MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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What happened today, Senator? What do you see? What`s going on in Vermont?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: Well, Ed, I was in a helicopter running all over the state today. And I want to say, first, Vermont has suffered the worst natural disaster in history of the state. Second of
all, I am extraordinarily proud of the police officers, the firemen, the emergency medical people who have been out there, the National Guard -- they`ve done an extraordinary job saving lives, getting food to people.

Our people are really coming together in the face of this disaster.

But the fact of the matter is, Ed, and you made this point very clearly -- I have always believed that this is the United States of America, U-N-I-T-E-D, that we are one of a nation. That when there is a problem on the East Coast, or in Louisiana, the people of Vermont, the people of New Jersey, are there for them. When there`s a problem in the East Coast, people in the Midwest who have suffered through tornadoes, they`re there for us.

This is what makes us a nation. And the idea that anybody in the United States Congress could say, I don`t care, we`re going to allow communities to be devastated -- Ed, we`ve had to close hundreds of roads.
Dozens of bridges in the state of Vermont have been destroyed or severely damaged. Our rail system in some parts of the state is now under water. Our major office complex in Waterbury, Vermont, 1,700 workers shut down. They`re not going to work right now.

So, we need, along with other states, help from the rest of the country that our part of the country has provided in the past. That`s what makes us a nation.

On top of all of that, Ed, we have -- forget disasters -- we have an infrastructure which is crumbling. In China, they`re spending huge sums of money building high-speed rails. They are building airports. They are
building huge amounts of new roads.

In our country, we`re seeing infrastructure deteriorating all over this country. What do you think the rest of the world thinks when they look at America, and you`re having politicians say, oh, we don`t care if a
community is devastated, if their bridges go down and people can`t get to work?

And over in China, they`re building like crazy.

I sometimes think, Ed, that some of these right wing Republicans want this nation to be a second-rate country. Maybe they`ll look into China for the future, but some of us are not. We believe that America is great. We believe that we can grow, and we have got to invest to do that.

At the very least -- at the very least -- we have to make sure that everybody in this country knows that when disaster comes, help will be there.

SCHULTZ: Senator, you`re so spot on and so perfect on this, no question about it.

Budget cuts versus disaster relief. Are we losing our moral compass in this country, in your opinion?

SANDERS: We`re losing -- well, it`s not most -- I don`t think most Americans believe that. I think you got a tiny fringe that Eric Cantor represents.

(CROSSTALK)

SCHULTZ: What would you say to him tonight? What would you say to Cantor tonight?

SANDERS: I would say it`s not just Vermont that you`re hurting. You are destroying the fabric of a nation. We are a nation that comes together in disaster. And you don`t ignore people in Vermont or in Missouri who
have been hit by an earthquake or a tornado or California that has its problems.

We are a nation. Don`t sell us out, Mr. Cantor. Don`t make us a second-rate nation. We have got to significantly rebuild our infrastructure. We will be the laughingstocks of the world if people think
that when a community is devastated, this great nation doesn`t have the resources to help that community rebuild.

SCHULTZ: And next week the senate will be talking about funding for FEMA, which is down to $800 million, the damage is into the billions. I know where you`re going to be on that fight, Senator.

Great to have you with us tonight. Thanks for what you`re doing and I appreciate your time visiting with our viewers tonight. Thanks so much.

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