Main Sections

Letters To The Editor

Tuesday August 15, 2006

Sanders Is The Best Choice For Veterans

   I am appalled at the charges from Rich Tarrant that Bernie Sanders does not support and provide services for veterans. Tarrant also charges that Bernie talks a great game but does not follow through. This is absolutely false. Bernie has a former service officer, who represented veterans at White River for years, working for him in his office. I have been to several town meetings for veterans. Because I am a disabled veteran I travel to White River several times a year where I have the opportunity to talk with veterans and care givers. I have never heard anything but praise for Bernie Sanders' work for veterans. In fact, several have told me that there is no other legislator who spends as much time visiting veterans, ascertaining their needs at White River Veterans Hospital, that he does.
   Two or three years ago the VFW magazine presented a very positive support for Representative Bernie Sanders' for veterans affairs. Vermonters are too smart not to see through Mr. Tarrant's attempt to smear Bernie's excellent record of supporting veterans and all other issues that Vermonter's care about. It was only a short time ago that Mr. McMullen tried to buy a Vermont Senate seat with his millions of dollars. I don't believe Vermonters have forgotten that chapter and I cannot think they will be taken in by the same pitch again.
   The other false charge that Mr. Tarrant often makes against Representative Sanders is that he does not support veterans because he votes against the defense budget. I researched this charge and found out the veterans' budget is not in the defense budget at all. It is in a separate budget area called “Military Quality of Life.” It used to be in a section called VA HUD. So this is just another illusion Mr. Tarrant is trying to create. In basketball, and in fencing, it is called a feint, with which Mr. Tarrant has had past practice. In my opinion Bernie Sanders is the best choice for veterans for the United States Senate.

A Writers View

   I, like most Americans, am sick of the political games going on in Washington. I thought we were better than that in Vermont, but I was disappointed to find out that our lone Congressman is not. Recently Bernie Sanders signed papers to get on the primary ballot as a Democrat. Although the Democrats gathered the signatures, “Independent” Congressman Sanders put his John Hancock on a form of intent to run as a Democrat in their primary on September 12th. Why would Bernie want to be a Democrat for a day? Easy, he's afraid a real Democrat will draw votes away from him in November. Congressman Sanders is planning on setting himself up as a straw man on ballot only to “respectfully” decline after the primary. What's worse is that Bernie is playing it off in the media like he has no involvement in the Democratic Party's efforts. This little stunt is an insult to all Vermonters. Congressman Sanders probably believes he can deceive Vermonters with his slight of hand. Why shouldn't he, he's been playing this game for decades. If you are against political deception, if you believe Vermonters deserve better than corrupt Washington politicians, if you believe our next Senator should embody honesty, integrity and civility, than I urge you to vote for Rich Tarrant this November.

Disappointed In Sanders

   I was very discouraged by Congressman Sanders' vote on the line item veto that passed the House a couple weeks ago. At a time when we have record-setting deficits, growing by the second, Congressman Sanders voted against giving the President the authority to prevent expensive pork and earmarks from piling up in the Federal budget. To me this bill seems perfectly reasonable and necessary. Fiscal discipline is sorely needed in Washington. Congressman Sanders, however, angrily slams his fists and complains about tax cuts for the wealthy. The fact is, the tax rate cuts Sanders dislikes so much are responsible for bringing in the largest amount of revenue to the United Sates Treasury in the history of our Country. Today our deficit is $8.5 TRILLION, yet Congressman Sanders is against curbing out of control spending and against tax rate cuts that have been proven to bring in greater government revenue. Combine those two positions and you get a recipe for further increasing our deficit that the next generation of Americans will be saddled with. We need our next Senator to know that budgeting requires difficult choices. We need our next Senator to understand how to say no to “bridges to nowhere.” We need Rich Tarrant as our next U.S. Senator.

Printer Friendly

Top

Advertisements

Search our Archives