THE GRAND OLD PARTY

Whither goest the Grand Old Party? It is not that the Party has been shut out. It has had a pretty good run, better than this year’s sap. In the last few years, Republicans have elected a governor and lieutenant governor for the first time in a dog’s age or more and gained working control of the House. However, for the first time since 1854, this last election saw no Republican in our congressional delegation to help out Vermont’s local team. The senate is not close with the Democrats holding a 19-11 margin and for the only time since 1854 except the years 1965-67, no Republican holds any of the lower constitutional offices.

The specific cost of not holding control of the senate is that most of what needs to be done to move the economy along, reduce taxes, and control costs is stifled. 

THE PROBLEM

Though the Republicans have a very big tent ideologically, much bigger than the Democrats, they have very little coordination in their tent. The Democrats are a smartly polished political machine with great voter lists and coordinated campaigns centralizing their research, message development, mail programs, and get-out-the-vote efforts. Their two-week closing effort is spectacular to behold. Many an opponent has seen victory go up in smoke at the last minute.

The credit goes to Senator Patrick Leahy. He loves the game, knows the game, and has surrounded himself with great political people and advisors. He has the best lists and he shares them. He raises hundreds of thousands of dollars from Washington, especially from PACs, for the local effort.

The Republicans have not had such a person since Dick Snelling’s elections ended in 1982. Senator Jeffords would help with lists, money, and expertise but only to the extent that it was in his immediate direct interest. Now there is Governor Jim Douglas. More public servant than politician, he is no slouch at politics. And he recognizes that there just are not enough Republicans in the seats of the legislature to do what he believes needs to be done to help Vermonters. 

HYDRA

Do we need Hercules? If so, who will play Hercules? Will Governor Douglas?

   Legislative PAC

The Republican Party is now a five-headed beast at war with itself. Vermont GOP has a long tradition but it has fallen on hard times. Speaker Freed, a former chair, became so fed up with the failures of the party in the mid 1990’s that he formed his own committee, the Republican Legislative Election Committee, and installed his neighbor George McNeill as executive director.

That team gained ten seats in the 1998 election, another sixteen in 2000 and elected Freed the first Republican Speaker in sixteen years. But in 2002, fifteen incumbents went down to defeat and they slipped into minority status. Nevertheless, Freed was reelected.

   The Senate

The senate wandered leaderless. Minority Leader Senator John Bloomer does not love the political battle, did not recruit well nor did he provide the resources for a successful campaign. Eleven seats appears to be the nadir of Republican strength in the senate, though we could not check all the records.

   The Committeeman

Skip Vallee is the National Committeeman of the Republican Party. When he ran for the office in 1999, he promised that if elected, the party would never be short of cash. Then he fell in love. That fall Governor George W. Bush came to town and a mutual admiration society developed. Skip was rumored to have achieved over 300% of the goal for fundraising for Vermonters for Bush. He became a star. He is very loyal to Bush and vice versa. Now the party is very short of cash. And Skip did not support the current Chair Joe Acinapura’s election.

   VTGOP

Acinapura is decent, honest, forthright, devoted, and efficient. He engages the state, county and local committees. However, Acinapura does not have wide support nor proven fundraising ability. Some lobbyists tell us that they will not support the party while Acinapura is chair. They say that with a well-organized party, they would not only provide support but would ask their large corporate clients to activate their national PACs for VTGOP.

   The Fifth Floor

Then there is Douglas and his staff. Tried, tested, competent, experienced, eager, and young, they struggle with Hydra. Can the five-ringed circus be wedged into the one big ring? 

THE ROARING 60’S

The party faced similar peril in 1967. Governor Phil Hoff had just won his third race. In 1965 all the constitutional offices were in Democrats hands. This was not only unprecedented, it was unheard of. No Democrat had won any of these offices from 1856 till 1962. Drastic times called for drastic measures.

The players gathered. Roland Seward the finance chair, Fred Hackett the majority leader, Dick Mallary the Speaker, Ed Janeway the Senate pro tem, and others. We need a full time paid Chair of the Republican Party. Al Moulton, then Commissioner of Development for Hoff, was asked. He accepted, resigned beating Hoff’s boot by ten minutes, and was elected chair two weeks later.

