CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL REPORTS 

A reminder, the Secretary of State’s office is merely the recipient of all financial reports, petitions, and so forth. They are not watchdogs. They do not look at, scrutinize, evaluate, or investigate. They receive and file and copy for the inquiring minds, which seems to shrink by the election. Should someone not bother to file, noting happens. Should someone break the rules, no one knows. Unless an opponent, the press, or some other interested party checks, discovers, reports, and someone in authority reads the report and cares. It should not be left to the Dwinell Political Report to be the only in-depth messenger. But alas, that is the state of affairs today.

The United States Court of Appeals has just found that the Vermont Federal Court erred when throwing out parts of Act 64, the 1997 Campaign Finance Reform Act. They held that "Vermont’s expenditure and contribution limits are constitutional but that Vermont’s attempt to limit contributions from out-of-state sources is unconstitutional." Nice timing. Judge Sessions, former Leahy aide, in August of 2000 let Dean off the look and gave him the right, along with a secret little deal with his Attorney General Sorrell, to spend his millions to maintain power and he almost did, almost a million. Now come the boys from New York in August, 2002 to muddy the waters midstream once again. We will review this decision in two weeks.

Also in two weeks we will look at the senate, house, and party filings. A little warning: many of you have not filed yet. 

THE GOVERNOR'S RACE 

Michael Badamo is running for the nomination for governor for the Progressive Party. As it is written, as it is: he has received no party support and almost no financial support. He gave his campaign $2,000 and received another $988.45 from all other sources. His largest expense was to the Laughing Bear for $1,790.36 for design work. At least he filed a report, that is more than can be said for his opponent Peter Diamondstone.

HOGAN'S HEROES

There were plenty, Republicans mostly. We are confused. For the first time in eighteen years, not counting the eight-month rule of Richard Snelling, Republicans have a good shot at the office of governor. Jim Douglas will win the primary regardless. So why do they go all mushy on Con Hogan? The Hacketts in for $1,600, the Riehle’s for $1,200, the Davis’ who father used to hold Douglas’ job for another $1200, The Pizzagallis for $600, The Hazeletts for $400, Bernie Rome for $400, Jean Mallary for $100, Clark Hinsdale for $100, Duncan Brown for $100. Senator Chard threw in $100 and former Governor Tom Salmon $400 to make the support bipartisan.

The over $100 donors chipped in $95,190, the under $100 gave only $13,829, not much grassroots support for a grassroots campaign. The candidate sprung for a cool $85,000 and still was mired in debt, expenses exceeding revenue.

Proving once again that a fool and his money or a fool and your money will soon be parted, Hogan paid Jeffords’ consultant Dresner Wickers $17,000 in 2001 and nothing in 2002. Perhaps that was to receive the same advice that Jim received, become a Demodent. Then he paid Bethany Knight $9,664 in 2001 for more consulting and like poor Charlie she will never return to the pages of his financial report. Then to straighten out his campaign it seems, in December, 2001, he took former Secretary of State James Milne out for a $43.00 lunch. Merry Christmas.

It appears that his office was first run by Florence Abare of 23 Meadowcrest Lane in Barre. He even paid her payroll taxes once. Then quickly she became Molly Abare of the same address, contract laborer, who is paid $2500. Then Molly either disappeared or became Molly Powers of 141 Sanders Circle, Montpelier, in January, 2002 but this time as a "consultant" who is paid weekly between $112 to $168.

In February Judith Chase show up and is back on payroll at $160 per pay period. Then an Art Edelstein of East Calais begins consulting in February and by April he is on payroll and alas, Molly Powers disappears from the disclosure form, as does Judith. Edelstein gets a raise to $250, women never receive equal pay. In May, Ariana Monti of Wellington, Florida joins the payroll at $200 and soon jumps to $400 and by June poor Art has hit the road. Women’s revenge. Hogan says that he is the "management" guy, the guy who can makes the trains run on time, give us our bang for the buck. This does not show through in his reports, in fact just the opposite.

