Bernie Sanders voted for the farm bill which will result in $8.6 billion in food stamp cuts

[frazzled]

35. You've failed to convince me

Bernie Sanders had an easy choice to vote against this bill--because it would have passed anyway, without his vote. It's easy, and it's safe (except it puts you in a sticky place with the big-Dairy lobby that helps you get elected; and with the dairy farmers who make up a significant portion of your tiny state. But hey ... your socialist morals tell you these cuts are wrong.)

Now say you're the president: really, you. You have a choice. Congress has passed this bill. It's a massive bill that contains much that is desirable and much that is bad (what else is new in farm bills). You are adamantly opposed to the cuts in food stamp funding. You've said so. But you've got a choice: you can accept the compromise in cuts to this program, or you can veto the entire bill and the food stamp program will be cut by 100%. It will simply not exist: no one will get food stamps. The chances of Congress coming up with something better without some other heinous compromise, that will take months and months, is slim. What do you do?

Bernie Sanders has a choice; the president not so much. And for that you call him "centrist." He opposes the cuts as much as Senator Sanders. This is not a choice like war, that is irreversible. Cuts can be restored, at least theoretically. Moneys for assistance, should it become necessary, might be found in some new funding stream outside the farm bill. When you have to decide what to veto--like war, which can't be changed; and what is probably the best you'll get ... well, finish the sentence. My tea is ready.