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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


6.04.2007

 

Veto still pending

Some people talk like Gov. Jim Douglas has already vetoed the Legislature's prize energy bill. He hasn't. In fact, he still hasn't received it from the Legislature for review. Now it's not because House Speaker Gaye Symington, D-Jericho, has held off signing it. She made a special dawn stop at the Statehouse last week to afix her signature to the bill. No, it's that bills are sent over slowly so the administration's legal staff has time to carry out its review without being under a five-day gun on 30 or 40 or 50 bills simultaneously. The governor has five days after receiving a bill to decide whether to sign or veto it, or it becomes law without his signature.

According to Jason Gibbs, Douglas' spokesman, the administration expects to receive all the rest of the bills by the end of the week -- including the energy measure. So the long-awaited veto could happen by the weekend, Gibbs said.

Still out there are a prescription drug bill, which Douglas has. Gibbs said the review is underway, but not complete. Douglas had raised some concern about the provisions in the drug bill that gave doctors the opportunity to restrict access to the record of their prescription-writing. A federal judge in New Hampshire struck down that state's law banning the sale of this kind of data to drug companies that use it to help market drugs.

The budget for state government also awaits a Douglas decision.

By the way, if you are counting vetoes, the energy bill will be number three this year. Early in the session Douglas vetoed the budget adjustment bill because it didn't include scholarship money. Then he vetoed the campaign finance bill.

-- Nancy Remsen

Comments:
Governor Veto.

Jim the Obstructionist.

Governor Gridlock.

Douglas is great at playing politics, but can't get anything done ... he'll play the blame game ... over and over again ... until his veto pen runs out of ink ... and he'll blame that on someone else too.
 
Governor Veto.

Jim the Obstructionist.

Governor Gridlock.

Douglas is great at playing politics, but can't get anything done ... he'll play the blame game ... over and over again ... until his veto pen runs out of ink ... and he'll blame that on someone else too.
 
Sir, please identify each one of the bills that "Governor Veto," "Jim the Obstructionist," and "Governor Gridlock" has vetoed since being elected Governor in 2002. He's vetoed very, very few of the hundreds of bills that get passed by the Legislature each year. Please identify all of the bills he's vetoed. I'd be interested to compare his veto record with that of his predecessor Howard Dean. You're good at name calling, but let's see the facts.
 
Douglas is the only thing between the liberal trash the legislature passes and the Vermonters that must abide by this stuff. He has done a great job as a buffer. For some reason the voters have seen fit to send fruits and nuts to Montpelier to serve in the legislature, they've also kept Douglas around to keep these people in check. I hope he also vetoes the prescription drug bill that doesn't save consumers one dime and may end up in court just like the New Hampshire version.
 
Douglas should spend more time working with the Legislature and less time whining.

They were elected to work together ... he just plays politics.
 
Could we please just get a new Speaker of the House so something can get done already!
 
If you're gonna talk about people who "play politics" in Montpelier, you'd better include Shumlin.
 
"Governor VETO" ... that has a nice ring to it.

Wish the guy would do something.
 
Do something? You mean like, protect the state from the socialist wannabes in the Legislature? That's a job in itself.
 
I love the right-wing idiots who post in here about the state being taken over by liberals and socialists. Seems to me Vermont does pretty well in overall quality of life indicators. In fact, we're very near the top in almost every category. I have to believe that is the result of liberals caring more about their fellow man (hear that Christian soldiers)then big business and its interests. Conservative values rule in the South, yet compare its qulaity of life indicators to Vermont's. Not even close. Go ahead and keep supporting this robot governor, just like you support(ed) GW. Bush brought us the largest gov't ever, the highest deficit ever, the worst reputation ever, etc. etc. Left to his own devices, Douglas would bring the same to Vermont. I believe it's the legislature that keeps Douglas in check and not vice-versa. Douglas vetoed campaign finance reform because he follows the lead of the RNC and the other GOP obstructionaists in DC. They'll never agree to stop the flow of money from CCA, Entergy, Wal-Mart and all the other business interests just chomping at the bit to pave over Vermont and turn our state into another Louisiana, Alabama or Mississippi. Careful what you ask for.
 
Governor Douglas and his political hacks - Jason Gibbs, Neale Lunderville, departed Pee Wee Herman - oops, I mean Jim Barnett - are the most political folks in the statehouse.

Go back and review Gibbs' comments or Douglas' press conferences - then you can see how Douglas "forces" the legislative leadership into becoming more political.

If Jim Douglas would spend more time on leading the way rather blasting the S_ _ T out of people, maybe more positive stuff could happen.
 
Douglas isn't into postitive stuff --- just veto, veto, veto.

Obstruct, obstruct, obstruct ...
 
Like many Republicans, Jim Douglas lacks vision and leadership!

He leads the way in photo ops and ribbon cuttings more than any VT politician in history - if someone would just follow him on his schedule, you would find that he doesn't really do anything.

He does not offer real solutions - just sound bites!
 
You can't honestly believe the Democratic leadership in the House and the Senate is any better!
 
Actually the legislature works in a very bi-partisan way.

Republican leaders voted for each of the bills that Governor Gridlock will veto.
 
It would be unfortunate if the governor were to veto S.115, the prescription drug bill, because of concerns about a possible lawsuit. Yes, a similar program was struck down by a federal district court judge in New Hampshire, but Vermont's program is not identical to that in NH. Also, the NH decision is by a lower federal court judge, and could be overturned by an appellate court. The legal issues surrounding the campaign finance bill, where there was a US Supreme Court decision involving Vermont's law just one year ago, are more clear-cut than those surrounding the prescription drug bill. S.115 contains many initiatives that will hold down health care costs, and Douglas shouldn't veto it just because some drug companies think it will violate their constitutional rights to convince doctors to write prescriptions for the most profitable drugs available.
 
Douglas will veto it because he gets a lot of his $$ from the Perscription drug companies, by way of the RNC.
 
OK. So prove just how many thin dimes that bill will save. Vermont already allows for generic drug use.
 
Read the bill, moron.
 
Man. That last post sure sounds like someone who is just a wee bit insecure about his/her beliefs.
 
Regarding rx drug money from the RNC, we have the democrats to thank for following the republicans into the war on drugs. Politics seems to be the big winner here.

Jim Barnet, aka, MadDog, is currently working for McCain, not Douglas. MS Speaker would be in deep if MadDog were here.

With the democrats allowing Douglas to slip by no sign, no veto bills, they deserve to looooose.
 
The notion that only "liberals care about their fellow man" and conservatives only care about business is an utterly stupid one.

The notion that anyone who doesn't support Symington and Shumlin must be a fan of Bush and all things conservative is stupid.

The notion that all campaign money comes from "CCA, Entergy, Wal-Mart," etc. is stupid.

The notion that all business interests are "chomping at the bit to pave over Vermont and turn our state into another Louisiana, Alabama or Mississippi" is stupid.

Your entire post was stupid.
 
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...what...stupid?Oh, ouch. That hurt.
 
Yeah, I can believe that you're sleeping instead of thinking.
 
Veto is a done deal now.
 
I think the "Gore-visit-by-television" thing will backfire on Shumlington and it looks like Douglas has outflanked them again.
 
What is new!
 
The Gore thing was Shumlins attempt
to go Hollywood.
 
I wish he'd go there and leave us Vermonters in peace.
 
Can he take Symington with him?
 
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