In 1968, the entire slate of Republicans was elected to office: Governor Deane Davis, Lieutenant Governor Tom Hayes, Attorney General Jim Jeffords, Treasurer Frank Davis, Secretary of State Richard Thomas, and Auditor Alexander Acebo. 

BACK TO THE FUTURE

It may be time to run that play again. Only Douglas could make that happen. Many believe as with the Republican National Party Chair, that the Chair serves at the pleasure of the Governor. Some legislators tell us that in the last couple weeks for the first time, Speaker Freed understands that his future is intertwined with that of the Governor’s. A strong paid chair would not need to genuflect to the national committeeman, previously Allen Martin and now Skip Vallee.

A governor and his Chair could recruit for the senate and the house, raise money, create a coordinated campaign and thus have the best chance to bring together a legislative team to advance his agenda. 

LET’S GO TO THE TAPE

The data suggest that it is possible. Douglas won Addison County by ten percent over Doug Racine but Addison County sent two Democrats to the Senate. He won Bennington by ten percent and they sent one Democrat to the Senate. He won Colchester/Grand isle by nine percent and they sent one Democrat to the Senate.

He won Franklin by twelve percent and they sent two Democrats to the senate. He won Lamoille by four percent and they sent one Democrat to the senate. He won Orange by three percent and they sent one Democrat to the senate. That’s seven senators and if five were defeated it would give the Republicans the majority. There are possibilities in Chittenden County as well. 

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE OTHER GUYS/GALS

The Democrats are not sleeping. They gained seven seats in the house and four in the senate. The Democrat National Committee sent up an expert last week to check us out. Former Minority Leader and Speaker Candidate John Tracy, D-Burlington, is already hard at work for 2004 and working aggressively. Last year they picked up seven seats, more than any other chamber in the country.

The Republicans are nowhere near ready for this. George McNeill and the Legislative PAC can't do it. Skip Vallee can't man the barricades. Joe Acinapura and the Republican Party are not strong enough. John Bloomer has a laissez faire attitude. Only Douglas in combination with others can hope to do what is necessary to right the ship of state. 

DUELING FOR DOLLARS

The Democratic House Campaign Committee invited one and all to their high ticket fund-raiser at the Capitol Plaza on April 29th from 5 to 7 with four levels of giving: $100 as an individual, $250 to be a Friend, $500 to be a Sponsor, and $1,000 to be a Patron.

Unaware, the Republicans latter scheduled their delayed fund-raiser for the same day, same time, same place. They have three levels of donation: $100 for the reception, $500 for a photo (suitable for framing and probably autographed by the Governor no less) and $1,000 for a roundtable discussion, a photo, and reception. 

SAVING MONEY

For the lobbyist a dream come true. Ruin only one night, kill two birds with one stone and be off. But for many lobbyists, the Democrats saved them some money. The overtly partisan nature of their invitation, rhetorically asking for Speaker Freed’s head on a plate, forecloses the possibility of their attendance. Had they chosen to honor former Speaker Obuchowski, all may have come. But not for Speaker Freed’s head. 

TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

Act 60 reform is far from a done deal. Closer yes, but not done, and probably will not be done to the satisfaction of those who feel that they have taxation with no representation. The Common Level of Appraisal increases your taxes with no vote, no budget, no warnings, and no debate.

Governor Douglas says that he will not sign a bill without "cost containment." Asked to define that, he said, "The bill might have incentives or disincentives." It was reported that Chairman Marron of Ways and Means has learned to interpret the Governor’s comments. "Will not support means 'no' and no means a veto. That seems to have moved things along." 

BOSTON TEA PARTY

At one point the governor seemed to understand. He spoke of concern about a tax revolt. Legislators have promised to go to Montpelier to fix Act 60 but found that the power do to so is in very few hands, certainly not theirs. They are merely spectators with their career on the line.

Do the few know how hard it is to vote no on a school budget? We all support the children. We support our teachers. We want the best school and facilities too. But we want only what we can afford. We have gone way passed that point. The resort towns whine, the rest weep.

