By Guy Page
Ever since November 8, Vermont Republicans and social conservatives have been asking: what’s going on?
On Election Day, voters endorsed absolute abortion rights 72% – 22% and gave the Democrats an unassailable supermajority in the Vermont Legislature. Since then:
- The Legislature enacted a law making the traditional Town Meeting optional for the next two years.
- Reporters, lobbyists and other members of the public are booted out of important legislative committee hearings. Pandemic capacity limits are cited.
- Both House and Senate are fixated on a carbon tax scheme with teeth that will essentially destroy the fossil-fuel heating business and coerce homeowners, business owners, and vehicle operators to go electric, electric, electric. The lawmakers appear as uncertain about what it will cost Vermonters as they are determined to pass the law.
- Bills to shield abortion and transgender medical providers (Planned Parenthood is both) from any possible legal opposition are on the fast track. At least one of the bills (S37) would place an advertising/marketing gag on pro-life pregnancy counseling services.
- Tax increases in the form of big state spending for childcare and paid family leave are in the works.
- A gun control bill would ban possession of a semi-automatic firearm illegal for youth under 21.
- Etc……
Vermonters opposing some or all of these measures are responding in different ways. For example, five very different courses of action are on display in today’s Vermont Daily Chronicle. None are necessarily “better” than the others. All are sincere efforts to light a candle in the perceived darkness.
- Legislative advocacy – the Vermont Family Alliances testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about the perils of H89, the gender-affirming/abortion provider shield bill.
- Standing strong on religious principle, 2022 candidate Alice Flanders urges.
- Satire – Johnny Bananas employs his considerable talents in that area to skewer both lawmakers and conspiracy theorists.
- Emailing lawmakers – Karen Rowell takes Senate Democrats to task for focusing on carbon reduction and seeming to do less about more serious threats to quality of life.
- Challenge to political involvement – 2022 Senate candidate Paul Bean asks the armchair quarterbacks to get in the game with volunteer time and votes.
Categories: Letter from the Publisher
I know we have a feckless legislature, but is it also a feckless state?
There must be more we can do as “The People” to remove the Tyranny around us.
I am thankful for the above mentioned for stepping into the fray…it’s not an easy job.
I would suggest more people at least support the Vermont Family Alliance as a starting point. They are working hard for us.
The Vermont legislature is, literally, out of control. It seems to be creating the equivalent of denial-of-service attacks by flooding Vermonters with myriad proposed legislative actions to the point that concerned citizens can’t reasonably and proactively respond to all of them. The only recourse will be to respond re-actively. Of course, this jeopardizes every citizen who gets blind-sided by one legislative instance or another and having to respond in court.
And then, the courts will be overwhelmed. Never mind the ludicrous decisions put forth by activist judges like the one in Brattleboro who dismissed a parental lawsuit against Academy School for vaccinating their child without permission.
This must be a strategy to make an end-run on Article 9 of the Vermont Constitution, in which it is written: “… previous to any law being made to raise a tax, the purpose for which it is to be raised ought to appear evident to the Legislature to be of more service to community than the money would be if not collected.” After all, nothing ‘appears evident’ if we don’t have the time or capacity to review and respond to all of these proposals.
But then again, does it matter anymore? A legislative supermajority is the epitome of tyranny. There’s nothing anyone can do to stop the onslaught.
So Jay, you’re proposing raising the white flag?
So Joe, doubtful that terms of surrender could be negotiated. This legislature believes it has a mandate to commit carnage on the Vermont economy and people.
These hubristic elitists now are above reproach and seemingly have ordained themselves as our rulers, no longer our elected representatives, unaccountable to the voter, constituent nor constitution. Moderate and conservative views fall on the deaf ears of the elitist.
Care and concern for low and middle income Vermonters is gone, replaced by zealous accommodations to the latest social justice fad and the donor class. Jay is correct. Until November of 2024, one can only watch from a distance, as those allegedly serving us wreak havoc upon Vermont’s citizens and Constitution.
An ill-advised assumption, Mr. Benning, at best.
When the downward trend has been happening for over a half a century, it will take at least that long to recover. I think it wise to find another place with similar characteristics of Vermont, prior to the days of Kunin, to spend my dotage. You all can stay, but I have better things to do with my tax money then support a bunch of loose cannons with no sense of the value of money. Last one out, turn off the lights.
Yes Joe he is suggesting we sink this ship since we can’t bail fast enough!!!!!!!! Something I have been saying for years.
If you are paraphrasing my sentiments, NOYB, you are incorrect. Whether or not the ship sinks at this point is not my concern. I have a life jacket. And I suggest everyone affected by this tyranny get one too.
The implosion is fast tracked by design. 2000 years of rising and falling civilizations prove it to be so. The most ironic actions of today’s opposition is their steadfast belief they can control and thwart God’s plans. I am not moved by their actions, their threats, their maniacal behaviors, or their split tongues. There are seriously ugly and disturbing days ahead. They will be affected and they will suffer as well – even more
so – back to the abyss from which they came.
Psalm 23:1–6
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
We regret to inform you we are suspending head anointments, till further notice, due to the unaffordability of oil. You will, however, be assessed a $5000.00 antipollution fine for spillage when your cup ranneth over.
…and the acquiescent good will of the constituency to pay taxes and abide by intrusive laws continues to evaporate. The creative underground life is blooming.
There comes a time when working for change within the current system (whatever that may be) becomes the equivalent of Don Quixote tilting at windmills. A similar over-reaching government led to the First American Revolution. And in my opinion, nothing short of a Second American Revolution is what’s necessary now. Rhetoric is nice, Fancy, eloquent rhetoric is even nicer. But there comes a time where only action will do, and we are at that time.
We need to ask ourselves, what would Ethan Allen do? I know, some call him a hero, others call him uncouth, many call him an uncouth hero. But he knew what actions were necessary and he put his money where his mouth was, you have to give him that, motive notwithstanding.
Whoever said it was right – “Those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it”.