Letter: Conservatives should vote for Phil Scott, or no one

Editor’s note: This letter is by John Klar, a resident of Brookfield.

Repeatedly I am asked whom conservatives should vote for now that I have withdrawn from the governor’s race. I wish to answer that question here for all to consider.

I have asked people not to write me in for governor. I appreciate the support, but I cannot win. Conservatives should vote for Phil Scott, or no one.

Now I completely understand that some simply refuse to support Gov. Scott, and I respect that. (After all, it was that sentiment that inspired me to challenge him.) But the real point I wish to convey is that the governor’s race is largely irrelevant — conservatives will have a progressive governor either way. The real action is in the downticket Senate and House races, where we have made great inroads and must reclaim lost ground from past elections.

I did not run for governor for an ego trip — I ran to inspire quality conservative candidates to seek office. From that perspective, my campaign was not a loss at all but a huge win for our state. Vermont’s conservatives lost many seats in our Legislature in 2018, and we cannot afford to lose any more. (We already see what a one-party state looks like.) The focus has been, and should remain, electing our voices back into the Legislature, and we are blessed with a broad slate of outstanding candidates in 2020 to do just that.

Overly focusing on the governor’s seat has cost us dearly. We must keep our eye on the long-term ball, and that includes continuing to play whack-a-mole: display to voters what the progressive tyrants are doing now that they are showing their true elitist, tyrannical colors.

Stay with me, Vermonters! I take a huge political risk by forecasting a collapsing economy in the next year or two. But I do so because hindsight is worthless and foresight is what we need — if I am proved wrong I will be elated. But I’m not wrong. I am a scholar of markets and common sense — our nation has increased its debt by 35% overnight, even as our GDP has dropped by a similar proportion. Vermont is in even worse shape. My family survived the Great Depression, and we have an even greater one looming over our heads.

And what are our progressive rulers doing while the Vermont economy implodes? More of the same idiocy — spending money, not balancing our budget, shortchanging pensions, passing more laws and taxes, saving the planet from Vermont’s deadly carbon dioxide, enacting systemic racism in the form of racist policies and spending. The list is long, but voters see this, and will see it more evidently over the next two years as the consequences of progressive folly become glaringly apparent.

In two years Vermonters will have seen the mighty utopian fantasies of the Zuckerman “visionaries” collapse into the the putrid ideological sand from which they sprang. The left will have earned the distrust of even liberals to fund pensions, operate schools or be trusted with the levers of government. Restoring businesses, farms and state coffers will be properly prized above divisive, false condemnations of Vermont as racist, above dishonest lies about enhancing prosperity by forced public purchase of foreign solar panels and electric cars, and above the nasty intolerance that says that Trump supporters must not be allowed to put his sign in their own yard.

Donald Trump did not destroy Vermont’s economy, attack our culture, and try to enslave us with a toxic Marxist elitism — progressives did. In 2022, they must be left clearly holding that bag. Voters will remember who dragged them over this fiscal cliff. And we will remind them, every step of the way.

Now let’s whack some moles. Speak up about the importance of fiscal integrity and economic growth to the vitality of any society, and vote for local candidates, whatever you do with the governor vote.

The “Phil Scott question” is the wrong focus: he has become irrelevant to our future, in which we must rebound from this disastrous course. When conservatives gain more legislative seats in 2020, they can shield Gov. Scott from veto overrides. But they can also prevent more devastating tax and other legislation from reaching David Zuckerman’s desk for signature.

Don’t worry about who’s governor — worry about who’s governing. We must reclaim the Legislature in order to reclaim our rights and self-determination. That’s where the action is.

John Klar
Brookfield, Vermont

Image courtesy of Public domain

35 thoughts on “Letter: Conservatives should vote for Phil Scott, or no one

  1. I hope it’s obvious to everyone in the state of vermont that a vote for phil scott was a vote for socialism.

    It is unbelievable that anyone claiming to be a republican supported phil scott when we had a much better choice and Kevin Hoyt.

