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Lifelong Dem says his old party taken over by Progressives/ Socialists.
by Rob Roper
John Rodgers was a lifelong Vermont Democrat. He represented his Northeast Kingdom district in the House as a Democrat from 2009-2010, and then served four terms in the state Senate as a Democrat until January 2021. In 2018 he ran a write-in campaign for governor in the Democratic primary. On Wednesday, May 22, Rogers announced he’s up for another run, this time for Lieutenant Governor – but as a Republican.
Rodgers had some scathing remarks for his former colleagues on his way out the door. Announcing his candidacy and the reasons for it on WVMT’s Morning Drive (Quick plug: I’ll be on myself Wednesday May 29, 8-9 am!), Rodgers said, “The legislature [controlled by Democrats] seems to be operating in a bubble. They’re not communicating with their constituents, and they don’t seem to get how hard it is to make a living in this state right now for most of the working-class people.”
Rodgers brought receipts! “Over the last two years they have increased property taxes, fees, electric bills, fuel bills. Double digit increases in a lot of them! Nobody’s pay is going up that fast. We’re getting squeezed harder and harder…. They’re just squeezing the working class, and for no real reason.”
Rodgers accused Vermont Democrats of wasting their time on boutique, ideologically driven issues that “make them look good in lights, but on the ground, they’re not affecting change.” He used the example of the Senate’s Progressive Democrat leader’s pushing “ghost gun” legislation while completely ignoring the rampant crime – and the underlying reasons for it – in Burlington that is spreading through the rest of Vermont.
“I’ve never heard of a problem with ‘ghost guns,’” said Rodgers. “But we have serious violence problems in Vermont that need to be addressed. How about we spend time addressing the problems.”
He summed up his reasons for switching parties, “I feel closer aligned with Phil Scott than I do with the Socialist, Progressive Party that used to be called the Democratic Party of Vermont.” Snap!
Of course, this is what Vermont Republicans have been saying for many, many years now, but it is an important development that a center/left Democrat is now sounding the alarm, rejecting the far-left policies, and pointing out in vivid terms the damage those policies and the people pushing them are to normal, working people. If Rodgers is feeling this way, probably a lot of center-left, grassroots, traditional Democrat voters are feeling this way too. A Republican Rodgers gives them an example and a leader to follow out of the darkness.
In fact, Rodgers has put together a pretty respectable and energized coalition of hunters and trappers, farmers, environmentalists, blue collar workers, and, frankly, just ticked off taxpayers, spanning the political spectrum. He organized, along with some others, two rallies at the State House in May that brought a diverse crowd of 300-ish and 100-ish respectively, all united in our (I say our because I was at both) frustration with the high-tax, recklessly-spend, get-no-results reality that comes with the current Democrat/Progressive supermajority.
Rodgers still has to win a Republican primary against Greg Thayer of Rutland. Whichever way that goes, I hope Vermont Republicans will welcome Rodgers and his followers with open arms. Welcome to the Party. The water’s warm! And so will your house be in future winters if we can all work together to kill the Clean Heat Standard by un-electing enough of these kooks this November.
I’ll finish up here with this observation and advice from John Rodgers, “I think the majority of Vermonters are largely uninformed about what their own legislators are doing, and that’s one of the things we need to get out there. Make sure before you vote for anybody that you are checking their record. Did they vote for higher taxes? Did they vote for higher fees? Did they vote for higher electric costs and fuel costs? The majority of them in the legislature did!”
Scott Vetoes Renewable Energy Standard Bill
Speaking of voting for higher electric costs, Governor Scott vetoed the Renewable Energy Standard Bill, H.289. GOOD! It would add an estimated $400 million to $1 billion of added cost to Vermonters’ electric bills over the next ten years for zero climate benefit. It’s a crony-socialist wealth transfer from electric ratepayers to Democrat Party donors in the renewable energy business. This veto needs to be sustained, but the Roll Call numbers on House and Senate Passage are VERY close, but leaning toward override.
Democrats in both chambers need to hear from constituents to CHANGE THEIR POSITION on the Renewable Energy Standard bill, and vote for Affordability for Vermonters over fringe-left ideology and cronyism.
You can find your Representatives’ and Senators’ contact info HERE
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
Like the old political saying goes…”If you don’t vote Dem, when young, you don’t have a heart…if you don’t vote GOP, when old and wise, you don’t have a brain.”.
Welcome to the GOP.
you will run nothing until you get control of the federal reserve bankers and their central bank system/// never trust a switch hitter, they will blow a lot of smoke but you never see the fire////
Ronald Reagan was a Democrat. He switched. Thomas Sowell was a Democrat. He switched. Sometimes converts are the most passionate adherents. Not saying Rodgers has demonstrated that yet, but it is an outcome we should nurture, not discourage.
