Republicans have an incredible opportunity to oust Democrats who have been derelict with the power they have been given in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and the White House. Government by the Democrats and for the Democrats just isn’t working for anyone outside the Twitter bubble.
This commentary is by Paul Dame, chair of the Vermont GOP.
There are many phrases from the Declaration of Independence that become permanently fixed in the mind of every American, especially that very first sentence. But I would venture to say that most Americans wouldn’t recognize 90% of the words or phrases found in the Declaration if they encountered them somewhere else. That is why I want to commend to you taking just a few minutes to read the Declaration of Independence, found here from the National Archives. The text itself is far more important than any commentary I have to offer. But I’ll quote the first few sentences here:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
One of the things that struck me as I read it again this time was not only what the founders were declaring independence from, but also what they were declaring their independence to. Part of the reason the Founders felt the need to alter their form of government was because the government they had been living under was not only unable to secure, but was in fact undermining the “safety and happiness” of all Americans.
We read from the rest of the justification statements in the Declaration that King George would either refuse to assent to the laws passed by the local colonies, or if they were assented to, he would basically ignore them. These are the first two things that the Founders list as the reasons for their need for a new government. The King’s Government was failing in the very basic and fundamental function of keeping the people safe and protecting the public good.
Failing to faithfully execute laws passed by the people’s representatives and keeping the public safe seem to be one thing that State’s Attorney Sarah George and King George had in common. Selective enforcement based on preferences is bad government and undermines the public trust.
The colonies didn’t want anarchy. They wanted responsible self-government that was responsive to the needs of the people who had to live under the laws day by day. They recognized there is a role for government to play in providing a fundamental structure and environment which protects “Safety and Happiness,” but that the power structure of their time had outgrown either its desire or ability to fulfill that role, instead seeking its own agenda.
Thankfully, over a decade later our founders also provided us with the U.S. Constitution that created the opportunity for us to alter our government from time to time when it “becomes destructive of these ends” but to do so in a way that avoids violence and protects our Safety & Happiness by more peaceful means. Every two years the entire Congress and a third of the Senate are thrown out of office, and must come to the people asking to get their old job back. And we, the people, get to judge and determine whether or not they have protected the safety and happiness of our lives as Americans, or whether it is time to alter the makeup of that government through the election process.
Republicans have an incredible opportunity to oust Democrats who have been derelict with the power they have been given in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and the White House. Government by the Democrats and for the Democrats just isn’t working for anyone outside the Twitter bubble. Crime is on the rise, inflation is on the rise, opioid deaths are on the rise, depression is on the rise. There is almost no measure that anyone can look at over the last two years of unified Democrat government to see improvements in either safety, happiness or any other positive measure.
As Progressive Democrats have moved farther to the extreme left and abandoned the basic principles of good government, it gives an opportunity to Republicans, independents, and even the old JFK Democrats to declare their independence from the government currently in power and put us on a new path forward to a brighter future — a future that protects the safety of every person’s life and liberty and givens them a great opportunity to pursue happiness.
The progressive Commiecrats are not the problem we have defined them and know who they are and what they are about. The problem is the sawft RINOS that we vote for because we think they have our backs and will protect our rights. The only thing they do is stab us in the back. Now the Republicans are endorsing another RINO for U.S. senate, Christina Nolan. If it walks like a RINO and talks like a RINO, it’s a RINO.
With respect, most of you all are in “La-La-Land”. You keep harping about Rino’s. But if you want a middle-left Republican, ONLy way they get in , is to be a RINO! see? There is NO possible way that a hard core, right wing, uber Republican….’Trumper”… get’s Gov spot, or a seat in Congress or Senate. Best you can hope for is a few more seats in the State House. THAT IS IT! The population of Vermont has their mind (and ther votes) made up. And it is majority control by Democrats, Liberals and Progressives. VT will never, ever, change. So you better wake up and vote with your “feet”..because hard times, VERY hard times are destined for VT – within a few years. VT is a fiscal ponzi scheme of other peoples money.
What I want is someone who takes their constitutional oath seriously. Not someone who says one thing to get elected then gets soft when the pressure is put on. You know, like the Republicans that just voted for the latest gun control (Red Flag) bill because they had to do something. Or like Scott who ran on protecting the 2nd Amendment and then signed the magazine ban, abortion on demand, etc. etc. etc. You’re telling me that’s the type of candidate I should vote for.
I wish all of you luck, but you have to wake up that Dems, Libs & Progressives own VT….save one R governor, in just for show.. You are better off planning your exit from VT…vote with your FEET.. sooner the better. Why stay and be taxed to death…to pay for foolish liberal day dreams. VT has a couple years cushion of covid free money….but that money will be blown soon enough. Then VT will face fiscal reality (the “last-at-bat).
Want some stastics of how bad it is? VT has about 635,000 people. Latest VT budget was $8.3 billion. Arizona has 7.64 million people (and growing 75,000 a year). The latest budget in AZ was…..$15.3 billion. So, AZ has TWELVES TIMES as many people and spends $15.3 billion. VT spends $8.3 billion- for 635,000. VT spends 60% of what AZ does…with 7 million LESS people! VT is fiscally unsustainable. and the pension fund has gotten killed this year in both stock and bonds they own.. Where will VT come up with the $4 to $5 billion underfunded now? Hint-Hint? You – are the target to pay 🙂
This is the year for Vermont Conservatives to take hold and start to take back our state
from all the liberal nonsense.
Any Conservative running, all they need to do is to show and state what liberals have done
to the state and the country pretty easy pickings, the tanking economy, borders out of control
defunding the police, crime on the rise, and the list goes on !!