    Vermont continues to lose…

    Obviously supporting scott meant you supported illegal immigration, the new green deal, the murder of The unborn and the destruction of constitutional rights including firearms protections in the state of vermont.

    Not surprising a socialist was pushing people to support a socialist..

    If vermont is ever going to win we need to get rid of bernie supporters and anyone who supports the socialist agenda.

    We need to elect some real vermonters to represent vermont…

    I wonder how many people and gun owners of vermont they claim to be no compromise voted for the very governor that imposed the gun laws in the state of vermont.

    I wonder how many people that marched in montpelier against the abortion of our babies voted for the governor that supports the murder of The unborn.

    I wonder how many people that are against illegal immigration voted for a governor that made us a sanctuary state.

    The list goes on and on and on.

    We better start to listen to people who value the republican party and republican values not those that have been on both sides of the aisle destroying not only the state of vermont but the united states of america.

  2. Mr. Klar, this is one time you’re wrong. Voting for someone who advocates the killing of the unborn and suspending rights given to us by God is the same as voting for a Democrat or any other socialist.

  3. Vote for a rabid SOCIALIST with a pony tail?
    He will be bringing in all these Bernie folks.

    You have got to be kidding.

    I am voting for Scott, the only sane alternative.

    My mother’s advice for Scott: If you have nothing nice to say about someone, it is better to shut up.

  4. I have already cast my vote and it was for Kevin Hoyt for governor who is on the ticket and who would represent vermonters well

    Kevin is a lifelong vermonter who believes in our second amendment and article 16 and supports our constitution.

    The governor in the state of vermont is very important unless you have a short memory.

    It was governor scott who mandated the gun laws in the state of vermont. He lied to the gun owners in the state of vermont he turned his back on us after signing a statement that he would not impose gun laws on vermonters.

    he said he would veto gun laws yet he is the one that chose to institute them on the hard-working law-abiding taxpayers in the state of vermont.

    Kevin Hoyt is not a write-in on the ballot in the state of vermont. He is listed as an independent and anyone with an ounce of common sense will be supporting this young man who is out to fight the corruption in the state of vermont and turn it back over to vermonters.

    We have been infiltrated by people who do not support our great president who have voted for Obama and Clinton and support bernie sanders and it’s time to clean the slate.

    people in vermont I urge you to do some research on the people you listen to and believe because you are being sold down a long dark alley.

    get out and vote for Kevin Hoyt for governor we do have a chance to restore the state of vermont to something we can be proud of once again.

  5. Has there been a worse candidate in history than Joe Biden?
    When this election is over, the books revealing what went on backstage will be illuminating.
    But the truth is there for anyone with eyes to see.
    Take Biden’s car rally in Flint, Mich., Saturday, with a star-power assist from Barack Obama.
    Awkward barely covers it.
    Obama, effortlessly cool, gave a warmup speech to the assembled cars before ramping up to a dramatic introduction: “My friend, the next president of the United States of America: Joe Biden!”
    Moments ticked by, but there was no sign of the candidate.
    “Joe Biden!” Obama repeated, a little less confidently. But still no show.
    Obama tried a third time: “Joe Biden!”
    Biden at last emerged from a nearby building and did a pantomime slow jog to the stage.
    The worst part came later.
    After Biden had shouted his way through a short teleprompter speech, Obama came back onstage, perhaps to escort him off, because Biden did not seem to know where he was.

    WATCH THE VIDEO.

    BIDEN IS TOTALLY LOST

    https://nypost.com/2020/11/01/democrats-are-masking-bidens-frailty-devine/

  6. Zuckerman is still the key to removing Scott and giving us the ability to mount a unified offense against our enemies, we cannot accomplish this until he is gone. I noticed the 2020 primary race for Governor garnered about 25,000 more votes for a Democratic candidate than it did in the last Presidential election year of 2016. This may have been because there are more of them than us in Vermont, but when you put a ballot in the hands of Democrats or Progressives that don’t normally participate, they will mail it in, so why not help them help us eliminate that which keeps us from mounting a strong unified front within our party?

