At global summit, Scott and Biden express frustration at public distrust of policies and elections

U.S. Army National Guard/Michelle Gonzalez/CC BY 2.0

CALL FOR CIVILITY: Vermont’s governor called for listening to others’ ideas of those we disagree with, but then expressed frustration that former President Donald Trump doubts the 2020 election results.

At the invite of President Joe Biden, Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday addressed a large audience in a virtual “Summit for Democracy,” which is currently being held today and tomorrow.

The concept behind the summit is to bring together world leaders, heads of state, advocates for human rights and democratic values, and others to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing democracies in this century.

The theme of Scott’s talk, which took place shortly after 1 p.m., was civility and listening to opposing sides.

“Healthy democracies require healthy relationships among citizens and their governments,” Vermont’s governor said. “Keeping these relationships healthy requires a constant commitment to listening, learning, and always working to do better. It needs an authentic effort to reach consensus, compromise when necessary and accept that we will not — and in fact should not — win every debate.”

But he then expressed frustration that former President Donald Trump has publicly maintained that the 2020 presidential elections were plagued by fraud, a view held by a strong majority within the Republican Party and even nearly a third of Democrats, according to Rasmussen.

“Just 11 months ago, for example, we saw our president fuel a campaign to undermine and try to overturn the results of a free, fair and legal election,” Scott said.

Political commentators from the right and the left tend to agree that civil discourse in the nation is near an all-time low.

President Biden, during his early morning introduction to the summit, said the world is trending against  principles of democracy.

“The data that we are seeing is largely pointed in the wrong direction,” he said. “Freedom House reports that in 2020 that marked the 15th consecutive year of global freedom in retreat. Another recent report from the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance noted that more than half of all Democracies have experienced a decline in at least one aspect of democracy over the last 10 years.”

Biden also suggested that populations around the world are being misled by wrong information sources, and he said many are distrusting their governments.

“Democratic governments are failing to deliver for their needs,” he said. “In my opinion, this is the defining challenge of our time.”

An area where Scott and Biden differ is Scott has often spoken in favor of recommending COVID-19 mitigation policies. Biden is for mandates, whereas Scott is not.

Across the nation, federal judges have been ruling against the Biden administration’s proposed vaccine mandates for large private companies and much of the private sector.

The whole summit can be watched here. A full transcript of Gov. Phil Scott’s remarks can be read online here.

Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.

Images courtesy of Public domain and U.S. Army National Guard/Michelle Gonzalez/CC BY 2.0

35 thoughts on “At global summit, Scott and Biden express frustration at public distrust of policies and elections

  1. Mike,

    Thank you for writing your informative repost to the Biden/Scott dissembling. Both of them, as do many other people, know how the Dem/Progs seized power. It was analogous to a “color revolution”, such as in Ukraine in 2014.

    Here is the augmented version of my above comment, which was created after a good night’s sleep.

    I am not surprised at the lack of PUBLIC TRUST in WASHINGTON.

    The games of smoke and mirrors played in Washington are off-the-charts outrageous.

    NEVER, EVER, has there been such a level of DECEIT, as Dem/Progs have inflicted on the US People, since January 2021, after using a fraudulent election to achieve a COUP D’ETAT, to have a major increase of CENTRALIZED COMMAND/CONTROL over the federal government and the US people.

    Here is an egregious example:

    Build Back Better’ Would Cost $4.95 TRILLION Over the Next Decade, if Provisions Were Made to Last 10 Years
    https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/build-back-better-would-cost-3-95-trillion-overt-the-next-decade

    Phase 1

    The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) had estimated on Nov. 18, the US House-passed ‘Build Back Better’ (BBB) bill, if it would become law, would increase the US national debt by a mere $160 BILLION over the next decade, if the various programs of the bill had different expiration dates. Some programs would expire in one year, others in two years, etc. The BBB bill would establish universal preschool, expand Medicaid, and provide green energy tax credits, etc.

    NOTE: The Media, et al, called it the “$1.75 TRILLION bill,” but, after some last-minute “adders” to get more votes, the bill’s cost became $2.11 TRILLION. That bill was sent to the US Senate; fingers crossed.

