Welcome login | signup
Language en es fr
OccupyForum

Forum Post: Bernie Sanders as spokesman

Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 20, 2011, 8:04 p.m. EST by outsidethebox (27) from Dorset, VT
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Bernie Sanders is the perfect spokesman for #OWS. He is an avowed socialist, which is what we are proposing to some degree although in a somewhat inarticulate manner. But it is an honorable proposal - share the wealth. The goodness of the Earth belongs to all of humanity.

The wit and wisdom of Bernie Sanders can be found at http://sanders.senate.gov/.

And thank you all for what you have accomplished. You are the unsung heroes of a new paradigm. Many of you have endured conditions others would never tolerate. We honor you. Your sacrifices will long be remembered and appreciated. Thank you.

31 Comments

31 Comments


Read the Rules
[-] 4 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

We need more Bernie Sanders.

[-] 3 points by outsidethebox (27) from Dorset, VT 12 years ago

Thank you ZenDog. Bernie is a very honest broker for democracy.

I have seen some disturbing anti-semetic remarks posted, and Jews in general are no more to blame for the current crisis than Italians are for the crimes of the Mafia.

These posts are hurtful and counterproductive. It does not matter if a person is a socialist, communist, Christian, Jew or Muslim. We are one people, one humanity, with one purpose - equality and justice for all.

We all have but one short life. Let us make it a good one, for everyone. Is that not what "God" is all about?

[-] 3 points by Demian (497) from San Francisco, CA 12 years ago

Here I found his voting record. Everybody check it out.

http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/27110/

[-] 2 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

As I checked out the bills Bernie voted "No" on, most of them heavily Republican sponsored, I noticed some of the bills are given noble sounding names, typical Republican double-speak, like the "Patriot Act." I imagine Bernie Sander's would not be uncomfortable explaining any of his votes at a Town Hall.

[-] 3 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

I like Bernie Sanders.

[-] 2 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

Look in a mirror. We are all leaders. Look in a mirror again. See that face looking out at you? Isn't that the perfect spokesman?

[-] 2 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

I vote for Sanders. He is an honorable man. He was among a small handful in Congress that pushed for the truth regarding Gulf War Syndrome during the 90s, and that is just one high profile issue.

I will absolutely support Occupy Movement and Senator Sanders if he were chosen to speak for us.

There are advantages in not having a leader. We do operate on the basis of consensus - I'm sure there would be some resistance to this proposal.

It is certainly well worth consideration.

[Removed]

[-] 1 points by KnaveDave (357) 12 years ago

Beware of people trying to co-opt the power of the Occupy Movement to give energy and votes to their own political race or party. The movement will do best if it avoids affirming any party or candidate so that it works under a "big tent" philosophy:

"The Occupy movements around the globe have much in common, and critics have not cared to look too hard if they cannot figure out what those commonalities are — unrest over unemployment and over governments that seem to do more for corporations than for the unemployed. Anger over tax burdens thrown on the unemployed in order to provide social welfare to rich corporations. The complete ineptitude of governments everywhere — liberal or conservative — to correct the problems and reverse unemployment, even as they aid large corporations."

(Excerpted from http://thegreatrecession.info/blog/2011/11/occupy-wall-street-now-unoccupied-but-stronger )

If Sanders is the perfect spokesman, let him speak on his own just as everyone writing here does, but not as an adopted spokesman. (Not sure who would do the official adopting anyway.)

--Knave Dave http://TheGreatRecession.info/blog

[-] 1 points by Phanya2011 (908) from Tucson, AZ 12 years ago

I just sent him an email asking him to step up and do this, with the goal of putting a progressive-leaning independent in every available seat in Congress in 2012.

[-] 1 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

You have to admire Bernie. Who else in our Congress could get away with openly calling themselves a socialist? And by doing that, he completely disarms his enemies.

[-] 1 points by sinead (474) 12 years ago

What has he done to initiate changes with all the things he professes to be against? Seems to me that he didn't do much when he was in the House of Representatives and not much more now that he is in the Senate.... except for an 8-1/2 speech against extending the Bush Era tax cuts.

Seems to me that Mr. Sanders isn't doing anything more than any other politician that says they support OWS.......lip service.

