"It's Unfortunate," said Sanders

Sometimes I still have to pinch myself:

United States Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont.

Started covering the gentleman everyone knows as "Bernie" back in 1981 when he upset Mayor Gordon Paquette by 10 votes.

Now look at him!

Why, after about 20 years, he even started to relax a bit, realizing, apparently, I have a job to do.

So does he, right?

Which probably explains why Sen. Sanders does not include questions from the press, his unrehearsed answers, and the back-and-forth that goes on there in the video "propaganda" postings of his press conferences you can watch his senatorial website.

But, Bernie, they're called "press" conferences!

Didn't have room in the print "Inside Track" column to report on that part of his "press" conference where we asked him for a reaction to Republican Gov. Jim Douglas' double-victory last week over Statehouse Democrats & Progressives who tried to override his vetoes of their sacred climate change and campaign finance reform bills.

The Sunday before Wednesday's special session, Sen. Sanders convened a Montpeculiar Town Meeting on global warming that featured Author/Activist/Whistle-blower Bill McKibben of Ripton.

Sanders supported the veto override of H. 520 as did everyone of the 250-plus Vermonters at the Sunday morning conclave.

Sanders' side lost.

Reaction, Ol' Bernardo?

“It’s unfortunate. Look, anyone who does not think that global warming is a serious problem really does not know what is going on. There are large numbers of people, according to the World Health Organization, who have already died as a result of global warming. You’re looking at droughts. You’re looking at floods. You’re looking at tremendous dislocation of our economy.

"The good news is we know how to cut greenhouse gas emissions. We know how to reverse global warming.We know how to do it, and you know what?

"We're going to learn more and more about this in the years to come."

Apparently a tree or two did grow in Brooklyn, eh?

Bernie cited one man from St. Johnsbury at Sunday's Town Meeting who had retro-fitted his home and cut his energy consumption in half!

"It’s waiting to happen. Wind technology is the fastest growing source of new energy in the world.  All of this is waiting to happen. Prices will go down. Technology will expand. We can do it, and it pains me we are not moving forward more aggressively because if we are not successful the results could be calamitous."

Given the opportunity to smack GOP Gov. Douglas, our socialist, tree-hugging U.S. senator declined. In fact, he noted his comments on Sunday in support of the veto-override came in response to a question from a reporter - me

Just doing my job, right, Bernie?

Comments

[Vermont Native]

I take exception to your claim that "...everyone of the 250-plus Vermonters..." at the Statehouse supported the veto override of H520.

I was there, and along with a number of other people present, I didn't support the override. I do agree that the majority of those present supported the override - that was pretty clear. But to say that "everyone" supported the override is simply false.

There are a large majority of folks that aren't on a trust fund, or on some kind of government program that would love to have the luxury of expressing themselves - but they can't - they have to work.

In my case, I took the day off from work using my vacation time. That means a lot for the working Vermont. Not many people can afford to take a day off from work to express themselves.

Please, show some respect for the average folks who don't have the time or money to be hootin' and hollarin' about all this.

[mtbikevt]

Seriously, what is it with the right-wingers on this blog that they can't read what is written and understand it? This happens a lot and leads me to believe you intentionally change the conversation to fit the comments you would like to make instead of simply sticking to what Freyene actually talked about. He said the 250 at the Sunday rally all supported 520 not at the Veto override session as you claim and clearly got upset about for no reason.

It seems to me that you were simply looking for a way to take a jab at the left and try to use this weak characterization that all of us are trust fund babies. Give it a f#$%ing rest. There were tons of people that are hard working Vermonters that also took the day off to be there and support the override. This accusation is demeaning to the folks that are working just as hard as you are and had to take a vacation day just like you did to be there. It just happens that those people get the fact that this bill was just as much about reducing the expenses for the average Vermonter as it was about reducing our CO2 emissions.

It's interesting to me that you right wingers still hold on to this fantasy that the people that support these bills are only one of two things unemployed or trust fund babies. So now knowing that 72% of Vermonters supported this bill is it your claim that 72% of Vermont are unemployed or a trust fund baby? If so that would be amazing that there are so many of them and I don't know any that I can ask for money from.

[vermonter]

Serious overreaction, mtbikevt. And accusing everyone who expresses an opinion like that of the above poster is a "right winger" is just as bad as him using the term "trust-funder." People across the entire political spectrum in Vermont -- left, middle, and right, including a dozen legislative Democrats -- had problems with H520 because of its confiscatory funding scheme and other issues, not just "right wingers."

