Lyin' in the Christians' Den: Bernie Sanders Speaks at Liberty University

[Bill]

The dude's got chutzpah, I will give him that.

Bernie Sanders defends abortion rights at Liberty University


Author: By Eric Bradner and Manu Raju CNN

Published: Sep 14 2015 09:24:55 AM CDT Updated: 2 2 HRS. AGO

CNN

LYNCHBURG, Virginia (CNN) -
Sen. Bernie Sanders stepped into a hotbed of cultural conservatism at Liberty University on Monday and bluntly told a capacity crowd of nearly 12,000 people that restricting access to abortion is "improper."

Speaking here at the largest Christian college in the world, Sanders spent most of his 27-minute address focused on wealth inequality, an issue that is a central piece of his insurgent campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. But he didn't shy away from the hot-button issues of same-sex marriage and abortion rights, which he laid out at the onset of his speech by saying: "We disagree about those issues."

Sanders was received politely by the crowd, with a Sanders cheering section enthusiastically erupting whenever the Vermont Independent delved into his stump speech. But those supporters were decidedly in the minority.


It wasn't until after the speech, during a 17-minute question-and-answer portion, when the crowd was the most enthusiastic. David Nasser, the university's senior vice president for spiritual development, asked Sanders directly to "reconcile" his view that he wants to safeguard the most vulnerable with protecting "the child in the womb." A deafening applause erupted for more than 20 seconds.

But Sanders, in his typically stern tone, didn't shy away and gave a vigorous defense for his views on abortion rights.

"I do understand and I do believe that it is improper for the United States government to tell every women in this country the very painful and difficult choice she has to make on that issue," Sanders said. "And I honestly, I don't want to be too provocative here, but very often conservatives say, 'Get the government out of my life, I don't want the government telling me what to do.'"

A small section of the crowd cheered in support of Sanders.

Sanders, who is Jewish, ventured onto traditionally Republican territory -- the evangelical university founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell -- in an attempt to showcase that his economic message could cut across party lines. But at the onset of the speech, he made abundantly clear that their views on social matters like gay rights and access to abortion are ones that there will be disagreement on.

"Let me respectfully suggest that there are other issues out there that are of enormous consequence to our country and in fact to the entire world that maybe, just maybe, we do not disagree on. And maybe, just maybe, we can try to work together in trying to resolve them," Sanders said. "It would be hard to make the case that we are a just society or anything resembling a just society today," he continued. "In the United States of America today, there is massive injustice in terms of income and wealth inequality. Injustice is rampant."

Sanders mainly stuck to his typical stump speech, questioning the morality of billionaires who are growing richer as the working poor continue to struggle. He called for a dramatic increase in the minimum wage, universal health care, government-subsidized tuition at college and for more racially sensitive policing policies in African-American communities.

While there were some Sanders enthusiasts in the crowd, most of whom were not convinced by the self-described socialist's economic and social agenda.

With Sanders' support growing in national polling, including in critical early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton's campaign is looking at the first Tuesday in March -- known as Super Tuesday -- to separate herself from Sanders and the rest of the Democratic pack. But Sanders' appearance here in Virginia -- where he also planned to hold Monday events in more progressive areas of the state -- showcases how the Vermont independent is not ceding any of these critical Southern battleground states.

The self-described socialist from Vermont offered praise for the Lynchburg, Virginia, school, which earlier this year hosted Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's entrance into the Republican presidential race.

"Liberty University is a religious school, obviously. And all of you are proud of that," Sanders said.


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Bernie Sanders defends abortion rights at Liberty University | Politics - Home

[VITE1]

I do understand and I do believe that it is improper for the United States government to tell every women in this country the very painful and difficult choice she has to make on that issue," Sanders said. "And I honestly, I don't want to be too provocative here, but very often conservatives say, 'Get the government out of my life, I don't want the government telling me what to do.'

if that's the case i am sure he is for allowing them to make whatever chicer they want as well as the one to pay for it themselves.

Why do other peoples idiotic life choices have to cost those of us money who make good life choices?

[Craig]

Sanders was received politely by the crowd...

Just like when a Conservative Christian speaks at a Liberal university...


...oh wait...!

[Mike Mercury]

I do believe that it is improper for the United States government to tell every women in this country the very painful and difficult choice she has to make on that issue," Sanders said. "...but very often conservatives say, 'Get the government out of my life, I don't want the government telling me what to do.'"

to Mr. Barry Socialist Jerkwad; then stop publically funded abortions. That's right along those "'Get the government out of my life" beliefs. But he speaks out of both sides of mouth; vehemently opposed to stopping taxpayer abortions.

Only someone in a cult is fooled by his double-speak.

[VatorMan]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

to Mr. Barry Socialist Jerkwad; then stop publically funded abortions. That's right along those "'Get the government out of my life" beliefs. But he speaks out of both sides of mouth; vehemently opposed to stopping taxpayer abortions.

Only someone in a cult is fooled by his double-speak.

ANYONE that wants welfare cut, inner city violence halted, and maybe an anchor baby or 2 stopped APPLAUDE Gov't funded abortions.

[island14]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

to Mr. Barry Socialist Jerkwad; then stop publically funded abortions. That's right along those "'Get the government out of my life" beliefs. But he speaks out of both sides of mouth; vehemently opposed to stopping taxpayer abortions.

Only someone in a cult is fooled by his double-speak.

Originally Posted by VatorMan

ANYONE that wants welfare cut, inner city violence halted, and maybe an anchor baby or 2 stopped APPLAUDE Gov't funded abortions.

Shouldn't Crime stoppers be funding that?

[Bill]

Originally Posted by island14

Shouldn't Crime stoppers be funding that?

So wrong, and yet.....

