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I took the push-poll!
by Rob Roper
My cellphone binged with a request to take a poll about Vermont issues. Sure, why not? They might be curious about what’s on my mind, but I was equally curious about what was on the minds of the pollsters — and who they’re working for.
The answer to my latter question is they are working for Vermont State Treasurer and, salivatingly-so, governor wannabe, Mike Pieciak. And the answer to my first question is they want to know if Vermonters will buy a bunch of negative attacks on Phil Scott linking our governor to President Trump. Here’s a sampling of the kind of messaging we can expect from a Pieciak for Governor campaign:
Now [Pieciak] is running for Governor because we cannot afford leaders who cave to Donald Trump – we need strong leaders who fight back. As Treasurer, Pieciak is going after Trump’s corruption and helping take the Trump Administration to court….
Trump is posing a greater threat to our democracy than ever before, and the only way to protect Vermonters is to fight back.
As Governor, Pieciak will bring new energy and will fight back against Donald Trump’s attacks on Vermont.
Another question slams Scott for “refus[ing] to stand up to Trump’s tariffs.” Of course, whether you agree or disagree with the tariffs, there’s really nothing a governor can do to “fight back” against them. Congress can. The courts can. But a governor? Not so much.
All Vermont Republicans should take note, because this is going to be the general line of attack on every candidate with an R next to their name in 2026. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that it’s the same attack that the Democrat gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, is currently using against her Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli, and it ain’t working. Less than a month away until the election, Ciattarelli has pulled into a dead heat with the Democrat in the deep blue state by reminding voters that Trump doesn’t affect their property tax bills or their energy prices – two issue Vermont voters can also identify with – but Democrats in state government do. Very much so.
Similarly, in New York Governor Kathy Hochel, who has been fighting ferociously against the president alongside prominent NY pols such as Chuck Schumer and AOC, finds herself with just a five point lead over Republican Elise Stefanik — who has not even announced her candidacy for a 2026 run. Turns out housing costs and so-called “green” energy policies that are driving up prices of fuel and electricity matter more to normal people that personality clashes between giant political egos.
If you look at the Virgina gubernatorial race, it would appear voters are more interested in seeing Democrats fight back against their own psychopathically violent base than against the president. Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, recently staring down a hopeless double-digit polling deficit, has narrowed the gap to spitting distance against Democrat Abigail Spanberger after the latter refused to un-endorse the Democrat Attorney General candidate following his disturbing fantasies about murdering his political opponents came to light. That, and Spanberger’s refusal to stand up to some school boards defiantly allowing biological boys into girls’ locker rooms and showers.
All this would indicate that the “We’re fighting Trump!” narrative is an attempted distraction from the issues that actually matter to voters at the household level. While the radical leftist base in the Democrat party may insist on this line of attack, moderates and working people across party lines seem to be seeing through the smokescreen, and are not buying it.
Which brings us to the other line of attack in the Pieciak poll: All the unaffordable stuff in Vermont is Scott’s fault!
Healthcare costs, housing costs, childcare costs and prices for everything are higher in Vermont than ever before. All while homelessness and opioid crises in our state get worse and worse. Scott himself has acknowledged that under his leadership the state is moving in the “wrong direction” and that it’s worse off than when he entered office almost a decade ago.
Ummm… I’m not sure what the source is for that Scott “acknowledgement” is but I think we can all can safely assume Pieciak is taking something wildly out of context.
Of course, the statement ignores the fact that all of those issues mentioned are the result of Democrat policies, many of which were implemented over Governor Scott’s veto. Homelessness? Giving out free hotel rooms to all comers at around $400 million of taxpayers’ expense, defunding police departments, and implementing lax drug laws were not Republican policies. Housing? High costs and lack of availability are the result of Democrats’ anti-development, “save the planet!” environmental policies. Scott has been a supporter of Act 250 reform; Democrat majorities have blocked those efforts. Childcare? We can trace back skyrocketing costs and lack of availability to the Democrats’ 2015 law that – by design – crushed numerous in-home childcare providers across the state in favor of fewer, more expensive, government controlled childcare centers.
Will Pieciak run for governor? Time will tell. If he does, this polling indicates it will be a nasty, negative, and dishonest campaign not focused on Vermont issues. If he doesn’t, it will signal that the “Fight Trump!” message is a loser, even in Vermont, and not worth trying. Either way, Vermont Republicans need to work hard to keep voters’ attention focused on the issues state government is capable of affecting: property taxes (and taxes in general), energy costs, crime, housing regulations, and healthcare, becase the other side will be desperately trying to change the subject.
