over the White House acting on its own on deportations.

And from your article:

Javier Valdes, co-executive director at Make The Road New York, another immigrants advocacy group, also said Sanders was on the wrong side of the 2007 bill. “We were upset that he did not push for it at that time,” Valdes said. “I think he now understands the weight of that vote. The consequences resulted in millions of people being torn apart in largest deportation program this country has ever seen… [But] Sanders’ views on immigration have evolved over the years.”

Sanders ultimately voted for the 2013 comprehensive immigration reform legislation along with ever other Democrat in the Senate

We've got a madman in office lying about a national emergency and threatening a months- or years-long government shutdown... ALL HANDS ON DECK.

Jesus.

...at the moment. However, Bernie has made a career of blaming immigrants and trade with Mexico and China for the problems afflicting the working class. The xenophobic chickens have come home to roost.

http://time.com/4170591/bernie-sanders-immigration-conservatives/

Why Conservatives Praise Bernie Sanders on Immigration

But the praise is not accidental. Sanders’ opposition to the 2007 immigration reform bill and his rhetoric about the effect of immigrant labor on American workers have dismayed immigration activists and liberal allies in the past. He has expressed concern repeatedly over the years that guest workers in the United States depress wages and squeeze Americans out of their jobs.

Sanders opposed comprehensive immigration reform in 2007 on the grounds that it would expand the number of guest workers in the United States. It included a measure that would allow 200,000 guest workers to stay in the country for two years on temporary visas. The bill was widely supported by immigrant rights groups and would have put the undocumented on a path to citizenship.

“If poverty is increasing and if wages are going down, I don’t know why we need millions of people to be coming into this country as guest workers who will work for lower wages than American workers and drive waged down even lower than they are now,” Sanders said in a television interview in June 2007.

Enough already.

Jesus? Prolly not so much. Let's leave this to the Earthly kind.

....and follow the direction of the person in charge.

Yeah, I was in the Navy.

It was a good coda to Schumer's and Pelosi's response.

More to fuel his ego than anything els.

:


And thank you to the OP for advertising his rebutta. I wouldn’t have know about without this thread.

Pelosi & Shumer approvals are in the basement - why not have everyone out there "rebutting" the orange clown?? I saw AOC was on Maddow shortly after Trumps "speech" and I would hope the Dems get all of their popular voices/faces out in force to push back this attempt at forming a dangerous narrative.. this isn't just about the wall anymore, 2020 is going to have a similar feel.. dividing, scaring is all he has left - and if taken lightly & the media just keeps covering this clown show they will usher him in for another term..

I love questions that answer themselves!

Bernie Sanders will be able to just flip his switch back to "Democratic Party" in January 2020 so he can run as a Dem after play-acting as the "Renegade Independent" for the previous four years...

And while I hate to say "I told y'all so," I'd said countless times what a colossal mistake it was to give Bernie this much power and influence over the party without him even being a fuckin' member because it's like endless sex with no commitment ever. Bernie never has to fall in line with party policy, he never has to corral obstinate Dem votes in the Senate, he never has to share his "independent resources with the party, never has to stand front and center on MSNBC primetime and take responsibility whenever the Dems fuck up, but isn't he always the first to co-opt our successes?

SO what is the issue?