[BearGrylls]

My guess is that Bernie chose not to invoke Douglas by name because,to him, Douglas is noting more than a mere nusance. No real threat whatsoever. Why waste your breath on a pantywaste like Douglas? Bernie knows Douglas will continue on with that crap-eating grin, highg-waist pants and limp-wristed handshake, towing the party line and blaming the Dems, Progs, environs, labour, gays, etc. for all of Vermont's ills.

Bear G. tip: Man can not actually live by eating crap, but in a survival situation, man can drink his own urine or pee on his/her shirt and wrap it around his/her head to stay cool in wicked heat.

[DC Guy]

Lighten up folks! I live in DC, work on the hill and get a kick out of Bernie's posturing.

Yes, posturing, 'cause when you get down to it, his #1 priority is getting himself re-elected.

Why? Because that's the way it is and ANYONE up here who tells you different is a big liar.

Bernie representing VT is a joke as far as we're all concerned because nobody down here takes VT seriously. However, Bernie as a Senator (the office itself) is taken seriously because every Senator (and to a lesser degree House Member) is a powerful person.

But his politics? Nobody gives a rats ass about his politics. Quite frankly, neither does he because he plays the game down here exactly, exactly the same way everyone else does.

[vermonter]

"with that crap-eating grin, highg-waist pants and limp-wristed handshake . . ."

Way to go with a schoolyard level of argumentation, BearGrylls. Shall we now move on to Bernie's ridiculous Brooklyn accent that anyone who's lived in Vermont 40 years would have lost a long time ago, and his never-once-seen-a-comb hair?

[mtbikevt]

No - the reaction is to the playbook right wing strategy which is, answer the question you wish you were asked not the question you were actually asked, as I may point you did as well. My objection was not to the posters position on the bill at all and didn't even mention the bill except in regards to the statewide support it had. Thereby making your point utterly meaningless since I did not say that his opinion on the bill made him a right winger as you carelessly try to accuse me of doing but that his opinion on the State House being packed with Trust funders or Gov't suck-a-busses makes him a right winger. My response was specifically to the trust funders comment which quite frankly I would love to hear your explanation on why anyone but a right winger would be making? You seem to lack the same reading comprehension skills the previous poster lacks. Perhaps this is why you don't get that Douglas could in fact be a fascist without having killed millions of people?

In the past you have claimed to not be a right-winger but you consistently defend the right wing position and even mischaracterize what others post in order to attempt to make them look as though they are wrong. Too often you take things completely out of characterization and spin them to meet you goals instead of sticking to the truth and coming to a conclusion on what those goals should be. Sorry but that is class A1 right-winger. Not too mention that your insistence that Douglas is a moderate can only be taken one of three ways

1. You are in fact a right-winger and want to portray your man as a moderate for political gain as you know full well that no Governor in Vermont will be elected that is defined as a right-winger.

2. You base your opinion simply on what Douglas says in the MSM and not the real nuances of his executive functions what policies he pushes through his agencies. This being more a result of you not having the time to really delve into his true record, which is not quite fascist but on the path to it.

3. You just don't have a clue.

[sandy ward]

Hey DC guy, down here or up here...can't you keep it straight? And, you mean powerful vote, don't you? Picking on Sanders isn't going to make republican governor Douglas less of a fascist, either.

[BearGrylls]

Oh Boo Hoo Hoo... Vermonter didn't like me taking issue with Douglas's innumerable flaws. Too bad. I'd put Bernie up against Jimmy Poo any day of the week. Bernie would stomp him (accent, bad hair and all). Maybe you're okay with career politicians vermonter, but most of us are able to see how swelled JD's head has become in the past two years. I just saw a story online that lists Douglas as being the 10th highest paid governor in the country (and the highest paid in NE). How much are European History majors pulling down these days?

[VToLe]

BearGryll -

And you're saying that Bernie *isn't* a career politician? Puleeze.

"Maybe you're okay with career politicians vermonter, but most of us are able to see how..."

[sandy ward]

Hey BearGrylls how about this:

Boo hoo hoo
my grandpa too
Douglas is a fascist
nanana goo goo!

[BearGrylls]

It's "Grylls" dammit. "Bernie *isn't* a career politician?" Yeah, yeah...Yada, yada, yada. Look, Bernie's choices impact me far less as a Vermonter specific. He's in a good place at the federal level. Douglas, however, pisses all over any Vermonter (specific) who is remotely left of center every time he puts on his flood pants, Ben Franklin glasses and mammoth class ring. I believe Vermont can do MUCH better at the state level.

Bear G. tip #2: When lost in the backcountry with Jim Douglas (he'd be wearing the plaid jacket he wears when wanting to appear woodsy), the accumulated oils in Jim's hair can be squeezed out and used for cooking purposes.

