I will respond to some of the comments readers made to me during the last edition of The Vermont Bernie Buzz. Thank you for reading the Bernie Buzz and sharing your thoughts.

Here are selected comments from the last edition of The Vermont Bernie Buzz and Bernie’s reply.

"I worry about the way things are going. And I try to save whenever possible. But I still can't seem to get ahead. I have worked at the same job for 16 years - and I work weekends to make ends meet. ...I think if we don't help the middle class working man stay afloat things will get worse."

Robert
Springfield, Vt.

BERNIE:  Robert, you are right. The middle-class today is disappearing. Under President Bush median family income declined by over $2,000 and poverty increased. Clearly, we need to focus on a number of strategies to create jobs and rebuild the middle-class.

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"Those of us who've been laid off and are looking for work are growing. We need jobs. I have been looking since Jan. 2010 and I have 11 weeks left until my unemployment runs out. I have been looking for what seems like eons for a job. I am either overqualified or under-qualified."

Gordon
Rutland, Vt

BERNIE: Gordon, Thanks for writing. In Vermont, more than 6,000 people have been unemployed for over 6 months. Nationally, long-term unemployment is at the highest level since records has been kept. I am fighting hard to create more job-creating programs while, at the same time, ensuring that unemployment benefits are extended. I was disappointed that the Republicans – on three separate occasions – fillibustered the efforts to extend unemployment benefits.

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"I wish we had a Vermont program to help provide inexpensive solar panels to every Vermonter, so that we could all be more energy independent. I'd like to see us lead the nation in this, with solar power available to all."

Deborah
Putney, Vt.

BERNIE: Deborah, I couldn’t agree with you more. We must transform our energy system away from fossil fuel and into sustainable energy. This year, we have seen more solar projects in Vermont than ever before, but we must do more. That is why I have introduced legislation to create 10 million solar rooftops in 10 years – making solar affordable to people of all incomes.

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"We only live in a land of "Opportunity" for the rich and we are squandering a lot of talent. How is my daughter, and I know a lot of other kids, even going to get to college, if we can't afford it?"

Andrea
Burlington, Vt.

BERNIE: Andrea, you raise a very important issue that does not get the discussion it deserves. While the middle-class sinks and college is unaffordable to many, the gap between the very rich and everyone else is growing wider. That is why we need to have millionaires and billionaires paying their fair share of taxes -- so that, among other things, we can make college affordable.  

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