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


11.28.2007

 

Climate grades

The New England and Eastern Canada 2007 Report Card on Climate Change Action came out Wednesday, noting that the states and provinces are not on target to meet the goals they agreed to in 2001 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010.

The report hails Vermont's energy-efficiency program, then slams Gov. Jim Douglas for not going along with expansion of it. This should be no surprise to anyone with a pulse in Vermont. The Vermont section of the report was compiled by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, nemesis numero uno to Douglas on this issue. Or is it vice-versa?

The report doesn't do much other hailing. It's fairly critical of everybody's efforts, but among other items it highlighted as good:
- Prince Edward Island's achievement of 15 percent of its electricity from wind and biomass, which was three years ahead of schedule.
- Quebec's carbon tax, generating $200 million a year, to fund greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts, much of it public transportation.
- Connecticut's exemption from sales tax of vehicles that achieve 40 mpg or more.
- Connecticut and Rhode Island's building codes, though the report says no state or province has rules that are stringent enough.


As for Vermont's grades, the state received an F for pollution reduction, as did Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Vermont's emissions increased from 5 million metric tons carbon equivalent in 1990 to 6 in 2002 and 7 in 2004, the report said.

Vermont received a "C" on climate change policy. The highest grade went to Quebec, a B+.

The report also says Vermont needs "compact transit oriented development" and a strict "fix-it-first" transportation policy. It doesn't mention that the Douglas administration has adopted a fix-it-first policy for roads and bridges.

Transportation is one area where the report card gives Vermont a low grade - a D+, and no state or province is doing enough to reduce this largest and fastest-rising sector.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Comments:
Douglas should get a D- to F for the way he runs Vermont (into the ground). What a shame that our wonderful state is led by such a giant drip.This guy hasn't had an idea in his entire tenure. He does like to point out everything that is wrong in Vermont though. Next time he's moaning about how the cards are stacked against him, somebody ask him what his idea is to fix it.
 
" . . . somebody ask him what his idea is to fix it."

Um . . . fewer pro-tax, pro-regulation, anti-business crazies in the Legislature???
 
"fewer pro-tax, pro-regulation, anti-business crazies in the Legislature"

Oh yes, the cards are stacked against him defense. Yawn...

How about introducing an idea that begins with compromise that maybe, just maybe, strays away a little bit from party doctrine. Something...Oh my God..even a liberal might support? Dare to be different Mr. Governor.

Politics is getting pretty boring.
 
We need to be using our rail system to our advantage.
 
Dare to be moderate, Ms. Symington and Mr. Shumlin.
 
"fewer pro-tax, pro-regulation, anti-business crazies in the Legislature"

Dead-on!

"Dare to be moderate, Ms. Symington and Mr. Shumlin."

Again, dead-on!
 
More partisan rhetoric. Yawn.
 
So let me get this straight. An organization that Anthony Pollina used to run was responsible for the Vermont section of this report. Hmmm...

And the report is critical of Douglas.

Hmmmm...

Wake up folks.
 
Oh. So Anthony Pollina and the Democratic legislature is the reason our governor can't come up with a single, doable proposal?

I agree. Wake up folks.
 
"More partisan rhetoric. Yawn."

Like the very first posting on this thread wasn't partisan rhetoric?

Yawn back.
 
Replace the Speaker.
 
Don't you just wish we could get honest, straightforward evaluations -- pro and con -- so that we could move forward as a mature community of adults. Instead, the professional attack dogs, special interests and spin meisters view anything and everything through the prism of how can we twist Issue X to attack our political opponents. Grow up.
 
"Yawn back."

Major come back, slugger. You must be a professional comedian.
 
Jim Greenwood for the Essex Orleans Senate !!!
 
Anonymous said...

"Um . . . fewer pro-tax, pro-regulation, anti-business crazies in the Legislature???"

In other words, gomer, he doesn't have one. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Anonymous nitwits who don't know what day it is, what the question was or which end is up have no business telling anyone to "dare to be" anything, sport.

Always a pleasure.
 
"Dare to be moderate, Ms. Symington"

That wish got granted long ago my friend. One could even say "dare to be conservative."
 
"Major come back, slugger. You must be a professional comedian."

Yeah, your initial "yawn" comment was novel, interesting, brilliant, and funny itself.

"Anonymous nitwits who don't know what day it is, what the question was or which end is up have no business telling anyone to "dare to be" anything, sport."

Jesus. Why don't you get some meds, move out of your mom's house, and get a job?

"That wish got granted long ago my friend. One could even say "dare to be conservative.""

She may be somewhat more reasonable than Shumlin, but she's not moderate. Dean was moderate.
 
The Governor's Agency of Transportation doesn't get to claim "fix it first" and still push for new roads.
James Moore (VPIRG)
 
Anonymous said...

Anonymous nitwits who don't know what day it is, what the question was or which end is up have no business telling anyone to "dare to be" anything, sport.

"Jesus. Why don't you get some meds, move out of your mom's house, and get a job?"

You say that a lot, sport, yet, somehow, you're not only always here in all your anonymous glory, you have the time and the inclination to scour the net looking for posts I may or may not have made on other sites and forums.

Why the intense interest in me, little fella?
 
Just doing my duty to help the state locate escaped inmates.
 
That was nice of ya to turn yourself in, sport.

Always a pleasure.
 
"the professional attack dogs, special interests and spin meisters view anything and everything through the prism of how can we twist Issue X to attack our political opponents."

Maybe the exchanges here are indicative of why politics in Vermont has become so partisan and divisive.

Vermont's legendary levels of participation in politics and political awareness have created an atmosphere in which every issue, no matter how small or seemingly trivial, is a political fault line.

The car you drive, the stores you shop at, the food you eat,the t.v. programs you watch (or don't watch), heck, whether you take plastic bags or paper at the grocery store becomes a political statement/issue.

I've got nothing against an engaged and informed body politic. But there has to be some recognition that making EVERYTHING political comes with a price.

Whether it's Democrats, Republicans, or Progressives, we all have to start ratcheting it down a little. There's nothing wrong with partisan politics, but at some point the general public gets tired of it. I know I do.
 
"That was nice of ya to turn yourself in, sport."

Awesome comback.
 
You can start tryin' any time now, sport.
 
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