BIG PHARMA SUPPORTS PRE-K EXPANSION

Beware, satire. Today in Montpelier, Big Pharma's spokesperson Anna Nicole Smith said, "We support Vermont's efforts to add two new grades to the public school system, Pre-K and Pre-pre-K."

Ms. Smith cited the recent "much anticipated report from the largest and longest-running study of American child care" as reported in the New York Times on March 26th of this year. The study concluded: "Regardless of the child's sex or family income and regardless of the quality of the day care center, keeping a preschooler in day care for a year or more increased the likelihood that the child would become disruptive in class, and the effect persisted through sixth grade."

Ms. Smith concluded, "This is a win-win for us. Not only do we believe that we will be able to provide more drugs to calm the young student, the more kids who are in pre-k and pre-pre-k, the more time we have to enjoy the use of prescription drugs ourselves!"

ANOTHER ADHERENT BURIED

Impact Labs reported the conclusions of the damage caused to our environment by the new high mileage Toyota Prius. If you have ever driven the Trans Canada highway, you are familiar with the signs, "Only seventy-five miles to the world's largest nickel." Sudbury, Ontario mines and smelts nickel. The Prius battery contains nickel. The Sudbury plant "has caused so much environmental damage to the surrounding environment that NASA has used the 'dead zone' around the plant to test moon rovers. The area is devoid of any life for miles."

The article concluded with a comparison of the Prius and the Hummer, "It turns out if they wanted to help the environment, they should have bought a Hummer. All the environmental savings that seem to appear in driving a Prius are more than lost when the Prius is built. Due to their shorter lifetime they are much more expensive to operate. Prius : $3.25/Mile, Hummer: $1.95/Mile."

THE EMBARASSING TRUTH

According to a quote in Grist, May 2006 and reported in the BOTW on March 14, 2007, former President Al Gore said, "Nobody is interested in solutions if they don't think there's a problem. Given that starting point, I believe it is appropriate to have an over-representation of factual presentations on how dangerous it is, as a predicate for opening up the audience to listen to what the solutions are, and how hopeful it is that we are going to solve this crisis." Lie, in other words.

This was preceded by an article in the New York Times March 13th stating that "scientists argue that some of (former Vice President Al) Gore's central points are exaggerated and erroneous," according to Senator Inhofe as reported by politico.com.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/3183.html

OLD EUROPE VS NEW EUROPE

Our own Peter Shumlin, senate pro tem said, "Historically, when we do bold things in Vermont, others follow. It is our moral imperative to lead again... and if we succeed in being part of the solution, we can help regain America's moral leadership and trust in the eyes of the rest of the world."

Czech President Vaclav Klaus testified before Congress, "As someone who lived under communism for most of my life, I feel obliged to say that the biggest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity at the beginning of the 21st century is not communism or its various softer variants.

"Communism was replaced by the threat of ambitious environmentalism. This ideology preaches Earth and nature and under the slogans of their protection, similarly to the old Marxists, wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central (now global) planning of the whole world."

Now, whom are you going to believe?

NASA JOINS THE CHORUS

According to a report in the National Geographic, amazingly, global warming might be caused by the sun.

"In 2005 data from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Odyssey missions revealed that the carbon dioxide "ice caps" near Mars's South Pole had been diminishing for three summers in a row.

"Habibullo Abdussamatov, head of space research at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory in Russia, says the Mars data is evidence that the current global warming on Earth is being caused by changes in the sun. 'The long-term increase in solar irradiance is heating both Earth and Mars,' he said."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070228-mars-warming.html

ONE MORE TIME PUNCH

The New York Times is apologizing once again on the global warming front. It appears that the politicized polar bears appearing on its cover were misplaced. This is how the Times explained themselves.

"A front-page picture caption on February 3rd about polar bears floating on chunks of glacial ice, illustrating an article on a global warming report, carried incorrect information from the Canadian Ice Service about when and where the photograph was taken, and about who took it. The picture was taken in August 2006 in the Chukchi Sea, not in 2004 in the Bering Sea, farther south. The photographer was Amanda Byrd, not Dan Crosbie."

