THE GENERAL IS IN

According to reports reaching DPR, General Martha Rainville, "R-Vermont," is committed to the race for Vermont’s lone Congressional seat. Hurrah, not another dead old white man (to quote reporter John Zicconi)! Hopefully she follows in the footsteps of General Washington, Grant and Eisenhower, and not in the footsteps of General MacArthur, Westmoreland, and Haig.

Senator Matt Dunne, D-Windsor, is also in, declaring last week to absolutely nobody’s attention. A few days later the press seemed to notice. Progressive David Zuckerman still is interested.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT OUT

In the main event, the once in a generation open senate seat, Bernie is in and the Democrats are not out. Nobody in Vermont has endorsed Bernie yet. The midnight oil must be burning in their pollster's and strategist's offices. Our bet is that a Democrat will emerge.

Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie has left the building. For two years plus, Dubie stood like the Indian statue at a cigar shop beside our Governor. At announcements, press conferences, and while campaigning, there was always the silent still Dubie.

No more. Last week, Dubie whacked the Governor upside the head for not appointing any people of color to the Human Rights Commission in three tries. He is not running for reelection, but for the Senate.

Rich Tarrant is thoughtfully assembling his campaign team and business plan for his race and will soon be older and wiser and lighter in the purse. He celebrated his ambition by buying a new Bentley at the cost of a Vermonter's three-bedroom home. Wonder which political consultant recommended that?

THE REST OF THE FIELD

Clearly, Jim Douglas runs for reelection, constantly, the cost of a two-year term. Who will the Democrats put up? More polling and strategizing. Senator John Campbell, D-Windsor, will run for lieutenant governor; it is not clear whom the VTGOP will enter. We have not heard from Senate pro tem Welch, former Senate pro tem Shumlin, or former Speaker Walt Freed.

HEALTH CARE FOR DUMMIES #2

There is no crisis in access. Everyone has access. There is no crisis in insurance coverage; only 21,000 folks are without access to coverage, about 3 percent. Vermont is #2 in the lowest number of uninsured per capita. There is no crisis in quality; Vermont is #2 in the country in quality. The Democrats say that there is a crisis. There are right; it is just that their proposals are creating the crisis; with their passing of their proposals there will be a tragedy.

A hospital near you will go bankrupt. This is why. The Green Mountain Plan will mandate 100 percent eligibility, mandate maximum benefits, and yet cap provider payments. The State mandates an increase in the number of people using medical facilities, the State mandates that medical facilities provide more services, and the State caps how much it will pay. You and the hospitals will go broke.

BYE BYE DOCS

Years ago a friend was asked why he became a doctor. Expecting a public good answer, we were shocked when he simply said, "For the money." Harvey Yorke, CEO of the Southwestern Medical Center, said recently, "Hospitals and doctors always follow the money."

Just the hint of the Green Mountain Health Plan has already had a chilling effect on doctor recruiting in Vermont. A husband-wife doctor couple who were house hunting after committing to move to Vermont and practice. When they read of the Health Plan, they immediately decamped. Another recruit’s first question was, "Has the bill passed?", and then he too disappeared.

The Democrats cannot mandate that doctors come to Vermont or stay in Vermont. Many doctors can quit and not even have to move. They can work in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, or New York and enjoy life at home. Their neighbors will not be able to receive the health care promised in the Green Mountain Health Plan as there will be fewer medical professionals and fewer hospitals. There will be a catastrophe.

THE SILVER LINING

There is a silver lining in all this. First on the cost side, the Governor’s Chronic Health Care Initiative, chronic disease accounting for 70 percent of all hospital admissions, is beginning to work. Secondly, the Governor said this week that required community rating for health insurance is dying, that his "healthy choices discount" is gaining favor. Third, some sort of tort reform appears acceptable to a majority of the legislature.

JACK AND JILL

A few years back, Jill thought that she might be able to turn spare time, spare rooms, and love of children into a business; pre-school educator. She studied in college, raised their children, coached, substituted, and taught Sunday school. Jack loved the idea.

Jack and Jill went to their friendly banker, borrowed $55,000 for necessary improvements, alterations, equipment, and licenses. The Jack and Jill pre-school opened.

Suddenly, State Education Commissioner McNulty, responding to a problem which does not exist but answering the prayers of Vermont’s NEA, extends by legislative fiat the state’s monopoly over education to include pre-schools.