Income tax seemed the answer to many. Many a small town is filled with folks who are land-poor. A new, big, well-built house in town drives up the Common Level of Appraisal and your taxes skyrocket. Douglas is opposed to an income tax saying that a higher income tax would dampen investments.

Mark Johnson’s guest this week, Richard Sims of the Institute for Tax and Economic Policy, said it is not that simple. The top ten states in income tax rates are for the most part the top states for per capita income growth. Go to http://www.itepnet.org 

REMEMBER 1996?

Senator Peter Shumlin, then in the minority, traveled the state telling folks that the property tax cannot be fixed with the House in Democrat hands and the Senate in Republicans. Give me control and I will fix it. People supported his idea, even business groups. He won, but failed on his promise.

Lieutenant Governor candidate John Carroll mumbled something about how the property tax crisis was not all that it was cracked up to be. Leading, his poll numbers went into a free fall. Today we would kill for the property taxes of 1996.

We can see it now, déjà vu all over again. "They have had four years to give you property tax relief and what have they done? Jacked up your taxes four years in a row. Give us control and we will fix it." 

A STROLL IN THE PARK

Green Up Day will be May 3, Green Up Week is April 29 to May 2. Get up, go out, and clean up along the roadsides. State employees are "encouraged" to leave work while being fully paid to "volunteer" to help you out. On a nice day, they are encouraged to leave their work behind, grab a friend, find a nice country lane, and go for a stroll, possibly stopping occasionally to pick up a bottle or two, returnable would be nice. 

JUDGEMENT DAY

The press has taken up Senate pro tem Peter Welch's cudgel: Douglas is playing politics with permit reform. Why could it not be said that the Democrats are playing politics with permit reform? Douglas has listed twenty-two citizen groups who are in his corner. How many have the Democrats listed? None.

Douglas says, "Vermonters have the right to be upset, dissatisfied, and unforgiving" if we do nothing on permit reform.

The press said, "But you want permit reform your way." "No," said Douglas, "I want permit reform. We can talk about the details. Everybody made a commitment to do permit reform. Candidates said that this was a promise. There is a link between Vermont economic recovery and permit reform. Business leaders say that this is the most important thing. It was the top issue in the O’Neal Report. It is the top issue I heard about on the campaign trail. There is still time to work on this issue."

The Senate Natural Resources Committee scheduled time this Wednesday to take up permit reform, but then canceled it. 

THE BEAT GOES ON

Vestshell of Saint Albans announced that they will be closing their metal castings plant eliminating twenty jobs. In Wilder, Concepts NREC, an aerospace company with offices in Vermont and manufacturing in Massachusetts, announced that it is laying off thirteen full time employees, and Fletcher Allen announced that they will be laying off due to its $4,900,000 first quarter loss.

Goodrich, another aerospace firm in Vergennes is cutting 35 jobs and they are asking for volunteers to accept severance packages. Jim Haynie of Chesapeake Hardwoods said that no buyer has shown up yet for their Hancock plant. If none does by May 1, they will give 60-day notices to their employees and shut down. 

DREAMWORLD

Mark Sinclair of the Conservation Law Foundation laid out his vision for Vermont at the recent gathering at Vermont Law School. He said that other Vermont towns should copy his hometown in the Mad River Valley. They have a good mix of economy and Small Dog Electronics. Small Dog did announce this week that it was adding four new hires.

The Mad River Valley has two ski areas. Does your town? Could your town? It has tons of second homes and the accompanying restaurants, clubs, evening activities and upscale shopping. Does your town? It has many urban refugees with high incomes probably not earned in Vermont. Does your town? It even has an NGO or two. Does your town?

How many of the ninety Chesapeake’s employees from just down the road do you think Small Dog will hire? There is always toilet cleaning. Then there is welfare and the dole. But where is the dignity? 

CREATION

There are people with the know how to organize work, obtain capital, and market products who might invest their time, energy, talent, and money if allowed. But the state makes it hard. One businessman told me, "If it is not the permits or the transportation or the taxes, it is the paperwork. I just spent more than a day filing out paperwork for a Vermont Agency, a day that I wish I could have been selling."