[sandy ward]

Under Freyne Land Blog--Energy Gets Hot--June 19, 2007. Vermonter posted "I do pay to beloing to the Vermont Democratic Party, every single year." June 25, 2007

And under Freyne Land Blog--You Can Quote Him--June 30, 2007. Vermonter posted "The centralized interests? They say pot makes you paranoid..." July 2, 2007.

So Vermonter, as a paying member of the democratic party and since you don't like Robert Sand, who is your pick to run against Douglas in 2008? And, why do you think marijuana should remain illegal?

I'm going to keep asking until you either answer the questions or I run you off Freyne Land.

[vermonter]

mtbikevt: your writing is so illogical and disjointed it's hard to follow.

sandy "bonghit" ward: you can keep insisting that Douglas is a fascist all you want even though he isn't. the First Amendment gives you the right to say stupid, uninformed things and call Jim Douglas the name that applies to dictators who put millions of people in death camps. If that's the way your pot-addled mind works, so be it.

BearGrylls: "maybe you're okay with career politicians vermonter" Huh? You idiot. Who has run in more races in Vermont than any politician in history? Bernie Sanders. He moved here in 1967 from Brooklyn and almost immediately started running for office and switching parties. Never even bothered with small time like town selectman. No, not big-head Bernie. His first race was for Governor, in 1970, after he had only been in Vermont for 3 years. So who's the career politician, fool? Bernies Sanders's picture is in the dictionary next to the term "career politician." You were caught by VToLe with your foolish "career politician" comment and then you tried to change the subject by saying, well, Bernie's in Washington, not the Governor's office? How dumbass is that? Then to make yourself feel better you go back to attacking Douglas' clothes? Are you in 8th grade? Or just 7th?

sandy "bonghit" ward: why the f*** do you care who I want to run against Douglas? But I'll tell you anyway: I'd pick the Howard Dean of 1991-2002. He would be my choice to run this state. He ran it well as a strict, balanced-budget, pro-business Democrat in those years and I was a big fan. I was sad to see him go. The Howard Dean who ran for President is not the Howard Dean who ran this state by keeping idiots like Liz Ready and Cheryl Rivers and Dick McCormack and Mike Obuchowski in line. If the Democrats can't find a moderate like Dean to run, they will be stuck with Douglas for as long as he wants the job. And you want to "run me off Freyneland"? Why because only people who think like you are allowed to speak? Because you can't stand to be challenged? Loser.

[JPC]

Vermonter, watch out Sandy is serious, she is going to run you off the blog site unless you admit pot smokers are more evolved then the rest of law abiding people, because there is no way you are going to get anything else through the haze. I nominate Sandy for governor, oh wait that would be grassroots not democratic. THe dems should just cede the governor's race, save everybody's time and energy.

[sandy ward]

Thanks, but not interested in running for office. And flattered you mentioned the connection to Grassroots...someone is doing homework. Wonder why?

Funny that Vermonter would choose Ho Ho after calling him and Sorrell butt buddies a few blogs back. And funnier that Vermonter and JPC are the real butt buddies, just review the blog.

Gotta go change that bong water now and while I'm gone why don't you answer the marijuana question and put forth a serious candidate instead of trying to bs everyone, eh?

I am more evolved...and Douglas is still a fascist. Robert Sand for Governor!!!

[montpelier28]

They want to put metal detectors in our beautiful Statehouse - up until recently Dave was the only Capitol Police and now they have 6 - that should be enough. I'm not going through a metal detector to get into the Vermont citizens house - the people's house. It sucks and it just sucks. I love that building and they're going to ruin it and I'm not happy. PS we should grow hemp and pot should be legal and taxed. I always say it will happen - the day before I croak. Listen to the songs of our youth - something has to change - you can't put everyone in the system its already obvious its not affordable - although more affordable if you ship them away from home. I want to thank sandy for her determination and outspokeness.

[vermonter]

Sandy Ward is a fascist.

[JPC]

I'd nominate Ron Allard the lone democratic that voted to sustain Douglas's vetos, at least he has the integrity to vote as he sees fit, and in the best interest of his constituents instead of simply towing the line. He also appears to be a moderate, which can only help bridge the gap and allow legislation to be passed. Too bad the party wants to get rid of him.

[BearGrylls]

I'm in 9th grade, dammit. But I want to go to college and major in European History because it will make me oh so, well, European. Following college, I will use my education to sit at home all day in front of my computer and post blog entries under the name "vermonter2". I know that in cyberspace I can appear to be intelligent and holier than thou, as opposed to the bonehead my dog knows I am. I'll have you know too that my ass is not dumb. It is smart. Smart enough to want to join me in the only major that asses can pass, which is European History.

