Democrat gubernatorial candidate Brenda Siegel issued the following statement about Gov. Phil Scott’s decision to be chauffeured in an electric vehicle:
The Governor announced today that he will be driven in an electric vehicle. I will begin by committing to doing the same as Governor. This is a no brainer and an easy yes. However, I would be remiss if I did not make a statement to point out how obstructionist this Governor has been when it comes to climate progress.
Brenda Siegel
This year alone Governor Scott Vetoed several bills that would have helped move us closer to our climate goals, Including both the Clean Heat Standard and some changes to Act 250. Instead he has continued to slow or stop progress. He has called the Global Warming Solutions Act unconstitutional. While being driven in an electric vehicle is the right thing to do, it will do almost nothing to achieve our climate goals.
Low and moderate income people can not afford solar panels, heat pumps or electric vehicles and in fact it is a privilege to be driven in or to drive an electric vehicle. Some would call it the pinnacle of privilege to be chauffeured in an electric vehicle while putting sticks in the spokes of progress for everyone else. It is important to remember that our state is made up of mostly low and moderate income people. That means that if the solutions do not reach them, they are not true solutions.
If we want to solve the climate crisis we must build and support in state renewable energy. Update and expand our transportation system. Support our small farms to transition to carbon sequestration and require our large farms to do the same. When we talk about access to electric vehicles, solar panels, heat pumps and more, we must ensure that these discussions and solutions center those most marginalized and reach all Vermonters or we are not solving the climate crisis at all.
For years the Public Utilities Commission has been packed with people who have effectively stopped in-state renewable energy from being built. In no time, our contract with out of state energy will end and the cost will then rise. Those increased costs will then be placed on the tax payers. The same tax payers that have no access to personal energy solutions. These are people that were appointed by the Governor and is an essential shift that must be made.
Again, this is the right thing to do and an easy yes and one that I too will do as Governor. But this without climate action this does not do anything to move us toward our climate goals. We need a Governor who does the difficult and necessary work to take Bold Climate Action and leave a better Vermont for our children and our planet. We can not afford two more years of this type of obstruction to our climate goals. Good enough is not enough. The world is burning. We have to do better.
Brenda Siegel means well, but likely is focussed on the Dem/Prog agenda.
She fails to see the big picture, as do many tens of millions of others.
I have THREE air source heat pumps in my well-insulated, well-sealed house; turnkey cost $24,000 – $2400 subsidy.
They work great in summer and in winter, except when it get cold, say 15F or less, because heat pumps become LESS EFFICIENT when it gets cold, which is very bad for my pocket book and very good for GMP.
Brenda would FORCE everyone to have EXPENSIVE heat pumps or EXPENSIVE, dirty, wood stoves
Dem/Prog folks cannot help it, because they have been fed fairy tales by self-serving, subsidy-chasing RE folks
They do not have enough technical education and work experience to make their own calculations.
Here are some facts regarding RE in Europe.
The EU bureaucrats in Brussels use global warming to gain more relevance and power.
Germany approved many silly “climate progress” bills, as part of its ENERGIEWENDE, and got itself in deep DOO-DOO as a result.
German wind and solar systems produced DIDDLYSQUAT, when the sun was not shining, and the wind was not blowing, in the Spring of 2022
As a result, Germany used a lot of Russian gas, which it should have been putting in storage, but did not.
Now, Germans are taking cold showers, because hot water has been shut off in apartment buildings
Germany imposed sanctions to cut Russian oil, gas and coal , which is equivalent to economic suicide.
Germany had its first monthly trade deficit in 40 years!!, plus 8.7% inflation, which is getting even higher
Norway tried to help out with its hydro plants, but it turned out it should not have, because now its reservoirs are low due to less snow melt, and due to a drought in West Europe.
Electricity prices have been administratively increased to very high levels to reduce consumption and save reservoir water.
So CCP friendly Phil is switching to Tibetan lithium charged almost completely by coal, nuclear, and natural gas. Oh.
box of rocks ……..yup thats what politics today has turned into. makes me think of my dad………who said “so, if all your buddies jump off the cliff, are your going too”?
yup count Mr Scott in that too…….
Love it ! I remember that. Succinctly puts the issue into perspective. Thanks for the chuckle. We need oh so much more of them.
Phlipping Phil shows he doesn’t care one lick about child exploitation by having an EV for his official vehicle. He is also giving the finger to the taxpayer by having a car purchased for about $20K more than a gas vehicle.
When are republicans going to wake up and see what he really is? I woke up over 4 years ago and voted against the last 2 elections and will again on Tuesday. Wouldn’t it be fitting to primary him out and see him in Joe’s administration?
Take a ride around Vermont, you can afford it. Go north, south, east or west, the state is covered with trees. Trees are carbon eaters. Vermont is neutral as far as carbon is concerned. This climate change crap is cultist’s dream and it’s about money being doled out to candidates from out of state environmental groups, social justice warriors and corrupt politicians. They buy politicians like this one. Do you really believe Brenda could hold a conversation or be in a debate about carbon levels in the USA. Follow the money because we as taxpayers are not represented any more. The only representation from progressive politicians is to those who give them money so they can stay in power. Look at the sky, is it blue as it ever was or is it on fire. These people lie, the earth is not in trouble. In fact, it’s 4.5 billion years old but these fool or charlitans are trying to convince you that they can change the climate from Vermont. If you can believe that, I’m sorry but you are too stupid to vote.
I believe your right !
Bingo !
There is not a climate crisis.. Just like there was not a Covid-19 crisis.. there was not a Donald Trump crisis.. there are people that like to rule and control through the use of fear- that IS what there is plenty of.
There is a crisis of propaganda to keep the entire graft continuing..
Doesn’t she realize the same poor people she refers to couldn’t care less about the entire topic of the climate?
They don’t have the luxury to worry or concern themselves with such things.
They don’t have the space in their brains for any of that, they live in survival mode.
These people are trying to figure out who is going to watch their kids so they can work late.
They are worrying if the car is going to start tomorrow.
They are worried that all their kids have eaten for three days now is noodles.
People that are poor and struggling don’t care one bit about any of this BS.
This woman is insulting.
These people that get involved with politics today are so stunningly disconnected that it’s disgusting.
They peddle this crap to people that are just trying to get through another day..
What world does she live in.. because it’s not the world of the former middle class or the poor people that are now sliding into serious poverty- and that is a whole lot of people.
She should be talking about how people are going to heat their house this winter or pay the electric bill. THAT is what people want to hear about.
Totally agree!!!
Even worse than that,this woman wants to make the lives of the poor even worse.She wants to ban internal combustion vehicles from Vermont roadways.Then the poor will won’t have a problem with child care,because they will be stuck where they are.They’ll wish they had them noodles.