From the Burlington Free Press: "State leaders reach Act 60 compromise setting a fixed statewide property tax rate of $1.59 per $100 of value for business and a resident tax rate of $1.10 per $100." Covering the same story, the Associated Press wrote, "A two-tiered property tax will hit businesses..." They just do not get it. Oh, business can always pay, they make profits.

They must first pay all fees, payroll taxes, landlords, employees, suppliers, and truckers and then they must make profits, pay taxes on those profits before they can begin to pay back principal of the lenders long before they make a dime for themselves. 

THE MARKET SPEAKS

The revered Ben and Jerry failed to pass this last test, to make enough money to satisfy their investors. Insiders at the time told us that it was because the ideology of the real world clashed with their personal ideology. They stuck with their personal ideology. Many Vermonters have already lost their jobs because of their decision. Many more will. Towns will lose tax base; Vermont will lose income and corporate taxes. Jerry’s wife this week said that she would like to pay higher income taxes. Be my guest. We are sure it will be put to good use. Don’t hold your breath. 

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

Health care for teachers has stirred up a discussion. Folks are working on a statewide health insurance for teachers. Larger group may yield a lower cost it is believed.

One reader called to say, "I’ll be damned if the teachers are going to get a first class policy with all the trimmings, something that my neighbors or I couldn't possibly afford. I want to be able to vote on this sort of thing. They can't have a first class policy and leave us the taxpayers without."

Another, a doctor, said, "Teachers come in with a sore knee and immediately demand an MRI. Do they have any concept how much that costs? If they had a $500 deductible or even higher, this stuff would end." 

BLAME THE "MONEYED PEOPLE"

"The basic factor driving public debate [over Act 60] this year is the so-called 'common level of appraisal,' or 'CLA.' ... What’s happened this past year in particular is a major increase in property values as moneyed people have turned to real estate investment in the wake of recent downturns in the stock market." -- Joel Cook, Vermont-NEA Executive Director, Chief Lobbyist, and spin-doctor, in the April VT-NEA union newsletter. 

YOU ARE KNOWN BY THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

This time around, every declared Democratic candidate has a firm position on the war; the three who are not in Congress--Howard Dean, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton--all fiercely oppose the liberation of Iraq. --Best of the Web, Opinionjournal.com 

ERRATUM

We wrote two weeks ago that there was no Republican Senate PAC in the last election. Researching the records this week on a different matter, we noticed by chance that we had erred. When we checked the final campaign finance reports for our article, the Republican PAC did not appear as they failed to file a report according to the Secretary of State’s campaign office. The Vermont Republican Senate Majority Committee filed in October, 2002 showing $44,255 in contributions and $31,611 in expenses.

We regret the oversight. 

IT TAKES TIME TO GET IT RIGHT

Where were they when we needed them? Cheerleaders for Act 60 from the get-go at the Rutland Herald were all for cobbling up a hated piece of legislation called Act 60 in a few weeks. We have had nightmares ever since.

Now they urge time for permit reform. It is not that the legislature has to get it all done, but maybe it might listen to the drumbeat of layoffs and the pleas of businessmen and send some other message than "no, not now, later," a message that they have heard before and which now has no credibility. Why not just show them the door? 

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Thanks to David Jennie of the Rutland Herald for providing a graph to compliment Tracy Schmaler’s article "Schools in Trouble" in the Sunday paper. His graph clearly showed that since 1998 while the student population has declined nearly five percent, teachers have increased by six percent. No surprise that his graph shows our cost per student leaping by sixteen percent. Read about it here: http://timesargus.nybor.com/Archive/Articles/Article/63718 

A RATHER CRITICAL DISTINCTION

The Burlington Free Press reported in an article about a proposed state run preschool program, including building new buildings and hiring and certifying new teachers, that Governor Douglas "as a candidate supported increased funding for child care and early education." True, and he still does, but he said at a press conference earlier this year, "While I support preschool education, we ought not by extension impose the state and its bureaucracy." (see DPR, 2/14/03) 

WE EXPECTED MORE BETTER ENGLISH

"Airborne Expects to Post Unexpected Loss"--headline, Associated Press, April 15, 2003 

BRICKBATS AND BOUQUETS FOR THE MEDIA

»» Robert Skinner, South Hero: The contrast was startling, and disturbing, in the manner in which Vermont's two largest newspaper's paid tribute to one of Vermont's finest young men, Marine Mark Evnin, for making the "ultimate sacrifice" in helping make all Americans safer from terrorism.

