2016 Postmortem
Showing Original Post only (View all)The Bernie Sanders Accomplishment Challenge [View all]
There was a thread earlier today challenging DUers to name Bernie Sanders accomplishments. There were some good thoughts in the thread. While not having a candidate yet, since I have not done my research yet in this area, I thought I would give it a try.
A couple of themes popped up on topics I see argued here as I did the research. A couple thoughts on these memes:
The "he didn't author legislation" meme - Not a lot of legislators have dozens of bills that get passed. Bernie's legislative strategy has long been getting amendments in to others' legislation. Some of his successes I list here are amendments to other lawmakers' bills.
The "Obama screwed up" statements - Bernie was stifled when first elected as mayor of Burlington. He did his job well and in subsequent elections, got the stiflers voted out. I think this is what he is talking about when he refers to organizing the masses. I personally don't agree it works on the national level, but it doesn't seem as anti-Obama when considered in this context.
So here are 14 accomplishments I found in 1 day of research. Feel free to add or argue. My goal is to just share information with the class:
Drafted legislation to support and start repairing the Veterans Administration following the scandal that broke in Arizona.
https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-of-Bernie-Sanderss-accomplishments-as-a-political-figure-in-Vermont-and-on-a-national-level-as-a-US-Senator
As mayor of Burlington Vermont, stopped landlords who were using a loophole that allowed the landlords to convert the buildings into market rentals or luxury condos for 20 years.
Cleaned up Lake Champlain waterfront
Not in the article, but Sanders first won control of the waterfront in a lawsuit. It was previously controlled by railroad interests.
Instrumental in successfully developing Burlington, Vermont
He did have some projects defeated by environmental advocacy groups, but I dont think it diminishes the accomplishment.
http://www.thenation.com/article/bernies-burlington-city-sustainable-future/
Founded, along with a few others, the Congressional Progressive Caucus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Progressive_Caucus
Created one of the first community land trusts in the country, which has since become an important tool for cities to maintain affordable housing
An opposition group, Homeowners Against the Land Trust, or HALT, labeled it a communist scheme. But the plan went through. In 1984, the Burlington Community Land Trust became one of the first affordable housing trusts in the world, and the very first to receive municipal funding. Today, there are over 250 such trusts in the United States in places like Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Boston and Chapel Hill, North Carolina most of which receive some form of government funding.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/how-bernie-sanderss-radical-ideas-entered-the-municipal-mainstream-118447
Secured $11 billion for community health clinics in the ACA
https://theintercept.com/2015/07/06/gop-senators-support-sanders-obamacare-expansion/
Is an effective legislator
Sanders is the amendment king of the current House of Representative. Since the Republicans took over Congress in 1995, no other lawmaker not Tom DeLay, not Nancy Pelosi has passed more roll-call amendments (amendments that actually went to a vote on the floor) than Bernie Sanders. He accomplishes this on the one hand by being relentlessly active, and on the other by using his status as an Independent to form left-right coalitions.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/inside-the-horror-show-that-is-congress-20050825
"Negotiating with Bernie was not a usual experience, because he is very passionate and he and I are both very strong-willed people and we spend a lot of time banging our fists on the table and having the occasional four-letter word," McCain said. "But at the end of the day, Bernie was result-oriented."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/04/bernie-sanders-2016_n_7514328.html
Helped Jesse Jackson win the 1988 Vermont caucuses
http://www.pdafund.com/downloads/background-and-issues/5-25-things-you-may-not-know-about-bernie-sanders/file
First member of Congress to help constituents buy drugs cheaper in Canada
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/04/news/mn-60970
Successfully Amended the Patriot Act to prohibit FBI from examining library and bookstore records without a warrant
The debate and the vote came the next afternoon. It wasn't close. Fifteen Republicans? How about 38, along with 199 Democrats (one voted the other way) and Sanders. The vote was 238 to 187 in favor of the Sanders amendment
http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050703/NEWS/507030306/1029/FEATURES03
Has had an lengthy Congressional career getting re-elected without falling into the common trap of having to spend most of his time fund raising
Polls had Sanders leading by wide margins even in areas where Democrats run poorly. Why? Because the senator does not waste money on TV commercials designed to scare or fool voters into backing him. Rather, he goes where voters live. Personal Democracy Media co-founder and editorial director Micah Sifry, who has followed Sanders and Vermont politics for years, recalls: Visiting hunting lodges to talk about protecting natural resources for hunting and fishing and establishing a connection with [hunters] was one of the ways that Sanders managed to earn the trust of the predominantly conservative and working-class Northeast Kingdom section of Vermont, which regularly gives Sanders, a self-declared socialist, its hearty support.
http://www.nationofchange.org/how-does-bernie-sanders-do-it-1351864096
Bringing Smartgrid technology to Vermont
Over the next three years, the center will have up to $15 million to accelerate energy efficiency, move toward renewable and localized sources of energy, and make Vermont the first state to have near-universal smart meter installations, Sanders announced. Sandia will invest $3 million a year, Shumlin added, along with $1 million each from the Department of Energy and state coffers.
Vermonts reputation for energy innovation recently attracted $69.8 million in US Department of Energy funding to promote rapid statewide conversion to smart grid technology. This has been matched, said Sanders, by another $69 million from Vermont utilities.
http://vtdigger.org/2011/12/12/sandia-center-at-uvm-will-accelerate-smart-grid-transition/
Co-authored the National Housing Trust Fund Bill which has permanent federal funding to assist extremely low income people get housing.
Congressional Record House Vol 153, Part 19, Page 26972
The primary purposes of the NHTF is to increase and preserve the supply of rental housing for extremely low income (ELI) households (earning less than 30% of area median income (AMI)).
http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/NHTF_KeyDifferences_2015.pdf
Passed Audit the Fed Legislation with Ron Paul
Paul was unhappy with some of Sanders changes in the final bill, but in reading what they were in the article, it remains a legitimate accomplishment.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704594804575648683678596728
Well, that's what I found in a day. Add others if you know them, I'm sure there are 20.