GEE, ANOTHER APOLOGY PUNCH

On March 18th the Times Sunday Magazine carried a story about sexual abuse amongst the soldiers and contractors in Iraq. It featured Amorita Randall, a former naval construction worker, who purportedly was raped twice.

The Times subsequently reported to its readers in an editor's note, "The cover article in The Times Magazine on March 18th reported on women who served in Iraq, the sexual abuse that some of them endured and the struggle for all of them to reclaim their prewar lives. One of the service women, Amorita Randall, a former naval construction worker, told The Times that...she was raped twice while she was in the Navy...

"Based on the information that came to light after the article was printed, it is now clear that Ms. Randall did not serve in Iraq, but may have become convinced she did. Since the article appeared, Ms. Randall herself has questioned another member of her unit, who told Ms. Randall that she was not deployed to Iraq. If The Times had learned these facts before publication, it would not have included Ms. Randall in the article."

WHERE IS EDWARD R. MURROW?

It appears that Katie Couric, the $14,000,000 question mark at CBS News, is a water boy. In her interview Sunday with John and Elizabeth Edwards, Couric was reported in Mullings to have questioned the Edwards using a third person suggestion, "There are those who would say..." or "How do you respond to people who might say..."

How about preparing and asking your own questions? Or when asked, why did Edwards not ask, "Who are those folks you speak of?" Why did she ramble on for a half hour when an Edward R. Murrow would have finished up in minutes? Is it resume typing time at CBS? Her producer was just axed.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Governor Jim Douglas spoke at length about Vermont's becoming an e-commerce and a green valley state in his recent inaugural address. According to CNET News the green valley might be hard to do because money is hard to come by.

"Ryan Floyd of Storm Ventures in Silicon Valley, which specializes in early stage companies, says his firm is not interested in making investments in Cleantech.

"Why? For one thing, the capital costs are extremely high, making investments risky. Alternative energy products, such as ethanol and solar power, are also expensive and require subsidies to remain competitive with conventional fossil fuels. Thus, 'all of these markets are political,' he said."

E-commerce is practiced in Estonia, South Africa, and around the world. Vermont is not now a player. As the Vermont Standard's columnist Kurt Staudter wrote, "Like every other state in the nation, the governor is pinning his hopes on high tech jobs in budding young green technologies and alternative energy industries."

The problem for Vermont is seen by looking at almost any other state's web site, and then looking at ours. Folks elsewhere are moving, building, and creating the future; Vermont is debating death, gender, impeachment, and Iraq - almost anything but commerce.

THE GOLDEN GOOSE

Speaker Symington used the legislative break to pen an op-ed and speak to groups around Vermont. Translating her communications suggests that she is more concerned about the eggs than the goose, about looting the treasures than building up the treasures. This is disturbing.

She wrote that health care access for all will promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the next generation's economy. What? How? She wrote that the Catamount Plan will generate funds to repair our deteriorating transportation infrastructure. This is a lot to ask of the not yet operating Catamount Plan. We bet that the Plan is not sustainable all by itself, requiring an increase in fees shortly, let alone spinning off money to fix roads, bridges, culverts, airports, terminals, tracks, and so forth.

She wrote that town meetings confirmed that voters do not wish to send a message to Montpelier about property taxes. Maybe the voters are just pooped, or maybe the school boards spun the voters by only mentioning in words and on paper the smaller increases to the overall budget and ignoring the larger increases to costs per pupil.

Peter Behr in the Vermont Standard reports on her visit to his community. "She seems to believe that thinking green will, through some sort of magic Vermont photosynthesis, create jobs in the renewable power industry. It is a nice thought, but where is the technical inventory and the venture capital, both vital to successful high tech investment? According to the New York Times, there are under a thousand people now working statewide with green things." A doubling of the green jobs would hardly move our unemployment rate.

EVERY PARTY NEEDS A POOPER

The long time editor of Vermont Life, Tom Slayton, was having a quiet and dignified retirement party, according to the Times Argus, with toasts of good cheer from all. "Many of the magazine's writers, photographers, and staffers, past and present were there, along with Governor Douglas. Then, Senator Peter Shumlin rode in with a posse of legislators. He commandeered the podium and launched into a long stump speech on global warming. Maybe he was looking for coverage in Vermont Life?"