The Burlington Free Press's front page coverage of Mark's funeral was highly fitting and honorable. There was a large photograph showing Mark's parents walking while each carried a folded American Flag. Following them was a large crowd and to their right was a row of saluting Marine and Air Force personnel, This is a photo that will stay with one and it was a dramatically fitting photographic tribute to our fallen hero Mark Evnin. The Free Press also had a photo of Mark in his Marine dress looking sharp, serious and determined. The write-up was written with sensitive pens of three local Free Press staff writers seeking to make the reader grasp the endearing qualities of Vermont's fallen son.

In great contrast to this fine tribute was the Rutland Herald's AP reporting of the public's farewell to Mark. The Rutland Herald chiefs offered not a photograph and placed the article on page 5 of section B. Moreover, what inappropriately appeared on its front page was a photograph of a Marine, one of Mark's brothers, with a strangle like hold on a suspected Iraqi terrorist. This particular photograph evoked a sense that the Iraqi was being severely manhandled. Surely, Mark's photograph should have been squarely in the place of this provocative photograph. How very disappointing. 

THE BARRE MADRASA

»» L.A. Leonard, Rutland: Concerning the 4-10 Dwinell Report on Barre history teacher, Mr. Treese, promoting his hateful message toward President Bush on the school dialogue board. Other Barre teachers of the same ilk plaster bumper stickers on their doors with like messages.

What a shameful example these losers set for the youth at Barre High School. Isn't it about time to move your children to a private academy?

The latest polls show 3 out of 4 Americans approve of the way President Bush is doing his job. Too bad the same can't be said of these left-wing teachers at Barre High School. 

MANDATORY REPORTING IS ON THE TABLE, NOT THE WALL

»» Representative Peg Flory, Pittsford: You should note that Sam Hemingway's article was inaccurate. House Judiciary did, in fact, start testimony on the mandatory reporting law this past week and has testimony scheduled for most of this coming week. Shows that we can't believe everything we read, doesn't it. 

END INTIMATE CLASSES AND THE BANANA AGENDA

»» Martin Harris, Addison: 1. You're right on target with the observation that the edu-crats claim "it can't be cut" when in fact all it would take is a board with sufficient cojones to so order the superintendent, as their employee, which he is, to raise the pupil/teacher ratio. The Vermont-NEA has no say in such staffing policy matters.

2. If you look at the criteria in Act 250, all of them are quantitative and therefore calculable without resort to one's growth or anti-growth prejudices (rather like requiring the local planning commission to give up such subjective matters as conditional use zones and stick to measuring set-backs) except Criterion 8. Act 250 did reasonably well, historically, until the theme-parkers began using Criterion 8 to pursue a BANANA agenda; Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything. 

EDUCATION SPENDING WILL EAT US FOR LUNCH

»» Representative Loren Shaw, Derby: Thanks again for all the straight talk. Even being a representative, it is real hard for me to keep informed with all the happenings at the state house, and we rely on others for this information. When I get it from you, it is rock solid, and I commend you on doing such a wonderful job.

You have indeed hit the nail on the head as for Act-60 reform. I can't vote for any of the Act-60 reform proposals the way that they have been written. You are so right when you say the schools are out of control. Without controlling the costs, it doesn't matter what you feed the alligator!

The house bill will tax everything in site and then some. Already having a deficiency of 7,500 units of housing in this state bothers me, and isn't the time to be taxing the labor on building or repairing a home. Cost of labor is more than the material costs for the most part. Property transfer tax is a subject that fires me up! Can you imagine paying it when purchasing and selling a house. As far as I'm concerned, it is an unfair tax to begin with, but now having to pay it twice? Talk about a scenario for inflation! What will this do for our senior citizens and other people on limited income? It would create more need for help from the state! The Senate bill is still an alligator disguised as a lamb, and is basically still Act-60.

