This letter is by Randy Gray, of North Springfield.
Sen. Patrick Leahy first came to power in 1974. Rep. Peter Welch has been in Vermont politics since 1981, and our very own state Rep. Alice Emmons since 1982. I guess we should be happy to have our long-term legislators, as they’ve helped us make several national top 10 lists. We are ranked the 6th worst place to do business by Forbes, ranked the 4th highest in education costs in the country by stacker.com, and we have the 3rd highest tax burden in the nation according to the Tax Foundation. Great accomplishments, right?
Thank goodness many of our incumbents believe in strengthening our “democracy” by fighting to eliminate the Electoral College.
Speaking of the Constitution, lets talk about Article 22, in which “reproductive autonomy” (not abortion) shall not be infringed unless it is best for state interest. What exactly does that mean? Shouldn’t Article 22 read “health care freedom,” including all your health care decisions not just reproductive autonomy? And as for “infringed” (seems I’ve read that word somewhere else in the U.S. Constitution) do you think it will be held to the same authority as in the 2nd Amendment? Of course, according to state Sen. Dick McCormack, the Constitution and Federalist Papers are only to be understood by legislators and lawyers — not common folk like us, since it’s beyond our IQ capacity, and its “fluid.”
Should I mention ethics? State Sen. Becca White (who is employed by Efficiency Vermont, whose funding and expenditures are monitored by the legislature) has an open-door policy. I gave her a list of my concerns and she questioned my sources and sent me to her platform — that’s a very helpful and “open door” to her constituents.
State Sen. Alison Clarkson, Senate majority leader, believes that Act 250 has been improved by allowing “urban development improvements” to expand housing opportunities for the flocks coming to Vermont. I mean, who wouldn’t want to move to Vermont and enjoy living in downtown? Isn’t that why you’d move here? Of course, this works out very well for the wealthy elite, who don’t wish to bothered by the peasants — save the country estates for them. We must also thank her and the rest for Act 46, which closed your local school to “save money.” (Good thing we’re only the 4th highest in the nation for education costs now.)
Many of you may not have heard from the candidates that would likely do best for our “brave little state.” It’s not surprising when U.S. House candidates like Ericka Redic can’t be heard in a debate on WCAX because she’s not a major money, major party candidate. You’d think U.S. House candidate Liam Madden would fight for her to be heard since he hates the two-party system, right? Democratic Party House candidate Becca Balint will go to Washington with our best interests in mind, getting all that out-of-state special interest money. Local stations also help by not letting us become confused — Okemo Valley TV edited the entire public questioning portion of the Ludlow Candidate Forum so we wouldn’t be overwhelmed. How thoughtful!
In all seriousness, we do have logical options. Please educate yourselves and vote, unless of course you already have, because you decided your candidate based on the letter beside their name regardless of their history or values.
Randy Gray
North Springfield, Vermont
Randy you do know that if the rules of the republican party were followed none of this would be happening today.
You also complain that erica has been excluded from the public platform while you have no problem blocking people on the pages who you do not agree with.
I have posted the Joe BENNING who is running for lieutenant governor has voted for prop 5 twice and said he will support article 22 by voting for it again.
I read your letter and I think it’s a pretty darn good letter however I don’t understand how you can continue to support Mr Benning and post a letter like this complaining about the very thing you’re supporting.
Everyday the republican party becomes more and more fractured because of the primary for the senate.
I’m not going to go into all the details again but we all know what went on and it should have never happened.
My question is since we have denounced madden what happens to those thousands of people that voted for him?
Do they turn their backs on the republican party and vote for the democrats because the republican party turned their back on him?
At what point did erica reddick become a republican?
I have seen her advertised along with the rest of the republican candidates without ever exposing to anyone that she is not a republican but a libertarian.
What message do you think that sends to voters about the ability to trust the republican party?
I think what’s going on here is pretty risky when you speak one thing out one side of your mouth and something entirely different out of the other side.
It’s a shame but our republican party is losing credibility.
When the republican party doesn’t want to hear the truth and people that tell the truth get blocked what do you think happens to those votes?
It’s sad but it’s the republican party tearing the republican party apart..
Believe me I want to clean up our state more than anyone else but we’re not going to do it by supporting candidates who could care less about us.
What’s being done to the republican party is very disturbing.
Here is classic example how citizens are being played.
this happens in Vermont ALL the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wtp51bbsbY&t=253s
We like our completely corrupt little swamp way too much. Meanwhile, they are laughing at us just like this person is…
The fix is in…….let the propaganda begin. Erica is a direct threat, otherwise they would have let her in the debate.
Complete censorship is the highest form of compliment to the propagandist. She’s directly over the target, hence no debate for you!
Excellent letter. It’s a shame that too many Vermonters count on liberal news sources to tell them how to think. I’ve tried having a rational discussion with liberals but it fails everytime because they are uninformed of the facts and won’t listen to any new information.
Keith, the most important line in your comment is “And won’t listen to new information”.
Think about how bad that is and why it’s happening..
The consider that these closed minded uninformed people believe themselves to be highly intelligent with the moral high ground on their side.
Many of them are controlling Education and teaching our children.
Being uninformed is one thing, but the refusal to learn-while proclaiming ‘to teach’ is quite another.