    NOTE: Having various “expiration dates” of programs, within a bill, is a standard procedure to make its cost APPEAR a lot smaller than in reality. Pelosi/Sanders/Schumer, et al, applied that smoke-and-mirrors charade to make the cost of the BBB bill APPEAR small, and to make the “added to US national debt” APPEAR small.

    NOTE: The original BBB bill was for $6.0 TRILLION, as concocted by Socialist Sanders. When that proved to be a non-starter, he “whittled it down” to an alleged $3.5 TRILLION, which, he said was the “absolute minimum”. That bill contained various smoke-and-mirror schemes, such as various programs of the bill having different expiration dates.

    Phase 2

    After some US Senate committees reviewed the BBB bill, as is standard practice with all US House bills, they ordered the CBO to make another estimate.

    The CBO released its estimate on Friday, December 10, which showed the BBB bill would INCREASE the US national debt by $3.0 TRILLION, if the proposed programs were made permanent for 10 years, i.e., if all programs of the bill started at the same time and ended at the same time. Of course, once any government program has started, it would take a revolution to end it. See Note

    NOTE: The $3 TRILLION includes interest, because as any money is added to the US national debt, in a given year, due to deficit spending, it immediately begins accruing interest.

    Schumer had been pressing very hard to get the deceitful, smoke-and-mirrors, BBB bill passed, between November 18 and December 12, because he knew the CBO estimate regarding the REAL cost of the bill would be a game-changing revelation for a lot of US House members, and US Senators, and the US people. The popular backlash would be enormous.

    He relentlessly pushed to have it passed 1) before “Biden goes to Glasgow, Scotland, to strengthen his hand”, 2) before Thanksgiving, 3) before Christmas, 4) before the end of the year.

    Well, the cat is finally out of the bag. NO SUCH BILL WILL BE PASSED, EVER.

    Dem/Progs, who typically make their careers in government, not in private enterprise businesses, have absolutely no intention of letting ANY programs expire. They would fight tooth and nail, for as long as it takes, to EXTEND all of them, for the full 10 years.

    NEW TAXES

    Various taxes had to be increased, and new taxes had to be imposed, for an alleged total of $1.95 TRILLION.

    This “revenue side” (politicians hate it, but it is required by law) likely is another smoke and-mirrors charade, because those additional taxes would have to be voted on, and most of them likely would not garner enough votes.

    MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS

    “If the temporary provisions of this BBB bill were extended for the full ten years, and I fully expect them to be, if Dem/Progs would have the votes to do it, this legislation would cost a whole lot more than what the American people have been misled to believe,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

    Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a critic of the plan, and the outrageous costs, accused the Biden administration of using “gimmicks” to downplay the bill’s cost.

    “As more of the real details outlined in the basic framework are released, what I see are shell games and budget gimmicks that make the real cost of this so-called “$1.75 TRILLION bill” to be at LEAST TWICE AS HIGH, if the programs are extended, or made permanent,” Manchin said

    The REALISTIC COST of the bill would be: $1.95 TRILLION, new taxes + $3.0 TRILLION, added to the US national debt = $4.95 TRILLION

    Democrats, who hold a narrow Senate majority, would need Manchin’s vote to pass the BBB bill.

    Manchin has yet to endorse the package, as proposed, and will probably seek to make significant changes, according to CNBC.

    It looks like “significant changes” is the understatement of the year, because a few months ago, Manchin stated, he would consider a BBB bill costing no more than $1.5 TRILLION.

    However, Dem/Progs could not help themselves, and, in a feeding frenzy, piled on one program after another.

    Major surgery, or cancellation of the BBB bill would be required, to revert to a proper level of fiscal sanity.

    Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, may seek to change the bill in the Senate.
    She already shot down the administration’s effort to hike tax rates on large corporations and wealthy individuals, per CNBC.

    All this ADDED DEFICIT SPENDING would be taking place with inflation at about 6.8%/y, Nov21 (it was 6.2% in Oct21) the highest rate in over 30 years, courtesy of the extreme, radical, leftist posse of Biden handlers.
    https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/producer-prices

    The adults in the US Senate must finally step up to the plate to stop the madness of the Biden posse.

