Deb Billado: The COVID-19 sleight-of-hand trick

Editor’s note: This commentary is by Deb Billado, chairwoman of the Vermont GOP.

I am not suggesting they had anything to do with the COVID-19 pandemic happening, but Vermont Democrat/Progressives are not failing to use it as an opportunity to slip some very detrimental bills through this year’s session of the Vermont Legislature. That is what is happening right now with the so-called Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). There are other extremely bad bills that may be passed under this cover and I will continue to speak to you about them in the future.

Deborah Billado, chair of the Vermont GOP

While most of our attention is being paid to dealing with the damage and reaction to the coronavirus, many matters are receiving less attention than they normally would or should. This is the dynamic that the liberals are relying on. I call it “sleight of hand,” and the Democrat leadership is good at using such cunning to deceive and to accomplish their perverse purposes. Unless their ruse is exposed before it is executed, we will live to regret it.

This bill, which our governor and legislative Republicans are opposed to, will allow “anyone” to bring lawsuits that will cost you, the Vermont taxpayer, if the state does not meet the unreachable emission mandate deadlines in the bill. By the time the rulemaking process, run by unaccountable bureaucrats who will never be able to be reined in, is ready to be completed, the first mandate deadline will be upon us, putting the state in danger of having to defend costly lawsuits. This is a lawyer’s dream and a taxpayer’s nightmare. John McClaughry, vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute,  put it this way when In January 2020 he wrote about the GWSA;

Its passage would be a giant step toward unaccountable rule by arbitrary decree that would have astonished and alarmed two hundred years of Vermont governors and legislators, faithful to our constitution’s requirement that our government must always, in a legal way, remain accountable to the people.

Montpelier’s supermajority Democrat/Progressives have gone from one reckless climate policy to another, from a “carbon tax” to the unaffordable mandates in the GWSA. All of these will have no measurable impact on the environment, and all are harmful to working Vermonters. In his article mentioned above, John McClaughry also noted, “Will all this help defeat the climate emergency? Not detectably, of course, but it would be a virtue signal to the rest of the world: Brave Little Vermont! We have the courage to beggar our own people to battle the Menace of Climate Change!”

We must all do what we can individually and corporately that is reasonable, affordable, and sustainable to preserve and protect our environment. The GWSA measures bring about negatives that damage and discourage businesses that support and sustain Vermonters and their families, especially the young, who because of all the negatives brought about by this and other of their unworkable lawmaking passions, have caused our children to leave Vermont in pursuit of a meaningful life elsewhere. That is incredibly sad!

By proposing such a radical bill, the Democrats and Progressives in Montpelier have demonstrated that they are perfectly willing to sacrifice our state’s economic integrity in exchange for the hypothetical of a minuscule reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.

We need balance in Montpelier now more than ever, and that is why restoring accountability under the Golden Dome this November is essential.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Dreloyal

4 thoughts on “Deb Billado: The COVID-19 sleight-of-hand trick

  1. Neil is quite correct, these are foreign Agendas of Global Elites, the problem is most of our politicians and the general public does not see what is really going on here, or understand the structure that perpetuates it. Generally speaking these Agendas are encouraged by legions of non-profit lobbyists in the name of a good cause or a perceived global crisis.

    Since we have a Democrat majority in state government that cannot see this structure or how it works, they become facilitators of said agendas, but Republicans like governor Phil Scott have also facilitated many of their agendas as well, so it is not merely a Democrat or Progressive problem.

    This is a parallel universe that controls our elected officials regardless of party affiliation and they do so by controlling the narrative of our governance. This becomes obvious in the wake of the COVID crisis as Phil Scott arbitrarily shuts down our economy in response, causing massive economic
    devastation to Vermonters and by his actions has facilitated the global agenda. Next he appoints non-profits, (foreign agenda groups) to assist in repairing that devastation, who will in turn skim funds to sustain their organizations, funds that should be exclusively going directly to Vermonters.