STAND BY YOUR MAN

In our last issue we were particularly clumsy, insulting dozens needlessly, and by stumbling in the gutter we perhaps failed to make our point. We apologize. Peggy Noonan writing in Wall Street Journal on March 23rd makes the point better, with style, and without insult.

"Democrats are inspired by their greats (FDR, JFK) and spooked by their failures (McGovern, Carter). Republicans ignore their failures (who talks about Hoover?) and are spooked by their greats.

"Democrats look back and think Reagan was magic, or rather had some strange and secret magic. The smile, the charm, the humor, that's why he looms! It was his optimism! But Reagan never said he was optimistic. He wasn't 'optimistic,' he was faithful and practical. He said we could turn around the economy and beat communism. Then we did it. Which left everyone feeling optimistic.

"Reagan should be an inspiration for every person in politics who stands for something at a cost and because it is right."

OUTING

As one reader wrote, "No need to apologize, I was not outed!" Our point is that, for Republican legislators to win back their seats, they need to stand for something. Being a Democrat-lite may soon make you a Republican-left out at election time.

CHARGE IT, DANO

The University of Vermont College Republicans were "de-recognized by the SGA (Student Government Association) for failing to repay a $6,548 debt incurred in October, 2005 to invite Newt Gingrich to speak at UVM," according to the March 27th Cynic.

LOVE THE GLOW

Get used to it; for most of the first half of this century, our energy is going to be created by burning fossil fuels or nuclear power. China is reported in the Wall Street Journal to be opening a new coal fired power plant every ten days. Our proposed heating oil surcharge/tax will not compensate any for China's pumping carbon dioxide out and about. The air will not be cleaner; we will only be poorer.

The leading edge of the Vermont politician/activist is anti-nuclear. Dams are bad for fish, wind mills are bad for bats, and the making of cow manure is the leading cause of global warming according to the United Nations. In short, if we follow our leaders, we will be lightless, heatless, and carless: a nowhere man.

MORE POWERFUL THAN A LOCOMOTIVE

Here alights superman to save us: Israel has reportedly developed a new technology to safely dispose of radioactive waste. Hooray, let there be light, man.

According to Israel National News.com, "The system is based on plasma gasification melting (PMG) technology. The toxic waste is turned into a highly ionized gas, broken down, solidified, melted and vitrified - forming a solid glassy environmentally benign material when cooled.

"According to the company, the facility turns radioactive medical and municipal waste into harmless solid substances at a low level of radiation, which leaves no pollution in the soil or water - both above and below ground."

SUPERMAN PART TWO

For all those who are blocking the permitting of building transmission towers in fear of brain damage from radio waves, you too will be protected by technology. Let there be cell service and wireless everywhere, man.

According to the Etimes on March 16th, there is "a specially designed surface coating that has been successfully tested, proven and used by different defense and intelligence agencies. 'When wireless signals hit our painted walls, they are reflected back,' said Pete Hernandez, the firm's vice president of sales and marketing, in an interview Friday. 'You can brush it, roll it, or spray it and it dries in a few hours. When it's applied over a weekend, the only way you'd know about it, is that your cell phone won't work.'"

WORDS AND DEEDS ARE NOT ONE

According to Vermont's Legislative Web Site, the major issues that the legislature is dealing with are:

Education Quality and Cost Control, Education Framework, Moving Families Out of Poverty, Catamount Health: The Health Care Acts, and Health Care, overall.

http://www.leg.state.vt.us/

Gee, why do we always read about the legislature's work on global warming, the death bill, impeachment, out of Iraq, forbidding cell phones in cars, taking away the right to a secret ballot when considering unionizing, tax increases, fee increases, taxes on heating oil, gender help, and so forth. Can't they focus?

GOING, GOING, GONE

A Vermont Certified Public Accountant told DPR that his/her clients are continuing to stream out of the state to states without an income tax. "I recall three right away. Last year they paid $30,000, $25,000 and $10,000 respectively. The folks in Montpelier continue to say that there is no problem, but at least someone in the tax department writes us a note asking why we have not paid any Vermont income tax in the last two years. The answer is clear; they did not have any Vermont income."