Every one is worried about an additional tax. I hate any kind of a tax increase, but if we can control our spending, there isn't a Vermonter that would mind, (including myself) another 1% sale tax, 2% on beer, wine and spirits. Keep the state base tax at $1.07 with a $7,000 block grant. Cut the supervisory unions back to fifteen, saving the state another 20 million. Throw in the Powerball, and we should be real close. The Vermonters aren't looking for a decrease in their real estate taxes, as proposed by the house plan, they just want them stabilized. Give education an increase equal to inflation annually, and not the 9% that they want this year. Make them live within their means, or face their cities and towns at town meeting day. Being locally controlled, they shouldn't have to dig into their pockets too many times before they catch on and start seeing the importance of attending these school board meetings. This may be a solution to only having a handful of people attending town meetings as well!

I'm not about to vote for any of the proposals that will continue to give a blank check to the education fund. If I tried running my business without a plan like Act-60 has been handled, I would of been out of business long ago. Try getting a loan today with out a good hard core projection and plan! Only in government is this allowed.

Thanks Again, James, for keeping us informed with all the condensed happenings in government. We need something done this year on Act-60 reform. Special Education is an issue that really needs to be addressed. 

GET A CLUE!

»» Paul Chandler, Newport: A few election cycles ago, many Democrats ran under the banner of "Property Tax Reform". It was a euphemism for "Statewide Property Tax". Had they been honest, quite a stretch I know, they would have run under the banner of "Statewide Property Tax" and many would have been defeated at the ballot box. The end result was Act 60.

So, now many Democrats are pushing for Act 60 reform? Please. Only now that it has become evident that there will be only one receiving town--Montpelier--has the light bulb come on.

The real problems stem from program-happy legislators in the 80s and into the 90s that required the sapping of state tax revenues from the education and highway fund coupled with the encouragement of businesses to open up new facilities in New Hampshire due to a costly, stalling process of permitting which allows party status for CLF, VNRC, VPIRG and their ilk at the expense of ordinary Vermonters.

I do not revel in the "I told you so" position I find myself in today. But the problems will only get worse if true reform does not happen in the permitting process THIS YEAR. Here's a clue...jobs provide tax dollars. 

WAKE UP! 

»» Michael Ticehurst, Williston: Our State has become the NO BUSINESS STATE!" People are getting laid off and business is moving to other States more and more! Pretty soon there won't be anything left in Vermont to produce except more hippies!

We must start changing our ways and dropping this stupid environment attitude toward business! Tell the hippies and the crunch-o-la's to shut up or move to Alaska if they want wide open green wilderness! But for me and most of Vermonters we want business and jobs and prosperity. That means we gotta attract BIG business with really BIG incentives. Otherwise why would they want invest anything in Vermont? So the politicians and the people that make things happen need to WAKE UP! 

OPEN YOUR EYES! 

»» Gary Richardson, Perkinsville: It's time for all of us to recognize what Vermont has voted for to represent us in our Vermont Senate. It is made up of a large and solid majority of people who do not want job creation because that equals some "development", which they will not allow. The same group of people is also there to maintain Act 60 and the Statewide Property Tax because that allows them to control all the money that we spend on "education". And all the while, Act 60 is draining the money out of every town in Vermont, and the Act 250 permit process is draining the jobs out of Vermont. Every two years, we hear a different tune being played by this strong majority during their campaigns on these two subjects - and we buy it and send them back to Montpelier. We are now all paying the price for our unwillingness to see them for what they are. What a shame. 

TAKE BACK THE COURTS 

»» David D. Demar, Georgia: Reading the DPR each week, it amazes me that we keep hearing people talking of "fixing" Act 60. We keep looking to the legislature to "fix" something that was "forced" upon us by the left wing loonies on the Vermont Supreme Court, in collusion with the two other branches of government. If the legislative and executive branches had really represented Vermonters during the time these "judicial decrees" were made, the court would have been told to go straight to hell, and the legislature and governor would have defended the Vermont Constitution and will of the voters instead of genuflecting to judicial tyranny.

What we have now is a judiciary that rules the state, and a subsidiary legislative/executive branch that can use the excuse, "those meanie judges made me do it". 

