Vermont is going to elect a socialist to the senate - how cool is that?

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/11/sanders.senate.ap/

BURLINGTON, Vermont (AP) -- For three decades, Rep. Bernie Sanders has been a party of one, an avowed socialist who rails against corporate America, Republicans, Democrats and all those he believes fail the poor and working families.

Now 65, the Brooklyn-born independent and his crusade could end up in the Senate.

Polls put Sanders comfortably ahead of Republican Richard Tarrant, a wealthy businessman who has spent more than $5 million of his own money trying to buy the name recognition Sanders enjoys after eight years as mayor of Vermont's largest city and 16 years in the House. Sanders would succeed Sen. James Jeffords, a Republican turned independent who is retiring.

Sanders has forged a unique coalition during his political career, gaining the backing of Republicans, Democrats and those who believe that they've been ignored by the people in power.

"In my heart and soul, based on where I grew up and what my life was like as a kid, the economic issues to me are the most important," the eight-term lawmaker said.

We are going to need some real ass kickers to go to WA to clean it up...

I mean...he's a real ass kisser.
That's a difference of only two letters.
And a whole lot of difference in character.

because they don't dare say the "S" word on national TV unless they're using it on somebody on his way to prison for throwing bombs.

Remember, they demonized "socialist" long before they demonized "liberal."

I've been very excited about Sanders for quite a while now. I can't wait to see what kind of change he wrings on our Senate. Let's hope it's a big one.

I absolutely love the guy. GO BERNIE!

We need to really take care of our fellow citizens, and castrate the corporations that bring only misery to our nation.

He never allowed the opposition to change the subject to social issues. He always played in the arena of economic populism.

Love ya!

:thumbsup:

If you ever hear Bernie speak - on any topic - you will be sold. A very smart man!

Even here in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, the most conservative part of the state, it'll be Bernie in a walk. The Kingdom is clogged with Bernie signs (tons of Farmers for Bernie plunked down in pastures) He's been a great representative, and he'll be a great Senator. Now we just gotta make sure that his House seat goes to Peter Welch, who'll be a worthy replacement for Bernie in the House.

He is the real deal & a very nice guy!

K & R

really doesn't make a lot of sense. I doubt even the DLC would say that Bernie's too liberal to win in Vermont. But we are one of only a very small handful of states where he could get elected. Surely you don't contest that?

Tho' I don't necessarily buy the idea that he, or others like him, are "too liberal" to win in other states.

Did you ever notice that Ronald Reagan or George W. Brainless, weren't "too conservative" to win in even "liberal" or "moderate" states?

so I'm not surprised.

A lot of times Democrats are no better than Republicans on economics. In fact, Carter was probably the last socialist-like President on economics...meaning that we've had conservative economic policies for 25 years now.

All best luck to him!!!

--IMM

Bernie's one of the best people in the whole damn Congress, and deserves a promotion to the Senate.

But one quibble. I know he calls himself a socialist, but Bernie's poilitics are simply what common sense Democratic liberalism used to be, before it got watered down by "centrist" corporate conservatism.

the entire Party should: integrity, American workers over corporations, aid for those who need it and not those who buy it thru lobbying, a moral and ethical compass seldom found in most politicians who is able to persevere in a party that casts him aside when he should be leading it. He is the "real deal," like Dennis Kucinich: not those who get elected to stay elected, but those who get elected on a platform and not on whatever the focus groups and polls and donors tell them to be.

I long for the day when the National Democratic Party joins the progressive wing of the party in paying homage to Bernie and Dennis and the others who are considered "screwballs" or "outsiders." Until we realign our navigation equipment to point straight and narrow and stop the coddling of corporations and insiders, we are not going anywhere except to stay the other branch of the Corporaticublican Party...

We need ideas and morality, not compromise and triangulation and to stand for things, not reelectability. Bernie in the Senate will go a long way towards that. Now that Paul Welstone is gone, he and Dennis are the bright and shining lights to guide us.

He is the best Democrat who isn't one and posesses the deepest inner teachings of the moral guides and sages of the past, be he a socialist, democrat or independent.