|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Our serious problems are the result of putting unserious people in charge.
by Rob Roper
There were a couple of nuggets in a couple of VT Digger stories that, taken together, are worth noting because they highlight a real problem with how things currently run under the Golden Dome – that is with a maturity level found in your average middle school cafeteria.
The first piece comes from a story about the Addison County Democrat senate primary. Representative Caleb Elder (D-Starksboro) is looking to replace one of the two incumbents, Chris Bray or Ruth Hardy. The big reason behind Elder’s ambition, at least according to him, isn’t so much a problem with the folks he’s challenging, but rather he’s desperate to escape the toxic environment created by the folks in his House Democrat Caucus. Says Elder,
“Leadership made it clear the doors were shut for me to participate there,” he said. “But I’m a stubborn person. And I, for the sake of my three- and five-year-old daughters and all kids in Vermont, have been determined to participate. And so I’m going to the Senate to see if I can have a seat at the table there.”
Elder said he butted heads with Democratic leaders in the House because he didn’t like how top-down the decision-making process in the chamber was. He recalled being told on several occasions to “jump on board or be thrown off the train.”
“Leadership” throwing would be independent thinkers off said train are Speaker of the House, Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington), Majority Leader Emily Long (D-Newfane), Whip Kathleen James (D-Manchester), Assistant Majority Leaders William Notte (D-Rutland) and Jenna Brown (D-Richmond). In keeping with the metaphor, this is no way to run a railroad, though Generalissimo Francisco Franco may disagree.
The story jibes with an account coming out of another – and really, truly bizarre — article about an ethics complaint made against Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (Democrat/Progressive-VT) that he was making some female lawmakers uncomfortable by telling them he kept a supply of feminine hygiene products in his office that they were welcome to avail themselves of should necessity arise. Maybe we’ll unpack all that another time, but the key point for this post is that Rep. Heather Chase (D-Chester), Zuckerman’s accuser, recounted the LTG warned her when she was a new house member that,
“legislative leadership can behave ‘like a bunch of schoolgirls, high school girls, maybe, who will talk behind your back, stab you behind your back.’”
Cuz that’s the kind of people we want controlling our $8.6 billion budget and deciding who gets things like healthcare, am I right?
Zuckerman, speaking to Digger, denied trashing House leadership so pointedly, but stood by his “like high school” description of the State House vibe. Still not encouraging. But one has to wonder if this calculated hit on Zuckerman is a revenge plot for his daring to dish dirt to the newbies about what’s really up with cool kids’ clique. Seriously, eighteen months after the alleged sexual harassment complaint was made and apparently dealt with, it comes out in the press – in a 3800 word story no less!! — one week before the primary election, where Zuckerman has a competitive race? That’s some serious Mean Girls action happening right there! Knifed in the back, indeed, with traces of glitter nail polish on the handle.
Poor Dave…. He thought he was being all good and woke, checking his white male privilege and using it to be a feminist ally and what does he get? “Creeper!” written in lipstick on his locker right before the prom. Heather Chase, though, she’s in with the in-crowd now! Helped them humiliate the dork who tried to be nice to her when she had no friends.
Speaking of Mean Girls, and this does not bode well for Caleb Elder should his senate bid succeed, I have it from a reliable but understandably anonymous source inside the building that there is actually a band of female senators known not so affectionately amongst their colleagues as the “Mean Girls” after the 2004 Lindsey Lohan high school comedy/drama of that name. (That was 20 years ago? I am old….) I’m not going to name names, but Mr. Elder, if you do make it to the upper chamber, maybe don’t try to get in good with these women by offering them free tampons out of your briefcase.
What you should do is take Speaker Krowinski’s written instructions to Zuckerman and only conduct meetings with women when someone else present. You know, just like Mike Pence always did because that policy…. Wait…. Never mind…. You’re screwed no matter what you do!
While there is no doubt some genuine entertainment value in all of this, the serious side of it is that these very unserious but highly toxic people are making major decisions that affect our lives in very real ways. Is it any wonder our education system and the way we fund it doesn’t get fixed? That our energy policies are about as realistic and well thought out as a seventh grade social studies project? Nobody seems to understand basic math?