    One would think the legislature would shift gears after a crisis of this magnitude to an agenda of the people of Vermont. That would make perfect sense, but no, it would seem Global Warming Solutions is still the priority of elected officials including our governor who is still hiding behind the COVID crisis and apparently he does not see more devastation headed our way from the passage of GWSA. So now Vermonters are in for a one two punch of economic disaster.

    Sadly our governance in Vermont is not controlled by our elected officials and our priorities are never really near the top of the legislative agenda, even though the rhetoric suggests otherwise.

    And as Phil Scott continues to hide behind COVID seemingly unaware of this parallel universe, John Klar waits to enlighten him!

  2. Thank you, Deb, for your clearly written article regarding the nonsense of the Legislature and RE interests
    Here are some numbers to support your article.

    Vermont has a Comprehensive Energy Plan, CEP.
    The capital cost for implementing the CEP would be in excess of $1.0 billion/y for at least 33 years, per Energy Action Network annual report. See URLs.

    https://www.eanvt.org/tracking-progress/annual-progress-report/2015-annual-report/
    https://outside.vermont.gov/sov/webservices/Shared%20Documents/2016CEP_Final.pdf

    The Global Warming SPENDING Act, GWSA, would make that fantasy plan a LEGISLATIVE MANDATE.

    Every Tom, Dick and Harry climate nut could sue the Agency of Natural Resources, ANR, for MALFEASANCE, i.e., failure to achieve the dream, fantasy, of Shumlin/Klein CEP goals.

    This is totally inane/absurd

    On top of that, the Legislature, using hating Trump as an excuse, voted, WITHOUT THINKING, to MEET PARIS, which got the NUTCASE ball rolling.

    Here are three examples of RE interests colluding to fool Vermonters with nonsense to get DEEP into their pockets FOR DECADES.

    1) ENERGY ACTION NETWORK, EAN, came up with a report to MEET PARIS
    http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/response-to-energy-action-report-2019-to-reduce-co2-in-vermont

    “Meeting Paris”

    EAN claims about: 1) $1.115 billion less would be sent out of state to buy fossil fuels, and 2) $323 million in savings from additional, in-state investment (primarily weatherization), would yield net savings to consumers of 1115 – 323 = $792 million during 2020 – 2025, if its measures to reduce CO2 by 2.281 million metric ton to “meet Paris” were implemented by 2025. See Note, and page 4 and 5 of EAN URL
    https://www.eanvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/EAN-report-2020-final.pdf

    Capital Cost to “Meet Paris”

    The measures are a multi-billion-dollar wish list of EAN members with a cost exceeding $15.536 BILLION during 2020 – 2025, about $3.107 BILLION/Y. EAN members want these heavily subsidized measures, because it is good for RE businesses.

    Amortizing the cost of the mostly short-life assets (EVs, ASHPs, battery storage systems, etc.), at 3.5% over 15 years, would require annual payments of $1.333 BILLION, more than offsetting the 800/5 = $160 million/y of energy cost savings.
    https://www.myamortizationchart.com

    It took about 20 years (2000 – 2020) to achieve the existing conditions by spending about $210 million/y, including Efficiency Vermont. The annual spending to “meet Paris” during 2020 – 2025 would be at least 10 times greater.

    These measures would be major burdens on the stagnant Vermont economy, its businesses, ratepayers, taxpayers, etc., while in the middle of a major recession, with decreasing tax collections by state government (room & meals, sales, income, gasoline, etc.), due to the coronavirus.