GIVE'EM A BREATHER 

»» Herbert G. Ogden, Rutland: Mr. Farmer has a sound idea [a four-year term for governor and staggered four-year terms for the senate]. Longer terms would let the elected folks spend time understanding and then controlling the bureaucracy instead of spending so much time getting re-elected. Staggering the senators' terms would make the Senate less responsive to the political fad of the day, which would be good. Then the Senate would be different enough from the House to justify its existence [?!]. As it is, for our small state to have a bicameral legislature all serving two years terms seems wasteful. 

DEAN'S PALACE GUARD 

»» Evan Kendrick: I think you got it half right about Howard Dean's staff person Kate O'Connor. Anyone who has watched the Dean Administration over the last 10 years knows that Kate O'Connor's "devotion" is better described as her "control freak" personality.

Editor's note: Reportedly, there is a term for the process, being "Roganed." You may have heard of being "Borked." Lefties in Washington told reporters that they were going to "Bork" Clarence Thomas. A family name becoming an active verb.

Being the season of resurrection, Mr. Rogan, having been despatched to CVPS when his star began to rise in the Palace, is now back at Dean for President.

RENEWABLE ENERGY FROM HERE 

»» Tom Halnon: I own my own business in East Middlebury called Vermont Green Energy Systems. As you might imagine, I am very much in favor of the renewable energy bills (H.248 and S.057) that are working their way through the legislature this session. I like them because they are good for business and good for Vermont. Of the two bills I prefer H.248 which was written by Mark Young and Tony Klein because it doesn't have the RPS provision ("Renewable energy Portfolio Standard" ­ a requirement that a certain portion of a utility’s power be produced by renewable energy sources) which is included in S.057 (which was intended to be trade bait from the start).

H.248 is a rare commodity indeed. It is a jobs bill that will have no impact on the general fund. It will provide a much appreciated boost to businesses like mine while having zero impact on the price of utility electricity. It will stimulate the renewable energy businesses already located in Vermont (including some big players like Enexco and Catamount Energy and NRG Systems and Northern Power Systems, etc) without harming businesses in other market segments. These businesses have set up shop in Vermont for a reason ­ this is a really good place for making renewable energy if we can only get a bit of support for the endeavor from the state.

Renewable energy is the next big thing, comparable to the semi-conductor boom of the early 90’s. The states that embrace that fact will reap the rewards of the coming new economy. The states that don't will be left in the dust. I want those jobs here in Vermont. I want to be the guy that gets to hire those people. H.248 will give me a big boost in doing that.

Green Energy is cost competitive with fossil fuel energy. Since almost all the cost of generating Green Energy is up-front capital expenditure, the price of Green Energy is stable, and becomes a better deal as the cost of fossil fuel energy swings wildly.

You need to get the facts on renewable energy before we miss the boat again. Mark Young’s bill deserves support in your newsletter. It simultaneously recognizes that business can be virtuous and that we can all make a buck while protecting Vermont’s resources. His bill is H.248. You should read it if you haven't already (It is currently stuck in the Appropriations Committee). 

CAPTAIN AMERICA'S FALLING SKY 

»» Annette Smith, Vermonters for a Clean Environment, Danby: Your generally candid newsletter was marred last week by the anonymous commentary of someone called "Captain America." I think "Chicken Little" might be a better moniker. No, sir or ma'am, the sky is not falling in Vermont.

I'll sign my name to this and offer some answers to the questions raised about Mark Sinclair and his comment about permit reform.

Yes, I testified at the public hearing held by the House and Senate Natural Resources Committee (not the Agency of Natural Resources as stated by Mr. Towle). On that day Governor Douglas introduced his permit reform legislation, which was crafted without any input from the many citizens who have extensive experience with the permitting system. I know the administration didn't talk to them, because I did -- travelled around Vermont and interviewed 16 different citizens groups to hear their stories in an attempt to identify the problems. What a concept! Actually trying to find the problems so we can fix them.

Unfortunately, Vermont CPR (homebuilders and realtors) and Governor Douglas have made it abundantly clear that they have no interest in hearing from people like me. I can speak all I want, but that doesn't mean anybody wants to listen. So far, "permit reform" has nothing to do with fixing an inefficient and expensive process; nothing to do with honest discussion about the problems; and nothing to do with working together to come up with a better process.