There’s a reason why our Founding Fathers valued limited government: too often the people who end up get elected are the last ones in the world you want solving problems so, give them as few tasks to do and as little money as possible. Wisdom! In the meantime, how about this November we replace the middle-schoolers with some actual adults with real world problem solving skills. We can’t afford to be governed any longer by people who probably used a folded paper fortune teller to determine who’s going to chair the Appropriations Committee.
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
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Commentary, State Government
Adult girls aren’t the only ones engaging in behaviors befitting school age children and the behaviors are used target the very people they have taken sworn oaths to serve – the constituents! As VDC groupies may recall, Brian Cina “threatened” to turn me in to the IRS after my email to him in which I openly crucified him for his authoritative attitudes about raising taxes on hard working Vermonters and very apparently deflated his gargantuan ego.
Still waitin’ on my arrest or whatever there, Brian! And btw, NY Trumps NJ in terms of sparring any ol’ day, bud. Wanna go ’round again? And no, that’s not childish. That’s just the truth. YOU work for ME. You don’t thereby threaten anyone.
Interesting noting the mentality of Brian Cina “threatened” to turn me in to the IRS: It’s very easy to conger up false accusations by threatened people to upset their prominence in society. He’s a sick individual and needs Bipolar testing. The stone that keeps him covered can be overturned and report him to the IRS. Anything can be construed as he threatened and publicity can destroy him. What a grandiose taxpayer funded legislator. He’s an over inflated balloon that needs deflating. One of the most apparent devises used by Democrats is is sex. Observe the Fed Dems trying to destroy SCOTSU nominees.(Thomas and the last two rep nominees) , everything was sex introduced even with proven liars. Just say Cina assaulted you as well including the IRS potential problem. Fight fire with fire. When Cina has had enough legal problems, have him resign. I’ve seen it all, even what they did to Trump. It’s their game plan. You are in the position of power, not Cina.
Oh, and yeah…..grudges aren’t childish either. They simply keep public servants in their place – to remind them that they exist merely to serve. Try a glance at the VT Constitution if you are ever not busy trying to intimidate citizens.
It’s easy for a female to apply legal pressure against a person of Cina’s status, seen it happen. He’s threatened your financial status, seeks to harm your reputation publicly, cause you anxiety- sleep deprivation, difficult eating, perhaps sexual demeaning (racist), These are all legal basis and can be incorporated. Puts Cina on the defensive and have to justify his means. Sweat the fluke. .It will take about a year for the process to be worked out and filed with the courts. Seek a friendly judge with a lawyers assistance. Lawyers may take the case on consignment and get their payment when judgement is awarded, usually 30%, negotiable. Some may want up front charges.
I know a sharp lawyer in Rutland, had with the VT Supreme Court case. Forget the internet ads, they are crap and the friendly references. I’ve been thru the legal hoops. Love to see a corrupt, power crazed lib bite the dust.
Been there, done that.
Two other factors I hadn’t mentioned in my previous expose. This will scare the
bygeebies from Cina and have the Court order
1) A bipolar examination for the 4 stages of the mental disorder and have medicine prescribed and publicly noted.
Ref: I have been around Bipolar people in my 26 years of engineering business and recognizes the symptoms. Bipolar is a mentally hidden situation that is exposed only to people that are disliked by the individual. Otherwise by family members, it’s not exposed). The Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9294-bipolar-disorder
2) I would also have an attorney contact Cina with the articles of the potential lawsuit I’ve herein outlined, Informing him that if he doesn’t resign from the Vermont legislature and never seek election again, he will be sued for damages. He made public statements, not protective legislative protection.
As a parallel situation, this might establish a precedence that other legislators be aware of threatening due to their being elected to serve, not confront…
It seems like both the House and Senate are run by catty women. Probably explains a lot about Vermont’s recent policies.
Ayup.
YES, and as a woman I do NOT like it.
Your reply not only what’s happening in VT, but the Congress as well. You named them correctly “CATTY”. I do have great respect for some in Congress, MTG (GA), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Katie Britt (AL), Lauren Boebert (CO), Elise M. Stefanik (NY),
https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/levels-office/congress/women-serving-118th-congress-2023-2025
VT’s Becca A. Balint is an empty headed no nothing. So many catts there. At Trump’s SOTUS speech many catts wore white blouses-robes and danced smiling. I emailed some informing (them the Democrat Party was the KKK party, look up the history. They also did the Jim Crowe laws against Blacks. Robert Bird (D-WVA) was an officer of the KKK. Many Dems shined up to him including Leakey Leahy, Clinton, pictures exist. The female SQUAD members consists of AOC (NY) and two rag heads (MI & MN), totally about 6). CATTY, is a mild definition.