:breathe:

[99 pewtercoupe]

Originally Posted by island14

Shouldn't Crime stoppers be funding that?

Ok,now I have to wipe spewed scotch off my IPad

[VITE1]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

ANYONE that wants welfare cut, inner city violence halted, and maybe an anchor baby or 2 stopped APPLAUDE Gov't funded abortions.

Then please explain why with the current availability of birth control and abortion single mother household rates keep growing along with welfare?

Could it be that when you feed the animals they keep multiplying until they exhaust their food supply?

Government should not be paying for abortions, infertility treatment or any other medical serve for the general public. It's the individual, their families, friends, neighbors and social organizations that's should help those in need.

Never the Federal government.

[VatorMan]

Pandora's box has been opened. It's too late to try and correct this cycle of welfare recipients. We either need to stop the next generation by funding abortions and cutting funding for present children on welfare.

This is the problem with conservatives . You want your cake and eat it too. Yes on cutting welfare and no on funding abortions. Who do you think is getting .Gov abortions ? Little miss white middle class America ? No. It's the inner city welfare recipient.

Why YOU PEOPLE can't understand this, I don't know.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

Pandora's box has been opened. It's too late to try and correct this cycle of welfare recipients. We either need to stop the next generation by funding abortions and cutting funding for present children on welfare.

This is the problem with conservatives . You want your cake and eat it too. Yes on cutting welfare and no on funding abortions. Who do you think is getting .Gov abortions ? Little miss white middle class America ? No. It's the inner city welfare recipient.

Why YOU PEOPLE can't understand this, I don't know.

Why stop at the unborn? Why not kill everyone on Welfare?

[OddBall]

Originally Posted by island14

Shouldn't Crime stoppers be funding that?

Straight to hell

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Craig

Why stop at the unborn? Why not kill everyone on Welfare?

They are killing each other....just not fast enough,

[VITE1]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

Pandora's box has been opened. It's too late to try and correct this cycle of welfare recipients. We either need to stop the next generation by funding abortions and cutting funding for present children on welfare.

This is the problem with conservatives . You want your cake and eat it too. Yes on cutting welfare and no on funding abortions. Who do you think is getting .Gov abortions ? Little miss white middle class America ? No. It's the inner city welfare recipient.

Why YOU PEOPLE can't understand this, I don't know.

Why do YOU PEOPLE not understand that by trying to fix problems caused by the government by having government fix the problem is just insanity?

If the government started to significantly reduce welfare benefits you can rest assured that birth control use will go up dramatically and abortion rates would remain in unchanged.

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

This is the problem with conservatives... no on funding abortions. Who do you think is getting .Gov abortions ? Little miss white middle class America ? No. It's the inner city welfare recipient.

Why YOU PEOPLE can't understand this, I don't know.

This is the problem with people caught up in a cult. They think the only free abortions have to be funded by money taken out of others paychecks.

Over the years in this country, there's been plenty of privately funded "poor" programs. Problem with the cult... is that they don't like to spend their own money on these endevors; instead...too eager to grab into a working mans pocket to hand out "compassion".

[VITE1]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

This is the problem with people caught up in a cult. They think the only free abortions have to be funded by money taken out of others paychecks.

Over the years in this country, there's been plenty of privately funded "poor" programs. Problem with the cult... is that they don't like to spend their own money on these endevors; instead...too eager to grab into a working mans pocket to hand out "compassion".

Income and wealth inequality were going down from the 1940's until 1965. Single mother household and crime rates as well.

Then the "Great Society" came along to HELP . Then all started to increase. All the while Abortions became legal and BC was more reliable and readily available.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

This is the problem with people caught up in a cult. They think the only free abortions have to be funded by money taken out of others paychecks.

Over the years in this country, there's been plenty of privately funded "poor" programs. Problem with the cult... is that they don't like to spend their own money on these endevors; instead...too eager to grab into a working mans pocket to hand out "compassion".

I am in agreement that the .gov shouldn't be funding abortions, and should only be minimally funding welfare, jobs programs, etc....as a hand up, not a lifestyle.

Having said that, trying to defacto reinstate the abortion ban, like Texas is doing by harassing the clinics into closing, is a bad idea, too. Like it or not, the bulk of the kids being aborted would end up just like what we see all to often. Out of control thugs, girls pumping out more kids they can't afford, etc. Vite1 is right.....stop paying for failure and the entitlement class will start getting it, that they have to work just like everyone else. That doesn't mean they will start making good decisions in all areas. I also anticipate crime rising dramatically if and when that happens.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

I am in agreement that the .gov shouldn't be funding abortions, and should only be minimally funding welfare, jobs programs, etc....as a hand up, not a lifestyle.

Having said that, trying to defacto reinstate the abortion ban, like Texas is doing by harassing the clinics into closing, is a bad idea, too. Like it or not, the bulk of the kids being aborted would end up just like what we see all to often. Out of control thugs, girls pumping out more kids they can't afford, etc. Vite1 is right.....stop paying for failure and the entitlement class will start getting it, that they have to work just like everyone else. That doesn't mean they will start making good decisions in all areas. I also anticipate crime rising dramatically if and when that happens.

Eh, crime may spike for a week or two, but they run outta food/fuel and go find JOBS.....but that means we need pull off all the stupid JOB KILLING REGS from all these damn .gov agencies.....from imports to EPA/etc.....SO the folks can actually FIND jobs.....first things first, then cut the welfare crap......

[VITE1]

So let me get this straight. He wants the government to spend 18 trillion over 10 years to fix problems caused by government spending 22 Trillion over the past 50 years?

This is not an economic policy. it's the definition of insanity.

[Aerovette]

Every time I hear him all I can think about is Larry David.