Vermont poised to elect America's first socialist senator

[TraderTif]

Aaugh! I’m a Vermonter, and I can’t STAND Bernie!!!

But, I should point out that I also can’t stand the guy that’s running against him (Tarrant), who has refused to answer any pro-life surveys, and says that he is in favor of embryonic-stem-cell-research. (Not to mention that his campaign has primarily been full of “What’s Wrong With Bernie?” and hardly anything about his own views.)

In any case, I’ve lived here for several years, known about Bernie for a long time, but I had never heard the term “socialist” used to describe him until now.

Interesting.
Tif =8-)

 

[steveandersen]

…You may guess I’m not exactly a fan of Mrs Thatcher But then I’m from Liverpool, and it would be hard to find many people who grew up in Liverpool in the 1980s who are fans of Mrs Thatcher …

Hmmm, I thought that I smelt a scouse

A buddy of mine is from the Pool. Needless to say, his politics are quite pink by US standards. He’s taught me wonderful things about beer and also that social democrats aren’t boogeymen.

When he first moved to the US everyone would say to him “Oh, you’re English! I just love your Margaret Thatcher.” It would drive him nuts.

PS I hate to say it but I think the Anglican Cathedral is a much nicer building than Paddy’s Wigwam.

 

[MikeWM]

Hmmm, I thought that I smelt a scouse

Recovering scouser, please It’s 10 years since I lived there…

A buddy of mine is from the Pool. Needless to say, his politics are quite pink by US standards.

I can believe that

He’s taught me wonderful things about beer

Yes, that’s a plus point of Liverpool. So much cheaper than Cambridge too

and also that social democrats aren’t boogeymen.

Yes As long as he doesn’t talk about Derek Hatton, you’re probably ok…

When he first moved to the US everyone would say to him “Oh, you’re English! I just love your Margaret Thatcher.” It would drive him nuts.

Fortunately I waited until Blair was PM before moving to the US. Even that was annoying, but it was better than Thatcher would have been!

PS I hate to say it but I think the Anglican Cathedral is a much nicer building than Paddy’s Wigwam.

Oh, I can’t agree with that. I’m not a big fan of the Wigwam, but when I was there earlier this year for Lauds and Matins on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, I started to appreciate the place. The Anglican one is too much like every other Anglican Cathedral in Britain, IMO, and not quite as good as say Ely Cathedral, my current Anglican cathedral neighbour.

Mike

 

[aimee]

[SIGN]viva la Thatcher[/SIGN]

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Here I am, living in Vermont–have had family here since the 40s including family who actually served in the state legislature back in the good old days with George Aiken. . .

Bernie was Burlington’s socialist mayor back a couple decades ago (man I feel old) and he’s been in Congress the last few years; Vermont has ONE congressman and two senators, Dem. Sen. Leahy, a Catholic who is the Mario Cuomo type of Catholic politico (as in, “though I personally am against X, as a politician I must support my people and promote X”), and Jim Jeffords who ‘jumped ship’ from Republican to Independent a couple of years ago, AFTER being elected as a Republican, thus giving Senate ‘balance’ to the Democrats. . . It is Mr. Jefford’s seat which is up for grabs now. . .

In Bernie’s years in Congress he has managed to pass a grand total of 2–yes, 2–bills which he himself has sponsored. (I will say that he has participated in plenty of OTHER PEOPLE’S bills).

In a group of what, 435, one socialist has little impact, for good or evil.

In a group of 100–that one voice can have far greater impact. Look what happened as precedent with Mr. Jeffords. . .

I met Rich Tarrant a couple of days ago at an event instate and while I hated most of his ads, I do have to tell you that he was questioned about his stand on ‘the woman’s right to choose’, and he actually went ahead and said that he was against partial birth abortion and would definitely vote against it. It may not be as much as I would like to hear but Bernie as we know is completely for abortion (rights, ya know).

Sadly, like most other states, we’ll probably have at best some 40% percent turn out, and the vote will probably turn out to be pretty close. Again sadly, if even 10% of the people who just sit back and don’t bother to vote would get up and do it, the outcome would likely be completely different.

