By John Klar
It’s official: Vermont’s government has been usurped by elitist bureaucrats who have decided that Constitutions, and voting, are annoying impediments to their enlightened oversight. This is not an exaggeration.
Bureaucratic agencies have swollen in costs (salaries) and powers in all areas of Vermonters’ lives: farms close, but the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets expands steadily. Schools are being closed, but administrative employees and costs increase relentlessly. Mental health facilities and small hospitals are in crisis, yet OneCare Vermont and related administrative bodies bloat (citizens are told it will take five years to determine whether OneCare even works).
John Klar
In addition to a slew of blatantly unconstitutional gun laws for the 2020 legislative session, the Vermont Legislature is pushing the most un-democratic agenda yet, through the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) and the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). The only thing “democratic” about these absurd bills is that Democrats have drafted them, and the Democrat-dominated House and Senate seek to enact them.
The TCI does not define how high the fuel taxes it imposes will go — as high as necessary to achieve fictitious “goals” of greenhouse gas emissions. Neither does it define how money collected will be redistributed to the poorest citizens who will admittedly be the most economically damaged by its provisions — that too will be up to the bureaucrats.
The GWSA is even more open-ended (and sponsored or co-sponsored by 87 Representatives!). Based on hyperbole and a single UN study, the bill identifies global warming as a “clear and present danger” that requires sweeping government intrusions, which will be designed without voter involvement, approval, or reimbursement for economic losses caused thereby. Under this bill, state agencies will be directed to do “whatever it takes” to meet arbitrary emission reduction goals, via a delegation by our Democrat legislature of complete authoritarian implementation of power to do whatever these agencies decide is needed. This is not democratic.
Citizens and environmental plaintiffs will be granted special rights to sue the government to compel compliance with certain fantasized percentage targets for reducing gases, and courts will be empowered to order yet more administrative powers and regulations (again, totally unspecified). But there is no cause of action for citizens who suffer financial damages, or lose property (or property development) rights. The U.S. and Vermont Constitutions seek to shield citizens from exactly such governmental “takings” of property, but these laws exclude any Due Process to ensure those protections are preserved — indeed, they contain no provisions to redress economic damages to Vermont citizens. Which is to say, there is not only no Due process — there is no process whatsoever.
Ironically, Vermont’s GWSA specifically cautions that Vermont might suffer a “climate crisis-related credit downgrade” without explaining what that even looks like, while ignoring the actual “credit downgrade” that will most certainly be caused by an unrestricted, undefined government seizure of all aspects of production, consumption, and livelihood. Citizens already fleeing the Green Mountain State will flee faster if this stifling government power-grab is enacted, creating a surplus of real estate inventory that will cause Vermonters to lose yet more wealth as they exit — property prices will plummet if people leave en masse. Eighty-seven Vermont legislators seek to enact a law which declares that “[d]elaying necessary policy action to address climate crisis risks significant economic damage to Vermont.” If it becomes law, H.688 will cause substantial economic harm, with no recourse.
Do Vermont’s legislators read these bills? Have they ever read the Constitutions? Or do they just think citizens can’t read?
There may be another resolution that could present itself and spontaneously. There are many similarities in present day VT, it’s economy, it’s state of agriculture, social divisions, and political power plays, to those of France in the 1780’s. And should the GW accords, GWSA and TCI, be enacted in VT the similarities will even be closer. Gun control laws, such as relieving the gun owning public of all their firearms could be a strong catalyst igniting a rebellion.
VT is heavily populated with gun owners’, a majority of which are sportsmen. They’re avid hunters, many who own hunting camps in the rurals. They’re also avid fishermen who own boats. When gun control, GWSA and TCI start to intrude on their way of life, as well as every other non-privileged citizen, they won’t be happy campers. The progs are elitists. They believe they possess the only solutions to climate change and VT’s social problems. The First Estate (the Catholic clergy) and the Second Estate (the royals and nobles) of 1786 France, believed similarly. How’d that work out for them? The French Third Estate (the working class, poor, etc.) were the rebels. Even the 40% (state workers) of VT’s working class will suffer along with the other 60%. Once they feel the wrath of the progs programs to fulfill the two accords, where will they stand?
Time will be the revealer of how the pending regulations will affect VT and what the fallout will be. That great revealer has already proven one decision was a serious mistake, namely closing VT Yankee. A producer of cheap electricity for half of VT, without producing CO2, and a substantial tax base.
Remember, since the end of the ice age there has been nothing but global warming!
Carpetbaggers, the bane of VT’s economic ills. I used to think that progressive politicos were the puppets of opportunistic carpetbaggers. But me thinks they have now turned into carpetbaggers. Can the citizens of the state sue the progressives for violating their constitutional rights? Like take it to the federal supreme court? There must be some provision for preventing a non democratic group from infecting the state government. Is there not a finite definition in the state constitution, that bars personal interpretation? One thing is certain, if the progressives win, it will be a loss for everyone, including them.
You know, if climate warriors can protest and disrupt, especially during the governor’s SOTS address, why can’t warriors for democracy do the same to progressives and their capitol functions? Maybe it’s a tit for tat but, one cause deserves another.
Ashe and Zuckerman represent not only the socialist take over of the democratic party, but the attempt to have a socialist take over of our State of Vermont.
