Busted: Bernie Caught Reportedly Flying to Debate in Ritzy First-Class Seat
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is proud to say he is a democratic socialist.
The Democratic presidential candidate preaches about the plight of the middle class — even while promising he will raise taxes on them.
Sanders rails against the evil of the rich — even while owning three houses and having a net worth in the millions.
Another sign of the senator’s hypocrisy came Thursday.
Giancarlo Sopo, a contributor to USA Today and several other outlets, posted a tweet containing pictures he purportedly received from a friend.
The pictures show Bernie Sanders “flying first class, presumably to the debate in Miami.”
A friend of mine sent me these photos of @BernieSanders flying first class, presumably to the debate in Miami. It must be nice to be a #FirstClassSocialist.?? pic.twitter.com/X6CCDqKhNB
— Giancarlo Sopo (@GiancarloSopo) June 28, 2019
“It must be nice to be a #FirstClassSocialist,” Sopo concluded.
And he’s right.
Sanders is estimated to have a net worth of $2.5 million, according to Forbes magazine. He attributes that wealth to his best-selling book.
I hope you caught the irony there. Sanders, a critic of capitalism and the free market, is more than willing to benefit from it personally. Capitalism isn’t so bad when it’s your product that is making money — or so Sanders’ personal philosophy must go.
But don’t think that is his only source of money. Instead of returning his evil riches to the masses, Sanders has collected in full the six-digit salary that he’s been receiving since he took office 28 years ago.
And while he may claim to be a candidate for the average Joe, I don’t know many average Joes who own three homes like Sanders does.
In fact, months after ending his 2016 presidential campaign, in which he blasted the corruption of the rich, Sanders paid cash for a $575,00 summer Vermont home — you know, like an average Joe.
When Forbes reached out for a statement on his wealth, Sanders’ spokesman “didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment.”
Don’t get me wrong. I would love to own three homes and have a pension to pay me over $70,000 for the rest of my life and write a million-dollar-producing best-seller. But I believe people should benefit from the fruit of their labor. I applaud Bernie for writing a product people — some people, not me — want to read. That’s how the market should work.
But it’s hypocritical for Sanders to greatly benefit from the market, live as a rich man — and then preach against the evils of the same market from which he profited.
So when you see him sitting there in first class, know that he is choosing to enjoy the wealth that he demonizing from the debate stage. He campaigns on class warfare and fuels resentment toward the rich while choosing to fly in the front of the plane from one of his three homes.
As a side note, Sopo’s friend noticed something strange about the seat next to Bernie.
It gets better. According to my friend, while Bernie flew in first class to Miami, he had his wife go back in coach. ? The first photo confirms she flew with him that day, and if you look closely, the seat next to him is empty. #FirstClassSocialist pic.twitter.com/7mwLYDEdf5
— Giancarlo Sopo (@GiancarloSopo) June 28, 2019
Although his wife was with him at the airport, she didn’t join him in first class.
Maybe Sanders needed the extra leg room. He can’t be cramped up in coach — like an average Joe.
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