Catty for sure, but we must draw a firm distinction between catty women and childless cat ladies…
Yes, the entire world is plagued by women’s issues…Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Marx, Trotsky, Xi, Obama, Fauci, Mussolini.
..all “catty” women
Oh wait…..they are/were actually cold-blooded MEN. Women bear life
Men destroy it. Kinds worse than catty. Just a tad, anyway.
@ Kathleen
https://qz.com/967895/throughout-history-women-rulers-were-more-likely-to-wage-war-than-men
@ Kathleen
Oh, and while I’m at it, if abortion is murder then women destroy far more life than men. A typical year in the US sees about a million abortions, and only 20,000 homicides. Some of those homicides will be justified, so not murder. Some of those murders will even be perpetrated by women, particularly when it comes to children.
@SLowry
Then there is Indira Gandhi (war with China and then Pakistan)
Golda Meir (7 day war)
Margaret Thatcher ( Falklands)
It’s not like men are much better, but we are at least allowed to criticize them as a group.
By the way, that VT Digger article is hilarious and worth a read. Laughed out loud on multiple occasions. If David Zuckerman had some backbone, he would have taken Jill Krowinski’s “warning letter” and thrown it in the trash on video. Hey David, you outrank her! Remember that. He seems like a decent guy who’s been brainwashed with some ridiculous ideas.
Lieutenant governor Zuckerman, if you’re reading this, win your primary, buy a new pack of tampons, and offer them to the house speaker as a peace offering. That would be funny.
The real question is did he offer the tampons to Taylor Small……..
A grown man who hoards tampons in his desk drawer because he was “brainwashed” into doing so? Um, no.
I thought “conservatives” were all about personal responsibility & accountability, yet somehow a specific demographic of the population coerces men into committing acts which are beyond their control? Again, um, no.
How ’bout you just leave the tampons inside the dispensers which have been installed within women’s restrooms in light of the fact that only women can utilize them as intended?
I wish I had something nice to say about our lady politicians mostly liberal by nature, but I don’t. I feel the same about male demo/prog politicians. The worst part about these people bent on running our lives is most of them haven’t done much of anything or know about anything and their judgement is usually wrong or paid for. They are all puffed up with ruinous ideas or connected to some lobbyist with a pocket full of out of state cash and are closet control freaks telling you what you want to hear.
When you put all of these people together, the back biting, backstabbing, the cozying up to the power people and the beautiful people clique the voters created the current Vermont legislature. The most disturbing and frustrating issue is the lack of judgement the voters display by voting for these people. They are usually uninformed, they vote D or P because their daddy did or because of media lies, censorship or omission of the truth and/or facts. Both of my adult children decided to ignore politics and used to chide me for being political. All I told them was, you can ignore politics if you want to, but politics doesn’t ignore you and that’s partly of how we got in the mess we are in now. We have a state full of useful idiots. Voting for Bernie and believing him is just one of many examples for the ruination of Vermont.
While the voting public, mostly on the majority liberal side blame conservatives for almost everything that they themselves have done. You see, conservatives haven’t had any real power or leadership in Vermont for decades and Vermonters were pushed aside by the carpetbaggers from out of state with their big promises and money. Now Vermont is just another run of the mill blue cesspool of crime, drugs and corruption. But it was all the conservative’s fault. Are you getting the picture yet?
Extra likes.
“…ignore politics if you want to, but politics doesn’t ignore you…”
Yes, I’ve used that line more than a few times to my apolitical friends and relatives.
and
“We have a state full of useful idiots. Voting for Bernie…and believing him…”
Bingo.
Hope everyone enjoys their “democracy” with all the tax increases kicking in, even as our “representatives” try to resurrect another pay raise for themselves.
Nice highlighting he problems. My opinions exactly. Problem is,this is serious material in this comment section of this article. It’s a feel good read. However politicians don’t read this and come to any conclusion that Montpelier thinking should change.
For mindful relief:
Liberal died and a friend went around collecting for a fund for his funeral. A woman was asked to donate ten dollars. “Ten dollars?” she said. “It only takes ten dollars to bury a Liberal? Here’s a hundred – go bury 10 of them!”
