More Bernie

By John Ballard

I've never seen anything like this before. Here are twenty-five comments appended to yesterday's NY Times report of Bernie Sanders' eight-hour marathon speech in the Senate.

This is huge.

What you see here are individual comments, copied verbatim, in order, without editing or omissions.
Senator Sanders hit a nerve and his peers turn deaf ears at their political peril.

Sanders has the guts to stand up and do a proper filibuster, until the Republicans who merely file the paperwork and go out for drinks, while stifling 70% of the legislation in our Congress for the past two years.

Well, there is at least one honest person in Congress, and I note he is neither a Democrat or a Republican. Thanks for speaking up for us, Bernie. You have the body parts that folks regularly note that Obama is missing.

Senator Sanders -- Where have you been all my life? Thank you for restoring my faith in at least one member of the Senate. Bernie for President!

So Clinton appeared in the WH briefing room--who cares? Bernie was the best show of the day.

i loved it. truth. at long last, truth.

Thank you Senator Saunders. Thank you. Your speech gave me hope.

Great theater; in the end, a raisin in the sun.

Write to your representative. Tell them to going Bernie Saunder's in protesting this appalling sell-out of America.

I watched about half of it. It was a "hit" because he spoke more truth in one day than what has been force fed us as political discourse.

Sanders-Warren in 2012.

I was so moved by both the substance and the style of my fellow ex Nu Yawkuh in the well of the Senate that I called both my senators and my congressman. I actually broke down weeping while speaking to one of their staff people. God bless Bernie Sanders. It's no wonder people were listening. Senator Sanders was speaking for the vast majority of people who are sick and tired of seeing sham "compromises" that always favor the large corporations and the wealthiest segment of our society. Why don't we see Bernie Sanders more often on mainstream media? Could it be because he tells the unvarnished truth?

Bernie... You da Man!!! I agree with pretty much everything you said, but the MOST IMPORTANT point you made was what the huge tax break for the top 2% will do to our deficit. Republicans would have our country crash and burn if it means helping out their rich friends.

Compare Senator Sanders with president Obama and ask yourself, "which one is the big man who sincerely cares for ordinary Americans and which is only a caricature and represents the super wealthy?"

Bernard Sanders the best senator and keep on the good work. Thanks for your concern and I love Vermont.

Finally, a real socialist!

Much of Bernie Sanders concerns seem very important to consider. Does that make me a socialist? I do believe in Capitalism, but when it's "unbridled" from "human rights" and fair play I think its priorities should be evaluated and tempered. Thank you Bernie!

It's about time somebody staged an actual filibuster, rather than just threatening to filibuster. If senators want to take a stand they should literally have to stand; they shouldn't be able to hold empty threats over the heads of the majority to keep legislation in limbo. Well done, Mr. Sanders. I hope the voters in Vermont take notice and remember your courage the next time your name pops up on a ballot.

If the American people are not ready for a return to feudalism, where life is "nasty, brutish and short" (so Hobbes) where the few have everything and the many have nothing, they had better stir themselves and listen carefully to what Bernie is saying. The extremists now taking over the GOP have said out in plain words that they mean to end SSI, and specifically by removing the funding stream. That's for starters. If this happens, the braindead populace has no one to blame but themselves. I'll be dead by then, but I fear for succeeding generations.

It is unfortunate that Senator Sanders is up for re-election to the Senate in 2012, which makes it nearly impossible that he would run for President. But if he did, it would be a lot more than a wasted protest vote. If his candidacy would cost the Democrats the election, so be it. There isn't much difference between the two parties anyway.

In most developed countries other than the United States, a man like Senator Sanders would be part of mainstream political discourse. This country can't afford any more the restricted political choices we have.

That coward Obama isn't getting my vote no matter who else is running. I feel that I was conned into voting for him.

Bernie should run for the nomination in 2012

Thank you, Senator Sanders! As you yielded the floor tonight, I had tears in my eyes. I finally felt that someone in Washington was speaking for me and my husband. I had lost all hope in my government, but you gave me back some of that hope today. I hope you get the media coverage you deserve. At least the Times is reporting on your courageous stand. I wish other media outlets would follow their lead - though I'm afraid my hope doesn't extend quite that far! Pretty soon that scare-tactic-laden word 'socialist' will get attached to your speech and everyone will decry it without actually listening to it. But for a few hours today, you had our attention. Thank you, a thousand times thank you. If even a few more senators had your courage, I might not be facing this economic situation as my new, unending reality...

Senator Bernie Sanders brought integrity back to the Senate Chambers today. He raised excellent points against some of the most egregious elements of the compromise bill. He called out the hypocrisy of the Republicans for what it is. That is called a spine. Wish President Obama had made 1/20th of this speech instead of that terrible lecture he gave his base on Tuesday.

Thank you Bernie! I've long wondered when some brave Senator would take the Senate's well and speak to the nation with the power of conviction and truth.

Congratulations to C-SPAN for providing a national platform! C-SPAN has proven its' ability to allow our national leaders to speak directly to the people without network filters. This could be a watershed moment in our nation's history.

Thank you again Bernie! I voted for you 3 times while a Vermont resident.... Best votes of my life!

I wound up watching for 3 hours. I called my neighbor to watch and I've never called anyone to watch a political event. One hour later my uncle called me to tell me about it. I have no idea if it will inspire any change at all but it was without a doubt one of the great moments (hours) of television I've experienced in a long time. I channeled surfed all the news at 6 and 7 just to verify what I knew would happen...they ignored him or just made it seem like some old guy was kind of cool but not important so no need to play any of his speech at all. But at least he tried and I will remember that moment for my life. He was passionate without being over the top while staying calm and focused. I never got bored and even watched some of it twice to remember all those facts he put out.

~~~�~~~

Many more at the link. I quit copying after the first screen.

This last comment makes an excellent point. Sanders barely got as much as an honorable mention in passing from all the main news outlets. This is the kind of reporting that we get when even the media are bought and paid for by big outfits more interested in ratings and money than content. What happened yesterday is of world-class historic importance.

I'm curious to see how much Senator Sanders is mentioned by the Sunday talking heads. Again, if he gets more than a cursory glance I will be surprised.