What is it with Bernie Sanders?
The independent Senator from Vermont (who caucuses, naturally, with Democrats) could be a case study in hypocrisy. In fact, if you look up "hypocrite" in the dictionary, you'll probably find Bernie's picture. He owns three substantial homes and has a net worth of a squillion dollars, and he still manages to show up at any event looking like he just escaped a 1,000-year flood. He rails about oligarchy while maintaining the lifestyle of the rich and famous, and he's been teaching his protege, the unremarkable Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), to do likewise; the two have been engaging in a "fighting oligarchy" campaign that's cost over half a million dollars in private jets alone.
Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) campaign spent $78,371 chartering private jets between July and September, according to federal campaign finance disclosures it submitted Wednesday. Just a few hours later, Sanders lamented that the United States is "increasingly becoming an oligarchic form of society," during a CNN town hall.
It continues the campaign's pattern of spending lavishly on private air travel. During the six months prior, Friends of Bernie Sanders spent more than $450,000 chartering jets.
OK, that's enough to make a marble statue burst out laughing. What's more, in the manner of all good Politburo members anywhere throughout the history of communism, Bernie justifies it by saying, basically, "I'm important."
Sanders has been unapologetic about his use of private jets. Sanders scoffed when Fox News anchor Bret Baier asked him about a Washington Free Beacon report highlighting his spending on private jets during an interview in May.
"You think I’m going to be sitting, waiting in line at United, waiting while 30,000 people are waiting?" Sanders said. "It’s the only way to get around. No apologies for that. That’s what campaign travel is about. We have done it in the past, and we will do it in the future."
Yes, Senator. That's precisely what we think you ought to do. That's precisely what we think everyone who is paid by the taxpayer should do. Now, to be fair, we'll note that Bernie's travel is paid for by something called the "Friends of Bernie Sanders" (He has friends? Who knew?) and not by the taxpayers. But that doesn't make his jet-setting any less hypocritical.
Read More: Fighting Oligarchy From 5-Star Hotels: AOC Reportedly Lived the High Life While on 'Tour'
Watch: Bernie Sanders Totally Wrecked by Republican Student's Question During CNN Town Hall
Here's the really delicious part, though: Now that the Schumer Shutdown is moving into its fourth week, Bernie is suddenly worried about federal employees. Maybe he could make up some of the pay they're losing by skipping a few Gulfstream charters and hosting some of those "fighting oligarchy" rallies on Zoom. Just be careful who you invite from CNN.
"We're going to fight for federal employees," Sanders said when asked about the impact the shutdown he supports has had on government workers. "We're going to do everything we can and move as quickly as we can to make sure you get your paychecks."
The most recent analysis of wages across the entire federal workforce, meanwhile, found that the median government salary is $79,386. That's roughly the same amount Sanders's campaign spent on private jet travel between July and September alone.
Oh yeah, he's going to fight. From his three mansions, he's going to fight. From his five-star hotels, he's going to fight. From his riverside dacha (don't all Politburo members have one of those?), he's going to fight. From the cabin of his luxury private charter jet, he's going to fight! He's going to save you from those awful oligarchs, even if it costs your last penny!
Then, there's this:
Friends of Bernie Sanders did not respond to a request for comment.
You don't say.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
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