Now we come to August 1st when his report is due. One of Hogan’s heroes tries to persuade folks in the know that they should be allowed to keep their donors secret, just report the money. This plan was recalled when advice suggested that Hogan should not perhaps have special rules written just for him. Here he sits, at best a spoiler, personally out $85,000, his supporters out another $109,844, his campaign in debt and leaving no footprints, getting no traction. And he goes on. What for? Ego? Stubbornness? Delusion?

According to a Vermont Press Bureau report, Hogan says, "...my campaign is much more personal and less big media. I won't have the money for it." Right, he just squandered $200,000.

RACINE'S WAY

Racine raises $212,550 and spends $61,251. His donors are mostly from Vermont, they have familiar names: Alfano, Nuovo, Connell, Grad, Lippert, Bartlett, Cillo, Freiden, Mazza, Ankeney, Seibert, Munt, Kitzmiller, Milkey, Webster, Condos, Lafayette, and Ptashnik. The liberal caucus. Auditor and liberal caucus member Elizabeth Ready is there too, sending in $25 a week or so as if she were paying off a credit card debt or something. The Vermont Democrat Party donated over $20,000; Racine chipped in $2,200 in in-kind contributions. Tom Salmon who maxed out to Hogan did the same for Racine.

Lacking the turnover of the Hogan campaign, Racine has three salaried persons; Tom Hughes of Winooski who appears to take in about $3,000 a month, Margaret Ryan of Burlington and Cindy Metcalf of Randolph. His biggest expense was $10,000 to Kieloch Consulting of Washington and $16,000 for polling, wages and mailings. Then there was $135.00 to Ben and Jerry’s on Church Street in Burlington for ice cream on June 17th. Quite the ice cream social. All in all a good job; fundraising, keeping your powder dry, and doing your homework. $61,251 for something as compared to Hogan’s $196,128 for nothing.

DOUGLAS LEADS THE WAY

Jim Douglas raised the most, $351,430.31 and he spent the most, $255,475.14. His fundraising was the most impressive. Many of his $400 contributors are able to give at the $1000 level. If the old rules had been in effect, Douglas would have raised well over $500,000, a record for political fundraising in Vermont from Vermonters. Very complete, very professional, no stones unturned.

Interestingly many of the Hogan donors also contributed to Jim. These names sound familiar? Hazelett, Mallary, Hackett, Pizzagalli, and Hinsdale. VPR Chair Staige Davis maxed out to both. Barbara Snelling, unlike her long-time treasurer Duncan Brown who gave to Hogan, maxed out twice, once personally and once with leftover campaign funds. Ken Squier who last time was one of the Republicans for Dean, maxed out. So did Dwyer’s campaign manager Kathleen Summers of West Newton, MA.

Expenses, in spite of their high numbers, are focused. Darcie Johnston was a leading early recipient receiving $16,762 in fees, beginning in July of 2001 at $1,500 a month, then in October to $2,000, then in 2002 to $3,000. However no Darcie Johnston fee was paid after campaign manager Neale Lunderville received his first paycheck of $1,256.06 in March. Neale moved her out.

Direct mail fundraising was done by SCM Associates of Jaffrey, NH to the tune of $34,664.28. In that Darcie’s fees were also for fundraising, Douglas spent over $50,000 just for fundraising costs. SCM seems to have gone with Darcie. George McNeill seemed to be called on to consult for $1,500 and Fabrizio McLaughlin of Alexandria, VA billed Douglas for $12,200 and Public Opinion Strategies also of Alexandria was paid $5,000.

Collateral stuff, bumper stickers, yard signs, etc. were designed and produced by Sullivan, Brownell, and Davies of Randolph costing the campaign $7,284.16. New staff was hired, Jim Barnett from the White House and Nancy Johnson in April, and Brad Broadwell in May who has long political experience including stints at the Republican National Committee.