Independent? We have too many out-of-staters trying to make Vermont an “experience” instead of a viable place to live. . .which is probably a reason Rich Tarrant isn’t getting more of a hearing. Bernie makes a big deal of being “one of the people” and even though he’s a millionnaire too, he ‘distances’ himself from that vulgar money by playing up the idea of being ‘just folks’ and wanting everybody to ‘share’. . .

 

[Jeffrey]

That State is also pro-homosexual if I remember right… more Culture of Death.

He us rabidly pro-abortion. As a Catholic can you tell me what is good about that? Doesnt seem to be very good if you are a very young child in Vermont.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Uh, Jeffrey, lots of us in the state are NOT ‘pro-homosexual.’

Then Governor Dean passed the civil unions legislation in a pretty clandestine manner if I recall, some 5 years ago.

And quite a few politicians were NOT re-elected in November of 01 because they had deliberately ‘voted their conscience’ and not the expressed wishes of their constituents. To be perfectly fair, some politicians were indeed following their constituents, and some politicians were ‘rewarded’ for what has been skillfully twisted as an issue of LOVE and TOLERANCE (don’t get me started on the incredible biases of our major newspapers and the ‘intelligentsia’).

So please do us living here a favor. The current Vermont legislature and a loud liberal minority (with a hefty sprinkling of out-of-staters and/or neohippies) may support the culture of death. Vermont’s Catholic bishop Salvatore Matano, and lots of us Vermont Catholics, AND a pretty fair amount of Vermonters, Christian and Non-Christian alike, do NOT support the culture of death and are doing our best to bring the culture of LIFE not just to Vermont but to the U.S. and the world.

Don’t count us down and out from the start!!!

 

[Jeffrey]

My mistake… I was referring to Politicians from that State… not every resident. I should have made that more clear. Sorry.

Uh, Jeffrey, lots of us in the state are NOT ‘pro-homosexual.’

Then Governor Dean passed the civil unions legislation in a pretty clandestine manner if I recall, some 5 years ago.

And quite a few politicians were NOT re-elected in November of 01 because they had deliberately ‘voted their conscience’ and not the expressed wishes of their constituents. To be perfectly fair, some politicians were indeed following their constituents, and some politicians were ‘rewarded’ for what has been skillfully twisted as an issue of LOVE and TOLERANCE (don’t get me started on the incredible biases of our major newspapers and the ‘intelligentsia’).

So please do us living here a favor. The current Vermont legislature and a loud liberal minority (with a hefty sprinkling of out-of-staters and/or neohippies) may support the culture of death. Vermont’s Catholic bishop Salvatore Matano, and lots of us Vermont Catholics, AND a pretty fair amount of Vermonters, Christian and Non-Christian alike, do NOT support the culture of death and are doing our best to bring the culture of LIFE not just to Vermont but to the U.S. and the world.

Don’t count us down and out from the start!!!

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Thanks, Jeffrey–And please, pray for us!

 

[steveandersen]

Recovering scouser, please It’s 10 years since I lived there…

Once a scouser always a scouser

I left NYC at 20 and people still call me a New Yorker (and I’m fiercely proud)

……Yes As long as he doesn’t talk about Derek Hatton, you’re probably ok…

Pink as he is, my buddy still doesn’t like Comrade Hatton too much

Fortunately I waited until Blair was PM before moving to the US. Even that was annoying, but it was better than Thatcher would have been!

Unfortunately for my friend, while the US is full of Anglophiles raised on PBS (the Principally British Service) he seemed to only run in to those whose knowledge of the UK was a strange mixture the Brontes, the Beatles, and Baroness Thatcher.

Oh, I can’t agree with that. I’m not a big fan of the Wigwam, but when I was there earlier this year for Lauds and Matins on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, I started to appreciate the place. The Anglican one is too much like every other Anglican Cathedral in Britain, IMO, and not quite as good as say Ely Cathedral, my current Anglican cathedral neighbour.

Mike

Well I only visited both places once. And I didn’t have an opportunity to attend services at either one unfortunately.

Perhaps I just have conservative architectural notions and feel comfortable where one cathedral looks a lot like another (I love both St Patrick’s and the Episcopal St John’s in New York because of their traditional look), perhaps it was because I visited both of the Liverpool cathedrals in the company of my local guide (an Anglican) who had a deep pride and love for his cathedral. (He even took me to the gift shop)

There was just something sad about seeing the original traditional outlines for the Metropolitan Cathedral with the modern structure on top of it…shrug …I guess that’s just me.