The Jack and Jill School cannot compete with "free" pre-school education, fold their tent, fail to pay back their loan, lose their home, and leave the state. This story, like the real Jack and Jill story, does not end "they lived happily ever after."

This appeared in our February 21, 2003 issue: http://www.dwinellpoliticalreport.com/ds_02_21_03.htm

It looks like the nightmare is about to become the reality.

HOSTILE TAKEOVER

We wrote in the last issue about Freedom Works' post card to most of Vermont’s Day Care Providers. The card suggested that they might want to pay attention to S.132, free state funded pre-school. How do you compete with "free?" That stirred the pot.

Senator Don Collins, Chairman of the Education Committee (D-Franklin) said that led to a number calls raising questions about the bill. "It has people talking."

However, before the "talking" had a chance to take effect, Collins changed course and slipped the funding provisions of S.132 into the Budget Bill. The Governor was not amused. "Childcare providers all throughout Vermont have expressed concerns. Their concerns should be addressed through the normal deliberative, and fully transparent, process in the education committees."

VTNEA IS PRIORITY ONE

The Kids Are Priority One Campaign is driving this train. Kids Are Priority One say that it is a statewide coalition of early childhood educators, business organizations, law enforcement officials, parents, and others. Notice that there are no day care providers or pre-school owners here. It is the usual State Street, NGO, VTNEA sympathizer crowd. They mumble that this bill is not about replacing the mom and pop day cares, but who are they fooling?

The bill states: "When starting or expanding a public early childhood education program, a school district shall use existing public and private qualified service providers unless the district finds that it cannot efficiently and effectively meet quality program standards by using one or more of these providers."

Public schools have no mandate to use private providers if they decide doing so is not "efficient and effective." The district gets to define what that means. There are also standards and testing. Mom and Pop might not qualify. Who will? Public schools and their teachers of course.

This bill if passed will place unfair burdens on private providers, will place them entirely at the regulatory mercy of the public school monopoly, and offers them insufficient legal protection. If public schools exercise the financial and regulatory rights they are given in this bill, private providers will be forced out of business.

http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2006/bills/intro/S-132.HTM.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT

Money. And ADM’s (average daily membership), not to be confused though similar to ATM’s. Vermont’s ADM has been falling dramatically. Consequently the money from Montpelier has been shrinking and teachers' jobs are threatened. How best to fix this? Add more "membership", i.e. students, by adding two more grades. Their cash flow is saved. Teachers’ jobs are saved. And you? You and the day care providers take it in the shorts.

RIDING IN TO SAVE THE DAY

Do not despair. The Commission on Women might just save the day. "The Vermont Commission on Women seeks to help women and their families gain access to the rights, privileges, and resources needed to live in justice, dignity, freedom, equality, and economic security." Great, they will protect the little lady, the day care provider, and grant them "justice, dignity, and economic security."

In an interview with Executive Director Wendy Love, she said that the Commission favors the bill and favors the money flowing to day care providers in Vermont. She said that they are working through the Kids Are Priority One Coalition and the Legislative Education Committees to accomplish this.

When asked if she had been in touch directly with day care providers, she said, "Only through the Coalition and their members." When asked if she had written the day care providers to include them in the process and obtain their views, she said, "We couldn't afford that. What are there, a couple of hundred providers? That would cost a lot."

There are approximately 1,400 licensed day care providers listed on Vermont’s website. These are mostly owned and operated by women, women who need genuine representation by the Commission to "protect their economic security." Even though the Commission employs Lilly Talbert, communication coordinator, who could have contacted the ignored stakeholders, the day care providers, the Commission appeared to be working only with the usual suspects and fellow State Street travelers.

In the end though, Ms. Love’s presence at the Senate Education Committee Meetings and the Commission’s making the issue a woman’s issue, helped Senator Wendy Wilton, R-Rutland, gain a consensus to include language in the Appropriations rider asking that private providers be used when possible.

Love’s appearance also pricked that bear of a man, Senator Jim Condos, D-Chittenden, to berate Love and the Commission in the hallways of our Capitol.

IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS

In Orleans, the faculty at Lakes Region High School took an early vacation, striking because their gold plated insurance became pricey. Their spokesperson said that they only wanted the pay and benefits that teachers enjoyed in other Vermont communities.

