It's one thing to complain and recite things we already know. It's much harder to introduce legislation and create coalitions and alliances to shepherd such broad and important legislation all the way to the President's desk. I think this is where the all or nothing philosophy starts to fall apart. When someone wants "all or nothing" the "all" never wins the day and "nothing" is the result. A more realistic incremental approach makes more sense, especially in today's political climate. Anyone can complain. We need strong leadership to get things done.

first being a moral awareness among the people, followed by their representatives to government, a combination of moral and political awareness.

If we're waiting on political awareness to happen on its' own, it will never happen. Women didn't get the right to vote because politicians suddenly became morally aware on their own, but because as a result of promoting the message for decades along with protest and struggle.

The message should never be dropped or ignored, no matter who's in charge, doing so only plays into the hands of those against meaningful, constructive health care change, mostly at this stage in human history that being oligarchs and corporate supremacists.

Stating that health care is a human right, isn't "asking for it all" but only repeating the obvious that every other advanced nation on Earth recognizes, but don't assume that every American already knows this just because you might. If you actually knew it, you would be promoting the message, no matter the odds.

I guess I just have higher standards and think that talk is cheap and we need meaningful progress rather than pie in the sky demands that will never come to be simply by shouting instead of acting. That's just not the political world we live in.

I imagine that can sound like shouting to those comfortable with the status quo.

Of course it's shouting. Lots of excuse-making but no action. Lots of finger pointing but no action. Lots of blame and accusations, but no action. Where's the action? Where's the legislation? Where are the incremental steps that take us in the right direction?
>> I imagine that can sound like shouting to those comfortable with the status quo.
Actually, "I imagine" that the shouting is a satisfying response to those who are more comfortable with complaining rather than doing, or who are willing to blame others rather than take charge. It's the bare minimum. Can you think of anything else that would be better? I can. And, what's this "catalyst" are you talking about? Seriously? Clearly, when chronic scolding hasn't accomplished anything in the past 30 years, then it's time for a new approach, no? As I said before, I have higher standards. In the real world, things get done with our elected representatives take action and make hard decisions and strike difficult deals and compromises. I want to see results. Let's be realistic, chronic complaining and never DOING anything meaningful is one of the ACTUAL reasons for the "status quo". It's time to try a different approach. The legislation won't write itself, will it? We need leaders who will take the initiative to get things done. This approach isn't working. It hasn't and it won't.

If you're happy or comfortable with the status quo of our health policies designed to make profit for corporate conglomerates and oligarchs instead of giving health care for every American from the cradle to the grave, then good for you, but the vast majority of the American People do fall between the cracks at some point or another in their life, even the ones that have insurance.

Bernie is right to keep this critical issue front and center whether it makes people uncomfortable or not until its' rectified.

Over thirty years of keeping it "front and center" and we still have no legislation. Time for a new approach. Time for something that's more realistic, no? Any progress, no matter how small would be better than NOTHING. And so far, the talk has resulted in nothing, wouldn't you agree?

>> If you're happy or comfortable with the status quo of our health policies...

Please. Spare me. What a weird thing to assume about me. I've been very clear. The time for talk is over. Let's see some legislation. No more whining and complaining. No more finger pointing and finger wagging. It's time for someone to lead. It's time for progress.

>>Bernie is right to keep this critical issue front and center whether it makes people uncomfortable or not until its' rectified.

The only thing that makes me "uncomfortable" is the mistaken belief that complaining is a substitute for DOING SOMETHING. I hear a lot of words, but I see no action. — Rectified by whom? In your estimation, who does Bernie expect to come along and "rectify" it? What's the delay? Why wait? Why wait for someone ELSE to do it? Where's the action?

It's all very clear to me. Since talk talk talk accomplishes nothing nothing nothing, I really do question *who* it is that's actually more "happy or comfortable with the status quo" (if I can borrow a little p/a phrase that I've read recently).

One of the features of this policy is allowing Medicare to negotiate with Big Pharma for the first time in U.S. history on some prescription drugs.