Rob Roper is a freelance writer who has been involved with Vermont politics and policy for over 20 years. This article reprinted with permission from Behind the Lines: Rob Roper on Vermont Politics, robertroper.substack.com
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Categories: Commentary
Goes to show TDS is alive and well in liberal VT
Yes ……. Trump Derangement Syndrome is certainly alive and living well in Mr. Pieciak’s mind. So much so that he has forgotten America is a Constitutional Republic and not a Democracy.
Are you a Lawless man Mr. Pieciak? Law and Order matters in a Constitutional Republic Mr. Pieciak. Federal Laws also matter Mr. Pieciak. If you hate America Mr. Pieciak why do you stay here? There are plenty of Lawless places to live around the world.
Vermont Opinion banner paragraph fixed Trump is posing a greater threat to our Democrat Party than ever before! There they go again totally disregarding our Republic and discounting their Democracy since he received the majority of the popular vote, pure democracy
Dear Mike Pieciak, you have the full endorsement of Nick Rosato. Anyone against Trump is honorable to this gentleman.
Josh, don’t let your ignorance run your typewriter. I’m a Scott fan.
Well, if you are a Scott fan you proved Josh right. King Philip the Scott 1st Eunuch King of Castrati and so-called Republican did not support, endorse or vote for the Republican nominee Donald Trump for President.
Mr. Elkins,
Do you believe there is a Constitutional and Foundational System of Laws in place in America?
Do you believe in Law and Order?
Do you acknowledge that each U.S. State agreed to fully adhere to the U.S. Constitution when they joined the United States of America as a State?
Do you further acknowledge that State of Vermont Officials signed and agreed to abide by the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Federal Laws as they signed to join the United States of America in 1791 as a State?
OH ………. How far the State of Vermont Officials have fallen from keeping their, “Forever binding agreement” to the U.S. Constitution and Federal Laws.
Lawless Vermont Officials are projecting their own actions onto Trump as they violate and ignore the U.S. Constitution, Federal Laws and the State’s “Forever binding agreement.”
They are behaving as “Kings/Queens who believe they are above the Law.”
On a day when Trump has brought together the leaders of most Muslim and European countries to sign a peace accord that promises and end to hostilities in the Middle East it seems rather petty if not absurd to be railing against his leadership. I wish Trump’s detractors would spend more time in cooperative discussions with folks than waving “Trump is Hitler”, “Trump is a Fascist” signs, on “No Kings” day. Such demonstrations only sow division and promote the type of hatred that leads to violence.
I will preface my remarks by saying I am not a supporter of DJT (and many Republican policies in general)…for many reasons. I am also not a supporter of most Democrats and many Democratic policies.
I see both Republican and Democratic Administrations doing great harm to the country now and well into the future.
Proof: aggregate federal debt in 2000 was $5.7 Trillion dollars; now, 25 years later, after both Democrat and Republican administrations aggregate debt is just under $38 Trillion dollars (a more than 560% increase!) and the CBO projects another $22 Trillion dollars of debt over the next decade.
Both Republican and Democratic administration have declared economic war against society’s children who will have to pay for out-of-control spending by both parties.
Now specifically about Mike Pieciak. In January of this year he BOASTED about improvements in VSTRS, the teacher’s pension program, saying its funded ratio had “improved” to 61.17% (anything below 60% is “red zone”).
Because VSTRS remains significantly underfunded, this year the state will transfer $230 million dollars from the General Fund (primary revenue source is citizen income taxes) to VSTRS in order to ensure the fund meets its fiscal obligations to retirees.
Transfer funds from the General Fund will continue through (at least??) 2038!
Who is responsible for the significant shortfall in VSTRS. I have researched this online and all the evidence I have found leads to the conclusion that it was Democratic administrations in Vermont who are responsible for failing to ensure fiscal stability in VSTRS.
Democrats love to spend money. That is part of the reason Vermont is one of only 9 states that taxes social security income (above a certain level). They seek money anywhere and everywhere (including suing Big Oil for providing a product that just about everyone…voluntarily…uses).
Add to that Vermont ranks #3 in terms of highest tax burden at the state level (income taxes) AND Vermont has the highest property taxes of all 50 states.
Property taxes are high in order to pay for public school student education in Vermont which has the 2nd highest spending per pupil of all 50 states, yet student learning proficiency outcomes place Vermont nationally at average to in some cases below average.
Vermont is on a very dangerous fiscal trajectory and Phil Scott is not perfect, but let’s be clear…if a Democrat were in the Governor’s office….the consequences would be economically and possibly socially catastrophic.
Having criticized the Democrats for their profligate spending habits let me conclude by re-emphasizing that I remain concerned, very concerned, at both the immediate and long-term consequence of the current Trump Administration.
Another ace column by Mr Roper ! Exposing the schemes and scams of the Left !