Then along came Smith. Steve Smith, long time local political consultant and recent Howard Dean media buyer, seems to have handled most of Jim’s media buying this time around. It seems right in that most of our mess is his fault. Years ago while working for Madeline Kunin’s first campaign for governor against John Easton back in ’84, he helped persuade the campaign to spend extra money on an out-of-state media buy to reach only the southwest Vermont market, a huge cost for a small audience. But his and her gamble paid off as Kunin upset Easton by 3,674 votes.

Saying that he does not want to work for a tax-and-spend liberal like Racine, he switched to Douglas for 2002. Smith spent just under $35,000 on media plus the campaign spent another $5,023.50 paid directly to television stations. Smith, whom your editor used as well in his forlorn race in 1998, may have found wisdom in his advancing years. Yet we know that his buddy Kunin probably was an even worse tax and spender than Racine. 

SECRETARY OF STATE 

The filing by the incumbent Deb Markowitz was most remarkable. Now on her third statewide election, seventy-eight percent of her contributions over $100, $15,164, came from out-of-state. Of her out-of-state support, eighty-six percent came from her family. She also raised $7,515 in donations under $100. She went to Colorado to find T-shirts and to Connecticut to do all her printing.

Challenger Michael Bertrand, assistant clerk of the house, raised $4,370, his donors being a who’s who of Republican politics. They include Pizzagalli, Aiken, Ide, McClaughry, Gannett, Mallary, Kennedy, Hazelett, Hackett, Stafford, and Gillette. His expenditures were for the Internet and yard signs, the new and the old. 

TREASURER 

This is the main event in the primary season, two seasoned veteran Democrats putting up their all. In the corner way to our left is last election’s losing senate candidate Ed Flanagan and considerably to his right is former Washington County Senator Jeb Spaulding. Like Markowitz, both have been able to build a significant war chest from out-of-state donors.

Of Flanagan’s contributions over $100, over ninety-two percent were from out-of-state. Ed and his mom have put in $11,245 via loans and contributions. Many of his donors also were active donors to the pro-civil unions political action committees of the last election. Other notables are Anne and Marty Peretz owners of the New Republic Magazine and former Democrat Party chief Steven Howard of Rutland, all of whom maxed out.

Ed has been spending big bucks with out of state consultants, $1,585 with Malchow, Schlackman, et al. of Washington for direct mail last month and $13,000 with Global Strategy of New York in the last three months. It appears that he has chosen to treat his staff of Linda Weiss of Corinth and Kaitlin Howrigan of Fairfield as independent contractors and not employees, thereby avoiding the costs and problems with those messy and expensive payroll taxes that ordinary mortals are subject to: social security contributions, FUTA, FICA and all that.

Jeb Spaulding on the other hand began paying Ethan Ready as an independent contractor when he was advising him part-time, but when Ethan began full-time employment, Jeb not only paid his employment taxes, he also provided Ethan with health insurance. What a guy!

Jeb also went out-of-state for most of his over $100 contributions. His roster of contributors closely resembles the social register of Boston; the Lodges gave but not the Cabots. Even former presidential nominee Michael Dukakis and his wife Kitty chipped in $300. I’m just the girl who can't say no, Crea Lintilhac of Shelburne, maxed out to both Ed and Jeb. Jeb also has a smattering of contributions from legislators, Ed has none. Even Senator Peter Shumlin maxed out for Jeb. Over seventy-three percent of his contributions over $100 come from out-of-state. Missing from his contributor list is the one guy who helped him get into this race, our governor Howard Dean. He says that he is frugal and it shows.

Besides paying his payroll taxes like most employers, Jeb is spending his money on grass roots things, no big bucks for Washington or New York consultants. Both Ed and Jeb have paid for dueling bus signs in Chittenden County. The winner gets to face John LaBarge. John has raised $2,300 and spent $51.50 for stamps. He failed to list the names and addresses of contributors over $100 as required. 