(snip)

Because of the prescription drug law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare is able to negotiate directly with drug companies to improve access to some of the costliest single-source brand-name Medicare Part B and Part D drugs.

(snip)

https://www.cms.gov/inflation-reduction-act-and-medicare/medicare-drug-price-negotiation

This is a small but significant step, and the moral/political awareness that helped to bring it about was fueled in part by Bernie Sanders keeping our dysfunctional health care issues front and center for all these years.

That's what I'm speaking of when I say moral/political awareness you don't get it by keeping your mouth shut and going along with a dysfunctional system that benefits the very few at the expense of the overwhelming majority just because you have yours or you're afraid of rocking the boat.

To the best of my knowledge, Bernie had nothing to do with the Inflation Reduction Act. Why would reasonable person try to give Bernie credit for things he didn't do?

>> ... at the expense of the overwhelming majority just because you have yours or you're afraid of rocking the boat.

Seriously? WTF, dude? I haven't judged you, I haven't insulted you. Why the little passive aggressive insults directed at me? You don't know me. You don't know what I have or don't have. I can tell you this, however, I know that when the responses turn into personal attacks and insinuations about me, that lets me know when I've hit a nerve and that my comments and criticisms about beloved politicians are hitting on target.

I also know that that this so-called "rocking the boat" is accomplishing nothing. It's pretty clear that the system is dysfunction, and the constant finger wagging and finger pointing is getting NOTHING done. Where's the action? People are tired of words and complaints. People want action.

The constant drone of repetitive complaining becomes nothing more than unchanging white-noise. It fades into the background, it does not have the effect of keeping things "front and center" as you claim. It's just more of the same... maintaining the "status quo" (if you will).

For all of the effort and time spent cranking out repetitive videos and writing books, editorials, and fundraising emails... it occurs to me that IF the same amount of effort put into writing strong and meaningful legislation, and getting others to sign-on and co-sponsor... and then spending just a little more time shepherding it through the legislative process. Well, if that happened, we might just have something worth crowing about, wouldn't we?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation_Reduction_Act#:~:text=Res.,14.&text=It%20is%20a%20budget%20reconciliation,after%20being%20opposed%20by%20Manchin

I haven't judged you either.

If you don't understand that Bernie's message during his runs for the Presidency which resonated with significant portions of the American public which in turn helped to raise both moral/political awareness to the desperate need for change in regards to health care, then there is nothing else that I can tell you.

The Inflation Reduction Act would've been even closer to the ideals expressed by Bernie Sanders, but for two Senators; Manchin and Sinema.

Oh, how sweet. It's such a pleasure to be on the receiving end of backhanded swipes at my intelligence and other subtle insinuations that I lack the ability to understand the nuances of politics.

Here's the thing. If "political awareness" is all it takes... then his efforts have not succeeded. He's been at this for --- how many decades? --- and it hasn't had the desired effect of motivating SOMEONE ELSE to write the legislation needed to get this moving forward.

After all this time, while people suffer, I think this issue has gone about as far as it can go with mere "moral/political awareness." His constant complaining and finger pointing and scolding has gotten about all the traction it can get. Right now, he's revving his engine, but it's getting nowhere... just spinning his wheels... and people are largely ignoring the noise.

I'd like to see him actually DO SOMETHING rather than continuing with his message of how incompetent and corrupt Democrats are. That's a message that discourages participation and suppresses voter turnout FOR Democrats and Democratic candidates.

>> The Inflation Reduction Act would've been even closer to the ideals expressed by Bernie Sanders
Once again, I ask a simple question that continues to be ignored: Why does he spend so much time complaining and griping about Democrats when the same amount of effort could be put toward writing some meaningful legislation and garnering the necessary support to see it to completion?

It's easy to complain and tell everyone what they're doing wrong. It's easy to blame others. It's much hard to be a strong and effective leader and actually put one's nose to the grindstone and get the work done. We need strong leaders.

>> then there is nothing else that I can tell you.
Ahh yes... as I indicated earlier... talking down to me and patronizing me and mansplaining is rather insulting.