vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

9.23.2008

Signing on with Sanders

Bernie Sanders has had concerns about a Wall Street bailout since last week and had a proposal to help pay for Wall Street aid before President Bush put the Big $700 billion Plan on the table.

Tuesday Vermont's indepedendent U.S. senator wasn't reassured, he said in a press release.

"The very first point that should be established is that it should not be the middle class bailing out the wealthy." Sanders' proposal would put a 10 percent surcharge on income over $500,000 for individuals and over $1 million for couples. The surtax would stay in place five years and could raise as much as $300 billion, Sanders estimates.

Sanders sent U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson a letter outlining his plan. He also posted his letter on his Web site and voila within 24 hours hours more than 8,000 people across the country read it, liked it and signed it, according to Sanders' staff.

Want to read it, sign it? Go here.

-- Nancy Remsen

posted by vt.Buzz | 6:16 PM |

Comments:

Just like Bernie. Just like his alter ego, Hugo Chavez. I think I'll run for Senate. Going to give EVERYONE in Vermont making under $10,000 a bonus of $25,000 every year. And a new car. And a chicken in every pot. And if it doesn't pass the Senate, well, it's not MY fault! We'll just get the money from businesses and those fools that have worked two jobs to improve their lot in life. After all, communism is the answer, it's just UNFAIR for those that have problems with the work ethic to be prejudiced against! For more details, contact me at my vacation spot in Naples, Florida.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:14 PM, September 23, 2008

bubba said...

"Just like Bernie. Just like his alter ego, Hugo Chavez. I think I'll run for Senate."

You should run, bubbakis. I'm sure you'll give Bernie all he can handle and then some.

Clearly, you are the voice of Vermont.

Then again, Leahy's up for reelection before Bernie. I'm sure you'll have no trouble knockin' him off.

Why don't ya just run against Welch, bubbakis. That way you'll already be in Congress when you knock off Pat and Bernie.

Shoot, Welch might even know your ignorant anonymous ass is alive by election day, schmuck.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 7:55 PM, September 23, 2008

Classic Bernie....

Everyone, not just the > $500K earners, has benefited from the actions of Wall Street.

*Anyone with an IRA or 401K benefits from the tax laws and investment strategies of the Investment banks.

*Clearly too many unqualified buyers were given the unfair chance to get a mortgage loan they otherwise could not have gotten.

*The 40% of low earners that never pay tax benefited because the banks made money and paid taxes on their behalf.

If Bernie wants those who benefited unfairly to pay for its cost and, of course if he had a spine, his proposal would have been for everyone to pay a surcharge.

...but then again that's not what Socialists do.

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:37 AM, September 24, 2008

Curious - do we get to see the 8,000 names? Or are we just going to rely on his staff's claims.

I suppose there is nothing wrong with that. I mean, how often to Washington/Montpelier staffers accidently exaggerate on things like this?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:50 AM, September 24, 2008

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:50 AM, September 24, 2008

While the majority of Reps and Senators are hashing out plans for a way to bolster the economy and save Wall Street (thus preserving the retirement plans of workers) Bernie is sending out useless letters feigning indignation about the situation! (Gee, how come you never said anything before?) And thanks to the incredible influence of our congressional delegation and the idiots running the Vermont House and Senate, Lydall Westek in St. Johnsbury is taking 190 jobs and heading to North Carolina! Will the last working Vermonter please shut off the lights when you leave!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:10 AM, September 24, 2008

Bush moves to bail out Wall Street with taxpayer money -- and you still dis socialism?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:16 PM, September 24, 2008

From CNN today....

Biden, Obama helped keep 'Bridge to Nowhere' alive

DEWEY BEACH, Delaware (CNN) -- Although Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden routinely mocks his Republican counterpart, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, for her onetime support of the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," Biden and his running mate voted to keep the project alive twice.
Both Biden and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama voted to kill a Senate amendment that would have diverted federal funding for the bridge to repair a Louisiana span badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina, Senate records show.