What "permit reform" is about so far is greed. People want to make money. I understand that. But I have to disagree with your Captain America about how Vermont compares with the rest of the country. As I travelled through a half dozen states in the last few days, I have been astonished by the incredible ugliness in once-beautiful places. Yesterday I was with my 90-year old aunt in Pennsylvania, where my family goes back 7 generations. There is no Act 250. The farmland is sprouting factory farms and housing developments, there is endless truck traffic, too many deaths on the crowded highways, plans to build more highways through farmland, huge transmission lines and at least one cell tower -- sometimes 6 -- on every hill. My aunt says she hears the complaint that "there are no jobs and our young people are leaving the state." Apparently, unbridled development and sprawl don't solve that problem. Vermont IS special, and we can capitalize on that rather than going "the way of the rest of the country," as Mark Sinclair correctly puts it.

As for Mark Sinclair, here's what I know about him: He is a very good lawyer. He has lived in Vermont almost 20 years, he has a family, kids in local schools, and serves on a zoning board. In other words, he is a Vermonter. The obsession with CLF has become ridiculous, and seems to be a convenient way of diverting attention from the real issues. By the way, Governor Douglas' permit reform legislation will not make it more difficult for CLF to participate in the process, despite his claims that it will.

Here's a suggestion: let's try working together to solve our problems instead of attacking each other. 

CAPTAIN AMERICA RESPONDS

»» Captain America writes under a pseudonym because: 1) In the past, I have made some appearances and have been rewarded with harassing and threatening phone calls; 2) I have a real job and a real life which keep me grossly overloaded with real work; with my time and energy in short supply, I see no upside to becoming bogged down in lengthy arguments with professional activists, who may not have to deal with any of the "reals" mentioned above.

This "response" is a confirmation of my comments last week - and the content makes its own demonstration of the bankruptcy of the radical activist agenda. That agenda is bankrupt because it is unable to offer anything positive, it is reduced to slandering the United States of America in an attempt to con everyone into believing that the rest of our country is a fetid place of ugliness and misery, while Vermont is a perfect paradise around which we must construct a deep moat to keep out all of those awful things. This is how Kim Jong Il operates.

Consider this from columnist Ralph Peters: "France has an aging population, a troubled economy and a hamstrung government paralyzed by a culture of entitlement. It is creaking toward irrelevance, while the United States surges ahead."

Sound familiar? The United States is surging ahead, and having a wonderful time doing it. Vermont is falling further and further behind, and is getting collective ulcers doing it. 

THEY LIKE US 

»» Mike Seely: You do a superb job with this newsletter. I left Vermont to go to Dartmouth and every subsequent effort to move back to Vermont was thwarted by lack of attractive job opportunities. So, I stayed in NYC. Now that I'm back, I'm continually reminded that nothing has changed. This state has the most peculiar political character I've ever seen--and that's after three decades in NYC.

»» Mike Dubie, Essex: Keep up the great work! It is nice to have a news source that calls a spade a spade. 

WHAT NEWSPAPER DID HE SUBSCRIBE TO? 

"I didn't know they didn't like Saddam Hussein." -- Samir Ali Alou, a Lebanese jihadi who fought with Saddam's forces in Baghdad. He was captured and beaten by the city's Shi'ite population. (April 14 San Francisco Chronicle) 

LOST AND NOT FOUND 

"United Nations Secretary General Annan said today he thinks the arms inspectors should resume looking for weapons in Iraq. Forget looking for arms in Iraq how about looking for backbones in the United Nations." --Jay Leno, April 11, 2003

"What did the U.N. Security Council do when it met April 9 to consider the matter? Nothing. Under pressure from China and Russia, the council refused to condemn North Korea's outlaw behavior." -- Columnist Peter Brookes 

TAX TIME 

"In the United States, the Left calls the U.S. tax code, 'redistribution of income.' In Iraq, the Left calls the redistribution of income, 'looting.' This is an example of a difference without a distinction." --Rich Galen 

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