This has all been done under the cover of the Vermont Democratic Party.
There are many ,many, many American Loving Democrats in the party the know something is very, very wrong in Montpelier. Of course “the party” will not allow for any dissention or you’ll be removed, quietly or not so quiet. You’re wearin’ brown and lovin’ it.
Time for some basic civics classes across our state, we don’t know what we don’t know.
Sen J White D-Windham is expanding government, more bureaucracy. They can’t do anything opposite like reduce gov. Bill S182 –SICK
http://www.truenorthreports.com/new-agency-proposed-to-oversee-all-state-police-game-wardens-county-sheriffs-and-prison-guards#comment-419018
Bigger gov, more control. A ray of hope, gun sanctuary towns like VA to control the idiots. Trump is a stance 2nd Amendment as stated on his SOTU speech. And he;s going after the the sanctuary places and late term abortion. That really must rile the Dome elitists.
Hope on the horizon????
Consider that in the 1950s, the VT legislature met for a couple of weeks *every other year* — simply to allocate money for road repair, maybe constructing a bridge or two, and other various basic infrastructure.
Then came the enlightened ones in the 60s and 70s to show us what “progress” looked like.
Had enough “progress” yet?
Mr. Klar, in the Petrie dish of the Bernie Sanders Laboratory, Vermonts’ Universal Socialists do not care a whit about negative outcomes. For them it’s just and only the philosophy of the thing that’s overridingly most important. Vermont used to elect representatives to represent the citizens day-to-day interests, not formulate and pursue philosophical platforms that disregard the effects that may ensue.
It is a really weird time for the state, one that is hard to understand. With the exception of the rich and financial secure, who can withstand any amount fiscal distress, Vermonters are in for a rollercoaster ride. Some will leave if they can, some will want to but can’t, some will stay and hang in there because, well, they are Vermonters and have hope that something will happen to bring the state back to some kind of livability for the average citizen.
My hope is that sensible folks like you keep the pressure on and perhaps in time, prevail.
Jay is unfortunately correct. We have created a bureaucracy that is numerically imposdible to outvote—SCARY AS HELL!
Wake up Vermont, Vote these fools out they don’t have your best interest,
they are agenda-driven and your not part of there agenda !!
Vote them out, and take our state back !!!
Want to be sure I understand the thinking in Montpelier. It appears that as schools close, younger population declines, older folks become more numerous, it imperative that beaurocracies grow, costs go up requiring new tax revenue to support these added unnecessary expenses. Am I missing something???? Will this insanity ever end????
Mr. Klar
Excellent and to the point,as past posters have pointed out the totalitarian Marxists infesting the state house are in need of a eviction, now the question what is the best method for evicting them, other than letting the bankrupt the state.
We need to vote out these junk peddlers!!! Why do we keep voting them in people???
‘We’ don’t vote for them.
Forty percent of all Vermont workers are employed by the government, heathcare and education sectors of our economy. They receive great pay, spectacular (and under funded) healthcare and retirement benefits. And they and their families are the ones electing our legislators. They have a super-majority. They can’t be stopped! At least not by the electorate.
How can they be stopped? Let them go bankrupt!
While I hesitate to ‘spill the beans’ (i.e. my game plan), the only strategy that works is, when those of us who disagree with this take-over of our government stop having taxable income. It’s now a war of attrition. Who will be the last taxpayer standing? Do what you must to stop paying taxes. Cut them off at the roots – their wallets.
How do you suggest we stop paying taxes — besides moving out of this crazy state?
Great question.
1. Moving, i.e. choosing an alternative place to live with more reasonable governance is your first option. It’s already happening and Vermont is fast becoming the State best defined by the sound of one hand clapping.
2. Change your life style. Limit your taxable income. Do what you must to live the best you can with the least resources. If you have income investments, manage them in such a way that limits your taxable income to the lowest level possible.
3. If you own a business, speak with your accountant. If you own a business, you are already likely to have structured your operations to take advantage of tax laws where ever possible.
In effect, you must learn to hold your breath longer than the progressives can. As long as Vermont indexes property tax to income, there is hope. But, and very importantly, now that I’ve mentioned this as a strategy, beware of a corrupt legislature moving to eliminate the income indexed property tax limitation.
I am trying to process all this. To be clear, “they” (Progressives. Marxists, Communists, and liberals ) have a supermajority because Vermont has more bureaucrats living off the electorate who consistently vote them in. We who are paying for it all, have somehow lost our democracy? Then, to make matters even more Orwellian, this supermajority, can set up an unaccountable dictator(s) (as explained in Klar’s commentary) to do what they deem necessary to solve what they deem a problem and We, the People have no recourse but to stop paying taxes? Am I in
the twilight zone? A diabolical nightmare? Did our Constitution disappear?
Jay, let’s not forget all of the out of state college students who only for socialist/progressive/democratic party. With them alone, we Vermonters are screwed….
They’ll just vote regulations allowing taxing of currently non-taxable income; like my veteran’s disability compensation. Once Vermont becomes a socialistic state we can be renamed New Russia and they can invite Putin for the grand opening. I’m for suing them for violations of constitutional rights. The might change the State’s Constitution but not the national one.
We need to vote out these junk peddlers!!!