Liberal found a magic genie’s lamp and rubbed it. The genie said, “I will grant you one wish.” He said, “I wish I were smarter”. So the genie made him a Republican.
http://www.jokes4us.com/singleliners/liberalsjoke.html
Suckerman: Forced to hide tampons in his desk drawer by female congressional colleagues…….yikes, and I mistakenly thought I was being threatened by Cina. Instead, clearly it is again males who remain threatened by womanhood itself. From whence you each came….
I guess that type of power can be construed as threatening by those who still just can’t catch a date.
Kathleen
You had a dad too. There was only one virgin birth. You weren’t it.
Actually, we came from our fathers and the woman provided the environment for the father’s seed to incubate and grow into a human baby. Without fathers there are no naturel births. You can protect woman, but you can’t deny that it takes a father and a mother in all natural settings. Neither are perfect.
Would you please explain what your comment means, I have no idea what you are saying.
Re: the current legislative super majority: Even a monkey seems more credible when wearing a suit.
I’d respond, as always, to any & all queries if merely those who asked them might cease from cowardly removing their “reply” icon in order to hide in terror from potential rebuke AND if Guy Page didn’t censor my responses to the typical, tired, misogynist misanthropes of VDC while he allows others to freely use the “f” word in past replies as well as freely allowing multitudes of other incendiary comments which are all given the green light, but of course.
Then again, anyone who genuinely believes that females are the more violent & vicious of the two genders isn’t capable of engaging rationally and requires being shielded.
Understand your position, I’m relatively new to the site, maybe 4 months. I haven’t seen the”f” word used or much confrontation. TNR was far more censoring. It
is interesting to me to read constructive intelligent comments about the Vermont situation and the articles received. I also try to give information to help those that aren’t aware of legal and political means. I could write volumes gathered in my years and being a lifer Vermonter, no one has a clue. I’ve never criticized and don’t take your concerns personally. I suspect many others are of the same mind. Who are the ones that have stepped on your toes? Sorry to hear about it.
For the umpteenth time, there’s no way to “hide a reply button.” If you reply to the original reply in an article here, your reply will appear below the most recent reply in that reply thread. Like I just did. Only original replies have a reply button. And yes, if abortion is murder, then women in America murder far more than men do, by 50x, in fact. And there’s further interesting points to be made here- black women commit violent, non-abortion murder more than white men, at about twice the rate, at least according to the FBI. Anyway, my point isn’t that women are somehow worse than men. Just that they’re not any better. Have a great day out there, Kathleen. 😉
That word is prohibited. If it sneaks in thru a tricky spelling, my bad for not catching it. Hard to catch everything.
Kathleen hates it when anyone disagrees with her. You see, for her freedom of speech means she gets to speak freely and everyone else gets to agree.
If you don’t agree and if – God forbid – you defend men against toxic generalizations, then you are a misogynist, a dead beat dad, and a fornicator who takes advantage of women. Or you’re a sad little incel who should have grown up long ago.
Also, all pregnancies are because men took advantage of women who are both clueless and intelligent, brave and strong all at the same time.if men don’t want their lives to be ruined then need to keep their pants zipped. Women should, of course be provided free contraception, counseling etc.
It’s a very powerful thing. It is endlessly flexible. You can be a serial dead beat dad in one sentence and an incel in the next. It doesn’t matter, because the insults keep coming.
The only thing she is conservative about is that abortion is bad. Be even abortions are men’s fault. Cos powerful, intelligent and strong women are somehow made to have them.
Oooh yeah and hunting or trapping is bad. Individual mice have the same right to life as you do, you sad little man.
One last thing, Kathleen and her step daughter, Joan Dunlap, both comment here. Never at the same time though.
Their writing style is the same and both have exactly the same opinion about every topic. It’s uncanny really.
It seems you have issues with men. This article is about behavior in the political arena not the history of man vs woman. That would require much more space than available here.
Nah, one more thing: VtRocks who refuses to disclose his actual name like a stand-up individual & hides his “reply” icon so that others are dissuaded (except me) from responding to the deluded statements is what is uncanny, unbelievable, and further reduces his statements to unconvincing. At best.
Oh and second one more thing: Women rock.
Sorry “VtRocks” – I have as much right to express my opinion on here as do you & everyone else, despite the reality that you don’t like it or wish you could silence it.