AUDITOR OF ACCOUNTS 

Remarkably for an auditor, the Ready campaign put together a financial report, whose pages are not easy to read. Most reports are computer-generated. Hers is mostly handwritten. She raised only $3,797.99 and spent $3,439.12, mostly on printing and mailing.

Her challenger, former Representative Bruce Hyde of Waitsfield, quickly raised $6,062.70, almost all in $400 increments. He even seems to have persuaded Skip Vallee to spring for $2,000 through various pockets he controls while the best Vallee could do for Douglas was $400, at least in this report. The Hacketts gave another $1,200. Is there something about Ready here or is Bruce just a great salesman?

Once again, newly minted Republican helpmate Steve Smith provided the media help to the tune of $4,200. 

WHAT PROMISE? 

Has the State Of Vermont changed its image? Or just its marketing campaign? Visit the new travel center along I-89 southbound in Williston. There are over 35 large photographs. Pictured are the young and the restless enjoying Vermont. Of all the dozens of folks pictured, other than the backs of the heads enjoying the Trapp Meadow Concert, all were white and all were young except maybe one senior. For all the Democrat's talk of diversity there was not a black, Hispanic, Asian or any other minority. For all of Dean's preaching that Civil Unions was his crowning moment, there was no picture of a happy civil unioned couple under an arbor in the garden of a bed and breakfast.

Enter the Welcome Center in Vernon and you will see lots of pictures of the good ole boys of yore, attending an auction, working in the woods or fields, talking wheel to wheel. Not in Williston, those days are gone, too many Dwyer supporters in the old group maybe. Or maybe they just do not sell anymore. In any event, it appears that the State's new marketing effort has changed direction.

The facility is quite beautiful and the information handy. "State officials hope the welcome centers encourage visitors to veer off the interstate," writes the Free Press. To that end, there is an eight-picture panel giving reasons why folks should stop off at Exit 8, Exit 5, and so forth. There is no reason provided however for why people might want to make a U-turn and go down Route 116, 7, 30, 22A, or along the shores of Lake Champlain. Millions of tourist promotion dollars are spent bringing visitors to Vermont, but not to all of Vermont it seems. Not only was the promise to follow up I-89 and I-90 with a highway down the western side of the state duly forgotten, tourists will have to locate the attractions along all those routes without the help of the State. We suppose that the State could have placed the Southbound Travel Center just north of Burlington giving multiple options to tourists, but alas, millions, $7,100,000, have gone into the Williston location. Sorry once again to the western dudes. Maybe next time. 

WHERE'S BERNIE? 

The usual Bernie Sanders rhetoric is missing from our political dialogue. Where is all that clatter about big corporations forgetting the needs of the common folk? Even the recent press conference by former IBM'ers about age discrimination, now to be investigated by the Attorney General, was not enough to energize our Congressman. (An advantage to those old timers, though, maybe that they will have the jump on re-employment. When the other shoe drops at IBM, they may have already scooped up the available jobs.) Maybe Bernie is saving his energy for the final chapter.

Current employees once again report rumors of pending layoffs this fall. They still are bemoaning the loss of the 300 mm wafer to Fishkill, saying that "our government was not welcoming or accommodating enough to keep IBM here." Asked if those pumps will keep running, keeping the trichloroethylene (TCE) out of the Winooski River, they said, "Perhaps that will be a job for the State." The long-term plan has been to keep pumping out the drillings to try to create enough backflow to keep it from getting into the Winooski River. 

THE OFFICIAL PORTRAIT 

We know you have all been wondering: where will Governor Dean hang that official portrait of his honorable self in our state capitol and join all those other great Vermonters. We do not have the answer for you but we do know that the official portrait is in progress. According to campaign financial report for the 2000 Committee to Re-elect himself, the committee paid Carroll Jones of Stowe $16,250 for the "official portrait." In spite of his extensive travels, he found time to "sit" for the portrait. While the entire cost is not known, friends of Governor Dean will also contribute additional funds towards the portrait.