    As long as Phil remains Governor and head of our party, no offensive will be mounted, he is too busy negotiating the terms of surrender!

    I am remined of the old saying, “the best defense is a strong offense”, yet we will never mount a serious offensive, as long as Phil Scott remains figurehead of our party, he will not allow it!

    This is a man that goes out of his way to attack our President every chance he gets, even volunteering to do so, instead of simply remaining silent! It is not likely he will be less of an obstacle to our efforts in 2022, even if we gain a greater legislative capacity in the House and Senate.

    Sadly, John is correct, writing his name in for governor will not help, but is the governor’s race irrelevant when you consider battles, we must prepare for in 2022, or will we then be hobbled by our choice of supporting the lesser of two evils yet again?

    When the collapse comes in two years, who will be blamed, Governor Zuckerman or Phil Scott and the Republican party?

    Put another way, can we mount a unified offensive against Dave Zuckerman and Progressives if he wins, the answer is yes!

    Can we do the same with Phil Scott, the answer is no, not without attacking our own party yet again!

    This is not about hypocrisy; it is about divisive leadership that prevents us from mounting a unified front or offense without self-incrimination, we are a house divided by our figurehead!

    We are faced with an opportunity to remove an obstacle; Dave Zuckerman is the only one that can successfully accomplish that mission and allow us to finally take a stand that does not divide our house.

    I have great respect and admiration for John Klar and what he has accomplished, I only wish to express my point of view, I am fully aware this discipline, I suggest may not be an easy concept for conservatives to understand or consider doing.

      • Unfortunately this is a hard sell, but a real opportunity to win the next battle, if we had the courage to pursue an actual strategy instead of settling for the lesser evil.

    • If Zuckerman is elected would it be possible for the legislature to change the term of the governor to four, six or a lifetime term? Think what damage a supermajority with no control, weak as it is, could do.

  7. *As I read this, there are 4 votes for someone besides Phil Scott- out of 11 comments.
    This is why we lose elections.
    Democrats vote in blocks. They function as one huge machine.. take note of the Blacks being told they must vote Democrat right now. The rapper 50 cent was considering going with Trump and promptly told to get back on the Plantation. We tend to vote according to our principles, we hold solid to our values and we have the freedom to do so, BUT this loses us elections because we dilute the vote in doing this and that loses when going up against their block voting.
    So consider that in your thinking.. if go with your gut, you feel good- Yes. But what have you gained if you lose the election from making that choice? What are you leaving your kids from having lost?
    WINNING is the Priority, then you work with your own winner to sway him to your views.
    There is zero chance of this if you lose.

    • We have already lost. We should not fool ourselves.

      Thinking a Phil Scott win is leading our state, because he has a R next to the ballot box is delusional. It is a massive, massive loss.

      There will be no reason for ANYTHING to change in Vermont with his win. No it will only get much, much worse. There will be massive division within the Republican party but nobody will have the balls to call the question and build from a solid unified foundation.

      Nope….Phil Scott will win this time, next time maybe Scott Milne…..and after that, after Trump is gone we will have the full fury and organization of the communist party against all those whom wish our republic to thrive. THEN WHAT??????

      Rino’s and NWO pimps are carrying the day in Vermont’s election this period.

      Who loses? American loving democrats, Kind hearted Republicans the poor, the business owners, those of a judeo christian back ground, those who love our constitution and republic.

      The lines are falsely drawn to pit neighbor against neighbor to the advantage of those in power, who wish for nothing to change.

      We need to wake up change course. Make a unified team, now is a great time.

      • How about you take a look at the Republican platform in the state?
        You should run someone on cleaning up the corruption in the state like they did in Ukraine.. make that the main message. He won on this ya know, the people were fed up and wanted a clean up.

