Looks like ol’ Bernie is saying one thing nationally and saying another locally in Vermont.
Via WSJ:
BURLINGTON, Vt.—Bernie Sanders’s support for a plan to base military jets in his home state has put him at odds with some progressives who otherwise approve of his platforms.
Mr. Sanders has joined with Democratic and Republican officials in Vermont to support the plan, which is set to start sending F-35 jets to the Burlington International Airport next month and base 20 aircraft there by the summer of 2020.
Mr. Sanders, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal last week, said the jets would provide an economic boost that he would prefer go to Vermont, rather than another state, and that the purchase of the jets—which will replace older ones that the state’s Air National Guard squadron used—had already been approved.
The Air Guard told Mr. Sanders that there are “a whole lot of jobs that are involved, a whole lot of revenue coming into the community,” he said, “and I thought that made sense to me.”
If the program doesn’t come to Vermont, Mr. Sanders said, it would be “a major blow” that would shrink the state’s Air National Guard. “If they don’t have planes to fly, there ain’t going to be too much for them to do,” he said.
His supporters are not to happy about either:
Dozens of activists—many of whom said they have voted for Mr. Sanders—said his support for the program is contrary to his national platforms on a range of related issues.
Mr. Sanders’s stance has made for some unlikely defenders—and opponents.
Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and co-chair of Mr. Sanders’s campaign for president, said he aligns with Mr. Sanders on “98 or 99 percent of his stuff”—but not on the fighter jets being put in Vermont.
“I think we agree that the thing should not have been approved. We agree that it should not be funded. But now that it’s been approved, he believes it’s OK for them to come here. I believe it’s not,” Mr. Cohen said.
Mr. Cohen has repeatedly protested the planned jets, including once being arrested last year for blasting audio to mimic jet noise in downtown Burlington. While he still opposes them, he is no longer actively campaigning against them because he is focusing his time on the Sanders presidential campaign.
Others aren’t as forgiving.
“I support a lot of what Bernie stands for but this is a dealbreaker for me, if he is saying one thing nationally, and another locally,” said Stan Hills, a retired firefighter living in Burlington.
Meanwhile, Nicole Citro, a co-owner of an insurance agency in South Burlington, has always voted for Republican candidates, but she thinks Mr. Sanders’s approach on the F-35s is pragmatic.
“Much to the chagrin of his progressive supporters is that he’s always been a huge supporter of the Vermont National Guard,” Ms. Citro said. “The vantage point that Bernie was coming from was what’s the economic impact? And what makes sense for the constituency? Even though it’s kind of against what normal progressives think.” Ms. Citro created a campaign called “Green Ribbons for the F-35,” which encourages residents to show their support for the project by displaying green ribbons outside their homes.
Dozens of activists showed up at a Burlington City Council meeting last week wearing red to show their opposition to the program.The council voted unanimously to oppose a nuclear-weapon delivery system at the base. Still, any decisions on basing jets or arming them would lie with the federal government.
“When you have a nuclear device where you are living, you become a target,” said Jean Rook, a retiree living in Burlington who said she was disappointed with Mr. Sanders over his handling of the issue.
Just another Socialist Democrat, who says what people want to hear Nationally, but locally, he says something else. And these idiots want to elect this old fool? Idiots, all of them. 🙄