His report showed lots of expenses paid to Milne Travel, the presidential quest perhaps. His campaign committee also maxed out to Doug Racine and paid his Democratic Governors' Association dues of $4,000. It reimbursed the state $1,981.75 in the last year for travel, perhaps his being driven to New Hampshire, Maine, or Boston for political purposes. Then there is an expenditure in the "town-Africa" for the conference registration fee of $790. After all these expenses, Dean's 2000 campaign account stood at $39,196.24 cash on hand. 

$20,000, CHUMP CHANGE SAYS SNEYD 

In Friday's Associated Press story by Ross Sneyd on the financial report cards of candidates for governor, Sneyd writes, "Douglas reported that he has collected $351,430.31 for his campaign, including $50,000 that was donated by the Republican Governors Association... Unlike Douglas, Racine has not yet collected any sizable donations from his state or national party."

When we read Racine's report we were surprised to find that Sneyd had trouble with the fine print. On April 15, 2002, Racine reported that he received $16,000 from the Vermont Democratic Party and on July 3, 2002 his campaign received another $4,243.21 in in-kind donations.

Tracy Schmaler of the Vermont Press Bureau did better. She writes, "He (Racine) also received a $16,000 in-kind contribution from the Vermont Democratic Party..." But alas, she seemed to miss the other $4,243.21. She got the Douglas contribution from the RGA right though. 

NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCE IN TONE? 

"USA Today: NJ Sen. Torricelli Severely Admonished for Taking Gifts

"Washington Post: Senate Ethics Panel Rebukes Torricelli

"And, while the House Ethics Committee held the Traficant hearings in the full view of television cameras, the Senate Ethics Committee will not even release the bleached transcripts of the Torricelli whitewash." -- Mullings Report 

PERMIT HADES GENERATES GRIST FOR THE MILL 

»» David M. Frink, Hinesburg: While involved in Leadership Champlain (Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce program) a couple of years ago (class of 2000), my group had the occasion to meet with a lawyer at the law firm retained by Verizon to obtain necessary permits and Act 250 approval to construct a new cell tower in Milton. He was overjoyed that they had finally received the necessary approval to proceed after fighting with the State and other parties after 4 YEARS of meetings, litigation, more meetings and endless paperwork. That is when I learned the legal term "De Novo" which I am understood to mean "do over". The Act 250 proceedings do not allow de novo hearings which means that when moving from regional Act 250 hearings to State level Act 250 hearings, none of the work done at the regional level can be used in the State hearings. Essentially the party seeking the permit must start over. One wonders why Verizon bothers to provide cellular communications in Vermont at all.

At the recent opening of the first Sprint PCS store at the new Maple Tree Place here in Williston, I had a chat with my contact at Sprint about their welcome to Vermont. She enlightened me on a few issues they had regarding permits etc., but the real gem was when the president of the regional Sprint services provider (Independent Wireless) invited Governor Dean to their Grand Opening. Dr. Dean said no he would not attend the opening because he was opposed to the entire Maple Tree Place project.

Had a good laugh when I read in the paper a while back that the City of Burlington was entertaining a plan to start their own telephone company for the city with the aim to provide services to residents. Being involved with the telephone equipment industry for the past 11 years I knew it was doomed from the start. The necessary investment to start would be huge and the work would have been largely done by out of state firms who have the expertise and manpower. My company in addition to several other local firms could have provided a cutting edge telecommunications system for the city offices at a third of the cost they spent just considering going into the "phone business". 

»» Bob Alexander, Londonderry: Enjoyed your reporting on the permitting process. I can only suggest that the folks involved in the Burlington discussion take the same stance as the folks in East Dorset. If the process of getting permits jeopardizes the event or the institution, don't "whine" about it, MOVE.