It has been almost 9 years since I last saw the UK. For a guy of my generation, raised on Tolkien and Tull, I just can’t wait to get back again.

(I’m sure there at least one pub I haven’t seen yet.)

Harry Ramsden’s, Yates, the Albert docks…What am I doing in South Carolina

PS you’re 5 hours ahead of me…what are you doing up in the middle of the night on the internet?

 

[Ridgerunner]

What’s the big deal with this Bernie fellow calling himself a socialist? Almost half the U.S. Congress is made up of socialists, and they stand a fair chance of taking over the House this year. The only difference is, they call themselves “Democrats”. This Bernie fellow sounds like a skunk to me, but at least you have to admit he is the only Democrat who has the courage to tell the truth about what he really is.

 

[steveandersen]

I guess that to stick to strict political definitions the Democrats would maybe be “radicals” while the republicans would maybe be “liberals”.

I don’t think that in the USA we have either a true Christian Democrat or Social Democrat party.

shame really

 

[MikeWM]

Almost half the U.S. Congress is made up of socialists,

You have absolutely no idea what a socialist is, if you really believe that.

Mike

 

[MikeWM]

Once a scouser always a scouser

I left NYC at 20 and people still call me a New Yorker (and I’m fiercely proud)

Crikey, and crikey!

Pink as he is, my buddy still doesn’t like Comrade Hatton too much

Not many people do anymore. He was doing what he did for his own self-interest rather than for the good of the people, as he pretended. Ok, that appiles to most politicians, but to Derek more than most.

Unfortunately for my friend, while the US is full of Anglophiles raised on PBS (the Principally British Service)

Endless repeats of ‘Are you Being Served’, I remember No wonder people in America have such a strange image of us…

he seemed to only run in to those whose knowledge of the UK was a strange mixture the Brontes, the Beatles, and Baroness Thatcher.

…and the ‘Queen of England’, of course

Perhaps I just have conservative architectural notions and feel comfortable where one cathedral looks a lot like another

Yeah, mostly I agree, but I think the Wigwam is a bold experiment that just about works. Only just though.

(I love both St Patrick’s and the Episcopal St John’s in New York because of their traditional look),

Haven’t been to New York… I went to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross last time I was in Boston, which was quite nice but didn’t do a lot for me. I walked in in the middle of a wedding though, so my timing wasn’t that good

(I’m sure there at least one pub I haven’t seen yet.)

Well, I’ve been to every pub in Cambridge (about 110 of them). To do that in Liverpool would be a bit more difficult…

Harry Ramsden’s, Yates, the Albert docks…What am I doing in South Carolina

! I can’t agree about Yates, there are many better places to go, but apart from that…

PS you’re 5 hours ahead of me…what are you doing up in the middle of the night on the internet?

Oh, I keep odd hours. I’m very much a night-owl. Fortunately my work are ok with me starting late and finishing late.

Mike

 

[Al_Masetti]

What’s the big deal with this Bernie fellow calling himself a socialist? Almost half the U.S. Congress is made up of socialists, and they stand a fair chance of taking over the House this year. The only difference is, they call themselves “Democrats”. This Bernie fellow sounds like a skunk to me, but at least you have to admit he is the only Democrat who has the courage to tell the truth about what he really is.

“… almost half …” and then you add the RINOs … and, voila, you’re over the top!

 

[Jabronie]

Interesting. Maybe some people will look up socialism and see what it’s all about. In the era that I was being “educated”, Socialism, communism, totalitarianism and anything even similar was all glossed over as the same thing: BAD. So anything even related to those words was bad.

In more recent years, that mindset has spread even farther. Anything with words like Liberal, democratic, progressive, etc are equated with “BAD”. (but nobody will look up the words)

To the point where now, even disagreeing with the current administration is “bad.”

Although sometimes I think that may slowly be turning around.

The funny thing about it all, is that since we’ve become almost a pure capitalist society, with a big loss in the ways of social justice, that the ideology of Socialism probably has more in common with Christ’s message, than this “democratic republic.”

Jesus never advocated stealing from one to give to another. He preached for people to willing help how they can. How is that compatible with Socialism?