There are "over 700 members of the Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants." Take the quick recollection of the CPA above, $60,000 times 701 equals a shortfall of $42,000,000 a year. Chump change we know, but the exodus also removes capital, experience, talent, and philanthropy from Vermont.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

According to the 9,300 respondents to the Doyle Town Meeting Survey, by almost two to one folks think that Governor Douglas is doing a good job while they are equally split on whether the legislature is. By more than two to one, they do not believe that Vermont is an affordable place to live. Doyle told DPR, "This result was shocking. Tied to the lack of affordability, that only thirty-six percent are optimistic about the state's economy, should worry us here too. There usually is a liberal bias to the results but it appears that even the liberal is moving to the middle."

By ten to one, they think we need reliable cell and broadband service. Senator Doyle said that the 82 to 8 in favor of cell and broadband represents one of the most lopsided results ever recorded in his poll. "Folks now understand that stopping cell towers is not in our interest. Jobs, industry, and attracting flatlanders relies on good broadband and cell traffic so that people can bring and work their jobs here."

"A few years ago people did not want windmills on our ridgelines but now the vote is sixty-eight to eighteen in favor. Energy is trumping aesthetics."

BOOK OF MAO

Communist China concludes that, "Private property fosters social justice and anchors people to there communities." Milton Freedman boiled down his capitalist vision to just three words, "Free [up] private property." We do not hear that often here.

READY, FIRE, AIM!

Peter Welch, our new congressman, when he read of the treatment of soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital in the Washington Post, hit the roof - heads will roll. And they did - one a constituent and native Vermonter, General George Weightman. Before Welch screamed about rolling heads, he should have checked with his 534 colleagues. "Has anyone received a letter of complaint about Walter Reed?" Oh, they have, we knew, and we did nothing? Whoops.

It is hard to believe that if conditions were so deplorable that someone did not write their congressman. And in fact they did, so much so that on February 17, 2005, there was a congressional hearing.

Loose lips sink ships. Welch's loose lips sunk the remarkable career of George Weightman and probably his two sons, also career army officers. Nice going Peter.

THERE GOES ANOTHER

Senator Bernie Sanders told us that now he is a socialist in the Scandinavian mode, not the Soviet mode. We wrote earlier that Sweden threw out the social democrats last fall and replaced them with a more conservative government. Now Finland has done the same, reducing the governing social democrats from a majority two hundred seats in parliament to a third place with only sixty-two. Unlike Vermont, the Scandinavians say, "The time to fix the roof is when the sun is shining." Here, when the sun shines, it is time to loot the larder.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EUROPEAN UNION

The EU received a big birthday present on its 50th birthday. In Northern Ireland opposing warriors Paisley and Adams have buried their swords. They did so because the economic miracle south of the border in Ireland created by its membership in the European Union has demonstrated beyond doubt that the Northern Irish citizens care more about doing well than nationality and religion.

HEARD OF REDNECK HUMOR?

Not the same but this is interesting, check out: www.bluecollarandproudofit.com

Part time? Hallelujah! Under the Golden Dome, here's what lawmakers think are Vermont's top priorities:

1. Stop drivers from doing anything that takes their hands off the steering wheel. Eating, cell phones, playing a musical instrument. Big issue? We have not seen too many viola players in the lane next to us.

2. Second, debate gay marriage again. The first state to grant civil unions just can't seem to get past this issue.

3. And third, pass a resolution against the troop surge in Iraq. Great... another meaningless resolution from a legislature that has no clout, no standing, and no chance of being listened to where it counts.

But that is what you get with these folks spending their time and your money in Montpelier. Where is the action on property taxes, education, economic growth?

Not under the Golden Dome. You know, there is a reason this is a part time legislature. Vermonters are too smart to let them spend any more time on stuff like this.

COMMENTS: by Captain America.

Wow! What could one possibly add to that? Well, our Australian friend Tim Blair recently made a suggestion in a similar situation, which we can paraphrase here:

Problem: Despite yowling like treed cats, chanting the same things we have heard for decades, and generally acting like some kind of monkey asylum, nobody who bathes regularly takes you seriously.

Suggestion: Set your hair on fire. Sure, it will not end the Iraq war or stop "global warming," but at least it will give you something you might actually be able to stop.