Is it the [FAHC] parking deck that is SOOOO important to Burlington people or is it their ability to force an institution they need to crawl and spend thousands of dollars? Let them take the ferry to Plattsburgh. Is it the horse show in Dorest that is so important to Act 250 people? Or is it their ability to demand that events need Act 250 blessings. Enough!! Get a real job!! Go back to the original intent of the Act!! 

THINK IT'S BAD NOW? WAIT UNTIL WATERSHEDS BITES 

»» Karen Kerin, South Royalton: If anyone thinks the regulatory process is bad now, just wait until watersheds bites. It is the most massive land control law ever considered. What most folks don't know is that Watersheds floats on a federal filing of alleged impaired waters, called the 303(d) list. ANR just sent out the proposed new 303(d) list and people really need to look at it. Mercury contamination upstream vanishes downstream. How can that be? Or the problem of temperatures that are too high for native fish to survive because the rivers are now too wide and shallow and heat up in the summer sun. High temperature reduces the dissolved oxygen, which also explains the high E.Coli counts being seen. If the rivers were cleaned out of the gravel and silt several problems would disappear. Of course, that presumes either we stabilize stream banks or continue "mining" the gravel and silt. The proposed 303(d) list is available at http://www.vtwaterquality.org/announcements.htm If folks would look at it they could challenge the awful list before it is a club to beat up all landowners. The locations and times for the public meetings to challenge the list are:

Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Skylight Conference Room, North Connector Bldg, State Office Complex, Waterbury, Vermont

Monday, August 19, 2002 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM South Burlington High School, Room 226, 550 Dorset Street, South Burlington, Vermont

ON THE FLETCHER FIASCO 

»» James F. Daley, Colchester: You are absolutely correct re the "outsiders" added to the Fletcher Allen investigative team. Why don't they all get together at the Ethan Allen Club and talk it over. Even McCarren can attend now.

I have no doubt that Coates and Colodny will be as objective as they can but it would be so much more reassuring if (as you suggest) they had a couple of John McClaughrys or Ed Pooles looking over the board's shoulders. From my perspective, as someone with about as much political clout as Jim Traficant, the problem with the FAHC board is too much inbreeding and complete isolation from the needs and desires of John Q. Public.

Why in God's name are WE paying $500,000 plus to a guy to run a hospital in Vermont? If a half a million bucks is the price tag for this non-profit job, WE should have somebody doing it who is capable and astute enough to keep the organization out of the snake pit it finds itself in now. Where was the board of director's oversight since Boettcher took over? Did he work in an isolation chamber? Weren't there enough warning signs over the past few years that should have triggered some leadership evaluation?

Aside from the legal (or illegal) issues here (and I ain't sure who is guilty of what yet) all the FAHC has done is give the media a bone to chew during the August Dog Days! 

»» Bob Hardy, Vergennes: The Fletcher Allen press meeting in the Pavillion Conference Room prompted me to think the name of that venue should be changed to the Pavlovian Conference Room where the media begin to salivate when potential business scandal is proffered. Truth be known, the whole Fanny Allen mess is a testimony to the "Alice in Wonderland" permit process of Vermont.

[Speaking of planning] On IBM leaving Essex eventually, those IBM'ers who are "fortunate" to have received early releases have the opportunity to scan the marketplace ahead of the exodus of 2003. They will consider their skills and themselves now in demand but maybe not in the near future. I have yet to see anyone such as the GBIC or AIV create a "what if" plan for Essex. This is the big gorilla at the party whose presence everyone ignores. A little prior planning could avert a potential economic catastrophe in northern VT. 

MISCHIEVOUS PESSIMIST? 

»» Paul Chandler, Newport: Funny you should mention crossing over to vote in other primaries. Given the only real GOP primary is for the likely unwinnable run vs Bernie Sanders, wouldn't it be funny if somehow Ed Flanagan won the Democratic primary because of GOP crossovers. Certainly would be hard to pin a "homophobic" label on folks who did just that. Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge. 

