To the Editor, and any Democrats reading this:

Why does the Democratic Party think that being nothing more than against Trump constitutes leadership? Or is meaningful or useful in any way? 

During the ‘pandemic,’ I sent letters to our reps in DC, trying to make them aware of all the horror stories that I had heard personally about the vaccines, conversations I’d had with nurses I kept meeting, the mind-blowing statistics on the open VAERS site, etc. I got one letter after another back from Bernie Sanders’ office going on and on and on about how everyone on the planet needed to be vaccinated with these very problematic vaccines. Mr. Sanders turned into this screaming shill for Big Pharma. I don’t think anyone in his office even glanced at any of my letters. I feel they were looked over, someone saw the word “vaccine,” went over to a computer, hit a function key, and spit out an utterly careless reply. My experience for years and years and years with Mr. Sanders’ offices. 

At the beginning of this year, I wrote to all 3 offices asking why the taxes and fees on the bill for the land line that I’d like to keep amount to over 40% of the bill, between the state and Feds. I was surprised to get a reply from a Mr. James McNerny in Mr. Welch’s office. He was in utter disbelief at that figure. He took the time to research what every tax and fee was for, and then suggested that I write a letter of complaint to the FCC. But the power to lay and collect taxes resides on Capitol Hill. I wrote back and said that something as small as reducing the taxes and fees on land line bills might be the only kind of thing the Dems could achieve in the next 2 years. But even that seems unworthy of their attention or effort. 

I no longer get replies from Becca Balint’s office. Although I was somewhat impressed by a couple of early replies. Ms. Balint used to be a history teacher but apparently has zero interest in the history of Ukraine. She seems to have no knowledge of the fact that we provoked all of the political turmoil by overthrowing the government of Ukraine in 2014, thereby sparking a civil war. She has wholeheartedly supported the black hole of our unwinnable proxy war with Russia. And I’ve never had any idea as to what Peter Welch does. I’ve gotten countless notes from his office over the years with nary a pretense of interest in my views as a constituent. I assume that Mr. McNerny never brought my tax complaint to his attention.

I urge Vermonters to write letters to these people, to find out who it is that they have actually elected. It strikes me that the Dems could find some common ground with the Republicans. The Dems might become interested in vaccine safety—and efficacy—for instance. They might take the time to watch the 3 Vaxxed documentaries and take an interest in a cause of great harm to some children. I think the whole world knows, at this point, that the clinical trials for the Pfizer Covid vaccine were fraudulent. Jeez! The FDA wanted to bury that data for 75 years. Until everyone who had taken the vaccine was dead! And how many people know someone who was vaccinated and proceeded to get Covid—more than once?!

-Jacqueline Brook, Putney

To the Editor:

This woman (“Stop telling me where to live,” VDC May 6) nailed it!

Hang in there, Republicans.  What a dismal failure Democrats in the majority have displayed. They wasted all kinds of time manipulating ways to keep those horrible, garbage climate bills in play instead of being focused on real needs. You know – the crime bills we need, the complete overhaul of our disastrous education funding system we need, the need to lower our burdensome tax bills, sustainable state pension reductions, the need to get rid of housing regulations. The hideous climate bills do nothing to help the planet, they only hurt Vermonters and Vermont businesses. 

Make sure you have ads ready to get rid of more dems and progs – the worst of the worse, the Phil Baruth’s, Rebecca White’s, Laura Sibilia’s, Kesha Ram-Hinsdale’s etc etc etc. They didn’t stop us from getting sued. Only a lunatic would set up the people they purport to represent to get sued for an unreachable mandate. Unreal! 

Vermonters want to be untethered from Califailure policy, they want the Global “Solutions” Act gone and they want the Clean Heat Standard GONE.  Again, get the new upcoming Republican challenger’s ads ready and get these disastrous dems and progs out of Vermont government!

–Karen Rowell, Burlington

My fellow readers:

Perhaps certain words stick out to me more, but once again, while driving through my hometown, I observed dozens of peaceful protesters gathered in opposition to the democratically elected President, Donald Trump.

As I have seen elsewhere, a couple of signs that protesters were holding read “Save Democracy.” Others warned that our American Democracy is under attack from Donald Trump.

However, democracy is the system that puts people like Donald Trump in power. Donald Trump is not a threat to democracy, but is rather its proper implementation. A majority of American voters elected him. To oppose Trump and his voters is to oppose democracy! There is no getting around this.

To be a minority attempting to overthrow the majority (such as protesting Trump, trying to work against him, or obstructing his will) is to oppose the majority, to oppose democracy and its rightfully elected candidate, President Trump.

These protesters are upset that Trump is acting tyrannically, imposing his ideas on the country and on minorities (such as Vermonters who desired Harris). But this is democracy in action; this is what democracy gives us: the rule of the majority. It creates minority groups with no say in governance; it hears only the cries of the loudest and largest group and implements their desires while ignoring the needs of the rest.

They are furious about their own loss of self-governance, and they blame Trump for not desiring what they desire—or the majority in the country for not agreeing with them, as a minority.

But the blame should not go to people who have different opinions; we don’t want to force everyone to think the same as we do, that is the opposite of the diversity that we Vermonters embrace. Instead, the issue is a system of majority rule that allows the majority to impose their politics on smaller minorities such as Vermonters.

Angry at Trump for imposing the majority’s will? Trump IS democracy in action; when you are in the majority and the government does as you wish, you love it and others hate it.

But these things did not begin with Trump; rather, they began with a system of majority rule that creates minority groups and then takes away their ability to be governed as they desire, which leads to anger and protest in the streets.

As a libertarian-minded individual, it surprises me to see Democrats upset about not having the president they wanted. They win half the time, and have majorities within our state, as well as others across the country. In contrast, no matter how many times I vote Libertarian, I will never get the policy I desire because we are a small minority of about 4% of the population. No one cares to hear our “voice” or to give us self-government. To provide us with equal quotas or representation as they do for other minority groups.

But I am OK with that. One thing I won’t be doing, though I am sure all these protesters will, is voting or attempting to force my way on others; instead, I will follow the Golden Rule and treat others the way I want them to treat me. I do not want others to use government coercion and power to force me to do what I don’t desire or support what I would rather not, and even though they will continue to do that, from now on, I choose to turn the other cheek and not repay evil for evil.

-Jeb Smith, Rupert