Unfortunately, they live and work in the region of Vermont which traditionally has the highest unemployment and lowest wages. Glancing at the Barton Chronicle, we found a nice three-bedroom home in Newport for $69,000. Should the teachers choose to move to "other communities" where teacher compensation is higher, they will find housing is bit pricier.

We found a three-bedroom in Burlington for $349,000, another in Essex for $310,000 and a third in Jericho for $368,000. Or the teachers could head out for Norwich for a nice three-bedroom cape offered by owner at $435,000. In Montpelier, $350,000 will get you four bedrooms.

Bethany Knight of Glover wrote to the Chronicle, "Do you know any other employees in the Northeast Kingdom who would walk out because they demand that their boss pay more than 80 percent of their health insurance?"

IN COLD BLOOD

Last week when murderer Quinten Teeple plead guilty to the slaughter of an aged couple in Isle la Motte, the couples’ nephew said, "If it was up to me, it would be capital punishment. I just wish this happened in Texas because he'd be dead by now."

The Republicans in the legislature have been pushing for a civil commitment authority so that in the rare case, a prisoner with a history of violence could be held beyond his/her sentence if the state believed that he/she remained a high violent risk to the community.

HOPE IS THE TOOL OF THE DEVIL

A judge sentences convicts based on guidelines and judgment. It is human nature to hope that each convict will learn his/her lesson, move back into society and contribute. Mr. Kent Hanson is the poster child for civil commitment and the poster child for one person’s hope. Reverend Pete Fiske saw goodness in Mr. Hanson as he drove him from prison in Vermont to a half-way house in Maine. He hoped for the best.

On the other hand, state personnel believed that Mr. Hanson, twice convicted of murder, can not control his behavior and that he would be back. Within days, Mr. Hanson was in a Maine jail. Fortunately no one died this time.

The Democrats in the House believe in criminal rights. Victim rights are merely eyewash. For months, Republicans tried to pass Civil Commitment legislation before Mr. Hanson was allowed to leave custody. No chance. Even his release, crime spree and his return to prison did not impress House Judiciary Chair Bill Lippert, D-Hinesburg. He said that the Administration’s proposal lacked a clear budget and specificity and would not leave his committee.

Look at the House Green Mountain Health Plan, the government take over of Vermont’s $3,000,000,000 medical care industry. It had no clear budget or specificity and it got his vote.

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND

Governor Douglas said yesterday that the state would not be buying any real estate in Vermont unless it had a specific management plan for its need and use. Over the past ten years there was quite a land rush coming out of the governor’s office.

THE OXYMORON

Affordable housing has become an oxymoron as the Governor said this week at his press conference. A bit of logic. Price is determined by supply and demand. As the State and Federal Government and conservation groups buy up private property, there is less land available. Lower supply increases prices.

As zoning, permit laws, and regulations take effect, more land is removed from the marketplace. If view sheds, prime agricultural lands, land with poor soils for septic, land with slopes, land above a certain elevation, historical land, conservation land, and land without development rights all become part of the Vermont development landscape, there is less land for housing. Even lower supply of land accelerates the cost further.

WE DIDN’T MEAN TO

The legislature and state and local agencies add incrementally to the building code, each new rule, regulation, code, or law increasing construction costs.

Add to that the increasing cost of the permit process and the holding costs of permit delays. You have significantly higher land cost, permit cost, and construction cost. Now add in inflation. There is no way wages can keep pace with increasing housing costs, most of them caused by the same governments which bemoan the lack of affordable housing.

The legislature decries the lack of affordable housing and of course blames greedy developers. We are lucky to have any developers willing to put themselves through the abuse incurred during the process. There will never be affordable housing.

HELLO?

The headline in the Times Argus May 19th was, "Economist worries about aging of Vermont." Jeffery Carr, State economist warned that "there is the possibility that there will be a significant shortage of workers in the not so distant future." There will also be a shortage of taxpayers, particularly when the baby boomers reduce their payments to the State and increase their financial demands on the State.

The headline in the Times Argus May 25th was, "Morning after pill garners support." Vermont has the fewest young people, not enough workers warns the state’s economist, but let’s make it easier to have even fewer people.

