When it comes to using state taxpayer dollars to advance his sometimes kooky, left-of-center political agenda, Vermont Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman isn’t shy.
In his current re-election campaign against GOP candidate and former state Rep. Don Turner, the hippyish, pony-tailed Zuckerman is leveraging a prime state resource — his office’s public website — to provide would-be voters with invitations to attend screenings of his favorite politically charged films.
Using his official state website, Zuckerman unashamedly supports political activism of the leftist kind.
The lieutenant governor’s favorite films are frequently outlandish, one-sided productions that purport to be balanced documentaries.
Zuckerman’s movie screenings, which occur on the fourth Thursday of each month and are free and open to the public, take place in taxpayer-supported places such as fire stations and public libraries around the state capital.
According to Zuckerman’s website, the goal is “to create an opportunity for conversation around issues currently active in our state and country.”
But how balanced are the screenings? The film descriptions reveal that the movies promote a controversial, sometimes paranoid leftist agenda steeped in mistrust of mainstream American approaches to public policy. Documentary topics range from green energy and paid family leave to identity politics and gender studies.
One film recently showcased at a local public screening is “Tough Guise 2,” a sequel to the first movie in the anti-male series by the same name.
The work of gender and race activist Jackson Katz, Tough Guise 2 examines “violent masculinity” and associates mass shootings, bullying, violence against women and other acts of aggression with the “sexist and homophobic messages boys and young men routinely receive from virtually every corner of the culture,” according to the state website.
The film also attacks the American military community and critiques the state of manhood in the U.S. from an angry socialist-feminist perspective.
“The Devil We Know,” the documentary shown last Thursday, is an anti-corporate lecture about an alleged toxic PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) cover-up by the DuPont company in the town of Parkersburg, West Virginia. Under the Obama administration, the Environmental Protection Agency fined DuPont over releases of its Teflon-processing chemical. While Vermonters may think of the Chemfab PFOA contamination reported at the closed chemical manufacturing facility located in North Bennington, the film stirs up unnecessary cancer fears and offers only a weak causal link to southern Vermont.
Zuckerman, who supports a carbon tax, also has provided web users with a link to an anti-fossil fuel film about the use of coal. Titled “From the Ashes,” this movie attacks the Trump administration and its attempt to create a mixed-energy plan for American energy independence. Interestingly, Zuckerman supports divesting the Vermont state pension of investments related to fossil fuels.
Other films in the series include “Reinventing Power,” a Sierra Club look at green energy around the nation, “SEED: The Untold Story,” an anti-GMO tribute to seed keepers who claim to be protecting humanity’s food legacy, and “Zero Weeks, a movie that promotes guaranteed paid leave for all American workers.
The film series, which reinforces Zuckerman’s progressive agenda, may work against the economic interests of Vermonters.
Last week, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Vermont’s general obligation bond rating from AAA to Aa1. The downgrade relates to Vermont’s low economic and population growth, along with the high leverage cost of one of the state’s triple-A ratings. Calls for divestment of Vermont’s $3.8 billion pension fund, as championed by Zuckerman, are problematic in light of the the downgrade and have been opposed by State Treasurer Beth Pearce and the Vermont Pension Investment Committee.
Campaign opponent Don Turner responded to the Moody’s downgrade by calling on Zuckerman to abandon his push for divestment.
“It is irresponsible, unaffordable, and unacceptable to risk our financial well-being by divesting the state’s pension funds. In response to the Moody’s downgrade, I call on Lt. Gov. Zuckerman to retract his support for divestment,” he said in a campaign press release.
It isn’t difficult to identify who’s behind Zuckerman’s film series. The list of supporters posted on his state website reads like a who’s who of leftist, labor and green activist groups already visible in state politics and the Democratic Party.
The list includes the Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club, Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), the Rutland Area NAACP, Vermont Conservation Voters, Vermont State Labor Council – AFL-CIO, Rights & Democracy, and the Peace & Justice Center, among others.
Lou Varricchio is a freelance reporter for True North Reports. Send him news tips at lvinvt@gmx.com.
Remember the theme song to the tv program, All in the Family? Archie Bunker sang “when girls were girls and men were men”. Where’s Archie when we need him?
He stepped out of character and came out as a liberal.
Based on these comments, the Republican’s and Independent’s should stand a good chance of making some gains. Please encourage people to get out and vote for some common sense.
He’s a classic example of what happened to Vermont years ago with the infestation of the likes of him. We’ve been paying the price ever since. No problem, he’ll most likely win in a land slide, like the rest of his buddies.
Zuk, Yuk this a guy who can take the fun out of a 4th of July parade by handing out dirty carrots from his farm to children lining the Main St. in Waterbury. Remember, Baseball, Hot Dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet? Then think Zuckerman and don;y let your toxic masculinity get in the way if you wish to continue the progressive destruction of Vermont.
Then think about Ethen Allen and the Green Mountain boys who secured the rights of Vermonters in their quest for freedom. But then again, maybe you are too lazy to even make it to the polling place to save your state and freedom from liberals who know better how to run your life than you do.
As a Vermonter, born and raised here I am disgusted with the ruination of Vermont and the freedoms we had before the progressive infection came to our state. Please get off your ass and vote these people out! .
Dan
Very well said.
But, but, but. I thought the moonbats in VT loved spending money for the ‘common good’. Zuck seems to feel he is the common good. What could possibly be wrong with spending taxpayer money to show his hand selected moonbat movies? How else are the uninformed snow flakes going to be able to keep up with all the socialist ideas? How else are we going to get free everything from those evil capitalists?
I’m glad that we have a great choice by voting for Don Turner.
Vermont has an ethics commission right? This would be a good thing to investigate, using public money and website for political purposes. It’s ironic that Zuck always whines about public money going to independent schools and here he is using public resources for his personal election tool. He’s owned by the public school mafia.
How easy it is to be preaching to the choir. Another sanctimonious liberal. The day he is elected governor will be the last nail in the coffin of Vermont.
“the day he’s elected Governor…?” Is the day I move out.
Zuckerman just another one of Vermont’s Progressive leaders ” Wow ” talk about
Left Wing ” bugaboos” he’s Just another Joke in State House !!
This State reminds me of a Circus and it sure has it’s share of Clowns.
And the left has the gall to call President Donald Trump and idiot ! Zuckerman is dumber the Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters combined. He’s definitely smoke too much of his anticipated cash crop.
Yuckerman should be freed up time wise so he can take his act on the road,his very own conspiracy radio show. Oh that’s right there is no market for leftist conspiracy clap trap,free him up anyway,Vote Turner.
Well, Zuckerman is doing it again, instead of paying out of his own pocket he’s making the taxpayers pay for these places..By the titles of his movies, he only cares for the liberals and trying to brainwash people..GO DON TURNER….VOTE RED !!!!
There is one way to start making a difference here in Vermont..Vote for Don Turner Tuesday, Nov. 6th.
Only in Vermont. Yuck!!!
Is it just me, or has Lt. Gov. Zuckerman smoked a bit too much of whatever it is he grows on his farm?
lol he probably smokes more then he sells…
When leftwing moonbats aren’t busy trying to turn women into men, they’re busy trying to do the opposite.
Wonder what Harry Reid would of thought of Zuckerman in 1993
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75a9Wa6KL7k&w=1903&h=751%5D