I'm really confused about what Bernie has done this past week or so

[caraher]

After getting most of my information about campaign developments from DU over the past week or so, I'd thought Sanders had more or less gone back to Vermont. Made a few announcements about planning to debate, missing a procedural vote on McConnell's coronavirus bill (where Sanders' vote really wouldn't affect the outcome).

Now I'm hearing my Sanders die-hard friends gushing about how Sanders heroically saved us all this week, inserting a critical provision into the bill that passed the Senate ensuring low wage workers wouldn't suffer income losses and now explaining that he is risking his very life to carry the fight for the rest of us forward:

Briahna Joy Gray @briebriejoy·2h
He’s been training for this moment his whole life.

This is the next president of the United States.

Link to tweet

quoting this tweet

Aisha Ahmad @aishaismad
bernie sanders is 78. he should be self-isolating.

he's not. he's fighting till his last breath for us. like we expect him to. like anyone who know this man would expect him to.

what a human being

Link to tweet

So my question is... can anyone give me a timeline of what he's actually been doing over the past week or so? My sense had been that he was remote from the negotiations on the Senate bill and generally keeping a low profile as he assesses how the campaign moves forward...

I'm interested in the facts more than commentary here. Are there web sites that track candidates in this way? Thanks for any help.

[Aquaria]

2. He was nowhere to be found during the Senate COVID-19 bill

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2020/03/23/sanders-skips-key-vote-on-coronavirus-rescue-package

And while, as usual, he seems to have plenty of time and energy to gripe about the bill, he couldn't be bothered to be in DC to do anything about it until it was pretty much a done deal.

He talks a big game, but he gets nothing done in the Senate. He has one of the most pitiful records of any legislator serving as long as he has in DC. That anyone thinks he's had anything to do with the current stimulus plan is as deluded as it is laughable.

[MarianJack]

3. This is why I've been referring to him as "Back Bench Bernie" since 2015.

Four years ago he was being treated as a saint by many here.

As always, Donald Trump is an idiot and an ass hat.

#notmypresident

RESIST

[subana]

4. that's a good name for him!

he loves to toot his own horn whether or not he deserves the attention!

[AZ8theist]

5. What's he been doing over the past week or so??

I'd like to know what he's been doing over the past 30 years. Sure, he's been an advocate for his position the entire time, but what can we point to that shows a RESULT?

Like a piece of legislation with HIS name on it? You can howl at the moon all you want, but in the end we need something, anything, that has been put in place that actually DOES SOMETHING.

Look, don't get me wrong, I like Bernies' ideas and policies. I just don't like him as a candidate. Too self centered. Only runs as a Democrat when it suits him. The fact is, after he FINALLY drops out, he will go back to being an Independent in the senate which doesn't endear him with me.

Ralph Nader 2.0.

[CentralMass]

12. Well for one thing he has raised over $ 2 million for the coronavirus relief effort.

Last edited Thu Mar 26, 2020, 11:54 AM - Edit history (1)

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/488780-sanders-raises-over-2-million-for-coronavirus-relief-effort

[Hav]

6. To quote another thread's title:

"It's propaganda at its finest"

Granted, I don't know specifically what BS did when he finally showed up for work after being in Vermont while the rest of the Senators who aren't quarantined worked on the bill. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It's Super Bernie, coming to the rescue of us all! Look at him solving problems by pointing his finger!

Either way, this is almost a cult-like, "dear leader" like treatment of someone who was MIA for much of the political process and then comes in at the last minute to save the day. It's pretty ridiculous but at the same time also a bit worrying. We saw this over the top behavior also on DU at times before it all went downhill for BS. I always called it performance art.

[dalton99a]

13. +1. It is sheer propaganda

[Happy Hoosier]

14. He's a gadfly. That's what he does.

He mostly sits on the sidelines and throws tomatoes at what other people do He'll occasionally propose completely unrealistic bills that go absolutely nowhere.

He leaves the actual work of hammering out deals and coalitions to actual politicians.

[OnDoutside]

7. And De Nile is also a river in Egypt.

[George II]

8. Here is what he did as a Senator for the last week:

Last edited Thu Mar 26, 2020, 11:10 AM - Edit history (1)

Tue 3/17 Lost Arizona, Florida, and Illinois each by double digits

Wed 3/18 Voted for H.R. 6201 at 3:00 PM, then flew in his chartered jet to Burlington "reassess" his campaign"

Thu 3/19 Still reassessing in Burlington

Fri 3/20 Still reassessing in Burlington

Sat 3/21 Still reassessing in Burlington

Sun 3/22 Still reassessing in Burlington, held coronavirus "round table" with three non-medical women and hosted a rock concert at the SAME time a vote was taking place down in Washington

Mon 3/23 Flew to Washington, participated in vote at 1:30 PM

Tue 3/24

Wed 3/25 Participated in two votes

[caraher]

9. Thanks

I remember a few of these things... somewhere along the way his participation included a speech on the Senate floor. It's not clear whether he also did anything behind the scenes, but just having a sense of when he was actually in Washington is helpful.