THE BULLIES

Senator Mark Shepard, R-Bennington, often makes a point of explaining his minority vote so that there would be a record of dissent. Recently, senate pro tem Peter Welch, D-Windsor, took offense. He called for a Rules Committee meeting to prohibit such explanations in the future.

Shepard confronted Welch and asked, "Is your majority of 21 to 9 not enough." Mr. Gibson, the sage of the senate, informed Welch that Shepard was protected by the Vermont Constitution. Welch later apologized.

MODERATE DEMOCRATS

They tell me that they will not be like the rest in Montpelier, elect me as I will be a moderate. In a speech to the Caledonia Republican Dinner last fall, your editor urged the audience not to believe that Jan Kitchel would be a moderate when she arrived in Montpelier. Her brother came up after the speech to say we had her all wrong. It just does not work that way. Ask any Senate Republican; Kitchel is a liberal.

Senator Clair Ayer, D-Addison, has voted moderately at times. Those votes seem in error. As they vote alphabetically, she often has not received her marching orders when the roll is called.

WE LOVE CANADIAN HEALTH CARE

In the Democrat Senate Caucus, Senator Kitchel rose to say that Ginger Aldrich, a victim of the carbon monoxide tragedy at the Redstone Apartments near the University of Vermont on January 30th, had worked hard for legislation requiring carbon monoxide detectors in Vermont. Kitchel hoped that she would be invited to the signing of the bill.

The woman had been taken to Montreal's Sacre Coeur Hospital for treatment. Senator Sara Kittell, D-Franklin, added, "Thanks to Canadian Health Care." Mummers of agreement were heard.

THEY SAY IT AIN’T SO

It is not so according to the victim. This from the AP. "Ginger Aldrich is home with her parents and recovering from what doctors in Montreal said would be a fatal coma.

"Aldrich was flown to the Montreal's Sacre Coeur hospital for emergency treatment. She spent five days at Sacre Coeur before her parents moved her to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Greg Aldrich felt the Montreal doctors had too little hope for his daughter. 'We wanted people to be aggressive in saving her,' he said.

"'I can't wait to go back to Montreal. That way they won't give up on anybody else,' she said."

So much for the vaunted Canadian Health Care.

WHY DON’T THEY GET IT?

We asked perplexed why the Democrats just refuse to recognize the value of our current health care system and ignore the failed socialist experiments of the past.

We are told that for many, it is only about ideology. Others, who could comprehend basic economics and the disaster their plan which will create, just refuse to think. It certainly is frustrating.

They point to the WCAX poll showing 63 percent support for their plan. But read the question, it does not ask about their plan; it states the ideal.

"Would you favor or oppose a state-run health care system that would guarantee access to all Vermonters?" Sixty-three percent responded yes while 28 percent responded no.

"A second question found that 67 percent of respondents would favor paying higher taxes for such a health care system if it would guarantee access and lower premiums." Even we could agree with those questions. Health insurance for all with lower premiums? Yippy.

Though seriously flawed research, for the Democrats, this was manna from heaven.

THE GENIUS OF IT ALL

Look at this year’s legislation. The renewable energy bill will help fund lefty alternative energy organizations building the Democrat team. The dry cask storage bill will fund more alternative energy groups. The early education bill will fund more teachers. The health reform will fund hundreds of consultants. Add to that the various housing commissions, county environmental teams, and so forth, your tax dollar is funding the Democrats voting machine. Very clever.

ON POLITICAL TECTONICS

»» Andrew Shaw, WH Shaw Insurance Agency, Manchester: I'm glad that you pointed out the swing that has occurred in Winooski and Franklin County. I had no idea Jim Douglas beat Clavelle in Winooski. Amazing. Down here I noticed three years ago that GOP candidates seemed to be doing better than usual in Springfield, Bennington and Rutland -not necessarily winning- but getting a higher percentage of the vote. But on the other side of the coin the Democrats/Progressives now do quite well in places like Pawlet and Wells and other little towns -- the formerly rock ribbed Republican locales. I've never seen this dynamic acknowledged by the print press.

»» Pete Chagnon, Burlington: Being raised Catholic and of French Canadian extract plus being probably among the most conservative of Republicans, Your article really rankled me. In fact, the majority of my French Canadian ancestors in this state voted Republican (those that bothered to vote) and some were pretty well off. Like other ethnic groups, you have ranked us all in a lump. No, Dwinell, we are individuals and we think as individuals. Isn't it about time you got that through your head?

