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Not terrible policies voters intelligently disagree with.
by Rob Roper
In an interview on WVMT’s Morning Drive, the newly elected Democrat Majority Leader in the Vermont House, Lori Houghton (D-Essex), blamed their historic election losses on (drumroll) poor communications.
Asked by host Kurt Wright what lessons she took from November 5th, Houghton replied, “Vermonters didn’t understand that what we passed will help them. And we need to communicate that better. We need to be able to go to someone, sit at their kitchen table and say this is what we passed, and this is how it’s going to help you. We didn’t do well with that message.”
First observation, this condescending attitude toward the voters – we know what’s best for you, and you’re just too daft to appreciate it – is a very big reason why you got your tails handed to you. How exactly is a 14 percent property tax increase helpful to us peasants? Please do come to my kitchen table and explain! And how is having to pay a dollar or more per gallon for home heating fuel going to help us afford to stay warm in winter? And, while you’re here, your handling of our healthcare situation…. Helpful how? The list of your “helpful” policies is long.
Moreover, Houghton expressed her support for Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) returning to the Speaker’s office and is confident Krowinski will be re-elected to the post, stating that November 5 was “…a really tough election, but that doesn’t mean we walk away from our core beliefs and values.” So, translation: We still know best. We’re not changing direction. Message not received.
As for the notion that Vermont Democrats have a communications problem given the fact that the Vermont press corps acts essentially as their PR arm, and they have the mega-funded special interest groups of VPIRG, VNRC, Energy Action Network, et al out their pushing their environmental agenda to the public, the VTNEA, Let’s Grow Kids, et al proselytizing for their education agenda, and the behemoth that is UVM Medical Center making the case for their healthcare agenda, etcetera and so on, how much bigger a megaphone can they possibly require?
Maybe… just maybe… The Clean Heat Standard, Renewable Energy Standard, a $100 million plus payroll tax to subsidize childcare, banning ICE vehicles, the idea that the Green Mountain Care Board is a good way to control healthcare costs are all just turds that can’t be polished.
But, speaking of communications problems – real communications problems – let’s turn to the Vermont Republicans for a moment.
After winning 18 (potentially 19) house seats the caucus held its first press conference this morning (12/4/24). Maybe tomorrow will bring more stories (not holding breath), but so far, the only one I’ve been able to find is from VPR – a grand total of 191 words. The gist of the story is that House Republicans will vote to sustain the governor’s vetoes.
Uhh…. Okay.
There must be more to the story than this, I thought. There must be a press release outlining an agenda that goes into more depth about what message House Republicans took away from the election, or video of the full press conference posted. So, I searched. I went to the Republican House Caucus’ Facebook page. The last thing posted there is from February 15, 2022. They have a Twitter account! Last post: August 25, 2021. The VTGOP? Nope. Nada. Though the VTGOP did post a notice on December 3rd that newly elected Senate Minority Leader Scott would be appearing on VPR, and a press release announcing Beck’s election on November 26th, so I have to believe if the House Caucus had a press release or a statement of some kind the VTGOP would have posted it in a timely manner.
I mean, come on, guys!
The challengers who stepped up and just knocked off a dozen incumbents, including two committee chairs, as well as those who won competitive open seats ran on a very strong message, promising to kill the Clean Heat Standard, eliminate the lawsuit provision of the Global Warming Solutions Act, and to end the endless property tax increases. If you want to keep those seats you just won after 2026 – let alone pick up more — you better be communicating to the people who elected you – every day between now and then – that you are fighting aggressively to do these things. You better have legislation pinned to the walls of committee rooms come January, and if the Democrats refuse to take any of it up, scream bloody murder until they do. If they still don’t, you better hold them very publicly to account.
The Vermont media is not going to help you. So, Vermont Republicans, if you don’t communicate your vision, what you’re doing to implement it, and what’s stopping you, the people who elected you are going to be asking themselves if YOU got the message of November 5, 2024.