        If you look at what Donald Trump has done, he has had to spend some time cleaning out the swamp in areas before he could get to work..
        Are you telling me there is no swamp problem in Vermont?
        Maybe a clean out is needed which will then move into a re-energized new party there that will attract people.
        Remember Neil, you can’t slap paint on a rotted house and think that is gonna save the place.

    • Do you think if Phil Scott was a true leader and actually was representing the Republicans and the moderates as far as that goes, do you think the supermajority would have overridden his veto to make the GWSA law? I won’t speak for John but as a former candidate for governor if I was there instead of Phil I would have made sure everyone would have had the opportunity to know exactly what the bill is going to mean for Vermonters and then tell them to override it if they dare. That bill would be put in the scrap pile or we would be looking at a major shift in Montpelier.
      And I believe Kevin would do the same.

      • Hoyt both scares and excites voters with his adamant emphasis on corruption in VT. I’ll be voting for him, hoping to dilute the vote and get the dude with the big nose the hell out of Montpelier.
        The impending collapse of the economy, the blame going to whoever is in power at the time, just might make a reshuffle of power possible. But God help us if we are stuck with a Harris / Biden adminisitration.

  8. Scott is a good leader, no doubt, however, when you feed a NWO mandate, you get the New World Order.

    While I can see the thought of, hey Phil Scott is much better than a devote Socialist. It will make no difference because of the super majority. Actually it will benefit the super majority, because they can claim it was evil republican Scott that defeated their path to socialist utopia. Scott is the perfect foil, he knows well the public sentiment. It would be better for our state to utterly fail under socialist leadership, then they’ll have no one to blame.

    Scott does not defend the constitution. Scott defends the marching orders dictated by those from the united nations whether he is aware or not I don’t know.

    Having Scott win is not a victory for the Republican party by any means or form. It is really not a victory for Vermont, he will surely win. However the Republican party will be weaker and weaker because of it.

    Has Scott said anything about 7 Days and Vt Digger, PAC’s that are hiding behind the faux cover of “press”? Digger is still searching for the truth, they’ll never find in propaganda.

    The best wins and the best support should go to candidates like those running in the Islands against Mitzi Johnson, Ken Alger, Meg Hansen……..these are some people that will make some serious change for Vermont, in a positive way.

    The election of Phil Scott does NOTHING to change our course in Vermont, absolutely nothing. It does give great cover for the progressives.

    Our current course of support and action has brought us to where we are. All key positions held by powerful socialists with a bench so deep and long it’s staggering.

    Our plan has failed us, we need a new plan.

    • Neil, you are right. The Vermont Republican plan has failed. It failed in 1991 when Dick Snelling passed away and Howard Dean began his dynasty. When Jim Douglas was elected in 2003, things were looking up- except for that pesky super-majority of Dems and Progs. Vermont is, and for the foreseeable future a liberal state. Until Vermont’s economy and politics are crushed under the weight of taxation and regulation imposed upon it’s residents- nothing will change to improve the outlook. We are certainly free to vote for whomever we choose as right to represent us, but it’s a game of numbers. Klar, Sexton, Hoyt, Stern and others have had their “at bats” during the primary process. For better or (probably) worse, we have a choice between Scott and Zuckerman. That’s how the process works.
      Whatever the outcome of the governors race, nothing changes if nothing changes in the legislature. Washington, Chittenden, Windham,Windsor, Bennington and probably Addison counties will still elect liberals- leaving all of the heavy lifting to the less populated counties.
      The current pandemic situation has resulted in a migration of folks fleeing the big cities, with their political leanings matching the status quo here. Conservatives and Republicans have become political dinosaurs in Vermont, we will never see a gubernatorial candidate that matches completely up. We gotta play the hand we are dealt.

    • Neil, we are forced to fight on two fronts as long as Phil Scott remains the figurehead of our party!

      We are a house divided!

      The lesser of two evils is not a winning strategy!

      • I would gladly vote for Scott if he ran as a Democrat and the two choices were between he and Zuckerman, as would everyone else….

