2010 Milestones
Looking back at 2010, The Nation named Bernie the "Most Valuable Senator." The the oldest and largest progressive magazine in the country said he was progressive, populist and practical enough to get things done. "During the health care debate Sanders argued mightily for single-payer and a public option. He got neither, but he did secure a provision doubling the number of Federally Qualified Health Centers, which should increase the number of patients receiving primary care by at least 18 million during the coming decade. Later in the year he amended the final financial services reform bill to require the Federal Reserve to disclose [how] … big banks and multinational corporations collected an estimated $3.3 trillion in 'emergency' loans and other assistance even as they refused to restructure mortgages or make loans to small businesses in Vermont and other states." Read The Progressive Honor Roll of 2010 »
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1/21/10 - The Supreme Court overturned laws that curbed corporate campaign contributions. “The ruling is going to open the flood gates..." Bernie said. Read more » |
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2/4/10 - Sanders, chairman of the green jobs subcommittee, proposed legislation to install 10 million solar systems during the next decade. Read a Grist interview » |
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3/23/10 - President Obama signed a health care reform law to provide insurance for 32 million and double the number of community health centers. Read more » |
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4/20/10 - Following the worst environmental disaster in American history, Bernie urged a ban on ocean coastal drilling which was later adopted by the Obama administration. Watch the video » |
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5/20/10 - Senate passed Wall Street reform, including Sanders' amendment to audit the Federal Reserve and force it to name banks that received trillions in emergency aid. Watch a press conference » |
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6/10/10 - The Pentagon bought billions of dollars worth of unneeded spare parts, according to the latest in a series of investigations for Sanders by the Government Accountability Office.Read more » |
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7/23/10 - As worldwide temperatures set record highs, climate change legislation was scuttled in the Senate by Republican obstructionism. Read Bernie's reaction » |
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8/29/10 - Vermont-style democracy at its best saw big turnouts at more than a dozen town meetings which Bernie held across the state during the August recess. Watch a meeting on CSPAN » |
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9/17/10 - Elizabeth Warren, at Bernie's strong urging, is appointed assistant to the president to oversee creation of a new consumer financial protection bureau. Read the letter to Pres. Obama » |
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10/12/10 - "Something is profoundly wrong," Sanders said about a survey showing that Wall Street firms were set to pay a record $144 billion in compensation and benefits this year. Read more » |
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11/16/10 - The Federal Communications Commission was urged by Sanders and thousands of you to block Comcast's bid to take over NBC Universal. Send a message to the FCC » |
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12/10/10 - For 8 1/2 hours, Sanders spoke on the Senate floor about the absurdity of giving more tax breaks to the wealthy and making the deficit worse. More on the filibuster » |
