Sanders Intros $146 Billion 'Transformation Blueprint' for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

Calling on the federal government to bring its "full resources to bear" on the crisis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.-I) unveiled a $146 billion recovery package for the U.S. territories on Tuesday, two months after Hurricane Maria left destruction across the islands.
Sanders and the Democratic co-sponsors of the new bill argue it is necessary to treat the recovery as the emergency it is, but that rebuilding the islands' battered infrastructure should not mean simply returning to things as they were.

To read more:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/11/28/sanders-intros-146-billion-transformation-blueprint-puerto-rico-and-virgin-islands?

[TexasTowelie]

1. RIP.

[Bleacher Creature]

2. If he clicks his heels together three times will it become law?

[guillaumeb]

3. If we all sit back and do nothing,

nothing will get done.

[bettyellen]

4. Great PR move. Not a chance in hell of passing.

[NurseJackie]

5. Reality based observations.

Thank you.

[guillaumeb]

7. LOL.

[guillaumeb]

6. Easy to be dismissive and passive.

More constructive is actually doing something.

One of the reasons that Sanders is so popular among voters of all ages.

[bettyellen]

8. There's a difference between working and making symbolic gestures. Our senators are fighting for

More aid but they're not chasing rainbows at a time when they're fighting budget cuts tooth and nail.
I'm sure if you only follow one politician you might think he's the only one actually doing things. I've seen that delusion here too often, people seem to have no ideas about Dems except the ones put in their head by an independent who trashes them.

[NurseJackie]

10. Truth. Thank you.

[guillaumeb]

11. "Symbolic gestures"? It would be refighting the campaign to respond to that one. eom

[bettyellen]

12. I'm clearly talking about now, jeeze with the budget fight going on his sense of timing w

Grand plan is really nothing more than a publicity stunt.

[guillaumeb]

14. We all know what you are talking about.

Really.

[bettyellen]

20. I have no clue what you're talking about- it's disturbing to watch senators grandstand instead of

Working for unity against Trump. Empty promises are tiresome. I have no clue why anyone thinks this is a smart move. Clearly your head is back more 18 months ago, but you should really just let it go. The primary was over a long time ago. So fed up w hearing about it.

[guillaumeb]

23. Your parting advice is good advice.

It might be good if you followed it. The enemy of progressives is the GOP.

[EffieBlack]

21. Perfectly said. Thank you.

[Ken Burch]

29. We don't have to limit our objectives to be "working".

Bernie is united with all other Dem senators in fighting budget cuts...that doesn't have to mean, however, accepting that only tiny changes will be possible in the future.

If all we're going to do as a party without dreams, which seems to be what you want, we can never be popular again and we can never set the agenda.

[NurseJackie]

9. LOL

[Hassin Bin Sober]

16. "Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one" -- Sam Rayburn

[guillaumeb]

17. Another winner. Thank you.

[KTM]

13. The responses here are so predictable...

If any of the other co-sponsors had been headlining this, it would be completely different.

Elizabeth Warren Intros $146 Billion 'Transformation Blueprint' for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

Edward J. Markey Intros $146 Billion 'Transformation Blueprint' for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

Richard Blumenthal Intros $146 Billion 'Transformation Blueprint' for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

Kirsten Gillibrand Intros $146 Billion 'Transformation Blueprint' for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

Kamala D. Harris Intros $146 Billion 'Transformation Blueprint' for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

Any one of those and you would not hear a single peep from most of those who have responded, and if they did it would be effusively positive.

So transparent, so disappointing, and so disgusting.

[guillaumeb]

15. Thread winner

[NCTraveler]

19. I would say the same thing about most all of them.

PR move as they start lining up their Presidential runs. I know it won’t pass. I think our resources will be better spent fighting the tax plan and other items. That said, Republican might just slip some additional funds for PR into legislation. It will allow both them and Sanders something to claim as victory. There is little downside in this for Sanders politically. There isn’t really anything of value to anyone else.

[guillaumeb]

22. Tell that to the people of Puerto Rico.

I am certain that they will appreciate the analysis.

[NCTraveler]

24. What Im the world are you talking about?

There isn’t a solid rebuttal or argument in your post. Just some “Say it to their face!!!”

Been a long time since I’ve heard that.

They would appreciate support, not grandstanding for political gain by a carreer politician.

That is not some sinister view. It’s the obvious reality of the situation.

[guillaumeb]

25. I wondered the same thing about your post.

Your term "grandstanding" reveals something about you, and nothing about Sanders. Do you realize that you made a pure judgment call based on your feelings about what Sanders' motivation must be.

Your dismissive attitude reflects only that feeling that you have.

[NCTraveler]

26. You refuse to even talk about the topic.

Just projection and personal attacks.

It’s because there is no argument to the contrary. It’s simply obvious.

You aren’t good at reading people. Might want to stick to the issues. Your whole post here is a solid Fristing.

[guillaumeb]

28. The issue in this particular case is a dismissal of the Bill

as grandstanding for political gain. A pure judgment call on your part. And that, as you say, is simply obvious.

[phleshdef]

30. Thank you. You just called out a lot of hypocrites...

...in a way they can't refute.

[GaryCnf]

27. I hear that "our" senators

are working hard to bring aid to Puerto Rico and the USVI and not just grandstanding from about a half dozen posters.

Well let's hear what they're doing, what's the bill number, who are the co-sponsors that are going to help get it passed, how much $$$ is in it, who is it going to?

So far the only thing I've seen proposed is underwriting the rebuilding of pharmaceutical plants on the islands and if that's being a progressive getting things done I want nothing to do with it.