        We would then be free to build. We would be a house united.

        We could build and focus on what truly matters, this needs to be our sole focus. Governors have limited power. If he had solid support underneath, maybe he would not have to check which way the wind was blowing every time he needed to make a decision. He’s in a tough spot.

  9. In my opinion, you have to run the horse you got now.
    The time to do something bold was back during the Primary when you could have gotten rid of him.
    Now you just grit your teeth and vote for him because them winning is far worse, you’ll never get out from under what they’ll do because the Democrats have gone so radical. Then you’ll wish you voted for him.
    I’m surprised that people think they have the luxury of messing with this at this stage when the stakes are so high and we roll into this election in the worst state of crisis that many of us have seen in our lives.
    This is sure no time to go wobbly.

    We are in the same boat over here in NH.
    I worked hard for Sununu’s challenger Karen Testerman because that was the time to try and ditch the Trump hating RINO, and she did get 9% of the votes. I’m told that as a newcomer, no money, nothing but grassroots, that was a decent number of votes that she got. So we really tried and at least made a point. So now I too grit my teeth and vote for Sununu. It’s better than a Communist takeover.

    • We have to separate the sheep from the goats. When is a good time? There is never a good time to do it, never. Every year we get deeper and deeper into communist and socialist dogma, with the plan of “lesser of two evils”.

      Guess what…..that’s what the two party system adores. They fawn over this stuff, it keeps them in money and power.

      Where would Trump be without the Freedom Caucus?

      We have to accept where we are. What our numbers are and the reality of the situation. We have lost the day, lost this year. That does not mean we have lost, it is but a temporary set back. NH’s situation may be a bit different, you haven’t fallen in the complete propaganda and indoctrination of socialism……probably where we were 20 years ago.

      We have to rebuild. When the team captain can’t be discerned from the other team, you can’t build a team. I’d love to change my mind, but everything points to everything being the same, our course not changing the direction. More government, more poverty created and operated by the state, declining populations, and just more needless struggle.

      We need change not the same.

      • Yes Neil, I do agree totally that you need to rebuild.
        I posted just this to someone, Dano I think, on another thread.
        You are not going to win elections and take things back unless you build a counter culture to what is going on.. it starts at the bottom. You need a huge momentum to get your candidates elected and nothing does this but people all working with boots on the ground. It takes re-education and really teaching people.. because as you say, they have been totally lead astray.
        I kinda blame this on your RNC.. I tried calling them once and they don’t even have a person there answering the phones. In NH, you can call ours 5 days a week and get a person on the phone. They maintain a building and a staff all day all year.
        Yours have got to get into the game to a far greater degree and Lead.

        I read an interesting comment last night about the fall of the Soviet Union- a large part of how that happened was because the people knew the Pravda was lying to them, they all knew it. Here, we still have many people that have no idea that our media is totally lying to them as well. Look at the covid scam that the masses are falling for. If people in Vermont understood this, the VTDigger and Sevendays would be gone.. run outta town for lying, cheating and stealing tax dollars to do so. The fact that they are there speaks volumes. When this place has huge traffic numbers, you’ll know you are getting somewhere.

        I just see there as being zero hope to do all of that that you say if Scott loses.
        Because of the level of corruption and dirty tricks the Democrats pull, you will be that much further down in a deeper hole to dig out of.
        If he wins, you could then all organize and make him get with the program, your program. At the very least, you can hold him accountable for all to see. You can lean on him to do the vetos you want done. You are at least in the game, if you lose, you are in deeper trouble..and then while this is going on, you teach, build, organize and find better people.

        • Your other post was awesome, btw.

          Scott could call this simple oppression of speech out, he doesn’t.

          Scott could throw simple none offending bones to conservatives, for justice, but does he?

          I agree with almost everything you say, but not this. This is why we are in the predicament we are. We’ve “sold out” on every front.