    Related Stories:

    Manchin Calls for a ‘Lot of Changes’ to Build Back Better Act
    Rep. Estes to Newsmax: US ‘Better Off’ If Build Back Better Fails

    • Adding a note to the above

      NOTE: If a program of a bill would expire in one year, the costs of 9 years of the program would not be included in the bill’s total cost, if expiring in 2 years, 8 years of costs would not be included, etc.

      That is the standard procedure the US Congress uses to play bait-and-switch games with a bill’s “total cost”, which is nothing short of premeditated lying to the American People.

  2. I am not surprised at the lack of PUBLIC TRUST in WASHINGTON.

    The games of smoke and mirrors played in Washington are off-the-charts outrageous.

    NEVER, EVER, has there been such a level of DECEIT, as Dem/Progs have inflicted on the US People, since January 2021, after using a fraudulent election to achieve a COUP D’ETAT, to have CENTRALIZED COMMAND/CONTROL over the federal government and the US people.

    Here is an egregious example:

    Build Back Better’ Would Cost $3.95 TRILLION Overt the Next Decade, if Provisions Were Made to Last 10 Years

    The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an analysis on Friday estimating Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ (BBB) bill would increase the federal deficit by $3.0 TRILLION over the next decade, if the proposed programs are made permanent, according to CNN.
    https://www.newsmax.com/politics/cbo-finance-build-back-better-bide

    The CBO had estimated on Nov. 18, the BBB legislation would increase the nation’s deficit by $160 BILLION over the next decade, if the programs had different expiration dates.

    Some programs would expire in one year, others in two years, etc.

    This was a typical Pelosi/Sanders smoke-and-mirrors charade to make the cost of the bill look small.

    No wonder, Schumer was pressing so hard to get the mendacity bill passed: 1) before Biden goes to Glasgow, Scotland, 2) before Thanksgiving, 3) before Christmas, 4) before the end of the year.

    NO SUCH BILL WILL BE PASSED, EVER.

    Dem/Progs have absolutely no intention of letting ANY programs expire. They would fight tooth and mail to EXTEND all of them for the full 10 years.

    The smoke and mirrors, $2.11 TRILLION BBB bill, passed by the US House of Representatives last month, would establish universal preschool, expand Medicaid, provide green energy tax credits, and add roughly $1.95 TRILLION in new taxes, and add $160 BILLION to the deficit, Fox News reported.

    The “new taxes” is another smoke and-mirrors charade, because they would need to be voted on, and likely would not be implemented.

    “If the temporary provisions of this bill were extended, and I fully expect them to be, if Dem/Progs have the votes to do it, this legislation will cost a whole lot more than what the American people have been misled to believe,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

    Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a critic of the plan, and its extensive costs, accused the Biden administration of using “gimmicks” to downplay the bill’s cost.

    “As more of the real details outlined in the basic framework are released, what I see are shell games and budget gimmicks that make the real cost of this so-called “$1.75 trillion bill” to be at least twice as high, if the programs are extended, or made permanent,” Manchin said

    The REALISTIC COST of the bill would be: $1.95 TRILLION, new taxes + $3.0 TRILLION, added to the US deficit = $3.95 TRILLION

    Democrats, who hold a narrow Senate majority, will need Manchin’s vote to pass BBB.

    Manchin has yet to endorse the package, as proposed, and will probably seek to make significant changes, according to CNBC.

    Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizizona, may seek to change the bill in the Senate.
    She already shot down the administration’s effort to hike tax rates on large corporations and wealthy individuals, per CNBC.