Vermont’s GOP has a chance to take two seats in DC, but I don’t see any push from the VT-
GOP to take these positions, I think they are asleep at the wheel??
All I see is Welch and Gray adds, every ten minutes, where are the GOP candidates !!
This coming from a man who, 5 days before the deadline, asked me if I was still willing to run. Needed 50 signatures. I did not even get the forms, from him until 3 days before the deadline (Oh and I have the emails to prove it people).I also asked to run when the last election was going on and was told no signatures needed, never heard back after that either (Still have that email too). Talk about making sure the only Black Man who wants to run for state rep doesn’t have a chance without actually saying we don’t want your type here (add your own “type” reason here). No sir, you want the same old going on and on. Actions speak so much louder than words. I have yet to see a true repudiation of the Rino in chief Phil Scott or the same for other Rinos saying they are Republican. I have seen this Republican party in complete chaos. I am appalled at the conduct of the money grubbers of the Republican party here in VT and that is most of them. I see NOTHING they are doing to fix this out of control state government. In fact based on a lack of even statements to the contrary, they applaud it all. I see no condemnation of the Gun Grab Laws nor the Health Care Grab or lets not forget the illegal whole covid lie. Yes a lie ( more coming out every day about the now famous Death Shot), just like global warming or how solar is going to save us. You speak platitudes about things that mean little to nothing to the average Vermonter. Lastly , where was the VTGOP in condemning the fool who spray painted graffiti on the capitol cement in a state that allows the murder of babies pretty much AT WILL. The lack of education being the most appalling thing that could have been addressed in a basic civics class . Why is no one speaking about bring more people into VT to live, to learn. No we are getting sex offenders, Hollywood elites who shoot people and get away with it and again, where is the outrage by the VTGOP…. As my wife says…. crickets chirping. You speak of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights but you do not speak of the VTt constitution and how our state VIOLATES those rights as they see fit with their NGO army running almost everything in the state. Lets not talk about the raises they give themselves while poor Vermonters are beyond struggling to just eat or work or pay bills to survive. No sir you are not sincere in your blathering and quite honestly it makes me sick.
And where is our (Republican) governor out promoting other republicans? I think the immediate answer is this, don’t worry who the governor is because the power is in the house and senate. If you as a voter want change, and by now everyone with a functioning brain should, vote to change the house and senate for a better Vermont. If a candidate is a known RINO vote them out too. Haven’t we had enough of liberal failure yet? Take Back Vermont, from the liberal invasion. If you came to Vermont from some liberal hell hole, it’s time to vote like the opposite of what you escaped from. Spot on comment by Mr. McLamb!
the top three leaders of the VTGOP love it just the way it is….
Scott, Benning, Dame…….want more of the same.
Benning was marching in our Warren parade, the home of Bernie Sanders, looking for all those republican votes in the most left town of the most left state….surely that was his goal!!!
riino, rino, rino problem, problem problem
You were clearly seen as a conservative, or fan of the constitution. That is the biggest problem, the color of your skin had nothing to do with it.
You probably said something like, “We are a Republic, not a democracy”…that immediately gets you banned. Having common sense and understanding of the problems gets you shunned immediately too.
Every state in the country will be seeing massive gains in their GOP organization. Vermont will not, it’s part of their plan….some know exactly what they are doing and absolutely love, love, love how the VTGOP can’t find their way out of a wet paper bag.
There are many, many, many good people in this state who vote R and know, like you laid out what isn’t going on…..
If you said you voted for Biden, you’d have been in.
If you said there was a capital insurrection and people were trying to over through our government, you’d been in.
If you said we need to close business that doesn’t enforce masks, you’d be in.
If you swore allegiance to the New World Order…..you’d get promoted rapidly…..
I agree with most of what you say but try and wrap your head around this:
Sets of groups who were classically voting one way or another will look to people who are the “poster children” of said group and vote or act as they see them act.
In the case of black people, it is that they have been screwed so much by the left they go first to the middle ie libertarian, then when that is not their flavor they go to the right . You know the actual ones who stopped slavery and a host of other issues directly related to black people. Todays black people who “step off the plantation” are in most cases vilified by the same lefty and white people they are trying to run from for their ” non-discriminations ” policies, but are applauded by those who see that someone has seen behind the curtain to see the great and powerful wizard OZ and have been so sadly disappointed. Not to mention the lack of follow thru here in VT for instances of people in VT being discriminated against as a policy. Easier to come up with 1000 reason to NOT let someone do something instead of giving that person the chance to make things better. Knowing that a feat is all but impossible and giving it to a potential candidate is just as bad as saying “we don’t want you *” (*put your own slur here) it applies to all , women, blacks, hispanic and on and on. Yes I do believe it is “because I am Black” and educated and a whistleblower, but mostly because I am black, I am too uppity for their clean white building that is run by the people who believe in the racism of lower expectations and believe we know “our place” and I am defiantly not that. It is not that I am only black ( by the way I am 1/2 white too) it is that I could and would get a following from like minded anyone but especially blacks. My story is full of the VT government and NGOs treating me, as a black man, different than whites (mostly the wasp type). I see the injustice and they don’t like it and having the power to stop me in my tracks is what they do. NO do not change VT. Do not look or pay attention to the man behind the curtain. The power structure of Dem and GOP in VT want what they have, a great white state, that care for all us lesser people . How dare you want better.
I forgot to bring up another tactic, They, like they did with Clarence Thomas, will first say he is a sexual deviant or predator, then call into question his ability to do his job properly and when that did not work, they went after his wife… They never change and they have refined the art of bullying.
Thank you Paul. This is Soooooo spot on. Ok neighbors lets make ourselves the new coalition he’s suggesting — accountable government re-enshrining individual liberties&responsibilities guided by our Constitution.