by Greg Thayer
The Democratic leadership is licking their lips with a bigger super-duper majority in the legislature for this next two years. There are 150 elected House members and 30 Senate members in the Vermont General Assembly. After this past Tuesday’s General Election across Vermont, there will be 112 Democrat/Progressives in the House and 23 D/P’s in the Senate. This immediate past biennium, Democrats/Progressives had 104 in the House and the same 23 in the Senate.
There will only be thirty-eight Republicans in the House and seven in the Senate. I accept the people’s vote and the outcomes from this past Tuesday. According to the VT. Election Unit there are 506,666 registered voters here in Vermont, and only 291,898 Vermonters voted, that is a dismal voter turnout of 57.6%. And of these voters, only 96,000 Republicans voted, that’s only 18.95% of all statewide registered voters. What is wrong with people not exercising their Constitutional right to have your voice heard. And turnouts weren’t much better in the 2020 General Election cycle either. Remember both of these election we had Mail-In ballot procedures, where every person (and many others) received blank ballots, and voter turnout is NO higher. It simply creates a lot of questions, fraud, and integrity issues of various people and groups of the real outcomes.
David Zuckerman said on election night in Montpelier; “Throughout this campaign, I’ve highlighted the economic stress Vermonters are facing,” he said. “The anxiety, the economic stress, combined with the anxiety of our planetary climate crisis, is weighing folks down….,” Zuckerman continued in the VT. Digger article (11/9/2022). “The breakdown of our democracy and respectful discourse of people with different political differences is weighing people down. People are tired. We need leaders who are willing to step up and meet these huge challenges we’re facing right now.”
David, you and your party and your Marxist ideology have been leading our State for the past fifteen / twenty years. It is safe to say that by your own words and the many problems facing Vermonters that you and your Party are the problem, and the reasons in creating our fellow Vermonters the anxiety, their stress, hardships for every single Vermonter! There was no compare and contrast in the recent election cycle, the media is not doing their job. They helped create this mess. To me, you have a lot of questions to answer.
Every Vermonters need to do more to learn about what is going on in their community and under the Gold Dome. By all accounts, do people really want this type of government control, big spending and less liberty by big brother. I understand that there are already 90 Bills ready to hit the Floor when the legislature convenes in early January 2023, all control more control laws. As I traveled across our beautiful State over the past couple of years, hosting Townhalls and running for statewide public office, I listened to people, I do not believe this is what you want for you or your family. I do not believe that everyday Vermonters support more government controls, that you understand the truth. I’m asking that you understands the Left’s use of words, fuzzy, feel good words. They are changing the meaning of simple words like diversity, inclusion, and programs like SEL (Social Emotional Learning). Second, these people are known in the community, close to the people, so by default you trust them, don’t, they are satisfying their marxist agenda driven by national left wing politics. Third, “We The People” are so busy in our lives with family, work and paying these high bills. To that end, I believe that many great Vermonters do not know the seriousness of what the Democratic leaders are doing to us.
Respectfully, my fellow Vermonters you need to pay attention to what is going on before your paycheck, assets, inheritance and your first born are taken-over by the State government. We need to have a conversation about the facts. There are daily publications at your fingertips; True North Reports and VT. Daily Chronicle are two sources to start with. Also, you can watch legislative committee meetings on Demand on your computer through the Vermont legislature website with no commentary by the left or the right. You hear the words and what your Legislator(s) is saying and wants to do, then you can decide.
Further, through my “Vermonters for Vermont” Initiative we will be hosting different Townhalls and forums on policies being debated that will affect you. In the end, I firmly believe that if we all do more due diligent in our voting choices, Vermont would be a better place and with a more perfect Union. Merry Christmas and God bless you and our Green Mountain State and your family.
The author, a Rutland City resident, ran for lieutenant governor this year.
Categories: Commentary
I hope that my mail in conservative republican was counted. It is shocking that conservatives did not show up en masse at the polls or via the mail. The leftist woke ideologies are anything but humanitarian. They are totalitarian power grabs clothed in a sea of ridiculous lies and a lack of understanding in many disciplines: science, health policy, climate, and of course freedom and Liberty. The left want license to run roughshod over anyone who has the slightest criticism of their policies. These same diversity loving folks do not respect diversity. They only respect a rigid narrow ideology that cannot stand open debate and transparency.
Sanity will be on endangered list for at least the next couple of years while the left rules with an empowered, and even crazier bent than ever before. My hope is that even the left leaning urban refugees see the damage that these self aggrandizing charlatans do when they have an unfettered path to the utopia that think only they, and comrade Sanders can deliver. Having said that, I realize that “hope” is not a strategy. How about “hope for the best, and prepare for the worst?” Protect the women, and children, (especially the children!) the nuts are in charge of the nuthouse !
We have problems with republicans showing up at the polls because many in our party no longer trust the Republican party.
We continually call out the democrats and progressives. And we should.
However, when we call out those in our republican party, we are told we are “BASHING” them. If we expose the dirt deeds of the republican party, we are considered a BAD guy.
We are blocked by candidates and representatives because they do not like the TRUTH.
So, in essence we are no better than the party we are trying to defeat because of their terrible policies.
I had a Republican representative, who barely kept his seat in the last election, tell me yesterday that he does not care about his oath or the constitution. He would continue to block people from their committee page who spoke out against the republicans.
When we shut down FREE SPEECH and VIGOUROUS DIALOG, we are destroying what our forefathers felt was so necessary to protect to keep our REPUBLIC.
When we allow this to happen by the very people, we elect to protect free speech what do YOU think the voting public does?