[-] 1 points by Ramblesphere (23) 12 years ago

He votes what he preaches. Unfortunately, he is only one man, and can't do it by himself. He has done a great deal for the state of VT. I used to live there, and was proud to vote for him when I did. He is part of why I often consider returning to the Green Mountain state.

[Removed]

[-] 0 points by Demian (497) from San Francisco, CA 12 years ago

If there is one man that I would not mind representing the movement in the government it would be Bernie Sanders. That being said if he were to become a spokesman for the movement he would need to be on a really short leash.

[-] 4 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

I can't see Bernie becoming a spokesman for anybody who wants to put him on a short leash. Corporate America could not put Bernie on a short leash. You know where he stands. He's quite clear on that. I think mutual respect is in order.

[-] 1 points by Ramblesphere (23) 12 years ago

Can you be more specific about what you mean by "short leash"? It's not clear to me. Thanks.

[-] 1 points by Demian (497) from San Francisco, CA 12 years ago

I mean that anybody that would become a spokesman for the movement would have to be easily recalled and under a lot of scrutiny. I mean no disrespect to Mr Sanders, he is actually one of the few politicians I trust. However he is still a politician and would need to understand that he answers to the movment, not the other way around.

[-] 2 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

I can't speak for Senator Sanders - I will tell you I vote for him, and I do so proudly. I don't recall that we have ever spoken personally, but I have watched him with interest.

You won't put him on a leash.

Nor should you.

What we have today is an organization with a horizontal leadership structure. No one leads, no one follows. It is by group consensus.

I have no doubt that the Senator would in all likelihood be quite comfortable with that arrangement - I as a constituent of his would not.

It is not yet clear to me that this organization is not on the brink of shooting it's own foot - and while we may recover if that does or has already happened, someone of the Senator's stature might not.

I would direct everyone's attention here, for an example of what I mean by "shooting our own foot."

http://occupywallst.org/forum/egypt-rising-against-military-rule-security-forces/

The question has been raised regarding the iconography of this nature - it's intent and purpose - is someone within the organization attempting to provoke violence with the use of violent imagery and connections to Egypt?

I would also point at the first post on that page:

http://occupywallst.org/article/egypt-rising-against-military-rule-security-forces/#comment-396067

which raises significant other questions regarding the possibility of outside influences to our own harm - I can enumerate them if you wish.

I have other concerns that have derived from other threads around here - I'm not in NY so I don't know precisely what is going on down there.

As a constituent of the Senator's with these concerns in mind, I would discourage him from taking a role as spokesman - he is however an adult, with his own mind. He is welcome to join us if he wishes - it is a risk one should not take without due consideration.

As an intermediary however, he may indeed find himself in position to do great service both to himself, to us, and to the nation as a whole.

That is my opinion.

[-] 0 points by Sovereign (20) 12 years ago

Does it matter if a person is a person is a socialist, communist or libertarian? As long as they want to undo the injustice and implement a system that allows for all to enjoy a high quality of life, it is all well and good by me...

[-] 2 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

I think those other names you just mentioned lack the same credibility.

[-] 1 points by Sovereign (20) 12 years ago

Your 'thinking' is a little off/ no intent nor need to gain credibility by throwing around names that every1 already knows...post edited to remove names/ thanks for being frank

[-] 1 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

I'm not familiar with everyone on the list - I know that one of them that I am familiar with has been the subject of some . . .

lawl-lessness?

and controversy just on here, and therefore would not serve us very well.

[-] 1 points by Sovereign (20) 12 years ago

are you referring to Wilhelm Reich? (re law-lesslness)

[-] 1 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

Him I'm not familiar with - I was referring to ronny. Ronny who would do away with fema, and reduce the size of government to such degree that things like consumer protection and workers rights were simply by gone pipe dreams

[-] 1 points by Sovereign (20) 12 years ago

Gotcha, yea check out the documentary "Man's a right to Know" about Wilhelm Reich. It is one of 1000s of documentaries that will awake a part of your mind, and potentially a part of your existence, that you may not be aware of (re: orgone and organic energy)...and yea, I love Ronny, but I feel your concern. I personally don't believe in the system, AT ALL, and think that they system has become so psychopathic that looking for solutions is paralyzing, dividing, crippling, and just a mess- check out another post that I wrote up:

http://occupywallst.org/forum/be-the-change-that-you-want-to-see-an-et-perspecti/

And a video that demonstrates the effects of orgone energy (see those light spheres floating around?):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYwdq7R9jIM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVKfEVWWvZ4

IronPimp has more vidoes, but the administrator of his account has made them unlisted while the administrator is overseas.

