Bernie Sanders' epic tax cut filibuster rant

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Andrew Leonard

On CSPAN, six hours after first taking the podium to filibuster against the tax cut deal at around 10:25 Friday morning, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is still talking. The CSPAN subtitle is "U.S. Senate: Tax Cuts & Unemployment Benefits," but for the last few minutes he has been blasting trade polices that disadvantage American workers.

But that's fine. His epic rant -- perhaps one of the most extraordinary critiques of how the American economy has been managed over the last several decades delivered in living memory -- is an endless sequence of connecting the dots from one outrage to another. Even as I wrote this paragraph, he segued effortlessly from trade policy to Wall Street.

"But it is not just a disastrous trade policy that has brought us where we are today. The immediate cause of this crisis, and it gets me just sick talking about it ... is what the crooks on Wall Street have done to the American people."

Sanders then delivers a capsule history of deregulation, blasts Alan Greenspan, notes that in the late '90s he had predicted everything that ultimately happened, but failed to rally legislative support to stop the runaway train -- "and the rest is, unfortunately, history."

From there, a class warfare sideswipe: "Understand, that in this country when you are a CEO on Wall Street -- you can do pretty much anything you want and get away it."

"And what they did to the American people is so horrible."

On to the bailout! His scorn is so caustic it could disintegrate an aircraft carrier: "We bailed these guys out because they were too big to fail, and now three of the four largest banks are now even larger. "

As Sanders' great oration enters its seventh hour, it is, by its very nature, impossible to summarize. It is a ramble, a rant, a critique, a cry of rage, a wail of despair, and a call to action. And it is amazing. I've heard stories of filibusters in which senators read phone books. And I've watched with disgust as for years Republicans have merely threatened to filibuster, without ever actually being forced to exercise their vocal cords. But here is Bernie Sanders, seven hours in, calling for the biggest banks to be broken up, voice still hale and hearty, and looking like he could easily go another seven hours.

Give credit to the citizens of Vermont, who know how to elect someone not afraid of speaking truth to power.

http://www.salon.com...filibuster_rant

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Go Bernie!

He is my favorite Communist. He hates limp-wristed Progressive sissies.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I know only 2 people in Congress and the House who cannot be bought by Goldmann & Sachs and the corporate lobby: Dennis Kucinich, my dream President, and Bernie Sanders. Now that's a ticket that would guarantee change we can believe in!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Well, Bernie's got it figured out. As anyone with a functioning brain has. Then, of course, there are those that believe the wealth of the uberrich will trickle down on them not realizing that what actually trickles down is the uberrich pizzing on them. But hey, this is America and people have the fcuking right to be stupid.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I thought you said Barry Sanders.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtnhwaffAnU

[Ban Hammer 13,355]

Go Bernie!

He is my favorite Communist. He hates limp-wristed Progressive sissies.