ON THE ROAD AGAIN 

Next week, there may be an abbreviated report. Having lived in Burlington for the last four and a half years, we have decided to move back to Vermont next week. The new address on the family farm is 610 Mason Road, Randolph, 05060, phone 728-4793, email the same hopefully, dwinell@adelphia.net but you may have read that Adelphia is having some problems. 

LET’S HAVE A PARTY 

Following the political parties has been made more difficult by the parties themselves. In the past, as a courtesy, all our federal incumbents and the Republican and Democrat Parties have given a copy of their federal filings to Vermont’s Secretary of State. This has been a convenience for the media and the public. The filings are available at Washington’s Federal Election Commission and on-line. But not everybody has access to the media, it can be expensive, and it can be very tiring to try to view 150 pages of small print on the computer screen.

Times change. For all of Vermont’s congressional delegation's insistence that we need more campaign finance reform, when it comes to a basic courtesy to Vermonters, providing them a look at their filings, they all make it virtually impossible. About a year ago, in unison, they all stopped sending a copy to the secretary of state. The media seemed not to mind. For all their editorial pleadings for more campaign finance reform, they really do not seem to care. So our reports on them have grown fewer. Now the parties have followed suit. In contrast, wannbe Congressmen Bill Meub, Karen Kerin, and Greg Parke all gave copies to the secretary of state

The parties have both a state account and a federal account. If you read only the state account, you barely scratch the surface. For example, neither the GOP nor the Dems would have any employees, pay rent, or utilities. Via their federal account they can receive from each donor $5,000 a year. Via their state account, they can receive only $2,000 each election cycle. We only looked at their state filings.

In the Democrat’s August 26th filing, they had zero expenses while raising $3,250. In their July 26th filing, they raised $51,312 in the previous twelve months, mostly from out-of-state sources. Total contributions from Vermont organizations were $7,800 and we only found a single contributor from Vermont who was not a lobbyist or association.

The GOP raised pennies less in the July 26 filing, $51,020. But in the August filing, they were a shadow of their former selves, gathering up only $1,040, being out-raised not just by the Democrats but also by the Progressives.

A representative from Kimball, Sherman and Ellis appeared on the Mark Johnson Show. They told us that money had nothing to do with lobbying. So why then did they give $1,000 to the GOP and another $1,000 to the Democrats? Lobbyist Auld, Bishop and Adams gave $200 to the Democrats and only $125 to the Republicans. Green Mountain Power gave $1,000 to the Democrats but $1,250 to the GOP. They have two more months to dig deep and be more generous. Most of the large GOP contributors were corporations.

The Progressives were the fund raising giants, raising $59,669 as of their July 26th report and another $5,945 in August. Even with that, they list a debt of $4,375 to Chris Pearson for "unpaid wages." Surprisingly, the Lintilhacs maxed out to the Progs. Earlier this summer, they hosted a big Democrat soiree at their lakefront property on the Shelburne Farms Estate for Democrat National Committee Chair McAuliffe. Switch hitters?

A fellow from Texas gave $2,000 as did one from Seattle. True believers Dean Corren gave $120, Terry Bouricious gave $600 and David Zuckerman $715. Chris Lloyd of Woodstock gave $500, Chris Kent of Shelburne $1,075 but we could not find Clark Kent. Godfather Bernie, godmother Jane, god daughter Corina, and the mayor were all MIA. 

INVEST YOUR REPUTATION 

Jim Douglas has built up a 30-year reputation for quality public service, a self-effacing man of character and integrity. Tracy Schmaler joined AP reporter David Gram this Sunday to attempt to make mince meat of Jim. Not that she did this alone. The editors, headline writers and owners of the Times Argus/Rutland Herald chipped in.

To review, Gram implied that Jim had cost the State Employees Pension Fund $178,000,000 through mismanagement, including an investment in WorldCom bonds. Does the treasurer make investment decisions? No, he is one of a six-member board. Did he invest in WorldCom? No. Did the board? Well no to that too. The investment managers chosen by the board did.

Now comes Tracy in a Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance play, Tracy as Chance. A blaring headline, top right, front page, Sunday. "State fund expert was sanctioned by the SEC." Sub head just in case you were not sure where they were going, "Douglas and others on board differ on disclosure at hiring."

First, young Tracy repeats the old charges, the $178,000,000 loss, WorldCom. Ominously, "Douglas sits on the board." The revelation was a sanction (back in 1993-4) of a current investment advisor for nothing she had done wrong but for broker in the office's employ who had fixed prices. Tracy with gravitates befitting Tom Wicker, writes, "...the question surrounding its disclosure, comes at a precarious time for the board, particularly for Douglas."

