#9
Bernie Sanders
When Bernie Sanders, the Great Socialist Contrarian, spoke to a group of 60 students at South Burlington High School in Vermont in 2006, he didn’t begin with lofty rhetoric or empty political nonsense. Instead, he made a simple, unorthodox plea.
“I urge you all to argue with your teachers, argue with your parents,” he told them, concluding with the observation, “The discussion we’ve had in here is at a higher level than what we often have on the floor of the United States Congress.”
The senator’s democratic-socialist views and his spirited independent streak make him one of the most refreshingly atypical politicians in recent American history.
“Bernie is independent through and through,” said Craig Aaron, managing director of Free Press, an organization working to reform media. “Unlike most of his colleagues, he’s not beholden to party hacks or corporate benefactors. That means he’s free to fight for what he believes in, if for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do.”
After graduating from the University of Chicago, Sanders spent four terms as the mayor of Burlington, and then 16 years in the House of Representatives—the longest ever for an independent member—serving as the first independent since 1950. He was elected senator in 2006.
Sanders has occasionally sided with Republicans on some issues: he voted in 2004 to terminate the marriage penalty and supported a 2003 bill to ban human cloning.
But more often than not, he votes with the Democrats. He voted against using force in Iraq in both 1991 and 2002, has staunchly supported single-payer universal health care, is one of the leading advocates for green technology (he introduced the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007), and supports gay marriage and pro-choice legislation.
Sanders continues to fight to close the increasing wealth gap. “We need to revitalize American democracy,” he wrote in an essay, “The Collapse of the Middle Class,” which criticizes a government whose decisions reflect the needs of only wealthy campaign contributors. He opposes unregulated free trade, which, he argues, deprives Americans of jobs and exploits foreign workers.
He also called for the replacement of Ben Bernanke after the bank bailouts, and was one of only three majority senate members to oppose the appointment of Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, in 2009.
“What makes him so good is that he’s not just an idealist—he’s a realist, too,” Aaron said. “He understands that sausage-making can be a messy business, and he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty if that’s what it takes to actually get things done. He didn’t get to the Senate because he’s a socialist. He got there because he’s a populist in the best sense of the word, one who’s knocked on every door in the state.”
Idealism, disrupting the status quo, and daring you to challenge authority: these things aren’t just for high-school kids.
Man-to-Man with Bernie Sanders
Can one be both a good man and a good (i.e., effective) politician?
Yes. These are enormously difficult times for our country and we need to encourage as many young people, men and women, to get involved in the political process—from school board to the White House. Anyone entering politics, and those observing it, must appreciate that it is impossible to do everything you or your constituents want on every single occasion. That doesn’t make you “bad” or a “sell-out.” While it certainly is not easy, I do believe that one can be an honest and effective politician and maintain one’s dignity and integrity. At the same time, I should say that in our current approach to politics we sometimes get so carried away by the "good man" idea that we forget that good ideas, ideas about fairness as well as freedom, should also matter in politicians.
If you were making a list of politicians you respect for both their integrity and their dedication to the ideas they believe in, what man—from a party other than your own—would you be sure to put on the list? And why?
When I was in the House I worked, on occasion, with Rep. Ron Paul who is a Republican libertarian from Texas. He has, against the mainstream of his party, been a strong voice for civil liberties and against an imperial foreign policy. Over the years he has voted his conscience and cast many votes that were far from popular. I don’t agree with him on many issues, but his courage—and his willingness to work with a “socialist” when we share views—make him unusual and admirable Republican.
It’s our belief that every capitalist country needs a socialist or two in order to keep things interesting. But does it get lonely?
Yes. The Senate is a pretty conservative institution. There are not too many members prepared to stand up strongly against a very powerful ruling class. In the U.S. today we have, by far, the most unequal distribution of wealth and income of any major country, with the top 1 percent now earning over 23 percent of all income. Not too many senators talk about that. The Republican Party has veered very far to the right, while the Democratic Party is, by and large, centrist. The wealthy and large corporations have plenty of representation in both parties. The working class of this country does not.
We believe that a good man owns up to his mistakes. Tell us about a time when you fell short of “goodness,” however you define it
In 1981, I was elected Mayor of Burlington, Vermont, as an independent, and was vigorously opposed by both the Democrats and Republicans on the City Council. It was a very contentious political moment. In retrospect, I think there are things I could have done to deal with that situation in a less confrontational manner.
The Top-10 Good Men Politicians
10) Mitch Daniels
8 ) Mark Strama
6) Jeff Flake
5) Al Franken
3) Cory Booker
2) Paul Ryan
1) Carl Levin
About the Editors
Vocalyze
I think the list would make much more sense if you explained why you included these people on the list – each individually, not as a whole – then one cold see the reasoning in it. I would like to read your response, Senator Sanders. Thank-you.
senator bernie sanders is without question the best person in our government today. i wouldn’t feel that i’m overestimating at all in saying that 99% of those in congress are corporate controlled stooges, and bernie is most certainly not. i am also surprised to not see senator russ feingold, the only senator to not vote for the patriot act – in doing so being alone in standing up for our civil liberties – in 2002.
