At the statehouse this past session, a majority of Vermont legislators took a brazen, controversial and unconstitutional step away from representative government towards technocracy — defined as rule based on an elite of “technical experts.”
The E-Access Act, introduced by U.S. Sens. Peter Welch, D-VT, and Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, would help direct a clean energy transition by aiding consumers to access their utility data. The legislation, if enacted, could help Vermont residents amid the General Assembly’s override of Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of Senate Bill 5.
Sadly, our two representatives, Kathleen James and Seth Bongartz, were among the 103 Democrat, Progressive and independent legislators who didn’t listen to their constituents. Despite the repeated public appeals to vote no on S.5, they voted yes.
The Democrats who voted for the bill defend their unpopular decision by insisting S.5 is “just a study.” Why is the PUC hiring two permanent employees and another to a three-year contract in order to perform “just a study” that’s due in eighteen months? Seems odd, no?
What these Vermont legislators cannot grasp is that relying on electric heat is just not feasible in a Vermont winter. It might work in New Mexico, but even there you see these power failures that cripple the society.
Next up is the transportation sector and higher taxes on gasoline and diesel fuels plus higher registration fees on vehicles that use those fuels.
Nowadays it seems more and more that reporters see themselves as the Praetorian Guards protecting their personal political agendas and the politicians who support said agendas regardless of the facts.
I am always responsive to a well argued, fact-based rebuttal of my point of view, but very rarely encounter one. This reader’s was certainly not one.
The bill was cleverly designed so that most of the sticker shock does not take effect until after next year’s elections. So when one of your legislators who supported this bill and is running for reelection asks you whether you have been adversely affected by this law, don’t be fooled — the shoes start dropping in 2025.
In an appearance on the “Morning Drive Radio Show” on Thursday, Gov. Phil Scott criticized the newly passed Affordable Heat Act legislation that aims to convert most heating to electricity based on renewable energy sources, with fuel dealers and Vermonters footing the bill.
Any child can see the clean heat standard is a disgraceful mess and an inequitable economic disaster. Unless they’re scared stupid.
When Gov. Phil Scott vetoed S.5, the clean heat standard bill, he needed to convince at least one senator to change his or her position or four or five more representatives. In the end, no senators switched, and four representatives did — only to oppose Scott, not support him.