45 was a blue dog Democrat. Seems the VTGOP can’t even utter his name or acknowledge his looming presence over the party. It’s akin to uttering Beetlejuice! May as well remain looking over your shoulder and pretend he isn’t weilding influence over the floundering old guard GOP establishment. The cratering economy effects everyone. They rather keep whistling past the graveyard, make more hay on backdoor stock options, Fed pork, Phil’s back slapping and palm greasing while the secret operation is still operational.
Hopefully, John Rodgers will not be a wolf in sheep’s clothing for the GOP, but he is correct about the days of “Blue Collar ” Democrats, they have been taken over by the cancer known as progressive DemocRATs !!
Another Vermonter waking up, to the destruction of our state by progressive policies.
he believes that all drugs should be legalized. how does that align with the republican platform?
The internal workings of the VTGOP are savage……John Rodgers was part of the plan to take votes from you in the primary.
Many, “republicans” who were in on it had an inside line to Gov. Scott.
You did a great job, VTGOP, not so much.
And the alternative is Gregory Thayer who us to coordinate a write in campaign with him in the last election for lieutenant Governor.
You were on the Windsor County Republican page when I called him out and I believe April 8th of this year when he announced he was running for lieutenant Governor..
Instead of him being honest with you and the rest of the Windsor County GOP he decided to call me a liar and claim he played absolutely no part in the write end campaign that he asked us to organize.
When I started posting screenshots of text messages that took place between Gregory and I I was immediately blocked from posting on the page and all of the posts were taken down from the Windsor County Republican page to my dismay
Gregory then went on to put up a post claiming that I ran unauthorized campaign in which he took no part.
Gregory Thayer decided to drag my good name through the mud calling me a liar about what took place..
I contacted the admin of the Windsor County Republican page because I wanted to present the truth to him about Gregory Thayer… In spite of the fact of me contacting him I never received a response from him regarding Gregory Thayer or even allowing me to present the truth to him that I have through many text messages and a long a phone calls that took place between Gregory and myself.
That does not include letters written by Jim Sexton and Shirley Sexton who were also involved.
I am working on a website to expose all of the information about Gregory Thayer and I would post it here if I had the ability to do so..
If you want to PM me I will be glad to show you some of the evidence I have to prove that Gregory Thayer not only lied about me he lied about the other people that he asked to help him in his write in campaign and continues lying to the GOP about it.
If Gregory in any way represents the Republican party in the state of Vermont it’s a party I want nothing to do with.
Please scrutinize every candidate running for office.
When I went around during the last election supporting Gerald Malloy and speaking to people well asking them to place signs on their lawn supporting Gerald They told me they could no longer support the Republican party because they lie too much to the public..
The Windsor County GOP should be ashamed of themselves for endorsing such a dishonest candidate for office in the state of Vermont..
I hope at some point they will get a backbone and come out and expose the truth as I have submitted some of it to them.
I was never a democrat, I was a republican, but the Republican Party left me, not me them. I’m libertarian at this point, for me that means you live your life as you see fit, AS LONG AS…you do NO HARM to another. That would include using drugs (I don’t), but if you’re not caring for your family, in debt, lose your job, crash your car, it’s your baby not mine, not the taxpayers, not govt. Can’t meet your obligations, bring back the poor farm, the work house. That to me is the true libertarian path. I’m well aware of what my so called representatives are doing or not doing, they don’t represent my interests, they don’t care what I think, and I won’t play the lessor of two evils game. Until the Republican Party can return to actual republican values there is no vote from me. It’s of concern to me to hear Rodgers say that he is aligned with Phil Scott. Scott got one vote from me (his first term) and not another since, Scott is illustrative of everything that is wrong with the VT GOP.
What bothers me is that he is just finding out now that the Democrat party has been taken over by socialists. Where has his head been?
He figured it out…now if the democrat voters can just see the error of their ways.
John’s assessment of his former party is cogent and convincing. Why should he be the only one? Can’t he persuade anyone else to switch parties, at least by example? Meanwhile, a colonist and “licensed cannabis cultivator” (drug dealer) from San Francisco moved into a mansion down the route from me and was quickly elected (cough, cough) to public office. Interesting and unique dude: “was born in San Francisco to a multi-generational family.” I thought the alternative only applied to Adam and Eve. A perfect overseer for the hobbits of the Shire. Vote D for Dunce if that’s what you are.
Several former Democrats have switched to the R side over the years right here in Rutland County. One of the ones who went on to be elected Senator, and later serve as an appointee of the Scott administration is Kevin Mullin. Two others who come to mind are Don Chioffi, and Howard Burgess. All of the above have been extremely active in local government in addition to other duties within the Town.