I have read several articles that say Sarah Palin is a populist. That is such BS. I'll certainly grant that Sarah Palin is folksy and clever about picking up some local interest (like about the sports team) to make it seem like she is just like her audience. But a populist she is not.
Of all the people in American politics, I tend to think that Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is the most naturally in tune with the interests of everyday Americans. He is unique in American politics: a “democratic socialist” and the longest-serving independent Senator in U.S. History. He is an absolutely passionate defender of the interests of the people and an unapologetic critic of those who promote the interests of corporations and the wealthy. Here is his Senate website and the Wiki entry about him. Here is a video showing vintage Bernie speaking on the economy, how much income goes to the top .1-1% of Americans, and what he describes as the war on the American people.
(Writing about Bernie Sanders reminds me of Kathleen’s post on Tony Benn; I think they are cut from the same cloth.)
Bernie is also a prolific tweeter, and has turned Twitter into an art form for getting out key information about the economy, the deficit, spending cuts and taxes. I thought it would be interesting to put them all in one place, so here are some of his recent tweets; enjoy!
SenatorSanders Bernie Sanders
77% of Americans believe it's unacceptable to cut funding for K-12 education to significantly reduce the deficit. #SharedSacrifice
A @WSJ poll said 81% of Americans believe it's acceptable to impose a surtax on millionaires to reduce the deficit.
68% of Americans believe it's acceptable to phase out the Bush tax cuts for families earning over $250k a year. #SharedSacrifice
A @BostonGlobe poll of like #NH voters reports that 78% oppose cutting Medicare and 71% oppose cutting Medicaid. #SharedSacrifice
70% of Tea Party members living outside of #DC oppose cutting Medicare and Medicaid to reduce the deficit. #SharedSacrifice
A @BostonGlobe poll of likely #NH voters shows that 73% support raising taxes on people making over 250,000 a year. #SharedSacrifice
A @BostonGlobe poll of likely voters in
Large corporations and the super wealthy are avoiding $100 billion in taxes each year using offshore tax shelters. #SharedSacrifice
Hedge fund managers who made a billion dollars last year now pay a lower effective tax rate than many firefighters. #SharedSacrifice
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that since March there are 545000 more unemployed Americans raising the total to 4.1 million.
Over the past quarter century, four-fifths of the income gains accrued to the top 1 percent of individuals. #SharedSacrifice
It is immoral and bad economics to reduce the deficit on the backs of the old, the sick and the poor. c-span.org/Live-Video/C-S… #SharedSacrifice
Social Security recipients have not received a cost-of-living-adjustment in 2 years.
Sanders: Hands off Social Security ow.ly/5z4CW #SocialSecurity #Obama #Budget
Come take Bernie's poll on #SharedSacrifice : http://ow.ly/5yTuc
Social Security has a $2.6 trillion surplus and hasn't contributed 1 cent to our deficit.
20% of all income earned in the
The @WSJ reports that median pay for chief financial officers of S&P 500 companies increased 19% to $2900000 last year. #SharedSacrifice
Over the past 10 years, the median family income has declined by more than $2,500. #SharedSacrifice
Corporate tax revenue in 2010 was 27% smaller than 2000, even though corporate profits are up 60% over the last decade. #SharedSacrifice
Hedge fund managers who made a billion dollars last year now pay a lower effective tax rate than many teachers. #SharedSacrifice
You can contact your elected officials and support Bernie's bill for 10 million solar panels here: http://ow.ly/5x1KB #s1108
Must Read: We Knew They Got Raises. But This? -Pradnya Joshihttp://ow.ly/5y3cT
Bernie begins his 90-minute speech on the budget. Video here:youtu.be/4axvr3n-ABU Sign his letter to the President here:sanders.senate.gov/petition/?uid=…
Since 2000, 5.6 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in
The percentage of income going to the top 1 percent has nearly tripled since the 1970s. http://ow.ly/5ulwF
Ford's federal income tax rate was just 2.3 percent in 2009 even though it made $3 billion in profits. sanders.senate.gov/petition/?uid=…
Slashing Medicaid could cost
The Republican plan could force 1 million seniors to pay over $110 million more for annual wellness visits in 2012. ow.ly/5tOzf
In 2008, Goldman Sachs only paid 1.1 percent of its income in taxes even though it earned a profit of $2.3 billion. http://ow.ly/5tijE
Chevron received a $19 million refund from the IRS last year, even though it made $10 billion in profits in 2009. http://ow.ly/5ti69
Corporate tax revenue in 2010 was 27% smaller than 2000, even though corporate profits are up 60% over last 10 years.http://ow.ly/5thnt
On Debt Ceiling: Give Republicans What They Voted For, Let Voters Decide How to Get There - @borosage http://ow.ly/5tiQr
In 2007, the richest 400 Americans made an average of $345 million a year. #ShareSacrifice ow.ly/5th0s
Please RT: The Millions and the Millionaires:http://sanders.senate.gov/
Politics in 2011:
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