What we are seeing now is the senescent death-rattle of 20th-century liberalism - obsession with purely-imaginary crises while ignoring real ones.

INTREPID REPORTERS

»» Bob Kinzel, VPR, Montpelier: I was very disappointed to read your comments about my reporting in your newsletter. I thought about not responding but then realized that your incorrect characterizations need to be addressed because they attack my objectivity.

I believe it's important for reporters to aggressively question the Governor and other public officials about their policies, regardless of the office holder's political affiliation. Otherwise, we should just ask Republicans, Democrats and Progressives to make an audio press release every week and put it directly on the air unedited.

I have never received any list of questions from Democrats or Republicans to ask at a press conference. To charge that I'm carrying the water of the Democrats is simply untrue and one that I strongly object to because it calls into question my credibility as a reporter.

What you failed to mention in your newsletter is that the Democrats are often not happy about my line of questions at press conferences and interviews. In his most recent appearance on Switchboard, Senator Patrick Leahy tried to dismiss one of my questions by saying it sounded like a GOP talking points memo circulating in Washington. I didn't let him brush the question off that easily!

At end of the last legislative session, Minority Leader Peg Flory made a point of finding me to tell me that she greatly appreciated the balanced reporting that I do on Vermont Public Radio and my willingness to present her party's views of many issues.

Perhaps we see the role of the press in different ways. But that's no excuse for your incorrect assumptions and accusations. Frankly, I expect better from you.

APOLOGY

»» Ross Sneyd, AP, Montpelier: Mr. Dwinell, You inaccurately attribute two partial quotes to me in your newsletter. I did not say either of the things you allege. I look forward to a correction.

EDITOR'S NOTE: We regret the error and apologize to Mr. Sneyd and the Associated Press.

MAKE A STAND

»» Martin Harris, Addison: I suspect the disenchantment with the present Governor derives from his attempts to be on both sides of most issues: school costs, for example. King Solomon remains famous for understanding that cutting the baby in half doesn't work real well for the baby or the real mother. I further suspect that, had the Governor chosen to deliver a clear-cut message on any major issue --the broken permitting system, for example, or Vermont as a Medicaid magnet-- he would have been more respected even if Republicans lack the numbers to adopt the positions stemming logically from those messages.

SUPPORT PEOPLE, NOT PARTY

»» Rob Mazza, Colchester: Your March Dwinell Report was one of the best ever. Your comments about the Republican Party are spot on! Jim Barnett did the party no favors. His style of "My way or the Highway" has now got the Republican Party on the ropes and fighting to get off the "Canvas" if they ever will. With him spending all his efforts on getting Douglas elected, when poll after poll showed Douglas with a commanding lead on his opponents, Mr. Barnett left the outskirts of Chittenden County for the Dems to feed on and they did well. There was no one who disliked Howard Dean more than myself but he knew how to manage his people and run his party well. This is why I have now become an Independent, pick the person who best represents your beliefs and never give money to a Political Party - they will only waste it anyway. Give only to people who support your beliefs.

AN OPPOSING VIEW

»» Don Griffes, East Charleston: Your comments in the March 6 DPR concerning Gov. Douglas, the Vermont Republican party members and their last 3 party chairs, indicates that you don't understand all you know.

The rules are clear that the VTGOP is a representative or republican organization, not an autocracy where decisions are to be made at the top. Many of the past party problems can be traced back to the failure to understand and follow party rules. The rules are clear as to who has the say in selecting a chairman. It's the voting members of the State Committee, the elected representatives of their County Committees who are the decision makers. A Governor can recommend a candidate to the members, but he has no authority to "anoint" or decide who is to be the party chair.

The rules are clear that the GOP Chair is primarily responsible to the State Committee. Th Chair is to be the chief party spokesman or ambassador from the GOP to all Vermonters. The Party Chair's only "constituency" is the members of the Vermont Republican Party, not the Governor, the Legislature, the lobbyists or the press as you stated. The State committee members are who the party Chair needs to please and keep happy. If the members ain't happy, nobody is happy but the opposition. A majority of the State Committee members are happy to have Rob Roper lead us, that’s why we elected him.

