Do you think he can accomplish his agenda if he's elected President?

The whole thing? No way, of course not. What politician ever had such success? Obama didn't, HRC wouldn't. I'd love to see Sanders try though. I'm confident that a shake-up and an unconventional cabinet would do the country some good.

i see this excitement building around a candidate I just don't believe can achieve near anything he says he wants to achieve.

Sanders probably even agrees with this statement. He's been in politics for a long time. He's not naive. He's not promising pie in the sky. Notice that his promises are easily achievable concrete measures, ie: "No one from GS as Treasury Sec." it's pretty easy to not appoint someone from Goldman Sachs to Treasury Secretary. I hate to say it but even HRC could make and keep that kind of promise.

What am I missing? Are people actually confident in the power of a Democratic President with a Republican congress after what we've seen the last seven years?

I don't really understand this question? Am I supposed to spite myself and support a lesser candidate (IMO)? I mean I've been told that I should often by conservative types and centrists. I'm just not interested. I don't think it's productive.

Please don't crucify me - I just want to understand where this excitement is coming from:

Sanders has authenticity. Look at Sanders' record, he tends to eschew popularity for his political beliefs, and he has a long and consistent record of doing so. He's not your typical loathsome political critter who will instigate personal attacks. Boomers have ruled politics for my whole life; I'm tired of it. I honestly don't have a lot of trust in HRC, and I hate a lot of her positions (SOPA, CISPA, PATRIOT, etc). I'm also hell bent to see some real liberals appointed to SCOTUS.