And both voted for the final transportation bill that included the $223 million earmark for the Alaska project.

An amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, would have stripped the money appropriated to connect the Alaskan coastal city of Ketchikan to its airport on sparsely populated Gravina Island and diverted the money to Louisiana.

But Biden and Obama and 80 of their colleagues rejected the measure, an amendment to a massive 2005 transportation bill that funded thousands of projects across the country.
"That is probably the most disturbing element of this and the campaigning on the Bridge to Nowhere," said Bill Allison of the Sunlight Foundation, a taxpayer watchdog group. "Because, yes, they had a chance to vote specifically against the Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska to redirect the money to people, to bridges and infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Katrina going in to New Orleans, and they chose not to."

What a couple hypocrites!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:51 PM, September 24, 2008

WOW! What a surprise!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:02 PM, September 24, 2008

LOL -- yea -- blame the bridge to nowhere on Obama !!

With BS like this, it's no wonder McBush/Palin are dropping in the polls like stones !!

Fantastic!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:11 PM, September 24, 2008

I didn't right the article. The left-leaning CNN did.

Maybe they have seen the light...:)

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:44 PM, September 24, 2008

Washington Post/ABC poll has Obama up by nine! America is awakening!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:56 PM, September 24, 2008

Westek is already in North Carolina.
They are consolidating not relocating.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:57 PM, September 24, 2008

Left-leaning CNN. LOL

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:57 PM, September 24, 2008

"Left-Leaning" CNN wrote an article about some loony right wing group who thinks that Obama can be held accountable for the bridge to nowhere.

The GOP's lies will never stop ...

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:29 PM, September 24, 2008

Next McCain will accuse Obama of being one of the Keeting Five.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:29 PM, September 24, 2008

Obama wasn't part of the Keating 5 but he is a close associate with the unrepentant former leader of the Weather Underground.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:06 PM, September 24, 2008

Dohrn and Ayers should have been executed years ago. They apparently got off because of the usual"technicalities". Hopefully someday, a patriot will right this wrong.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:44 PM, September 24, 2008

More nonsense.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:47 PM, September 24, 2008

Obama was not "a close associate." They happened to sit on the same board.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:48 PM, September 24, 2008

McCain was, however, a member of the Keating five. Fact

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:05 PM, September 24, 2008

And McCain's personal life was not exactly exemplary.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:06 PM, September 24, 2008

Move over John Edwards, the Enquirer is breaking the Palin affair with Todd's buddy. No wonder McInsane wants to cancel the debates, especially that October 2nd one.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:24 PM, September 24, 2008

MCCain was cleared of the Keating 5 allegations....much like the Clinton's were of Whitewater and Travelgate.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:57 AM, September 25, 2008

"Anonymous said...
Obama was not "a close associate." They happened to sit on the same board."

If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it's a duck.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:59 AM, September 25, 2008

"Anonymous said...
Westek is already in North Carolina.
They are consolidating not relocating."

So tell me how does that make it any better. They have decided it is too expensive to do business in VT. They could have made the decision to consolidate in VT but didn't.....hmmmm I wonder why?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:07 AM, September 25, 2008

Shumlin, Symington, and Sanders. What better reasons for any businesses to leave. But hey, it's only 190 jobs in the NEK.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:29 AM, September 25, 2008

They've decided that they can't economically run two plants at half staff and with the cost of fuel, the logical choice is Carolina. Fact of life and nothing to do with "business
climate"--just climate.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:19 AM, September 25, 2008

McCain: and if it looks like a philanderer, talks like a philanderer and acts like a philanderer, its a philanderer. And for money, too.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:23 AM, September 25, 2008

Has nothing to do with business climate?!!! Better look up what the head of EHV-Weidmann in St. Johnsbury said about any plans to expand in Vermont!!! Hint for the clueless: it ain't gonna happen in Vermont, EVER!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:16 AM, September 25, 2008

How true!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:50 AM, September 25, 2008

bubba said...