    All this ADDED DEFICIT SPENDING would be taking place with inflation at over 6%/y

    Related Stories:
    Manchin Calls for a ‘Lot of Changes’ to Build Back Better Act
    Rep. Estes to Newsmax: US ‘Better Off’ If Build Back Better Fails i…

  3. It’s clearly a sad day. The poll watchers by lawful affidavit’s asserted that they saw alleged bonafide election fraud. These thousands of election watchers are either lying or they are not. That’s a question for courts of law.
    If there were no grounds for claims of election fraud; why for heaven sake hasn’t the Attorneys General of the various states raised charges against the thousands of folks who “Lawfully filled affidavit’s “ charging election fraud, it’s a fraud under penalty of criminal perjury. We know why! Someone is lying, someone felt justified defending this republic against a perceived injustice and willfully under penalty of perjury filled their affidavit’s. It is truly a sad day in our republic Governor and it appears you have taken a stand against transparency for which no court has heard the evidence.
    Many have no choice but to question the results of our 2020 presidential election until the courts sort out this clear question raised by the poll watchers affidavit’s.
    Mr. Governor is making a political judgment contrary to the wheels of justice persevering. Passing judgment as Governor on fact yet to be on trial, is nothing less than your failure to up hold your oath to up hold the law. There’s a difference between a politician and a statesman Sir. This Republic needs Statesmen Sir. One ID one vote.

  4. The governor carrying water for the Resident of the country should tell you all you need to know about his lack of critical thinking. All this talk about democracy when we are a republic, to the deflection away from the destruction occurring to our country by none other than the man he voted for and supports. For him to compare where we are now to where we were headed under President Trump demonstrates that even he knows the failure of Biden’s policies but has to save face by not admitting that his choice to lead America is a horrible disaster. I wish I could go back and recall every vote I gave to support Phil Scott, the man who is responsible for making me believe that I must leave my birth state before the impending failure gets any worse. When you can’t trust those who you sent to office, it’s time to go and that could be said for many in our RTNO party. The silence is deafening.

  5. I voted for Phil Scott, and it that was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made, and if he
    ever runs again.” Hope Not ” I know of four votes he won’t be getting from my family.

    Scott is just another RINO that needs to go, we need real conservatives to lead the state
    from all the liberal nonsense apparently, Phil has lost whatever common sense I thought
    he had……….. Yes, I made a grave mistake, I hope Vermonter’s wake up, I have !!

    • And who provided cover ? Who allows him to remain within their group? The uniparty has but two arms, uniparty left and uniparty right.

      They have different names, they call each other names, but make no mistake they play for the same team. They take you power and money on a regular basis, it’s their life line.

  6. In his speech at the Global Summit, Gov. Scott stated: “The health of democratic nations themselves depends on listening to and considering other perspectives.”…….Good point.

    Gov. Scott then went on to rake President Trump over the coals for his actions in response to 2020 elections results, while remaining silent on left’s behavior in creating division in this country. Seems to me that mentioning the transgressions of only one political side does little to enhance the health of democratic nations……It exasperates division and erodes democracy.

    Yesterday Jussie Smollett was found guilty on five counts in his hate crime hoax trial. Like the Trump election actions, the Smollett matter has terribly divided this nation and all made worse by the factually wrong and racially divisive comments made by President Biden, Kamala Harris and others about the incident before the facts were even known.

    Here is a summary comments by Biden, Harris and others on the left that have contributed to harming our Democracy that cannot be ignored……Take a look:

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10289921/How-Jussie-Smolletts-lies-impacted-America.html

  7. Phil Scott gets it from all sides. Currently VTDigger is going after him on a pretty much daily basis over his refusal to take Emergency Powers and re-institute mandatory face masks and rule by decree. While I don’t always agree with him, I admire our Republican Governor, his common sense, decency and willingness to stand up to the continued attempt at overreach by the Vermont legislature by issuing more vetoes than any governor in Vermont’s history.

    Like Phil Scott, I have always enjoyed playing competitive sports. Part of playing sports in giving it all you can, playing fair, being a charitable winner and when you come up short being able to accept defeat in a gracious manner. What is harder to stomach in sports are those who constantly tuant their opponents, and then whine and complain and blame the refs for their own shortcomings. The same might be said for elections.

    Democracy is not perfect, nothing is in this world is; but there are safeguards including recounts and court challenges that help insure the integrity of elections. Winston Churchill was one of the great statesmen of the 20th century. “Democracy ” He once said, “Is the worst form of government, except for all the others”. It is important to continually remind ourselves of the unique value of this form of government, of and by the people, and seek to strengthen rather than attempt to tear it down.