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, State Government
They really don’t get it, do they ! When they get axed in the next election, it won’t matter if the “get it or not”. They will have gotten what they deserve .
Pat, enough people got it, and they got it so much that Trump won the election. The useful idiots like Lori Houghton are too stoopid to even know that they are communists and that the American people have caught on to them and their agenda. So, double down Lori and help us win the next election bay a bigger margin.
Hi James, Maybe I’m a glass half empty kind of guy, but I see the constituency of the left as being in a state of denial in regards to how they have, and are still ruining this state. Until we have a majority in the House and Senate and set about reversing the socialist agenda that the left is bound and determined to foist upon conservative, capitalists, we are like disgruntled lab rats to be used to prove or disprove their lame brain ideas. It’s a shame that it has taken pushing Vermonters to the point that we are leaving because we can’t afford their experiments . I just wonder how many more decent Vermonters will leave before these disingenuous, purveyors of BS get their just deserts, and get voted out ? They have already been there too long .
Ha! Really? The point is that we DO understand. We are not interested in more taxes for starters.
Dear Lori Houghton (D-Essex)
WE THE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD 100% MORE THAN YOU HAD WANTED. Make NO mistake, VT keeps going down this road of HIGH taxes, etc.. they too shall be voted out. NO student costs 27-28K for one year. Start cutting all the excess waste, what the tax payers consider waste, not what YOU P&D’s consider waste
Democrats: “Vermonters didn’t understand that what we passed will help them.” Really? Such ignorant condescension bodes well for the Republicans- if they unite to fight the onerous taxes and fees promised by the Democrats
Our legislators (and those supporting them) not only don’t get it, they’re getting in the way of amazing societal advances at lower and lower costs. They are neanderthals… doomed to extinction. Caveat Emptor.
Don’t believe me? Just watch this video.
Scroll through the presentation. This is amazing stuff!
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1MYxNMdqWnnJw
Is there any doubt that privatized free enterprise can’t get virtually any job done? Meanwhile Burlington bureaucrats struggle with storm water. Really??!!
Vermont legislators…. please, please, … step aside and let the grown-ups back in charge.
Hey Lori Houghton (D-Essex), what you don’t understand is that people on both sides of the aisle see the devastation you and your party have bestowed on the taxpayers of this state with all the agenda-driven nonsense, people are waking up !!
Keep it up, the times are a changing.
I guess i did not understand your mind control operations.
We ignorant and helpless inhabitants of Vermont should show more gratitude to these gifted, enlightened solons for their public service. Democrats/progressives service the public like a bull services a cow.
She does not talk…she whines.
Written by he who does not understand…yea right.
When my wife was in the House, Ralph Wright, the then Czar of the Dem’s made a statement from the podium that ” Vermonters aren’t smart enough to take care of themselves, therefore we the chosen will.
That motto must be etched into the desk in the speaker’s office.
Every D/P speaker since has done ol’ uncle ralph proud.
Democrats and Progressives crave power and will go to any lengths to maintain that power and control. houghton has that dogma strong in her.
That about sums it up, and I’m tired of it. It’s about time we seriously let them know that us Vermonters have more knowledge and common sense than the majority of them.
Ralph Wright was a pompous ass anyway .
I would have expected nothing different from Speaker Wright, as he was (in the words of Beavis, and Butthead) a Class A “buttmunch” !
“Vermonters didn’t understand that what we passed will help them. And we need to communicate that better. We need to be able to go to someone, sit at their kitchen table and say this is what we passed, and this is how it’s going to help you. We didn’t do well with that message.”
You’ve identified exactly where you belong: but your kitchen, not mine. Go back there, please, before you do any more damage to this state. To the “men” of Vermont: You let the Karens out, not me. I wonder if there is either a stick or a carrot big enough to herd them back inside.
“Vermonters didn’t understand that what we passed will help them.”