"Has nothing to do with business climate?!!! Better look up what the head of EHV-Weidmann in St. Johnsbury said about any plans to expand in Vermont!!! Hint for the clueless: it ain't gonna happen in Vermont, EVER!"

Not as long as the doogie/dubie debacle continues to gum up the works, bubbakis.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:35 AM, September 25, 2008

And what have they had to do with the high taxes and permitting nightmares that drive businesses out of Vermont? Hey, people in North Carolina are starting to talk with Yankee accents! Hmmmmmm.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:03 PM, September 25, 2008

"And what have they had to do with the high taxes and permitting nightmares that drive businesses out of Vermont? Hey, people in North Carolina are starting to talk with Yankee accents! Hmmmmmm."

They are, eh? Well, then by all means, you should join them, bubbakis.

I hear great things about Charlotte. Bank of America and Wachovia are hirin' like crazy and there's all kinds of housing for sale at a steal.

Actually, as of Monday, I believe they're calling themselves Bed, Bank of America and Beyond these days, but clearly, the situation remains fluid and everything is subject to change at any moment.

You, me and everybody else already owns a piece of that action, bubbakis, so ya may as well take the plunge and go for the lot.

What the hell, in for a penny, in for $700 Billion +/-.

I'm gonna miss ya, little fella. Ya never let the fact that ya didn't have a case or a clue stop ya from spewin' your psychotic slop, but at least ya had the stones to sign your name to it.

I'll give ya that much, little fella.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 12:35 PM, September 25, 2008

"Anonymous said...

"Obama was not "a close associate." They happened to sit on the same board.""

"If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it's a duck."

In other words, you're still dumb, you're still scum and your ignorant anonymous ass has still got bupkis.

Thanks for clearin' that up, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/fraudulent fella.

Your ignorant anonymous ass is gonna have to do better than guilt by association, schmuck.

Disappear.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 2:47 PM, September 25, 2008

According to Hoffer, this company got 362,000 in tax credits and is still pulling out. Vermont is left with nothing to show for it.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:15 PM, September 25, 2008

LOL -- yea -- blame the bridge to nowhere on Obama !!

With BS like this, it's no wonder McBush/Palin are dropping in the polls like stones !!"

Nah, it's more a question of "suspending" their campaign like stones.

Palin's novelty isn't wearin' off, it's just that her appeal is becoming more selective.

Grandpa Simpson needs to call a T.O. and take a nap. He's plum tuckered out from yellin' at that cloud all day and it'll give psycho sarah a chance to work on memorizin' State Capitals, grasping the difference between Sunni and Shiite and how a 5-member investigating committee comprised of three gops and two Dems where the deciding vote was cast by a Wasilla gop who had been a Palin supporter is a partisan "witch hunt".

Then, of course, there's her whack-job preacher who's on You-Tube casting out her demons and witches a couple of years ago.

The more we find out, the more palin is ailin'.

Life just gets better and better all the time.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:26 PM, September 25, 2008

"According to Hoffer". Nice try, jw - go back to using your own name.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:28 PM, September 25, 2008

Anonymous said...

"According to Hoffer, this company got 362,000 in tax credits and is still pulling out. Vermont is left with nothing to show for it."

Gee, Bubbakis hasn't called me Hoffer in days. This should lift his spirits.

Jim means jobs. Just not in Vermont. We do, however, get to pick up the tab like we did for AIG and Goldman Sacks.

Then there's that Merrill Lynch Bullshite.

Such a deal for us. First the Depression and the Deficits, now this.

Gops are so good with money.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:33 PM, September 25, 2008

bubba said...

""According to Hoffer"".

"Nice try, jw - go back to using your own name."

Right on clueless-cretin clue.

Speak of the devil and ya hear the flutter of little-ignorant trash wings.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:36 PM, September 25, 2008

COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land-- boundary that we have with-- Canada. It-- it's funny that a comment like that was-- kind of made to-- cari-- I don't know, you know? Reporters--

COURIC: Mock?

PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.

COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our-- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia. The Russians, I mean.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:50 PM, September 25, 2008