Trump and Sanders both make stops in Dutchess County

 POUGHKEEPSIE — It was an upbeat and busy week for Dutchess County as two presidential candidates visited the county seat in the span of less than a week.

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders stopped at Marist College for a rally on Tuesday, April 12.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump followed on Sunday, April 17, with a rally at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center.

Each event seemed to have reached venue capacity, including the use of overflow rooms to accommodate as many people as possible.

A reported 4,100 people filled the McCann Center and two other overflow rooms, while the Mid-Hudson Civic Center hosted an estimated 3,200 people between the main room and the ice rink.

Although there were no signs of any protestors at the Sanders rally, a group of peaceful protestors gathered in a corner park off Church and Market streets for the Trump rally.

Arturo Juarez, one of the protestors, estimated there were about 200 of them protesting against what they say Trump represents.

“We organized via Facebook,” Juarez, a resident of the town of Poughkeepsie, said, adding that there were several Facebook groups calling out to protest Trump’s ideas.

“We don’t want his ideas here,” Juarez said. “We want everyone to know that he’s not wanted in the state of New York.”

LaGrange protestor Alvin Chiappolini and his high-school-age daughter Marih said that Trump is a racist and a sexist, and that is why his ideas are not welcomed.

Nicole Putckette from LaGrange added that as a white person, Trump uses his power, connections and money for momentum.

“I feel he’s a modern day Hitler,” Puckette said.

 Feeling the Bern

The Vermont senator addressed dozens of New Yorkers, urging them to vote on April 19 — New York’s primary.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” Sanders said, urging citizens to stand up to the billionaire class. “This is not a moment to elect a new president. It is a moment to transform America.”

Sanders spoke on a myriad of  topics ranging from the environment and a broken justice system to minimum wage, education and student loans — a note which seemed to resonate for an audience with many college students. 

One of the loudest cheers from the crowd seemed to come when Sanders commented on education and the U.S. labor force.

“We shouldn’t punish students for doing the right thing,” Sanders said of high student loans.

“We’ve got to invest in our [youth] and not in jails and incarceration,” Sanders added, while touching upon the issue of a broken system.

In addressing the middle-class workday, he said people in the U.S. work the longest hours of any people in the industrialized world.

“The Japanese are hard workers. We now work more hours than the people of Japan. We have to fight for a nation where people earn enough income without working 50, 60, 70 hours a week,” Sanders added, referring to individuals who work two or more jobs just to survive in a nation with a “rigged economy.”

 Sanders also touched on LGBT rights and comprehensive immigration reform, and briefly mentioned opponents Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

 The senator praised Hyde Park’s President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s legacies throughout his speech. 

 “In my view, FDR was one of the greatest presidents,” Sanders said. “He was a great president because he came into office in 1933 in a nation which was experiencing the worst depression in the history of our country, and he looked around him and saw millions of people unemployed and hungry.

 “He saw farmers losing their farms. He saw people struggling every single day to get the health care they needed or education for their kids. And he came forward and said, ‘You know what? We are going to transform the way government works in America.’ And that is what he did.”

 Throughout the night, Sanders preached the empowerment of the middle class.

 “Real change never takes place from the top to the bottom,” he said. “Real change takes place from the bottom on to the top.”

 ‘The Donald’

 Much like Sanders, Trump addressed an upstate crowed to urge them to vote for him in Tuesday’s primary.

 Before “The Donald” made his appearance on stage, the crowd, prompted by Trump Advisor and Director of Social Media Dan Scavino, chanted, “Build that wall.” Dutchess County Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson, who was reportedly named Trump’s honorary campaign co-chairman, introduced Trump with a reading dedicated to the American flag.

 Trump began addressing the those in the crowd by letting them know how lucky they are to be seeing him, and asked them if they would like to exchange places with those who could not make it in.

 Then he switched gears by providing publicity to Monte’s  Local Kitchen and Tap Room in Amenia — his brother, Robert Trump, is married to co-owner Ann Marie Pallan.

After the introductory portion of his “show,” as Millerton resident Dana Farrar puts it, he opened up his speech by alerting his followers that the U.S. is in bad shape.

“A lot of things are going on, and we’re dealing with democracy,” he said. “We’re dealing with a great country, but our country is in big, big trouble.”

In his 40-minute speech, Trump touched upon the economy, the erection of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border (to be paid for by Mexico, he said), and on building a strong military.

“Our leaders don’t know what to do,” Trump said as he described historic U.S. generals “who must be turning inside their graves.”

Trump went on to appeal to the people of the area by reading a letter describing how the city of Poughkeepsie has declined over the years.

 “This is a great part of the world, but let me give you the bad news,” Trump said while staying on the topic of bad leadership, “I can’t believe you people would let this happen. But it wasn’t you, you know that. It was incompetent leaders.”

 The only similarity between Trump and Sanders was when Trump spoke about a “rigged system.” He referred to U.S. politics as being part of a fixed system for established politicians, much as Sanders did in his rally.

 Making an informed vote

 Voters of all ages could be found at each rally. New York voters used these rallies as an opportunity to listen to the candidates one more time before casting a vote on April 19 (after this paper went to press).

 Some people said they already had their minds made up about whom to vote for.

 “I think [Sanders is] a politician who backs his words,” said SUNY Orange student Rebecca Walker of Middletown. “He doesn’t change for what he stands for. I’m definitely voting for him.”

 Marist political science student Michael Trainor said he connected most with the Democrat’s fiscal policy.

 “He’s trying to be fiscally responsible by relocating taxes where they’re need the most,” Trainor said.

 Similarly, some Trump supporters had already made up their minds.

 “He’s going to make a positive difference,” said Kingston resident Ralf Cline. “He’s not a politician, so he’s honest. And his policies are right on the money. He’s not prejudiced; he just cares for us.”

 Others, however, were still trying to figure out who is the most appropriate candidate to vote for and wanted to expose themselves to both sides of the coin as much possible before making a decision.

  Highland resident James Dun walked all the way from his home to hear Sanders speak.

 “I’m a registered Republican,” Dun said, adding that he’s preparing for the national vote as well. “I want an outsider, and I’m between Sanders and Trump. I think they both have interesting things to say.”

 Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro was in attendance at both rallies. He said that as soon as he heard of the New York campaigns, he opened an invitation to all candidates to visit Dutchess County.

 “Everyone needs to have an opportunity to hear both sides,” Molinaro said. “That’s what America is all about.”

 The county executive added that while everyone has the right to disagree, it must be in an informed manner.