After the entire Vermont Federal Delegation announced they were skipping Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address, VTGOP Chairman Paul Dame issued the following video statement:
“When I found out that all three Democrats elected to represent Vermont at the federal level when all three of them said that they were going to be skipping out on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address, the first word that came to my mind was “disgraceful.” I can’t imagine what a horrible message that sends to our allies around the world. It tells them if you make the effort to come here, address the American Congress to ask for help in a war that is trying to rescue hostages which includes Americans you allies might not even show up to listen to what that leader has to say.
Unfortunately, it has become absolutely characteristic for Democrats who do not want to listen to anyone who has a different opinion. We’ve seen this here in Vermont when thousands of people reached out to their legislators around the state and said “Please don’t pass this unaffordable heat act!” They did it anyway. When school budgets were failing all across the state, voters were telling Democrats “We don’t want this. Please listen to us.” Governor Scott issued a veto to try to get property taxes under control but Democrats wouldn’t listen.
It’s one thing for it to happen on the state level, but to see all three members of Vermont’s Federal get on board with this group think from National Democrats to reject an important Ally that we have in in the region is one of the most disgraceful things I’ve ever seen. I understand people may have differences of opinion about how Netanyahu should run his country. I’m sure many of our allies have differences in opinion about how we run our country. But that’s no reason to give them the cold shoulder. You can go listen to the perspective of somebody that maybe you don’t agree with. It’s just a common courtesy that Democrats are not extending to an important ally. If we want American hostages to come back we have to be working with Israel. That’s the only nation in the area that’s going to help us get those Americans back. To not even show up is one of the most disrespectful things that I would have thought would have been beneath at least one of the members of our Congressional delegation. To see all three turn their backs on an important Ally sets a new low for the representation that Vermont has at the federal level.
And this puts even more emphasis about why we absolutely need to vote these people out and Vermonters need to think about whether not Democrats are continuing to represent them the way that maybe they have in previous years. I really believe this might be a turning point in the election that Vermonters need to look carefully about whether Democrats are listening and are they willing to hear different perspectives? And if they’re not listening – they’re not fit to lead.”