[vermonter]

Wow. Your so secure in yourself that you make fun of other people's college majors?

Um, after college I went to grad school for two years in NYC, and then got a professional degree and now work in an office, where I am part owner of the company. I'm way smarter than you, and make a lot more money than you do.

I'm at my office. All day, every day. You're at home sitting in front of your computer in your pajamas making fun of people who majored in European History in college. Probably because you flunked out yourself. It really doesn't get any more pathetic than that.

[sandy ward]

Your welcome montpelier28.

Vermonter and JPC are probably the same person and paid by the fascist administration of Douglas to monitor this blog. He/they can also be found at the bfp and rh.

[bigbadbrad]

Beargrylls, I've got a minor in History. If you don't know history, you don't know where you are going. A Degree in European history is nothing to sneeze at. Now Vermonter, the name calling... please, enough!

[mtbikevt]

Ok Vermonter, if you couldn't follow the last post I'll simplify it for you. But, first I have to say, that just because you are incapable of following something complicated, doesn’t mean it is illogical. At least make an attempt to expand your very simple understanding of how the world works.

1. You claim that I called “Vermont Native” a right-winger because of his view on the Energy bill H.520.

2. I did not call him a right-winger because of that view but because he categorizes anyone that showed up at the State House to support H.520 a "trust-funder" or someone that lives on "gov't welfare handouts” That view is only held by right-wingers and people that use one liners to attempt to define their political enemies as something negative, lazy or not real working people.

3. The reason I challenged him in the first place is because he got all upset about Freyne's statement regarding "all the people at the Sunday event" which he spun into all those at the State House so he could then gone on the offensive and try to define everyone that supports H.520 as meaningless because they must not work if they are at the State House on a Wed. Problem is Freyene never said a single word about all the people at the State House.

*Vermonter, do I need to take a break for you so you can process this and keep up*

4. My point is that this is exactly what right-wingers do everywhere. They intentionally take the conversation in a direction that allows them to be able to throw pea brained statements out like "trust-funder" in order to attempt to de-legitimize their opponents. I believe, if you folks on the right actually stayed on topic you would lose every debate based on the facts and you know it so you are forced to use this strategy and hope that people continue to believe your cheap characterization of people instead of seeing it for the non-sense it really is.

5. Problem is "trust-funders" had nothing do with the original entry and my post had nothing to do with me calling someone right-winger because of their view on the energy bill and yet both of you tried to characterize Freyene’s and my statements in a way that quickly reverted to the talking points of the right-wing machinery even though they were totally unrelated to what we ACTUALLY said. Again, right wing strategy.

6. If you were able to keep up this time you will realize the final point, well maybe not, that I made in my previous post which is if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. And you are that right wing duck. Everything you say and post indicates that truth and your lame attempts to claim you are a democrat by stating you donate to the Dem party is equivalent to "I'm not a racist I have a black friend"

This last point is proven truer by your continued insistence that Douglas is a moderate. Give me a break. I am starting to believe that you are paid staff of the Douglas administration based on the simple fact that you are working right out of their playbook and have little to NO FACTS to back up anything you say.

[vermonter]

mtbikevt, somewhere in your long-winded rant you made the correct point that right-wingers try to twist what people say to suit their political purposes. congratulations. where you show that you lack wisdom is that you seem to believe that this is a psychological condition only suffered by "right wingers." Guess what? It isn't. A point I've tried to make on this blog before is that the Left is just as guilty of twisting its opponents' positions and statements for political purposes as the "Right" is. I decry most of what passes in the US for political dialogue. It's almost 100% lies, half-truths, and "spin" ON BOTH SIDES. The crap that's put out every single week in the official Vt. Democratic Party e-newsletter, and posted on their website, is just as much half-truths and spin as what the Right does (although I'm only guessing, because I don't get their crap and wouldn't read it if I did). If we went through the archives, I could give you dozens of examples. But here's just the latest: this week, the newsletter goes on a vicious attack against Douglas for the amount of money he has raised already for his anticipated 2008 gubernatorial campaign. But there's absolutely NO mention of the Burlington Free Press article that appeared just a couple of days earlier, talking about the record amount that Welch has already raised for his 2008 campaign. Don't you consider it dishonest to call Douglas names for doing exactly what Peter Welch is doing -- both of which are perfectly legal?

Sorry, mtbikeman, the world is not divided neatly into the rightwingers who "lie," and the leftwingers who only speak what is good, true, and beautiful.