[George II]

10. That speech was yesterday afternoon, after days of all-night negotiations by House and Senate....

....Democrats.

He wasn't involved in any of those negotiations.

[NurseJackie]

11. Why is he taking credit for the hard work done by others?

[Happy Hoosier]

15. What are you talking about!!??

Bernie saved everyone!

Why just this morning, he ordered the sun to come up and IT DID.

He's the real thing!!!!!!!!

[NurseJackie]

28. Oops, my bad!

[Gothmog]

16. I am still looking for someone to tell me what sanders has achieved legislatively

I have never taken sanders seriously as a candidate and I have never understood how people could support sanders given his complete lack of legislative accomplishments in the real world. I believe that you need accomplishments and achievements in order to be qualified to be POTUS and I have not seen any major legislative accomplishments by sanders in the real world

Here sanders had zero impact on the bill that passed. sanders was in Vermont when key portions were negotiated and it was Chuck Schumer and other Senate Democrats who made improvements in this bill

[MarianJack]

18. Again, this is why I refer to him as "Back Bench Bernie."

His main accomplishments seem to be taking a boat load of $27 checks and sitting in the stands at our 2016 convention with a look on his face like he was smelling the shit that was more than likely leaking from his Depends. He needs to take his wrinkled old ass home NOW!

As always, Donald Trump is an idiot and an ass hat.

#notmypresident

RESIST

[Gothmog]

19. sanders is trying to claim credit for Senator Bennett's work

Link to tweet

[Blue_true]

22. LBJ was the most accomplished Congress person ever to assume the Presidency.

He was a consummate deal maker and had a way of intimidating rivals into acquiescence. He did't accomplish 1/4 the thing as President that Sanders is promising to do, and LBJ stands in history as one of the lions of the presidency.

[Yavin4]

17. Do people really think that Mitch McConnell is moved by a floor speech?

Do people really think that this is how legislation gets written? Nobody cares about what you say on the floor of either the house or the senate. Floor speeches mean nothing.

The real work is done in the back rooms negotiating with your opponents. Minimizing the worst parts while maximizing the best parts. It's ugly, hard work, and it gets little to no appreciation by the public.

[MarianJack]

20. The most moved I've ever seen Moscow Mitch...

...was when he moved his ass real fast to hide behind his wife's skirts when he was confronted by protesters.

That sight made my night.

What an ass hat.

RESIST

[AZ8theist]

25. The most I ever saw him move....

was when he dug a hole in the sand on the beach, laid his eggs, covered the hole and crawled back into the ocean.
Oh wait, that was a real turtle. Not a human-turtle hybrid. My bad....

[MarianJack]

27. Understandable mistake, so...

...no harm, no foul.

Screw Moskow Mitch and screw Covid45.

RESIST

[Gothmog]

21. I have never understood how sanders' magical voter revolution would work

It is my upstanding that if nominated and elected, sanders would get on AF1 and give a speech in Kentucky to force MoscowMitch to vote for sanders’ agenda. this concept is so silly that I am shocked that anyone took it seriously.

Again, I have never considered sanders to be a serious candidate and do not understand voters who buy the concept of a magical voter revolution

[The Magistrate]

30. Hazy Recollections Of The 'Moratorium' Demonstrations, Sir

When there was conscription to be sent off to Viet Nam's jungles, young people went out into the streets in quite large numbers. If recollections serves, the very largest was counted at about a million.

That sort of thing doesn't happen any more.

Old men should have better things to do than dream of their glory days....





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[Gothmog]

23. sanders' superpower is parachuting in at the very last minute to wave his arms while taking credit

Link to tweet

[BlueIdaho]

24. Let's See...

Photo Op - Check. 2:20 Sound Bite - Check. Looks like a weeks work to me - it’s a wrap!

[Squinch]

26. His followers have just finished their course at the "Trump School of Blowing Smoke Up an Ass" and

are trying out their new skills.

[Gothmog]

29. sanders had nothing to do with the drafting of this bill

Link to tweet