Recall that Auditor and Racine supporter Elizabeth Ready allegedly brought AP writer Gram in tow to write up the loss in the fund last Monday. And recall that her son Ethan is now at the Vermont State Employees Union. So Annie Noonan of that Union speaks. That she is part of the Racine team is omitted. That Ethan works there too is omitted. "The treasurer’s performance is pretty bad... (we have had) a lot of problems getting information out of the treasurer’s office. This is yet again another but a very good example of the lack of sharing (from the treasurer’s office). What "yet again?" There was no mention of any "yet again" action.

Holy Mary Mother of God! Jim Douglas a crook, who would have believed that. Well hopefully, nobody. Now we know why Tracy missed the Flanagan story. She was busy in her creative writing class. Do you think that she dug all this up herself, a new Woodward and Bernstien? Hardly, it was Ready-to-Ready-to-Schmaler. 

RUN FOR THE MONEY 

The treasurer’s race is one of the big primary tilts. In their last filing before September 10th, Spaulding raised $12,490 but in the process raised his family’s contributions $6,200 to $10,400. Expect your mailbox to soon be full. He spent $21,800 with Democrat mail maven Bridge Communications, another $8,045 with WCAX and a smattering with radio stations.

Ed Flanagan raised only $825 but has more family money in this dogfight, $11,495. Expect more of that from both sides. Ed as usual is not exactly what he seems. From his campaign report he spent only $1,059 on media, advertising in Seven Days. But in a slight of hand, he filled out his report three days before the deadline camouflaging the huge media buy in the next few days, faking out the media.

More mail from Ed. Bet you can't wait. He sent $39,096 to Washington mail house and phone banker Crounse, Malchow, Schlackman and Hoppey on August 23rd and an additional $21,099 on August 26th. So where did that money come from? Nobody knows. Then on August 23rd, he drops $19,320.35 on radio buys allegedly lying about Jeb Spaulding’s record. $79,725 completely unaccounted for and unreported by the media. Cool or what? And this is the man to watch over our money? Right. So on the 27th, Spaulding pops for another $6,600 to Bridge Communications. Guess that they are both reducing their bequeaths. To paraphrase Will Rogers, what you give up when you enter politics is your reputation.

So how did the state’s great metropolitan daily do? Nancy Remsen wrote that Flangan’s "recent expenditures were $12,509." She only missed the mark by 640%. How about that Pulitzer Prize winning Rutand Herald/Times Argus? Oh gee, resting on their laurels, they missed the mark too. Better to create a sneak attack on the Douglas campaign then roll up their selves and actually work. 

LIAR, LIAR 

Ed Flanagan, candidate for the Democrat nomination for treasurer, lies. He is not like Al Gore, he is a world class liar. Like the fraternity of all his opponents, Spaulding has just found out. In an email this week, Jeb writes "Ed Flanagan is running radio ads claiming to be 'the only Democratic candidate for Treasurer who opposed school vouchers.' THIS IS NOT TRUE. We have been told he is conducting an under-the-radar-screen telephone campaign telling people that I support school vouchers. Again, THIS IS NOT TRUE..."

Welcome to the club. This is not just sour grapes because Ed handed me my hat in 1998. Most folks are reasonable, generally trusting other people, taking them at their word. An illustration. During a debate in his first campaign, Ed falsely charged that his opponent had not filed some important document. Ed made a big deal of it. Maybe Ed made a mistake, thought his opponent, maybe we should cut him some slack.

After the debate, the opponent gave Ed a copy of the very document showing Ed that in fact it was filed. So in the next debate, Ed again made the very same charge. Hello. In our debate on VPR, a caller cited chapter and verse from the Internal Auditors’ Manuel of how Ed had failed to do his job properly. Ed calmly said that the caller must be confused, inexperienced, that was all just so much hooey. The caller turned out to be on Vermont’s Board of Internal Auditors. Welcome to the game Jeb. 

A HARD DAY’S NIGHT 

We are sorry when one’s life comes under pressure. Sometimes, the public interest is at risk when such tragedies occur. This appears to be the case for Senator Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, and Democrat candidate for lieutenant governor.

It has been alleged that he has had a consensual intimate relationship with a subordinate state employee. History is replete with people in power taking advantage of that power to engage in intimate relationships. We have all heard of the casting couch or read or watched the drama of Disclosure, based on the book by Michael Crichton and portrayed by Michael Douglas and Demi Moore. In some cases there are rules forbidding such relationships, in some cases, if the relationship is consensual, there are none. Regardless, there is the time honored warning from your ancestors, "do not dip your quill in company ink."

It appears that Senator Shumlin ignored all that, potentially putting the State of Vermont and its taxpayers at risk. You can view Vermont’s policy on sexual harassment at: http://www.state.vt.us/pers/er/pm/pm31.htm

While consensual relationships are not prohibited by Vermont Personal and Policy Procedures, the policy does include the following language in the definition of sexual harassment: (when) "the conduct has...the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment." The business of government is made more difficult if you suspect that the person with whom you have legitimate dealings has an intimate relationship with his or her boss, particularly if a relationship is extended to an out-of-state conference attended by colleagues from Vermont and other states.

