Thread: Senator Sanders, we need more like him!

While reading some articles on the economy this morning, I ran across the following. I don't know anything about him, but apparently this senator has been reading letters/e-mails from citizens on the senate floor. These are letters from people letting the Senator know what dire straits they are finding themselves in due to the economy, the suffering and desperation they are feeling. Apparently you do not have to be a citizen of Vermont to write him. Kudos to Senator Sanders!

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/qa/meetingqs.cfm

THE COLLAPSE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS

Dear Friend,

As gas and oil prices soared and as the nation slipped into recession, I made a request to Vermonters on my e-mail list. I asked them to tell me what was going on in their lives economically. That was it. Frankly, I expected a few dozen replies. I was amazed, therefore, when my office received over 600 responses from all across the state, as well as some from other states. This small booklet contains a few of those letters.

It is one thing to read dry economic statistics which describe the collapse of the American middle class. It is another thing to understand, in flesh and blood terms, what that means in the lives of ordinary Americans. Yes, since George W. Bush has been in office 5 million Americans have slipped into poverty, 8 million have lost their health insurance and 3 million have lost their pensions. Yes, in the last seven years median household income for working-age Americans has declined by $2,500. Yes, our country, for the first time since the Great Depression, now has a zero personal savings rate and, all across the nation, emergency food shelves are being flooded with working families whose inadequate wages prevent them from feeding their families.

Statistics are one thing, however, and real life is another. The responses that I received describe the decline of the American middle class from the perspective of those people who are living that decline. They speak about families who, not long ago, thought they were economically secure, but now find themselves sinking into desperation and hopelessness.

These e-mails tell the stories of working families unable to keep their homes warm in the winter; workers worried about whether they’ll be able to fill their gas tank to get to their jobs; and seniors, who spent their entire lives working, now wondering how they’ll survive in old age. They describe the pain and disappointments that parents feel as they are unable to save money for their kids’ college education, and the dread of people who live without health insurance.

In order to try and break through the complacency and isolation inside the Washington Beltway, I have read some of these stories on the floor of the Senate. It is imperative that Congress and the corporate media understand the painful reality facing the middle class today so that we can develop the appropriate public policy to address this crisis.

Let me conclude by thanking all of those people who have so kindly shared their lives with me through these letters. I know that for many of you this was not an easy thing to do.




Letters from Vermont and America:
For a downloadable booklet of complete letters click here.

“We have at times had to choose between baby food and heating fuel.â€

I have mixed feelings about Sen Sanders (I am on his email list as well, so I see a lot of the publications and info sent from his office).

I do like him, but would LIKE to like him 100%. He is very good about the economic issues faced by poor and middle class Americans and speaking up for them relentlessly. Unfortunately, he is not so good with respect to our main issue here - illegal immigration - and the required prerequisite: law enforcement aimed at IAs.

He should be pressured to support more legal remedies aimed at reducing and then eliminating illegal immigration completely. Two very good starting points would be: 1). support for the border fence and 2). support for the counterpart of the SAVE Act in the Senate. The SAVE act could be one of the best things ever to happen to support the poorest and working class Americans - he SHOULD be able to support it on that basis alone. The SAVE act is poised to make perhaps the biggest 'dent' in terms of illegal employment and he should be able to support it wholeheartedly.

C'mon Bernie, do the right thing!


Edit / Update: For those not aware of Sanders...

He represents Vermont. He was originally elected to the US House and served a few terms there, and was most recently elected to the Senate.
He was originally a registered Democrat, then changed party affiliation to Socialist, and most recently has gone the 'Independent' route - but is considered to votes most often with Dems on most issues, with some populist/independent tangents as well.

My God ! You mean there are actually other Senators besides Dr. Paul who get it ? I am in total shock. The GOP has probably already slated him for termination.

Originally Posted by lateone

My God ! You mean there are actually other Senators besides Dr. Paul who get it ? I am in total shock. The GOP has probably already slated him for termination.

LOL - He's never been a Republican. I'm sure, the OBL/big business faction of the GOP - hates him (he's a strong opponent of 'free trade' too). He would love to increase corporate tax rates and tax rates on the very wealthy to provide social benefits to citizens.