As far as all humans being born of women, they are. Males, once again (sigh) cannot conceive a child, carry a child, birth a child, or nourish a child via their own bodies despite what Taylor Small believes. One lives & one breathes as a result of one woman who enabled it & your obsessive degrading & hostile comments about females that are spouted under nearly every thread on VDC bear never a child, but only bear testimony to uncontrolled hostility toward the opposite sex who you so obviously are threatened by and feel the need to “conquer” which shall never, ever occur.
As far as posts here that attack womanhood in eerily similar fashion, I note a number of brand-spankin’ new “handles” who have never posted & whose handles do not actually reveal their identity much like yours, but yet apparently feel impulsively compelled, as do yours, to begin a woman-loathing tirade in a thread that has little to do with the subject-matter you yet again commence with compulsion. Coincidence? Nah.
As far as hunting(?) goes – yes, trapping for sport and “joy” via torturing and killing innocent creatures of the world which God created is intrinsically grotesque. And thank you for providing me the smooth(???) transition to allow me to place my opinion, the opinion which the (again, sigh) the majority of Vermonters hold, onto VDC for readers to behold again.
Any other unrelated, disjointed topics?
Wow, I thought there was only one virgin birth! Turns out, it’s no biggy – women can conceive a child alone.
BTW, Does Joan Dunlap agree with you?
Or Joan Supple. She tried that one too.
The common belief that the Vt. legislature is inept is a sad truth! Election after election the Vermonters fail to vote these immature fools out of office Because of the belief that the natives have no chance of affecting the outcome Many don’t bother to vote. It becomes a self fulfilling prophesy, when you can’t muster up the patriotism to exercise your blood stained right to vote. Just be quiet and keep paying your ever increasing taxes!
Yes, women alone birth life into the world. Again, no matter what Taylor tells you such is the case.
Women (again) conceive, carry, birth, and nourish all humans. Pay no attention whatsoever to your obviously fav legislator.
Where’s all your fellow women-loathing mystery “handle” contributors this mornin’? Too busy organizing anti-women rallies in their VT hometowns? Bring ’em on. Please.
Actually, we came from our fathers and the woman provides the environment for the father’s seed to incubate and grow into a human baby. Without fathers there are no naturel births. You can protect woman, but you can’t deny that it takes a father and a mother in all natural settings. Neither are perfect.
This comment was placed above for some reason. It is in reference to your Women birth life into the world. Without males, that is not possible. At least without some crazy scientific cloning a man is part of the birth process. I noticed that you rather profess than listen or read and absorb other comments before you comment. Maybe, this is one reason I never married again after my wife passed. I love women and have many female friends; I just don’t wish to be owned by one at my age. LOL!
I believe the term is “given over to a reprobate mind.” Remember Sheryl Sandberg – her book, “Lean In” March 2013. Or Maddy Kunin’s bootcamp and her similar book entitled ” Pearls, Power, and Politics: How Women Can Win and Lead.” in 2008.
The war against humanity was plotted out, planned out, played out, replayed again by dividing people on every basis under the sun: color, creed, religion, sex, class, politics, origins, whatever it may be…it is all based on fear and submission through fear…they play it so well, and so often, so few comprehend it or remember the consequences of prior resets/wealth transfers. Yet, many will play right into it, hook, line and sinker, without pausing to realize they are being played by mind-control tactics…the puppet masters are deemed masters for a reason. We all get fooled and played. The antidote is “don’t get fooled again!” If the lightbulbs stay dimmed, by design, we won’t win this war to end all the wars…we are at that flex point – it will either snap into complete collapse or the cosmic 2×4 will strike many noggins just before midnight.
Now that Caleb lost in the primary, he is completely free from mean girl bullying in the State House. Does Caleb Elder know when his daughters enter public school, they will be told they can choose their gender and experiment with their sexual attraction? Will he provide his daughters with contraception or allow the public school to provide it to his daughters without his knowledge or consent, a policy he supports.
VtRocks & SLowry (apparently seen now as the same poster): There are ways to hide the comment button, but I just personally refuse to act with such cowardice, unlike u.
Joan Supple Dunlap: Supple is my maiden name. does that meet your approval, boyz?….Try looking me up online in Va and in Vt — ********better yet try giving the house a call – only problem is we don’t accept ANONYMOUS callers. UNBLOCK your I.D. before ringing us!
So no, not everyone agrees with your antiquated notions on women. Or your erroneous principals of biology.