Keep at the rascals, Rob !
Heck, I didn’t even know Trump was running in Vermont.
Well Nick, I am in fact not a fan of Scott, too Luke warm for me. A bit of a play both sides kind of guy. That being said, I am not surprised by your love for our Governor standing up to Trump and his policies, so in fact, I am not ignorant, can read that book without turning a page. However, full unleashment on our state is being held back by Scott, with God’s grace, so that credit I will give. But, he only steps in when things will hurt his campaign. This state has multiple issues, and Scott my friend, is at the helm. Continue you love fest as you wish my friend.
Well, we know what the bible says about fence sitters. That’s enough for me.
As usual Mr. Roper hits the nail on the head!
The problems Vermont is having are not due to President Trump, it’s because our Legislators refuse to do the will of the their constituents/ taxpayers!!
We definitely need more in Montpelier that listen to those of us that do the hard part,paying and paying to live here! This state is unaffordable and we need more legislators that realize this!! I just paid 60 dollars to get a copy of my license which was misplaced.. this is outrageous, and that was over a month ago! And I am still waiting for it! Just a sample of the overpriced services in this state!
We are heading into peak heating season, oh joy! More emptying of the wallet!
People can’t take much more. Wake up Vt legislators!! !!
‘
Pieciak, who didn’t know what a PCR test was, served on Scott’s covid advisory panel. Heads, you lose; tails, you lose.
I’m sure glad this is an off year for Vermont politicians. I’m getting tired of holding my nose and voting (and in some cases leaving a vote blank). Tired of all the RINOs and never-Trump Republicans in Vermont.
No matter what our president does, the pernicious nature of TDS causes people to hate it and stand for the opposite.
https://babylonbee.com/news/leftists-take-to-streets-to-protest-end-of-genocide
Really in this variation of mental absorption regarding various inputs, schooling that developed after birth, what worlds did the influences being it Liberal or Conservative obviously seem to be open to either mental acceptance. What was the turning point, parents, education, military, work environment, friends, etc. Personally I grew up in VT and while my parents didn’t politically expose their thinking on me and I was quite young. Analyzing my past youth, with out much news of events and given how Vermont was in my early era, the 50’s somehow I endorsed the Republican / conssrvative position and it proved the best. There was Tom Dewy of NY running for Prez and the VT Congressional Representatives. The motto was “as goes Maine, so goes Vermont”
Some change today to both states having the migration of Flatlanders that changed both states. Glad have a mental position of being neither Dem or Rep but a Constitutional Conservative. I’d vote for either if they believed in this country and it’s founding 250 years ago and didn’t lie at election times to get elected and changed 180 degrees from their lies.
Bottom line, how did and by what circumstance did liberal mind deviate from reality? All the information of reality is open via the multiple sources, by what means (how) are potential people to be Liberals and oppose reality and to make this country great or the next generations? Why is Communism, Socialism, Fascist, etc so great? I served in the military starting in9-9-1958 365 days 27 / 7 constant alert to secure this country as have my family. How many Libs served? What influence does George Soros and other billionaires (tax free wealth) have on them with his 11 non-profits promoting riots? Hope he is deported. Libs must listen to him and get his money without working for a living. Ref the first Trump election and the liberal media promoting crapology.
Trump with more than 3 years left in his presidency has ample time to clean the swamp.
My $0.02
People should consider the State’s lead bean counter has leveraged a great sum of pensions, assets, and resources into the casino royale, aka stock market. Created a bubble within the giant bubble using bundled State debt, betting and hedging with devalued fed notes with promissary contracts, aka bond bombs. What are the odds that foreign investors hold the collateral, the liens, and the detonation pin?
Vermont is a small state. It seems, since 2020, our books are way out of balance with the reality of the working class. Case in point: how do State officials earn wicked good pay increases? (OpenGovPay.com) In 2024, Michael Pieciak earned $140,982 by working as a Treasurer at the Vermont State Treasurer Office. According to public records, Michael Pieciak’s salary increased by 145.63% ($83,587) from 2023 to 2024. His salary was 122% higher than the average and 154% higher than median Treasurer salary in 2024.” Of course, the salary does not account for fringe benefits, campaign favors, or deals done outside the official capiticy of head bean counter.
If he has an issue with Trump, he has no problem wheeling and dealing in the same circles, with the same money changers, or playing the same cards in the stacked, rigged deck. Spare me the platitudes and pandering – they are all on the same team. There is no business like show business.
Nancy, the answer to all your questions is yes, I do believe in the constitution, and believe it is being slowly pulled away, but not as the TDS’s believe. We’re you asking a rhetorical question, or was there a point? Genuinely unsure.