You all may know someone who engaged in consensual relationships with staff or employees only to face expensive legal charges and/or settlements when the relationship did end as the subordinate hoped. Such a path is a slippery slope. 

WHERE ARE YOU? 

Where would the Governor’s Commission on Women be on this issue? Like all the women’s groups in Washington who did all they could to defend President Bill Clinton and attack Miss Paula Jones? We can only hope that Vermont’s Commission on Women view potential sexual harassment as a serious issue. 

FIVE AND DIME 

Before the Five and Dime, there was the general store. Most walked. Then there was a JJ Newberrys or and FW Woolworth on every Main Street to bicycle to. They gave way to the Harrys and the Gaynes of our world. Had to have a car for them. They were run over by the Ames stores, probably located many miles from home. Now Wal Mart, not in any one's walking patterns, has run over Ames, soon to be leaving 744 Vermonters out of work. What is next? Buying everything on the Internet and not even moving from your chair? May as well start the IV and prop me up in front of the tellie. 

LEGENDS OF THE FALL 

Will there be more layoffs this fall from the legend in the computer industry, IBM? If you believe the experts, the answer is yes. This from the August 19th edition of EETimes:

"Industry analysts were not particularly surprised by the layoffs. Nor did they feel the worst is over. Will Zachmann, president of Canopus Research, an information technology research firm (Duxbury, MA), predicted that IBM will continue to slash jobs. Despite some efforts to shift to services, Zachmann said, Big Blue remains 'tied to IT dinosaur products' such as the Z-series, which is based on the 360 and 390 mainframes, and the I-series, the AS/400 minicomputer. 'Unless the economy gets a lot better very soon, the company could be in serious trouble,' Zachmann said." 

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR 

Vermont's business leaders are providing some much-needed leadership in the public education arena. The Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation (GBIC) and the Vermont Ski Areas Association have just launched a fantastic new web site and initiated a television ad campaign with a simple message: "Jobs and quality of life. You can't have one without the other."

The web site includes important information like seven action steps to promote quality jobs, links to the Business Roundtable and O'Neal Reports on Vermont's business climate, what legislators can do, and much more.

The web site was described in the Money section of Thursday's Burlington Free Press. The article included three paragraphs on CLF lawyer Mark Sinclair's largely negative reaction to the content. In doing so, the article inadvertently underscored one of the biggest obstacles to improving our quality of life in Vermont: Permit laws that let radical special interest lawyers meddle, obstruct and intrude.

Check out the web site here: http://www.vermontersforjobs.com/ 

IF AT FIRST YOU DO NOT SUCCEED 

We previously chided Tracy Schmaler of the Vermont Press Bureau for recording correctly what Douglas received in party support but underreporting what Racine received. So this week, she evenhandedly wrote: "Douglas has already received a $50,000 contribution from the National Governor's Association and Racine a $40,014 contribution from the Vermont Democrat Party."

Just joking. She didn't. She only wrote about unctous Douglas sopping up that national money. Nothing about pristine Racine. She defends him better than his own wife would. 

CHOPPED LIVER? 

On Wednesday evening WTSA Radio in Brattleboro sponsored a forum for the "Windham County Senate Candidates." It was broadcast live on WTSA, on BCTV and covered by the Brattleboro Reformer.

Unfortunately, the only candidates invited were the Democrats. Republican Windham County Senate candidates Mike Hebert and Norman Wright, and Progressive candidate Aaron Diamondstone, were not mentioned on the program, nor were they acknowledged in the Thursday newspaper. 

WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE? 

A Dwyer sympathizer asked DPR this week, "Why is that when Ruth’s husband left, the reporters called every Dwyer in the Florida phone book to find out why, but when a Democrat is found sharing accommodations with a women not his wife, by his wife, this is not a story?" 

HOWARD'S EPIPHANY 

»» Barbara Richardson, Amsden: Howard Dean, running for president, says "If I am president of the United States I will put the power back in the hands of local school boards." How great! Perhaps he could start with Vermont! 

SHUMLIN'S TAX AVOIDANCE SCHEME 

»» Bill Adamson, Charlotte: With respect to the Shumlin campaign, The DPR asked the pointed question: "When is an employee a 'contract employee?" Is it possible that low level Shumlin campaign workers may have organized as "political consultants" to conserve campaign dollars that would otherwise go to pay payroll taxes? Shumlin may be playing the same crooked game that the Brooklyn native played in his first successful campaign for Vermont's seat in the United States House. In that campaign, according to a 24 July 1990 BFP article, staffers were paid without having taxes withheld from their checks, as if they were independent contractors. In theory, these "self-employed" workers are then supposed to voluntarily send the taxes they owe to the federal and state taxing authorities. In reality, many of these so called self-employed folks may forget to pay their taxes, particularly if their employer does not or is not required to file a Form 1099. The IRS and various Vermont taxing agencies have developed explicit rules to prevent run-of-the-mill employees from being dishonestly classified as independent contractors. Will the taxing authorities check to see if the Shumlin campaign is scamming the system? They might.