  8. It was a Commiecrat Summit on how to cheat in the next election. Scott is too stupid to know he is aiding and abetting Communists.

  9. I have what I think is a great idea.

    Instead of re-electing Phil “Jar of Rancid Mayonaise / Blubbering Tower of Jello” Scott, we instead elect a Roomba. Now, hear me out.

    The Governor rakes in I believe roughly $150K. A Roomba or rather an iRobot Roomba 692 retails for about $175 on Amazon.

    It’s a way better deal. You save roughly $149.8K on the Roomba (more if you have a PO Box just over the border in West Leb and can avoid sales tax), plus you can just let it loose in the statehouse and have it clean carpets. It accomplishes more by simply sucking up dirt and lint than Phil Scott ever could and costs a fraction of the price.

    Plus the Roomba is easier to look at and can’t talk. All you have to do is have some statehouse jerkoff change the batteries on it once in awhile. Also, the Roomba spews less crap. Unless the filter gets clogged up.

    Point is this: I say vote Roomba in 2022. A vote for Roomba is a vote for slightly less awful while costing far less.

  10. So Scott admires McCain, no wonder he’s such a useless piece of crap, he’s emulating the biggest RINO there ever was.. Thanks for the speech Neil very
    revealing for those that don’t know what waffling traitor (using another WAR euphemism) he really is…

    • DBean, I have to admit that while I do not agree wtih every positon ever taken by John McCain, I do admire the man. He stood up to six years of imprisionment and repeated espisodes of torture after his plane was shot down over Hanoi. McCain refused out of sequence release and served as a model of resistance for other prisioners.

      McCain reminds me of others like Bob Dole and Geroge Bush who faithfully served and were wounded for his country. Even if you do not agree with another Americans point of view, they deserve better than being called useless piece of crap or a traitor.

      • I Was calling Scott a useless piece of crap and McCain was as far as representing Conservative Values.. I respect him as a pampered warrior who had to endure prison camp while I was pounding the ground as a Marine in Vietnam… as for traitor the same can be said
        about all RINO’s… McCain Scott and a lot in the swamp of DC now
        who are traitors to the conservative Republicans..
        McCain was only slightly better liked then Kerry by his comrades in arms…

        • Thank you for your service … My husband was in Nam also. I lost relatives and dear friends over there.
          McCain was given special treatment in Nam he was a songbird
          Kerry he shot himself in the arm trying to be sent back home, hell when he got back home and became a Senator, he awarded himself a purple heart and silver and bronze medals..

      • First off talk to some POWs who were in the same camp as McCain.. he was not a hero, he was a songbird aka traitor. He was NOT tortured. he was given officer treatment. He wanted his father and Grandfather to get him released. They would not do it. As for him not being able to raise his arms was not from torture but from bailing out of the plane he was in he was hurt from the landing in the trees. FACT.
        I met a man in Eden Vermont who was in the same Vietcong camp and he said that McCain was given special treatment. When McCain was running for president there were several POWs who spoke out against him. As for George W Bush he was never in a war, he flew warplanes in the Air Nations Guards he never left the United States soil. Also citing his selection as a pilot despite his low pilot aptitude test scores and his irregular attendance was his father is who got him into the Guards. In 1972, Bush was suspended from flying for failure to take a scheduled physical exam. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force Reserve on November 21, 1974.

        • One of the sad things in my lifetime is how the enemies of America have managed to turn Americans of all political persuations against each other often using the most vitriolic language in describing their fellow countrymen. Sadest of all is how some of those who have served honerably have bought into lies and have been manipulated to then slander their fellow service men who also have also honerably served and sustained woulnds in service of their country. Those in the Kermlin and Beijing must indeed be pleased.

          A few corrections are in order. Your man in Eden Vermont could not have been in the same Vietcong camp as McCain as the Vietcong were in South Vietnam and McCain was imprisoned in Hanoi. McCain’s war record, record of imprisonment and entire history can be easily found using Wikipedia. Finally, I referred in my earlier comment to Bob Dole and George Bush not George W. Bush. George Bush who joined the Navy right of high school became a pilot in the pacific in WWII. He serve honorably and his plane was shot down on one bombing run, was injured, and eventually rescued by a sub.