Great exchange of dialogue BTW, and please feel free to contact me at: ApolloInfinity@gmail.com if you ever wish to go beyond the 3rd dimensional materialized illusion, and into the ether, which is where the answers lie, if we are able to harness the energy and ground it here, now.

[-] 1 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

I don't know about the ether - and as far as looking for solutions becoming paralyzing, I tend to agree. It is a reflection of humanities capacity to manufacture your consent for anything.

It is often hard to know where to begin. Simplify. What is true?

Is there corruption?

Yes.

Where will we find it most quickly?

Among repelicans.

As we drag them down, will they pull down others who are also corrupt in an effort to save themselves?

It seems most certain. It is human nature, when the abyss looms large, to cling to what ever is at hand to save one's self.

In the interests of peace and of justice, I would herd them over the edge and screaming into madness . . .

[-] 1 points by Sovereign (20) 12 years ago

I am by no means a man of religion (because I grew up in the midst of sorcery and blashepmy), but in Bhagavad Gita, it mentions 5 (not 4) elements- the 5th being the ether. The ether responds to our thoughts and feelings, like a mirror, or a centrifuge that processes the energy and sends it back. The misleaders ensure that the thoughts and feelings of humanity are constantly polluted, and thus, reality stays polluted...I think that the "solution" is much more metaphysical than simply switching to socialism, communism, libertarian, getting Ron Lawl in there, or anything else. I think that the madness that exists within and around the psyche of humanity needs to be healed, AS WELL as the completely toxic & predatory system. What are repelicans?

[-] 1 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

Very interesting - I like to think of myself as

metaphysically wrinkle free

repelicans are a term of scorn and derision, one I use in reference to the party of George Bush, the party of

BUSHITE

I will not use anything but terms of scorn and ridicule in reference to them. I will not because they so often use these same tactics - secular progressives as if such things were of themselves contaminated, filthy, disgusting.

this is not debate, it is an attempt to harness shame.

Very soon it is they who will know shame, and it is with great joy that I help them to it.

[-] 1 points by Sovereign (20) 12 years ago

gotcha, yea your distaste for the "repelicans," who I refer to as the misleaders, reminds me of the reaction that Michael Tsarion describes in Architects of Control when the Earth human comes to the realization that he is being sold a lie. Yes, you are being sold a lie, but are you buying it? Apparently, you are not...

So, I don't look at the misleaders with scorn or hostility. I think that they are energy vampires, parasites who very well understand the ether (and thus keep the masses unknowing on this matter), and if they can't manufacture the consent of the masses AND the anger of the few, then they will not be able to eat/ live. They live on toxic energy- sure they use money, and fake wars and all that as their levers of power, but ultimately they feed on toxic/sick energy, and live on planets that are ethereally toxic and sick, similar to how maggots live on rotting foot. I don't say this with any animosity, I have nothing against maggots, I merely see them as existing, similarly as I see the misleaders. I do not think that the misleaders are the typical Earth human DNA- maybe David Icke is off in his reptilian theory, but I think he is waaaaaaay closer than anyone who looks at these guys and says "Oh they are just greedy (in relation to $$)." Watch their quick twitch double blink eye patters, it gives them away. ALot of them have trained themselves to look away from the camera when they blink, or take a long look down and pretend like they are reading from their notes (when we know they read from the teleprompter)- Hillary is a master at this- you see a lot of here eyelids when she is in front of the camera, but when she occasionally slips, you can see the green in here eye, the black in here pupil, and the slit for an iris. Maybe not reptilian, but some sort of human hybrid that does not really care about what drives the rest of us (love, relaxation, peace, bliss, joy etc.)

[-] -2 points by saged (33) 12 years ago

is he the guy who started Kentucky Fried Chicken ?

[-] 0 points by TIOUAISE (2526) 12 years ago

Non, mon Colonel. :)