Will the Free Press follow up on the lead given by the DPR to investigate whether or not the Shumlin campaign is violating the law? After all, they pointed out the Sanders campaign's failure to pay its fair share of taxes in 1990. And which Free Press reporter would do that? It would be like asking them to rat out their own family. The Free Press has slipped into a deeper rut of liberal bias over the past twelve years. The Shumlin campaign is going to be in enough trouble already, sharing the leftist vote with Pollina. Their political allies at the Free Press are not going to make things worse for them. 

GOTTA GO, GOTTA GO 

»» Paul Chandler, Newport: Around the time the Coventry rest area, i.e. bathroom, was closed, I wrote to the Free Press suggesting that Governor Dean should be filled up with coffee and driven up and down the interstates. I still think that is a good idea. 

MAKING HIM WORK 

»» Ken Weide, Electgop.net: Personally, these ambiguous titles do nothing to help me know what the articles are about. I prefer to sift through the titles, and see if you present something that I have not heard before. 

THE DEMOCRATS' NOT SO SECRET PLAN FOR AMERICA 

»» Mike Ticehurst: Hey DSR! I found this website suggesting that maybe, just maybe you can compare Demorcats to Socialists. Sounded perfectly feasible to me, what do you think? http://www.boortz.com/demsecrets.htm

EDITOR'S NOTE: That's one scary way of looking at it!

ERRATUM 

»» Robert W McDowell, Newport: Legionnaire's disease is caused by a bacterium (pleural=bacteria), not a virus. 

THEY LIKE US 

»» Brian Cosgrove, Brattleboro: Excellent issue. Have you been reading James Elroy lately? 

THE LEGISLATIVE BODY

Anyone with the least interest in Vermont politics, or murder mysteries, will really get a charge out of reading "The Legislative Body." Written by a former member of the Vermont General Assembly under the pseudonym Robert A. Pittman, the book has at least three things going for it.

First, it’s a real edge-of-your-seat page-turner. A visibly shaken old-style Democrat (as opposed to a Progressive calling himself a Democrat) thrusts two pages of information into the hands of Representative "William Parker," an Independent with Republican-Libertarian values. He begs Parker to send the information to his wife. That night as Parker walks past the House Chamber, he hears a "thud," discovers the body of the same man, and is confronted with startling evidence of a deep-seated far-left conspiracy in Vermont...

Second, one gets the sense that the book was in part an expression of frustration with the average Vermont voter. It’s nice to see this familiar sense of frustration put into words. After all, as the book describes, the state has taken control of our education system and property tax rates; the state is imposing government health care and shifting the costs onto private insurers; with Act 250 the state dictates what can be built or modified, stifling our economy. Vermont is being driven to the brink. So why does the Vermont voter go along?

A "conspirator" tells Parker to look at the last gubernatorial race; "...the media reporters and their columnists acted together brilliantly to destroy the opposition candidate;" and our education system "...producing a majority of students who ...don't think too independently;" and the voters "...can be convinced of anything, and they'll vote for any candidate that the media and the front line troops of the ProgDems tell them to support." One sometimes forgets the book is fiction.

Third, although all the names are changed, it’s fun to figure out who the players really are, especially when the dialogue heats up. "Walt Fleming," the large-nosed senate president is told, "...there are many people in this building who know you for what you are -a scheming, malicious liar who wants Vermont to become his own private domain." One finds a great description of the "talking heads" on Vermont Public Television "in their cocoon of arrogance sprinkled with a healthy dollop of ignorance." On the show, reporter "Dieter Paine," who writes a "sorry column in that crummy little weekly," belittles Parker while "John Duff" nods solemnly and comments "in what he hoped would be seen as Lincolnesque tones." This book is good fun!

You can order it here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0741411369/act60whatvermosh

Or here: http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/description.asp?ISBN=0-7414-1136-9

DISHONORABLE LESSON PLANS 

"The NEA represents, and presumably reflects the mentality of, the people who are delivering -- inflicting? -- public education. That is as frightening, in its way, as any foreign threat." --George Will

Read the entire editorial here: http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/national/will/story/4113386p-5136062c .html

WATCH OUT, RUSH. IN VERMONT THE OPPOSITE SEEMS TRUE

"To liberal Democrats, the Constitution is an obstacle, and why is it an obstacle? It's because the Constitution spells out our freedoms. The Constitution limits government." --Rush Limbaugh

More here: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/ 

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