Carl Paladino is a “Good Man”
3 times this screen has changed and lost my words——I agree w/Willl 100% read The Powell Memo
Folks, turn that anger to solving the problem. Too many of our politicians should go home.
How can we limit their terms of service to 2, but not more than 3 terms in office? This needs to be done for the good of this country.
We support their behavior by letting them stay in office. They are not entitled to a government seat for life.
Ryan is about where he belongs though #1 would be a better ranking. I see a bunch of tantrum tossing towards Ryan for his stance on gay marriage. And most of it is phony outrage because the same people give Carl Levin a pass regarding his wishy washy stance on repealing DADT. more selective outrage from the professional leftists.
Interesting that the two single politicians who prohibit the initiation of force and fraud in their politics are absent from the list. From the time of Confucius, all societies have followed this “golden rule”, (outside of government), until their governments based on force and fraud have destroyed the society, usually by murdering millions of innocent civilians in conquest or democide. Jeff Flake, one of the better people on your list, supported protectionist legislation that put non-cartel dairy farmers out of business. All the other politicians are even worse than he is. Russ Feingold, for instance, pushed through “McCain-Feingold”, legislation that has eroded the right of election candidates to speak freely, levying fines against those who do not comply with arcane financial reporting rules, eliminating competition for the incumbent politicians. Everywhere you look in politics, force and fraud rule the day.
Without recognizing that taxation is theft, this list is laughable. All politicians attempt to do good with others’ money. Without this recognition, the aims of all politicians are corrupt, because they depend on coercion.
Ron and Rand Paul are the only two federal politicians in Washington who should be on this list. Mitch Daniels might be good, although I don’t know the details of his record.
Tell me this, though, how many people here support the prohibitionism that has incarcerated 1.2 million innocent Americans? Jim Webb, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Ed Coleman, and maybe one or two others are the only ones who seem to care about the Bill of Rights enough to oppose the insane, immense evil of prohibition.
Your list is simply not credible, and it never will be, without recognition that politics in America has grossly overstepped the Bill of Rights, and the principle of “consent of the governed” found in our Declaration of Independence. These two documents once held the ability of government coercion in check. No more. The American State’s ability to ignore the golden rule is now unlimited, the enlightenment values out country was founded on are gone.
How you missed Ron Paul, the most consistent, principled and honest politician of his era, or arguably of any era is beyond me.
Think what you will of his politics, but his candor, his respectful dialogue and his refusal to bend to the powers that be in the name of liberty are second to none.
This list is baffling in its inconsistency.
Part of being a good man is showing self-awareness, and the fortitude to live according to one’s convictions – regardless of personal difficulty. Paul Ryan fails this test.
Ryan rose to his current position thanks to the welfare state; specifically Social Security, upon which he attended college.
He advocates for the others an Ayn Rand-inspired level of self-sufficiency, the dismantling of this social safety net.
IOTW: “I got mine – f*ck you”.
This list is now painfully dated, with the revelation about Ryan’s taste in wine and drinking buddies.
I actually got excited about his website, until I saw Paul Ryan on this list. This is a joke, isn’t it? Paul Ryan? this guy doesn’t have one ounce of integrity in his whole body. Paul Ryan is, excuse my language, the biggest corporate prostitute that has ever existed. He is a complete sold out. He gets his marching orders from the Koch brothers, and those orders are all about destroying the fabric of this great nation: the middle class. Guess what, no middle class = No Democracy. How can you put someone on this list who champions tyranny? You have lost all credibility. Bernie Sanders should definitely be at the top of the list. He is the only one out there who fights for true freedom, liberty and justice for all, not just for the greedy 1%.
Also Mitch Daniel? are you high or something? but Paul Ryan beats them all in being the king of evil.
It has been cited that Mitch Daniels has saved Indiana from financial ruin. The question is, “How did he do it”? To meet his new budget, he fired thousands of state employees. This was not a “cutting of the fat”. A large percentage of the newly unemployed state workers are the ones who have dedicated 30, even 40 years to their jobs. These same people are finding it impossible to find new jobs because of their age. Even though it is illegal to not hire someone because of their age, the fact is no one is hiring 50 and 60 year old people in his economy, especially when their work experience is limited to state government. It is a tragic event for these folks. Many have had to cash in retirement plans just to keep their homes. My wife is one such case. She had over 30 years es an employee of the BMV.
I voted for Daniels twice because I am a lifelong conservative. Now, I have a very cynical view of all politicians. His policies have virtually destroyed our lives and taken a toll on our health. The stress is unbearable. I guess it is a negligible price to pay for Mr. Daniels career advancement.
For Mitch Daniels, the old saying holds true, “The ends justify the means”!
“We looked for men with integrity and intellectual honesty.
We looked for men who respect their political opponents, treat their constituents like the adults they are, and promote openness and transparency in government.”
Given the first two criteria, neither hoosier merits a spot on this list. Take it from a hoosier. You need only look at the amount that Indiana owes for it’s underfunded unemployment trust fund. It will start incurring penalties at the end of the current Daniel’s administration. Lugar has finally sold his vote to the party of NO!
I could not agree more. This man is so corporate in his views he should say he is CEO of Wisconsin.