Oh, we understand quite well, and your problems lie in the fact that we understand more and more every day. It’s not that your policies suck, it’s that we see through the BS that is your “vision”.
So it’s more of the same playbook. Deny, deny, deny. Deflect, deflect, deflect. Or as I was once personally told, “You just don’t understand. You need more ‘information'”. Oh, I can assure you, I understand perfectly.
I don’t know about you, but any time a D/P refers to me as a) deplorable, b) irredeemable (Wow! I can even spel it!) or c) garbage, I consider it a badge of honor that I’m proud to wear.
To address what Rob said about the republicans, it would be an exciting time if there were any republicans running the party. As long as Mr. Dame and the same never Trumpers run the show I’m afraid no one will lead the party to greatness. There are republicans who have been elected and they have no support. When republican’s two top office holders voted for Joe Biden then Kamala Harris what can you expect without changing the Rinos who run the party into real Republicans. Maybe you can hear the pin drop at (R) headquarters because they expected Kamala to win and now have no idea how to move forward.
Re: Lori Houghton (D-Essex) Unfortunately Lori is the one that’s stoopid, not the voters.
And the world’s few… evil people have little power without the help of the world’s many stupid people. As a result, stupidly is a far greater threat than evil – Gurwinder Bhogal
Right on! And this is probably why the GOP has been losing seats in the past. There is a huge lack of appreciation of the value of publicity in the state GOP. Of course the media may have a lot to do with this. Look at the national results and the publicity use there. Heck, look at Act 22. I was amazed at the number of friends who admitted they misread the question when they voted. Your problem in finding statements highlights the fact that the state republicans need to get organized and establish an information line to the media, especially to VDC, at the moment, in my opinion, the best source now available.
“Vermonters didn’t understand that what we passed will help them. And we need to communicate that better.” It must be all that miss/disinformation spewed out by the likes of VDC! Too bad you can’t cancel nor censor them.
It’s not that people don’t understand. It’s your outrageous policies and laws you passed that your party doenst understand. what i dont understand is how citizens vote for these progressive rep agenda (we are smarter than you). can you say Bernie and Becca, there agenda is lets promise free everything and blame everyone else.
Many years ago five hundred gun owners went to the statehouse and were not happy with Ralph Wright. You have to remember history. I guess Vermonters were a lot smarter back then.
We definitely need more en masse visits to the statehouse!
If the Vermont Law Foundation and some of these other yahoo alphabet letter agencies continue drawing up these policies with outlandish price tags for the average Vermont resident, maybe they should consider having their pay and benefits pared back to what the average Vermonter earns. They’d perhaps have second thoughts about the hardships they impose on regular every day hard working Vermonters.
This applies to the hospital administrations in the state with outlandish salary scales while front line workers struggle to get by, and Medicare Advantage insurances leave the state because of their poor policy decisions.
Gaslighting and Projection 101 – a required course in the bootcamp of Gen Z-Y Dem/Prog bootcamp. (Maddy Kunin master sargent of the Vermont women’s New Bolsheviks unit.) What the toddlers-in-charge don’t get is they are woefully indoctrinated and mind controlled by the wealthiest 1%’s on the planet – they are foot soldiers to usher in the great wealth transfer and reset. They know not what they are doing, let alone thinking. Obviously, simple math and critical thinking is not in their skill set at all. Yet, they are paid well, fed well, and given the floor to bullhorn their self-serving, self-gratifying, ego stroking, rules for radicals, divisive, nation destroying rhetoric nonetheless.
So the question is how short will memories be? It got bad enough for a majority in this country to vote against the left, but only by a little. We have a slim majority in the US house and senate and have a maximum of 2 years to right this country. The state is a different story. The communists are embedded and control our schools. We here in VT have a much harder road. In 2 years can we get enough support to wrest control from the stupid smart people? That depends on whether the next administration makes things better enough for people to go back to their old voting habits. We have a lot of work to do!