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Liberal Place: Burlington, VT
These are comments on Burlington, submitted by other Turn Left visitors. They do not necessarily represent the opinion of the webmaster. You may add a comment on Burlington if you want.
My vote goes to Burlington, Vermont. It's always a pleasure to visit what to this frequent Canadian visitor to many parts of the U.S. has long struck me as one of the most civilized small cities in America. I don't know whether it's the lingering effect of Bernie Sanders's tenure as mayor or what, but many civic administrations across the United States could learn a lot from the way in which Burlington is governed, and the quality of life here. Its public services, abundantly evident self-confidence in itself as a community, its wealth of cultural attractions and progressive politics make it hard to believe that this is the largest city in the state that gave America Calvin Coolidge. However, I would be loath to recommend that any bright teenager who could choose otherwise enroll at the U of Vermont if it can possibly be avoided. It's an intellectual black hole with a faculty list to match.

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Think about it! Burlington is home to the only independent in the Congress (the first in forty years): Bernie Sanders. Bernie is the chair of House Progressive Coalition and is now in his fourth term (unprecedented) in Congress.

Burlington gave Bernie four terms as mayor, adopted a town in Nicaragua as a sister city, was one of the first towns in the country to give equal rights to domestic (including gay partners). At the same time, Burlington was rated as one of the best towns overall in live in the USA. It has one of the lowest crime rates of any city and it is in State that has the "lowest" crime rate in the U.S.

Burlington has the University of Vermont where protestors in the past few years protested "Playboy" visiting the campus by marching topless. UVM is presently testing a crop of hemp to determine the viability of using it as a cash crop.

A great place to live.

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Burlington Vermont is a city that claims to value diversity. Diversity in clothing, in skin color, in language / accent, and in sexual orientation. But that is ALL that is valued. Diversity of thought is NOT valued. If you don't agree with the liberal philosophy and attitudes, nobody is chasing after you to be part of the diversity.

Allowing for true diversity means allowing that there will be others who do not think as you do, whose culture may not reflect your priorities or societal roles. Burlington's liberals want people of different skin, different colorful garb, different sexual orientation, who are in agreement with their own ideals; in short, they want their minds in diversely packaged bodies.

Is Burlington a panacea? Hardly.

Burlington's bonded (long term) debt went from several million dollars, where it had been for many years, to many times that much, in the few short years Bernie Sanders was Mayor. In typical liberal fashion, he borrowed money from the future citizens to buy votes from those of today. Burlington has little or no regular budget for things like street repairs.

The old-timers I used to talk to, say they can hardly recognize the place anymore. Is it better than it used to be? I don't think so. I would have enjoyed living there maybe in the 50's, but now... it's a place where there's no 4th of July parade, but a gay pride parade instead. (Why is it that someone's sexual orientation is none of my business - yet they insist on shoving it in my face relentlessly?)

Sorry, folks, this midwesterner moved to the Burlington area and lived there for over twelve years... and was relieved to sell my house and move back to the midwest. You like Burlington? Great. Seriously. Go ahead and buy a house and live there, and you'll be very happy. Me, I'm glad to be outta there.

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