We have a great Governor in Jim Douglas. He is a great administrator, campaigner and friend of most Vermonters. I have supported Jim for more than three decades. You are absolutely wrong in accusing GOP "members" of "turning on him". The truth is, virtually no GOP member voted against him and even many independents and Democrats vote for him. That's why he was elected.

To make the statement, "why would the members turn on him?" is irresponsible. They did not! I think you owe the Members of the Republican Party an apology.

I agree with you that the former chair, Jim Barnett, was a "workhorse". But he was overworked because he chose to be. His job became terribly burdensome when he did not delegate enough of his workload to other members, as called for in the party rules. Rules are essential to success. If rules are ignored and not maintained, success is difficult.

Now one more thing, James, I like you and your DPR is a great piece of work. But sometimes you don't get everything right and need a little help. I think we can agree that it’s alright to disagree agreeably, for it keeps us on our toes. Besides, we all need it from time to time. Don’t we? Yet our $25.00 is on the way.

COMPETING HEMP AGENDAS

»» Scott Berkey, Randolph: Sometimes philosophy does trump science, but in regards to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee's action on the medical pot bill that would seem to be an unscientific conclusion. It is true that there is not a lot of science to back up medical pot proponents' position, but that's simply function of there being almost no science on pot - medical or otherwise, for or against. And the reason for that is philosophy trumping science. Despite a lack of science that there is any reason to treat pot differently that alcohol or tobacco, the government continues to restrict legal access to pot even for scientific study. There are countless drugs that have been proven to be dangerous or fatal to humans in certain doses, for certain diseases, or even for particular genders. These drugs can still be studied in the lab - pot being one of few exceptions. Philosophy trumps science again.

THE GREEDY HAND

»» Raoul (Sonny) Beaulieu, North Hero: This was taken from the Harley Rendezvous' February 2007 newsletter.

Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table at which he's fed. Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes are the rule. Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat. Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt. Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think. Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries, then tax his tears. Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways to tax his ass. Tax all he has, then let him know that you won't be done till he has no dough. When he screams and hollers, Then tax him some more, Tax him till He's good and sore. Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which He's laid. Put these words upon his tomb, "Taxes drove me to my doom..." When he's gone, do not relax, it's time to apply The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax, Building permit Tax, CDL license Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax, Federal employment Tax, Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Interest expense, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service charge Tax, Social Security Tax, Road usage Tax, Sales Tax, Recreational vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State unemployment Tax, Telephone federal excise Tax, Telephone federal universal service fee Tax, Telephone federal, state and local surcharge Taxes, Telephone minimum usage surcharge Tax, Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges Tax, Telephone state and local Tax, Telephone usage charge Tax, Utility Taxes, Vehicle License registration Tax, Vehicle sales Tax, Watercraft registration Tax, Well permit Tax, Workers compensation Tax...

COMMENTS: Not one of those taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world. What Happened?

DEFENDING THE TROOPS

»» Senator Bill Doyle, Montpelier: Thank you for giving us recognition in your newsletter. Here are some observations relating to the Republican Caucus.

Senator Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, is the Assistant Minority Leader. He plays a major role in the Health and Welfare and Judiciary Committee. Last year he was recognized by the Burlington Free Press as one of the top three senator for the legislative session. He is very effective on the senate floor.

Senator Hull Maynard, R-Rutland, serves on the Senate Agriculture and Finance Committees. He is a very strong contributor to the Agriculture Committee and brings a moderate voice to the Senate Finance. He is highly respected for his forthrightness and brings a sense of conscience to the Senate Floor.

Senator Diane Snelling. R-Chittenden, serves on two very important policy committees, Senate Natural Resources & Energy and Senate Appropriations. She has a tremendous grasp of budgetary issues and is a strong and though contributor to Natural Resources. She also was named by the Burlington Free Press last year as one of the three outstanding senators.

Senator George Coppenrath, R-Caledonia-Orange, serves on the Senate Government Operations and Senate Institutions. Though he is a relatively new member of the Senate, he is outspoken on the floor and in committee. He has a common sense, no nonsense approach.

Senator Phil Scott, R-Washington, chairs the Senate Institutions Committee and is vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. Senator Scott displays leadership in both committees and is noted for his original and thoughtful contributions. Senator Scott was the person who lead the fight to abolish special treatment for committee members.