We have a right to call out candidates and representatives for their words and actions. Not only is it a right it is our DUTY!
You were as vocal about Joe Benning as he was about you. You then went on to endorse Joe Benning in spite of the fact you along with the republican party were fighting to keep Article 22 from becoming law. How can anyone do that and expect people to just accept it? This is the craziness that exists in our party.
The damage done to our state will be irreparable. Why would anyone in the Republican party support Joe Benning? Joe voted for PROP 5 twice and vowed to vote for Article 22.
When we call out people who say one thing and do another is it BASHING?
When we call out Republican candidates and representatives for supporting others in the party who want to slaughter the unborn and mutilate our children and destroy the family unit is it BASHING?
When we call out Republican leadership for violating the rules of the Republican party is it BASHING?
When we call out members of our party that call us RACISTS and INSURRECTIONISTS and WHITE SUPREMICISTS that adds to the dialog that PATRIOTS are domestic terrorists are we BASHING?
However, those members of our party that signed on to a petition that was started by Governor Phil Scott and passed around in the dead of night seeking signatures to remove Donald Trump early did an unjust act that was embarrassing to any REAL REPUBLICAN in the state of Vermont.
I’m still trying to figure out what a “Scott Republican” is.
Scott voted for Joe Biden.
You see Greg, the Republican party is as guilty or worse than those we would like to defeat.
Until we restore honesty and vigorous debate to our meetings and our news outlets people are going to continue to remain at home when we need them to show up at the polls.
Voters are sick of being bashed and silenced by those in our party that should be standing up for our rights.
As a lifelong Vermonter it is very disturbing to see what is going on in our state at the hands of the party I have been supporting for as long as I can remember.
I sure hope that leaders in the Republican party wake up soon and begin to follow our constitution and their oath of office.
The hole they are digging keeps getting deeper and deeper.
Richard Ley, sometimes (most times, it seems), we are stuck with bad choices and must vote for the lesser evil. Gregory Thayer is a man with integrity. He lost the primary for Lieutenant Governor and then supported the lesser evil of the two candidates. Joe Benning does not have the integrity to do the same if Gregory Thayer had won the primary. Politics is not black and white. It’s a filthy-dirty muddy brown. Conservative Republicans need to stop their sullen temper tantrum and vote.
Oath of Allegiance; Oath of Office, Vermont Constitution
The Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will be true and faithful to the State of Vermont and that you will not, directly or indirectly, do any act or thing injurious to the Constitution or Government thereof. (If an affirmation) Under the pains and penalties of perjury. The Oath or Affirmation of Office
Great essay Gregory. Thank you!
When the CCP is invited to the State House (February 2019) for a confab with Scott, Condos and Zuckerman, what do you think was discussed? May of 2019, National Governors Association meeting in Kentucky “I am very excited that the fifth U.S.-China Governors Summit will be held in Kentucky in May,” added Li Xiaolin, president of CPAFFC. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Over the past 40 years, China and the United States have made great achievements through cooperation, and the two peoples have benefited from our close exchanges in various fields. The U.S.-China Governors Forum was established at the aim of promoting sub-national cooperation and enhancing people’s friendship through leadership of the governors. I hope that the attendees at this year’s forum will share your wisdom and experience and jointly work toward a better future of China-U.S. relations.” Infiltration – not invasion.
“David Zuckerman said on election night in Montpelier; ‘Throughout this campaign, I’ve highlighted the economic stress Vermonters are facing,’ he said. ‘The anxiety, the economic stress, combined with the anxiety of our planetary climate crisis, is weighing folks down….,”…
And now he and his party(s) will pile on to that economic stress with more expensive programs to attempt to (symbolically) solve the climate crisis and bring “equity”.
The real issue here is our broken Election System. How can we look at voting numbers as if they are real when we have NO BALLOT CHAIN OF CUSTODY!
Please think this through and acknowledge ALL of the issues, holes and corruption that is allowed in an ALL MAIL BALLOT SYSTEM where Ballots are mailed out more than 40 days before Election Day with NO BALLOT CHAIN OF CUSTODY!
Then, add the MANDATED AND PROBLEMATIC VOTER TABULATOR MACHINES!
Our VERMONT ELECTION SYSTEM IS NOT, a Free, Fair, Pure System without Corruption as is Declared in our Vermont State Constitution!
WHAT ARE “WE THE PEOPLE” GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS??
If the chain of custody for evidence in criminal justice ceased to be adhered to, the left would be screaming bloody murder. Why are elections of any lesser concern from a civil rights standpoint. Every vote cast in fraud invalidates one cast in earnest.
Please, everyone, the reason conservatives don’t show up at the polls or mail in their ballots is because there aren’t any conservatives in Vermont, with the exception of the few on this forum and on TNR.
Why are there no conservatives?
“Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don’t mean to do harm; but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves.”
― T.S. Eliot
Dear H. Jay Eshelman,
I believe what you said can be summed up as Cowardice, right?
Definition of coward: One who lacks courage to meet danger; one who shrinks from exposure to possible harm of any kind; a timid or pusillanimous person; a poltroon; a craven.
Courage is the first and most important virtue, because without courage no other virtues can be practiced.
Whatever…. the point is that there are too few conservatives in Vermont to make a difference. So….
WHAT ARE “WE THE PEOPLE” GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS??
The question is: What are you going to do?
And I’m not sure I recommend you telling anyone the answer online, whatever your plan happens to be.
“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” Plato
We all need to look in the mirror and do our part. We have been blessed to be born or naturalized in this country and we the people need to take a stand to be counted and to be counted on.