      • George Bush, the one who sold out America to the New World Order? That one? Sadly I have to admit I voted for him, he was and is a traitor to our country, no thank you.

        • Neil,

          To label someone a traitor is, for those of us who care deeply for our nation, the ultimate insult. It is not something that should be thrown around lightly.
          Could you provide some detail about his supposed betrayal of the United States of America?

          How was George Bush, the man who volunteered to serve his country in WWII as soon as he turned 18, a traitor?
          How was George Bush, the man who served as Ronald Reagan’s Vice President for eight years a traitor?
          How was George Bush, who served as head of the CIA and successfully as President helped navigate the end of the Soviet Union, a traitor?
          How was George Bush rallied the world and successful expelled Saddam Hussien troops from Kuwaite in Operation Desert Storm, a traitor?

          • He signed agenda 21 in Rio back in the 1990’s, talking about the New World Order.

            He is a traitor to our country for doing so. I had no idea what hw was talking about, sadly I supported him.

            Giving our sovernty to the United Nations and other international organizations is giving up our country voluntarily. Enemy within, traitor.

  11. Below is his speech.

    This speech is very enlightening. It shows how he views our political system, it shows his view of the problems and the solutions. It’s very interesting, for you to dissect and digest.

    GOVERNOR SCOTT: I want to begin by thanking President Biden and Vice President Harris for inviting me to be a part of this summit; for their commitment to this incredibly important discussion; and to all those participating for your focus on this issue.

    Healthy democracies require healthy relationships amongst citizens and their governments.

    Keeping these relationships healthy requires a constant commitment to listening, learning, and always working to do better. It needs an authentic effort to reach consensus, compromise when necessary and accept that we will not – and in fact should not – win every debate. And it takes humility to realize that no single party or person has all the best ideas.

    Citizens and those elected to serve must also understand the point of view, the goals and the fears of those with whom we disagree.

    The health of democratic nations themselves depends on listening to and considering other perspectives.

    ***

    What we have experienced in the U.S. from both major parties is a steady erosion of the basic civility and respect that is so essential to the health of our democratic republic.

    Some of this is by accident, and unfortunately, some of it is by design.

    Just 11 months ago, for example, we saw our President fuel a campaign to undermine and try to overturn the results of a free, fair and legal election. The election was overseen by non-partisan officials across the country and validated by governors of both political parties, which proved the system worked and the values of democracy prevailed when tested.

    Yet we cannot lose site of the fact that one person’s ego led us to a very low moment in American history. This is a powerful reminder of why we must always guard against authoritarianism and the manipulation of would-be dictators from both the right and the left.

    It is critical for our nation to humbly reflect on these events and the many years leading up to them, and learn from it to make our nation, and all democracies, more durable. Because democracy is only as strong as our commitment to it, and we cannot let our guard down.

    ***

    In his farewell to the nation, Republican Senator John McCain – someone I greatly admired – reminded Americans that the power of democracies is in their relentlessly optimistic commitment to freedom, fairness and human rights.

    He warned, however, that these systems are weakened when “we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe.”

    Political polarization, what Senator McCain called “tribal rivalries,” is one of the greatest threats to our nations and our ability to protect human rights.

    When we stop listening and learning from each other; when we cannot debate issues and find common ground and a path forward; when we refuse to consider another person’s point of view or insist one party or politician is always right or always wrong, we are eroding core democratic values.

    And make no mistake: Other nations who do not share our commitment to the fundamental rights of all people use these fractures to destabilize and divide us further.

    ***

    Now to be clear, a vigorous and healthy debate is a good thing. It ensures the tough questions are asked, ideas are tested, and different perspectives are heard.

    Unfortunately, we’ve reached a tipping point where political debates and activism have turned intensely personal – sometimes downright hateful – at a time when our challenges are in desperate need of more dialogue and understanding.

    The words of war like “assault” and “attack” are too frequently used around issues like budget choices or tax policy. Debates are often described as “battles.” And when legitimate policy debates are characterized in the terms of violence and war, people stop listening and become defensive, fearful and angry.

