In a weekend of posts on Twitter, users continued to express concerns about homelessness, trans rights, the 2024 election, detransitioner Walt Heyer in Vergennes, Becca Balint and more.
Homelessness
Jeremy Rathbun of Middlebury shared his recently published commentary on homelessness.
VTDigger published my opinion piece on the homeless crises. I think it provides a perspective many of the working class in Vermont have on this issue.#vtpoli @VT_AFLCIO @ChampValleyDSA https://t.co/SR4THaUoiE
— Jeremy Rathbun (@J_Rathbun802) June 18, 2023
The gist of his commentary is that policymakers failed to have the foresight to see that “as many as 200 to 300 children will be made homeless by the end of the voucher program,” according to Rathbun’s research.
In a post by Gyandevi, she says that “no cause” evictions are contributing to increased homelessness.
No cause evictions cause homelessness in Vermont. In a market that lacks housing, this affects all renters including the middle class. Does the data show the reason for their "no cause"? Because we know the outcome has caused homelessness. #vtpoli #HousingCrisis https://t.co/p97aU7u0Tm
— Gyandevi (@Gyandevi) June 17, 2023
“Paco #D4L” wrote that the federal hotel-voucher program from the COVID-19 shutdown era enabled too many people to take advantage of its resources and has caused them to develop dependency rather than economic independence.
https://twitter.com/pacoccino/status/1670113473391362048
The 2024 presidential race
Paco #D4L also retweeted about the latest developments in the race for the White House in 2024. One poll gathering some media buzz is showing that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has the best favorable and unfavorable ratings among three leading candidates.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) June 17, 2023
Detransitioner coming to Vermont
Walt Heyer who is the author of “A Transgender’s Faith and Paper Genders: Pulling the Mask Off the Transgender Phenomenon” is going to be speaking at Vergennes High School this Tuesday evening. Not all of the online buzz is enthusiastic.
Heather R. Benjamin, the “Fund director advancing SRHRJ, gender justice & queer liberation. Immunocompromised & disabled” according to the profile, posts about an upcoming event involving a detransitioner coming to speak at a Vermont high school to speak.
1) Vermonters – we must stop the march of anti-trans hate coming to our state & @stroupjt0 must use his power as @VergennesVT school board chair to stop the spread of disinformation about gender affirming care coming to the high school next week. #vtpoli 1/3
— Heather R. Benjamin (@heatherbenjamin) June 18, 2023
In follow-up tweets, Benjamin targets a group called Parents Rights in Education, which apparently is behind the event featuring the detransitioner. The organization has put on numerous events in the state offering public speakers to talk about concerns regarding political advocacy now routinely showing up in public school curricula.
3) Platforming groups like Parents Rights in Education sets Vermont on a dangerous path. Their policies will deny students the ability to talk about and learn about race, gender, their own histories and more—and they’re coming to a school district near you. Time to stand up. 3/3
— Heather R. Benjamin (@heatherbenjamin) June 18, 2023
Christopher Aaron-Felker, the head of the GOP for Burlington, spoke about the event in support of Heyer.
https://twitter.com/C_Hurl802/status/1670375190339940353
Becca Balint in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., had one of her commentaries published recently. In it she argues that she is in Washington, D.C., as a “bridge builder and a peacemaker” — but not all Twitter users agree.
On the latest Vermont Conversation with @davidgoodmanvt: Rep. Becca Balint ran for Congress last year as a bridge builder and a peacemaker. #vtpoli https://t.co/YHTmIlH4lc
— VTDigger (@vtdigger) June 17, 2023
Among the comments to the post, one unimpressed Vermonter posts about her apparent support for controversial transgender procedures on the youth.
https://twitter.com/SMHD2020/status/1670069902214938629
Another post by Rowdy Yates suggests that her alleged associations with the FTX scandal are still haunting her reputation.
Beccy, where the money at ?? the FTX million that you got for your campaign, from the guy that pleaded '' guilty '' to FRAUD.
— Rowdy Yates (@RowdyYates8) June 17, 2023
Is Biden getting too old?
“Your Cambridge MA” posted a sarcastic tweet referring to the fact that the president has frequently had stumbles at public events. This comes after a new poll has been released by DailyMail.com indicating that 71% of all Americans think that the president to too old to continue to be president.
Here is the only video so far taken this month showing glorious leader Joe Biden walking on a stage without falling down.
Repeat, Joe Biden does not fall down here.
Wannabe Dictator Ruler For Life #CambMA #MEpolitics #VTPoli #MaineDems #NHpolitics #WCSH6https://t.co/M0Omkjod7t
— Your Cambridge MA (@Our_Cambridge) June 18, 2023
Pride Month
Rep. William Notte, D-Rutland City, posted about his support for the latest pride parade to take place in his city.
It was a pleasure to speak at the Rutland County Pride Festival with Representative Eric Maguire and Alderman Larry Cupoli. Rutland turned out in a big way for this event, sending a strong message about our community and what we stand for. #RutlandCountyPride #vtpoli #RUVT pic.twitter.com/1Y23tWTGtf
— William Notte (@willnotte) June 17, 2023
Governor allows publicly funded school lunches for all
Rep. Kate McCann, D-Montpelier, posted about how the governor recently let a bill for publicly funded school lunches for all income brackets in all public schools in Vermont.
So happy to see this move to law. #FeedAllKids #StopTheStigma Kids need nourishment and food stability to learn. For that matter, they need stable housing too! #HousingFirstVermont #vted #vtpoli https://t.co/T7MWvL13mf
— Kate McCann, Vermont State Rep (@kmccannu32) June 17, 2023
A Lesson in Civics
The Essex GOP posted some writings by the economist Thomas Sowell who frequently offers thorough critiques of liberal economic policies such as rent control or minimum wage policies. In this post, he explains the difference between what “equity” means as it relates to the better-known term “equality.”
Excerpt from author, economist, and commentator Thomas Sowell on Equity…..and who seeks to manage it. What do you think?#vtgop#vtyr#vtpoli https://t.co/e3JyJNDLTw
— EssexVTGOP (@essexvtgop) June 17, 2023
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
There is no trans hate on Vermont. The progressive party refuses to address the real issue in good faith. The issue is putting minor children on hormone blockers and evasive medical procedures without parental consent.
Terence McKenna: Culture is not your friend. Culture is for other peoples’ convenience and the convenience of various institutions, churches, companies, tax collection schemes, what have you. It is not your friend. It insults you. It disempowers you. It uses and abuses you. None of us are well-treated by culture.” […] But the culture is a perversion. It fetishizes objects. It creates consumer mania. It preaches endless forms of false happiness, endless forms of false understanding in the form of squirrelly religions and silly cults. It invites people to diminish themselves and dehumanize themselves by behaving like machines.”
The man was absolutely 100% spot on and social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, TikTok) are collectively exhibit “A” as displayed in this article.