Sanders to visit Puerto Rico, skip Women's Convention

[Donkees]

BY JULIA MANCHESTER - 10/19/17 05:09 PM EDT

Excerpt:

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced on Thursday he would travel to Puerto Rico to meet with officials in the wake of Hurricane Maria instead of addressing the Women's Convention next week.

“I want to apologize to the organizers of the Women’s Convention for not being able to attend your conference next Friday in Detroit. Given the emergency situation in Puerto Rico, I will be traveling there to visit with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz and other officials to determine the best way forward to deal with the devastation the island is experiencing," Sanders said in a statement.

"The U.S. Congress cannot turn its back on the millions of people in Puerto Rico who, four weeks after the hurricane, are still without electricity, food and running water," he continued.

The announcement comes after the Women's Convention faced fierce backlash for choosing Sanders to headline the opening day of the conference. The convention is aimed at bringing together politicians and activists for "workshops, strategy sessions, [and] inspiring forums" as they gear up for the 2018 midterm elections.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/356295-sanders-to-visit-puerto-rico-instead-of-womens-convention

[Autumn]

1. Our Bernie's got a lot of class. It's always best to step out of controversies for all concerned.

rec.

[JonLP24]

2. And doing something important on top of that

It is important to go to Puerto Rico.

[disillusioned73]

3. Good...

Puerto Rico needs all the attention that it can get.. it's painfully obvious that this administration doesn't give a shit about it..

[JonLP24]

5. +1000

I couldn't agree more.

[Hortensis]

6. I've been a Democrat for over 40 years, not because I

love belonging to groups but because I feel working through one of the two major parties maximizes my, and its, power.

Unlike you, I couldn't disagree more with the second half of the removed post, which struck me as not only profoundly deluded but profoundly silly. I'm not a "Clintonite." That's silly. I'm an issues person. I confess that policy wonks appeal to me and rabble-rousing demagogues do not. I'm an egalitarian. I believe we need to destroy the metamillionaire classes before they destroy our democracy but that we must elect very ethical, smart, competent, knowledgeable people in order to do that.

And anyone who imagines they will need to go to war with me...well, will go the way of all the previous decades of silly, foolish people who felt the same way. Because they misunderstand their role compared all to the rest of the people who make up the party.

It's not that the many, very diverse groups -- over 100 million people now!, that make up the Democratic Party and/or call themselves independent but reliably vote Democrat -- like any peoples born of man, can't always use improvement. It's that WE have to do what we feel is best.

It can't be imposed by a hostile, arrogant, faction who foolishly imagine only they have the answers and must force them on everyone else. We're a tremendously inclusive party, they can be Democrats if that is their choice, but they can't rule. We collectively are the Democratic Party, not some ill-defined, resented "they," but US. And democracy rules in our party.

[JonLP24]

7. I meant he or she was right about outrage on Twitter

I can't remember what else was in the post can't discuss post anymore without the details.

Im an issues person which is the exact reason I support Bernie Sanders. If I went by the issues I couldn't support Hillary Clinton outside of a general election who I voted for.

I voted BO over HRC because of policy though BO made some disappointing policy decisions in that regard which is why I support Sanders because of the issues.

[Hortensis]

8. This?

"...lies the Hillbots made about it on the womens march twitter feed... Im done playing nice with the Clintonites ... its time to put our nice guy "unity" hats away and go to war with the DLC neolibral occupation of..."

Apparently you didn't mean you agreed with this in general, which is exactly the kind of hostile, silly nonsense I'm talking about.

So,...good.

I'm not a "hillbot," "Clintonite" or "neoliberal," just what I guess must be a member of the Democrat base after all these years. Imagine!

Frankly, though I was born a strong liberal and will die a strong liberal, I never considered myself a loyal Democrat most of the time, regardless of registration, supported people and issues, not labels. It's only now, as we stand as the defenders of our democracy against the barbarians battering at its walls that I am finally genuinely proud to call myself a Democrat.

[JonLP24]

9. Womens march twitter feed the poster is correct about

There was outrage by whoever you want to call them. I don't use labels myself. I can only speak for Jon in any case

[Hortensis]

10. Well, visiting places guaranteed to provide

outrages is going to provide something meant to provoke outrage. I try to stay away from those.