THE NANNY STATE IS METASTASIZING

»» Robert Maynard, Williston: Not only do we have to contend with a drive towards "Government Knows Best" version of health care, but there is also a plan to turn our [government-run] schools into publicly funded day care centers.

Here is a small excerpt from Freedom Works Vermont: "S.132 requires public schools to consider setting up their own preschools at taxpayer expense. Daycare services would then be offered "free of charge", directly and unfairly competing with hundreds of small businesses, run almost entirely by entrepreneurial women."

What other social engineering scheme does our political class have in store for us?

»» Steven Maeder: This [Senate health care plan] will be the final straw for many businesses left in Vermont.

VERMONT INDEPENDENCE?

»» Russell Spreeman, La Porte IN (formerly of Colchester): In a recent letter to the Free Press, Paul Madden of Shelburne spoke of the Democrats and Republicans in Washington and then suggested, "With our nation being run by such scoundrels and spineless slugs, Vermont would be better off to declare its independence and become a republic again." Meanwhile, in another part of the paper, Jim Jeffords happily states that under the Senate highway bill, Vermont would get back $2.12 for every dollar they send to Washington in gasoline taxes. Interesting. Mr. Madden is urging Vermont to declare its independence, while Jim Jeffords is all smiles over the cash benefits of being DEpendent. Since it's probably some of my Indiana gas tax money that on its way to "independent" Vermont, I'm all in favor of that 'independence' idea. When can you start?

TIME FOR A CHANGE

»» James Gregoire, Fairfield: Some people look at decades long stranglehold that some politicians have on their positions as being a good thing. Personally I think it is very sad.

A real man of the people would serve, mentor and return to public life allowing for other citizens to represent the populace. I do not support mandatory term limits as I firmly believe that a public servant should have it in them to step aside on their own. No one should serve in Washington for more than two senate terms for a total of twelve years.

Let's return the government to the people rather than the Washington good old boys club. The same holds true in Montpelier where no person should serve for more than twelve years or so in the Legislature and maybe eight years in any given statewide office.

There are too many qualified people in VT for us to willingly give up control of our government to a small group of people that "serves" for generations. Leahy, Sanders and a list of legislators of both parties should do the right thing and clear the way for the next generation to serve VT. We shouldn't have to make laws to make us do what we should do on our own.

ALL PRIVATE PRESCHOOLS LEFT BEHIND

»» Ralph Colin, Dorset: The end run to the Appropriations Committee on the funding of early education is really a sleazy tactic unworthy of the Vermont Senate. Aside from the fact that the Senate is apparently trying to make an illegal practice legitimate, it is pandering to the NEA in order to retain support for the Democrat party while seriously jeopardizing the future of the many fine private providers of early education and day care for thousands of Vermont children for whom the state has provided little or no funding up to this point. To politicize such a vital and critical service as this behind-the-scenes, low-road maneuver does is a blot on the escutcheon of the General Assembly and is inexcusable.

WE LIKE DUBIE

»» Lyle Edwards: As a liberal democrat I like Dubie too. I have listened to him on VPR's switchboard. I can't envision him running a Karl Rove, Jim Barnett style campaign though. He's too nice a person for that. He's not your typical right wing candidate. He actually acts Christian. So I don't see him engaging in Swift Boat style politics...

THEY LIKE US

»» Ken Smith, Burlington: Keep up the good work. It is going to be an exciting eighteen months!

»» Mark Dobson, South Burlington: Great Newsletter! Enjoyed it from top to bottom! Makes me proud to be a Vermont Republican!

»» John Goodrich, Lyndonville: I enjoy your laser precision analysis on our Vermont political scene. Keep up the good work.

INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR TAX MONEY AND MONOPOLY

"Apparently, President George W. Bush's mammoth spending increase for government education -- the largest in that extra-constitutional program's history -- wasn't enough. Demos are clamoring for at least $27 billion more, and another $25 billion per year on college education -- a plan that will bump up the price of college education by (you guessed it) about $25 billion. School vouchers, on the other hand -- a program of particular interest to the inner-city poor whom Left claims to serve -- didn't merit much mention among the NEA-beholden Democrats." --The Federalist, 5/13/05

YOU ARE WELCOME

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