PAYING THE PRICE 

»» Tom Kenyon, Brownsville: How come the Dwinell Political Report didn't mention this? I read in the Weekly Standard about a well-organized nationwide boycott of Vermont this summer. Suddenly one of the main reasons for Vermont's financial problems became so clear to me. I have attended many of our state's county fairs, a number of celebrations and events across the state all of which usually attract large numbers of tourists especially in great weather. The number of attendees and tourist spending is down and thus our tax revenues are down.

Now it seems the actions, in-action, and just plain political stubbornness by our two liberal and socialistic-minded Senators is hitting us Vermonters financially right in pocketbook. There is a nationwide boycott of Vermont and its working. Why didn't Vermont's liberal press tell us about this? The sad part is when this political era is done, rich politicians like Leahy, Jeffords, Dean, Racine, and the likes will be just fine. Its all us native Vermonters that will have paid the price.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Actually we did cover this story at the end of May. It was a Media Note: http://www.dwinellPoliticalReport.com/ds_05_31_02.htm 

REPUBLICANS CAN TAKE THE SENATE 

»» George McNeill: As someone who likes to watch the political landscape, I would like to comment on your remarks regarding the Senate races. I strongly believe that with Vermont hemorrhaging jobs and the Democrats clearly being the ones that have contributed to this hemorrhage, the people are realizing that they must change the Senate if anything is going to turnaround.

I believe that the Democrats are very vulnerable in several counties. Chittenden, Lamoille, Windsor, Windham, Bennington, and Franklin to name only a few. Open seats in Franklin, Chittenden, Windsor, Windham, and Bennington create great opportunities for Republican control of the senate. Every race is being contested.

I disagree that the Republicans are going to have a hard time winning "open" seats in Franklin and Bennington County. In Franklin County the Republican candidates Carl Rosenquist and John Whitney are sterling candidates, well respected in their county and well qualified to serve. The Democratic candidates are espousing the same failed campaign promises of the past and the people of Franklin will understand and elect both John Whitney & Carl Rosenquist. Republicans are working hard in all their races and we expect to win both seats.

In Bennington County it is much the same. The incumbent is espousing the same failed policies of the present administration and his running mate is a "perennial" who ran and lost twice and now thinks that she can pull the wool over the eyes of the electorate in a futile third effort. Both Mark Shepard and Zeke Cross are well known candidates who are running excellent campaigns. They understand that under the Democrats more jobs left Bennington County than started in Bennington County.

Without spending a lot of time on all the races I believe that Republicans can and will win in challenger races in Washington, Lamoille, Chittenden, Windsor, Bennington, and Franklin. I also believe that they will win all their incumbent seats. The fact is that the Republicans offer new and challenging ideas and new candidates to replace Democratic incumbents who, if elected, will only work to drive more jobs out of Vermont.

By the way, I do agree that the Republicans will retain control of the House. 

OLE FLIP-FLOP COMES TO MIND... 

»» David M. Frink, Hinesburg: I'm sure you saw this in the Federalist (8/5) however I thought I would send it along to your attention anyway. Very applicable to Mr. Racine's campaign:

"More interesting than who wins or loses a hard-fought election is how they win or lose. Every great election is a contest not only between the candidates but inside each one: How much of their character, their integrity, their simple human dignity, is each willing to sacrifice to win the few votes that will make the difference between victory and defeat?" --Paul Greenberg 

THEY LIKE US 

»» Brenda Wilder, Underhill: Thank you! You do a great job. 

MAYBE CONTROL IS THE ISSUE? 

"Almost fifty years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the government couldn't stand in the schoolhouse doors and keep minority children out. The Supreme Court [now says] those same government officials can't stand in the doorway and keep minority children in." --ACU Chairman David Keene Full text: http://conservative.org/cgi-data/doc_news/files/44.shtml 

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