Bernie Sanders and the Legislative Process

[jpgray]

Respect to Barney Frank, but I think the below is a good article to read and decide for yourself on (1) what our legislative process is, and (2) whether Bernie is a part of it or not.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/inside-the-horror-show-that-is-congress-20050825

I had no way of knowing that Sanders would be a perfect subject for another, more compelling reason. In the first few weeks of my stay in Washington, Sanders introduced and passed, against very long odds, three important amendments. A fourth very nearly made it and would have passed had it gone to a vote. During this time, Sanders took on powerful adversaries, including Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse, the Export-Import Bank and the Bush administration. And by using the basic tools of democracy – floor votes on clearly posed questions, with the aid of painstakingly built coalitions of allies from both sides of the aisle – he, a lone Independent, beat them all.

It was an impressive run, with some in his office calling it the best winning streak of his career. Except for one thing.

By my last week in Washington, all of his victories had been rolled back, each carefully nurtured amendment perishing in the grossly corrupt and absurd vortex of political dysfunction that is today's U. S. Congress. What began as a tale of political valor ended as a grotesque object lesson in the ugly realities of American politics – the pitfalls of digging for hope in a shit mountain.

Sanders, to his credit, was still glad that I had come. "It's good that you saw this," he said. "People need to know."

[djean111]

1. I do understand that Bernie is not as corrupt as the power players.

For me, he is the only chance to get even a little of that corruptness out of the process.

Bragging about being a part of the corruption that gets shitty things done is not something that will get my vote.

I do not underestimate Hillary's power - she is "in" with Wall Street and corporations and lobbyists. It is what she will do with that power that scares me. War, H-1B visas, fracking, trade agreements - all very bad things to accomplish.
Hell, even her "help" for student loans - cuts $2000 off of the life of the loan. That is not "help", that is an almost jeering gesture.

[Sunlei]

3. I don't know if anyone can get students out of those loans. They did pass things like a suspension o

things like a suspension of payments when the loan owner is unemployed. Payment reduction to 10% of paycheck. And an extension of years to pay the loan back.

The price of College in the USA is a ridiculous overcharge. I think todays college education is another "for profit" industry. Same thing for student loans, a "for profit" industry based on chunks of revenue from Federal, state, & military pell grant money and then a lifetime of interest earning from the students themselves. I don't think anyone can break that monster industry.

IMO, it was never the best choice to take out such a massive loan unless one plans to become a profession that is almost a "guaranteed job", like Doctor or Lawyer.

[djean111]

4. I do think that Bernie is the candidate most likely to try and break it.

Hillary won't even go there. And I bet that $2000 "savings" would be given back to the banks in the form of some sort of subsidy.

[Sunlei]

6. They have to chip away and change those Corp built (student loans) in "small pieces"

Same thing with the mortgage crisis. When it's all said and done, people did sign legal contracts for those mortgages . Students did sign legal contracts for their student loans. Yes, the banks were a rip-off and they still are a ripoff to consumers.

But this admin, Obama, Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Clinton and many others including Senator Sanders signed for all the small positive changes(bills and law changes) that helped make things a bit better for all the people who lost their homes and signed contracts that burdened them with a lifetime of student loans.

$2,000 less on any loan is $2,000 less. I wish but I doubt, anyone in the USA can forgive a legal contract loan.

I wish we were more like Iceland, when their banks pulled the same mortgage crap they grabbed the bankers and forgave the ripoff mortgages. Much smaller country and much earlier in the bank scams.

I'd be thrilled if our Government could force the banks to pay 2-5% interest on consumer bank savings. And force the banks to stop taking 2% off the top of every debit transaction across America.

And open the damn Government (public owned)Post Office Banks, Mrs. Warren and others mentioned 3 years ago and never mentioned again. Those Post Office banks are exactly what Senator Sanders would want.

[Sunlei]

2. Senator Sanders still has time to work with President Obama on those amendments he wanted.

Parts of them, especially on the bank change could be done by mandate.

America has the worse Congress in history, they table and shove aside so many bills & amendments.

Like the article shows bills and amendments will pass the first part of the 'process' then they're dropped in the dark hole and sit there for years.

Our Gov. got much worse, slower when they added "The Department of Homeland Security". Corps lobbyists and their Congressmen/Senator 'friends' use that department to kill bills/bury for years anything they don't want passed as law. The corp lobbyists then push the federal agencies, for example like DOI to tear-up, mine/frack our public lands while the bill to protect, OUR federal public lands are shelved and ignored by the crappy congresspersons.

There is still time for Senator Sanders to "go around that process", take those items that should be law, are good changes..talk to Obama and Biden. Perhaps Obama will write a mandate or Biden can attach a ryder that bringers in the 'change' (usually with a couple year time limit.)

[newfie11]

5. And yet stupid people will vote this congress back in

[Sunlei]

7. I know what you mean. Do not understand why people who do not have a savings account,

can't afford to even have a savings account or have a savings that earns no interest would even vote for republicans who do not even want a minimum wage for them.

[DanTex]

8. K&R, a really good article, period, regardless of primary debate.

Oddly, for a Rolling Stone article, the proofreading seems pretty shoddy though.

[seaglass]

9. Thanks for posting this - very informative. Wondering what a president could do about this,

I am guessing not much.

[raouldukelives]

10. K&R We live in the most democracy Wall St shareholders will allow.

For every individual who truly desires to help create a better future for the least among us, there are legion who have money in Wall St pushing back against them.

The golden calf must be fed. Thanks to those with no concern for others or the future, its fatter than ever.