    EAN grossly misrepresented CO2 savings of air source heat pumps and electric vehicles. See articles

    VERMONT CO2 REDUCTION OF EVs IS BASED ON MISREPRESENTATIONS
    http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/vermont-co2-reduction-of-evs-is-based-on-a-misrepresentation

    VERMONT CO2 REDUCTION OF ASHPs IS BASED ON MISREPRESENTATIONS
    http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/vermont-co2-reduction-of-ashps-is-based-on-misrepresentations

    EAN Savings and Capital Cost Estimate

    The EAN report promises undefined energy cost savings, and lacks a capital cost estimate to “meet Paris”.
    Why does EAN not provide the spreadsheet that calculated these energy cost savings, as part of its glossy report?
    Why the reluctance to make a capital cost estimate by private entities and government entities?

    2) Then VT-DPS comes up with its $1.2 BILLION FORTRESS VERMONT fantasy to reduce the grid-disturbing DUCK CURVES caused by solar systems.
    The more solar, the bigger the DUCK curve.
    The $1.2 billion is just a down payment for the 2020 – 2025 period, with much bigger amounts thereafter.
    http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/fortress-vermont-a-multi-billion-boondoggle-foisted-onto

    3) Then VEIC comes up with its 2020 update of a 2016 SOLAR PATHWAYS report
    The 2020 update covers the 2020 – 2025 period, and then onto 2050.
    It is full of optimistic assumptions.
    NO CAPITAL COSTS AT ALL.
    http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/vermont-solar-market-pathways-report-based-on-optimistic

  3. Great Article,

    The GWSA is brought to us by those who wish for United Nations control under the guise of Agenda 21, 2030, etc, etc. I might argue that none of these people are democrats. They are NWO pimps, aka progressives. People will think I’m splitting hairs, there are many democrats who love America and our constitution, it does us no service to put them in the same pen, same name as the pimps or visa/versa.

    We need to heal our state and our nation. Many believe, my self included that this is not a contest between Democrats and Republicans, but American vs. Globalists. The Globalists consist of the pimps and rinos. Not sure what the opinion of the pimps are within the democratic party, but the rinos may fall beneath the belly of snake on the Republican side.

    Kind hearted conservatives and American loving Democrats are the answer to Vermont’s and the nations ills.

    Great article, great article.

  4. The GWSA is one of the worst pieces of legislation I’ve ever seen. Clever, compelling to the masses but deceitful and a form of outright theft.

    In order to understand the scientific issues well enough to analyze truth from propaganda, I spent time learning the climate science. Yes, it took some time and concentration. However, thanks to some excellent lay person level books now available, one does not need an advanced degree in geology, meteorology or atmospheric physics to know the facts, the political issues, the propaganda, the underlying motivations and who stands to gain when the public is hoodwinked.

    I did the work. Not so hard. Now I know the issues and what is fact, leaving what is the opposite. The truth is that actual climate scientists are in agreement on most elements, computer modeling being the exception. The media would have you think its a cut and dried hands down slam dunk! “Accepted science”, 97% consensus, 10,000 scientists. Deception!

    To legislate onerous taxes, new behavioral obligations, new ways of enforcing compliance against people who disagree with the effects on their lives
    energy use, roadways, construction, etc over the population of entire states, entire countries, all based on misinformation, misapplied science, and deception, is inexcusable. Worse!

    The allegation of a “Climate Emergency” is an enormous scam perpetrated on taxpayers and honest people who want a safe and renewable world. With the backing and political influence of the UN and a well organized global activist community, people have been misinformed, deceived and influenced to believe support for an agenda instead of accuracy and truth.

    I highly encourage you to learn for yourself. There’s no shortcut here. After all it is an issue of science, you will want to know at least the basics. Yes, it takes some work, but it is very doable.
    Here’s the source I made good use of.
    Because its presented simply and for the layperson and understandable, it is seen as a threat to the climate emergency establishment. They bad mouth the book, the author and those who speak such heresy as this.

    Gregory Wrightstone’s “Inconvenient Facts: the Science that Al Gore Doesn’t Want You to Know “.

    Once you learn some science, no one can pull the wool over your eyes! You’ll recognize truth, and you’ll recognize manipulation. Read. Learn.

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