Senator Vincent Illuzzi, R-Essex-Franklin-Lamoille-Orleans, has a reputation of being the best bill drafter in the State House. He has the capacity to analyze issues in a very short period of time and speaks with eloquence about he issues and he ensures that all sides of an issue are heard. Senator Illuzzi serves on two key committees, Senate Economic Development and Senate Appropriations, and he is leading the fight for conversion to E-government.

I, R-Washington, am Senate Minority Leader, vice-chair of both Senate Education and Senate Government Operations Committees. This year I introduced the first energy legislation that was the first bill signed by the governor. In the Education Committee I have worked hard to find ways to control school costs.

EDITORS NOTE: Our point was not effort but results. In the 2001-2 senate the count was seventeen Democrats and thirteen Republicans, in the 2003-4 senate the count was nineteen Democrats and eleven Republicans, in the 2005-6 senate the count was twenty-one Democrats and nine Republicans, in the 2007-8 senate there are twenty-three Democrats and seven Republicans. Every two years, two Republicans just disappear.

What will be the count in 2009? If the trend continues there will be five. Is this defensible? Some observers suggest that there will be only be two Republicans in 2009.

THEY LIKE US

»» Charlie Burnham, Stowe: Once again a pleasure.

»» Richard Bailey, Hyde Park: Keep up the good work! It is a very enjoyable publication. I so enjoy reading about the other side of the news story.

»» Lew Burridge, Ripton: You are still my "best read."

WHERE WAS PAT LEAHY?

"Congressional Democrats are in full cry over the news that the Administration's decision to fire eight U.S. Attorneys originated from--gasp--the White House. Senator Hillary Clinton joined the fun, blaming President Bush for 'the politicization of our prosecutorial system.' Oh, my.

"Webster Hubbell was a former partner of Mrs. Clinton at the Rose Law Firm in Little Rock who later went to jail for mail fraud and tax evasion. He was also Bill and Hillary Clinton's choice as Associate Attorney General in the Justice Department when Janet Reno, his nominal superior, simultaneously fired all 93 U.S. Attorneys in March 1993. Ms. Reno--or Mr. Hubbell--gave them 10 days to move out of their offices.

"At the time, Jay Stephens, then U.S. Attorney in Chicago, was investigating then Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, and was 'within 30 days' of making a decision on an indictment. Mr. Rostenkowski, who was shepherding the Clinton's economic program through Congress, eventually went to jail on mail fraud charges and was later pardoned by Mr. Clinton.

By dismissing all 93 U.S. Attorneys at once, the Clintons conveniently cleared the decks to appoint "Friend of Bill" Paula Casey as the U.S. Attorney for Little Rock. Ms. Casey never did bring any big Whitewater indictments, and she rejected information from another FOB, David Hale, on the business practices of the Arkansas elite including Mr. Clinton. When it comes to "politicizing" Justice, in short, the Bush White House is full of amateurs compared to the Clintons. --Wall Street Journal

HANGING OUT THE LAUNDRY

"There is no natural state of global climate that would be otherwise unchanging, century in, century out, if only we'd eschew the Chevy Suburban and line-dry our briefs. So the first question is whether the increase of 0.7 of a degree Celsius or so in the course of the 20th century is out of the ordinary. The second question is whether, if so, man is responsible. The third is whether, if so, reducing CO2 emissions will make any difference.

"On the first question: I think that it is very hard to argue that this smidgenette of an up-tick is out of line with various other fluctuations in the centuries since the Little Ice Age. On the second: gee, I dunno. Fourteen thousand years ago, a local geomorphologist informs me, Edmonton was under an ice sheet a mile thick. But then the ice sheet went away. Now that's what I call a warming trend, and, unless those mammoths were driving Chevy club-cab pick-ups, no selfish North American consumers with unsustainable lifestyles were involved." --Mark Styen

FAIRY TALES CAN COME TRUE, IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU

A little girl asked her father, "Daddy? Do all Fairy Tales begin with 'Once upon a time'?" He replied, "No. There is a whole series of Fairy Tales which begin with 'If elected, I promise...'."

--Campaigns and Elections, February, 2007

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