          We’ve allowed the entire conversation to be framed by majority party, everything. As Governor he could chose non offending topics to call out that would unify the Vermont land scape. HE DOESN’T

          Everyone is so concerned about losing numbers from our ranks as VTGOP……it’s delusional, if many of them don’t even stand up for ideals…..they are working against you within the party.

          Want to know when this strategy was effectively employed? Back in the 60’s when moderate democrat’s purposely infiltrated the Vermont Republican party, they divided the party and have conquered ever since.

          This is what we should be doing! There are many Democrats that are saying….hey there is something terribly wrong going on in our party.

          But we are so divided and hateful…..which is exactly the winning recipe for rinos and NWO pimps……and here we are….

          • You need new blood running the state GOP (because look at where they have lead you too) we did this in NH and it made a huge difference. We got someone that actually wants to Win!
            You’d be surprised that not all of them want to do that.

          • If Scott and Milne win aside from anything that happens in the house and senate, Scott will be done in two years. I’m surprised he ran this year. When he leaves, the next RINO Milne will step up to the plate. That’s why Milne decided to get into the number 2 spot. Weak republicans are just barely better than democrats. The house and senate should be the future focus for the republican party.

  10. Good points John. It seems every time we are in a presidential election, people forget the constitution and who ACTUALLY WRITES LAWS. It happens on the national scale as well. Governors and presidents may “steer” the ship, but the legislative branch is running the show. Vote down ballot, and vote a straight Republican ticket!

  11. John Klar couldn’t be more accurate in his assesment. Phil Scott even with his extremely moderate views- is better than the alternative. The real problem lies in the legislature, both house and senate. Vermont has been down this super-majority road before- it’s painful and expensive. An unbridled Mitzi Johnson with a progressive governor spells trouble for every Vermont resident- even the ones that want her flavor of socialism. The speed at which the GWSA was over-ridden was alarming as both house and senate rushed us into a very uncertain (but doubtful) carbonless future. Phil has provided a roadblock to some legislation- and a mere speed bump to other bills- but a deterrent to pie in the sky wish lists of the legislature and lobbyists.
    Don’t fool yourself into thinking Vermont can return to a balanced legislature, that’s fantasy.
    Phil Scott may well be the only politician standing in the way of truly crippling taxes and regulation for Vermont. Or, it may be already too late.

  12. I will not vote for Scott. Abortion, 2A. I want someone who will stand up and fight not fold up like an accordion,

  13. I will not vote for Governor Scott, because of his stance on abortion. Abortion and ones views on it, are a moral compass for me. He went to far when signing the abortion bill H.57. I agree with this article that the governor’s seat is not going to make much difference. But anymore, I don’t care what position you are running for, if you have radical views on abortion, I can not vote for you. I am writing in Jim Sexton for Governor, he doesn’t believe in killing babies.

  14. I as well challenged Phil Scott because he doesn’t represent Republicans especially conservatives. To vote for a progressive no matter what he labels himself would be hypocritical of me. He will win without my vote. I will vote for Kevin Hoyt because he represents my political values.

    • Same here Keith.. my vote goes to Kevin Hoyt. Has since the beginning.. He is what you call a true Vermonter…Not a 2 face coward like Scott..

  15. John, thanks for stating what you did, I am not a fan of Phil Scott but I will and
    my family will cast our votes for him as he’s the lesser of two evils !!

    There is no way we can let Zuckerman in as Governor, just look at the condition
    the state is in, I’m not making excuses for Scott, but his hands are tied with the
    House & Senate under control by Liberals and just Imagine Governor, House and
    Senate under Liberal control ……… God Help Us, you think it bad now !!

    I hope all Conservatives swallow their pride and VOTE a complete RED Ticket, we
    need to start chipping away at the stranglehold progressives have on the state and
    our way of life.

    Hey Vermonters, bought any ammo lately, probably not, and if Democrats have their
    way, what you have is all you’re going to have ……wake up people, you may have a
    firearm, it will be useless with out ammo, they have an agenda.

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