    The opportunity for real discussion and compromise slips away. Frustration grows, the divide deepens, the relationship between citizens is poisoned by hyper-partisanship and the destructive cycle of polarization repeats. Worse yet, this divisiveness fuels hate and violence.

    But in a democracy, there is always hope.

    We know by working together, we can reverse these trends.

    ***

    Calvin Coolidge, a Republican and America’s 30th president, who grew up in my state of Vermont, wisely said, “The only way I know to drive out evil from the country is by filling it with good.”

    Filling the world with good created by healthy democracies is the best way to guard against authoritarianism. By expanding liberty and justice, we show how to engage in complex debates with both conviction and civility and prove the strength of every nation is in its diversity of people and opinion.

    ***

    Democracies are a beacon of personal and economic freedom and opportunity. They cast a bright, hopeful and optimistic light, in stark contrast to the dark and oppressive regimes elsewhere.

    If we follow this path – if we fill the world with good and set the example – we’ll rise above those who seek to dim the bright light of democracy, and democratic societies will flourish across the globe.

    • Several paragraphs of Scott’s missive can easily be used to describe current events-
      While he derides Trump, the words fit well describing biden and fauci
      “Yet we cannot lose site of the fact that one person’s ego led us to a very low moment in American history. This is a powerful reminder of why we must always guard against authoritarianism and the manipulation of would-be dictators from both the right and the left.”
      Sorry, Phil. While we are pleased you have not reinstated a State of Emergency regarding SARS-CoV2, you have sheepishly followed the current political majority into the morass engulfing the USA and Vermont.

  12. What is the real motivation behind Joe Biden’s call for a submit on Democracy at this very moment?

    Is it really to address problems facing democracies? Or could it be nothing more than a cynical ploy by Biden to urgently change the subject away from his poor job performance, his mounting problems domestically and abroad plus his disastrously sinking poll results?

    If you were in the same mess as Joe Biden, wouldn’t you want to change the subject?

  13. Funny that Scott says that we need to listen to both sides yet he and Dr. Levine refuse to listen to those who promote early treatment for Covid-19, and they have no response to critics of their policy except, “that’s what the authorities say.” How about real science?

    It’s also ironic that they go on about threats to democracy but our nation isn’t a democracy; it’s a constitutional republic for a reason, and that reason is that democracy is two lions and a lamb deciding what’s for lunch. The Democrats in fact seem to want to take away the basic rights of the (unvaccinated) minority– the prevention of which is exactly why the Constitution was written. To take away the rights of those who for whatever reason refuse Covid vaccines is to paint these people as stupid, dumb, idiotic, moronic (do I hear echoes of eugenics thinking?), incapable of reason and following the science (even doctors and nurses!), subhuman, morally deficient, and a threat to the greater good. Gee, I wonder what other era in history demonized and then suppressed a minority group? And yes, when this happened they were always right, weren’t they? Good thing Germany never tried that trick.

    And, the election was a fraud. Maybe that’s the core of the animosity towards those on the right who insist that a man who even now can hardly draw a crowd (except to chant “Let’s go, Brandon!”) couldn’t possibly have won over a man who even now draws huge crowds. The election irregularities are there but ignored by those who are putting out the narrative that the Governor follows.

    The corruption is unbelievable and that’s why so many can’t believe it.

    “Trending against principles of democracy”! Really. What they want to do is take away the rights of the minority and hence the appeal to “democracy,” the supposed will of the people. It’s an excuse for abusing minority groups. We want to pretend we’re all OK and good and BLM and gay whatever and we’re a rainbow, but UNVACCINATED? Holy smokes, that’s way too much. “Going to contaminate us” … Hitler said the exact same thing but our memories are short or our comprehension shallow, or both.

    • Jim, you got that right. if you don’t get the jab you are dangerous, stupid, and a criminal.. I thought the “MASKS” were for protection.. No matter how many masks you wear it doesn’t protect you.!!!
      Scott is a puppet controlled by leftist legislators. The left are the ones who keep voting him in .. as they know they can pretty well pull the strings on the puppet

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