vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

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

3.25.2008

Hitchhikers' guide to the Statehouse

The oddest thing I learned today was that Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie picks up hitchhikers on his way to work, or at least that he did today.

Dubie relayed the story when speaking to the crowd that had come to the Statehouse for Nick's Day, in memory of 18-year-old Nick Fournier of Swanton, who died in a car crash in November. The car Fournier was riding in was hit by an alleged drunk driver going the wrong way on Interstate 89.

The two dudes Dubie picked up on his way to Montpelier this morning were in want of a car because one of them had been charged last night with driving under the influence and his car was towed.

Dubie, who'd be meeting later with the Nick's Day crowd, had an easy lecture ready for them, given the reason behind the gathering at the Statehouse. "I told them that just a little bit over the limit as it translates in operating a vehicle doesn't cut it," Dubie said.

Let this be a lesson to you - if you're hitchhiking and a car with the license plate "2" pulled over to give you a ride, you better have not just violated a law that's up for discussion at the Statehouse that day. I don't think there's any pending legislation about hitchhiking.

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 3:22 PM |

Comments:

It's good to hear the Dubie is doing SOMETHING besides cashing government paychecks.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:06 PM, March 25, 2008

And Beavis and Butthead probably sat in the back seat, snickering and saying "He said Dubie, heh, heh, heh, heh."

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:18 PM, March 25, 2008

Brian Dubie is a smart,decent, down to earth, native Vermonter
A rarity in the statehouse these days

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:09 AM, March 26, 2008

Actually, Vermont is filled with smart, decent, down to earth people.

That's why I love living here.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:15 AM, March 26, 2008

There's sliced bread and then there's Brian Dubie.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:40 AM, March 26, 2008

Off the topic but would like Bubba and friends to know that CNN/Money's
Top 100 places to establish a business includes Colchester, Vermont.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:20 AM, March 26, 2008

Wonder what Jim Douglas thinks of that? Kind of disproves the party line doesn't it?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:26 AM, March 26, 2008

Slightly more interesting....from the Rasmussen Report:

_________________

22% of Democrats Want Clinton to Drop Out; 22% Say Obama Should Withdraw
Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Twenty-two percent (22%) of Democratic voters nationwide say that Hillary Clinton should drop out of the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. However, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that an identical number—22%--say that Barack Obama should drop out.

A solid majority of Democrats, 62%, aren’t ready for either candidate to leave the race. Nationally, Clinton and Obama are running essentially even among Likely Democratic Primary Voters in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of Obama supporters think Clinton should drop out. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Clinton supporters say Obama should drop out. Those who remain undecided are a bit more likely to suggest that Obama should leave. But, it’s worth noting that less than half of Obama supporters say Clinton should withdraw, less than half of Clinton supporters say Obama should withdraw, and less than half of undecided voters say either should withdraw at this time.

Clinton leads Obama in Pennsylvania while Obama leads Clinton in North Carolina. New polling released today show that both candidates have lost ground in Missouri to Republican John McCain over the past month.

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:58 PM, March 26, 2008

Duh.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:43 PM, March 26, 2008

Jim = Lost Jobs

2000 jobs in 2007 and more on the way in 2008. And if you're an unemployed Vermonter hoping out state's labor department can help you, guess again. Jimbo wants to downsize those offices even more. Need food stamps? Downsizing the child and family agency too.

Economy is going to s*&t but Jimbo is smelling sweet, living off the taxpayers ($150,000+), not paying for gas to transport him to and from work and making sure his family employs plenty of ilegal immigrants.

Jimbo must a go go!!!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:27 PM, March 26, 2008

Umm ... I think you made the same mistake the Rutland Herald did last week reporting this story.

What Vermont actually lost was 1,300 workers, and 800 jobs.

From the Vermont Dept. of Labor:

Vermont Labor Force Statistics (Seasonally Adjusted)

Total Labor Force
Jan 08: 354,500
Jan 07: 355,800

Employment
Jan 08: 339,500
Jan 07: 341,500

Unemployment
Jan 08: 15,000
Jan 07: 14,200

Big difference. It means our workforce is shrinking. The high cost of living (especially housing) coupled with a stifled economy is driving out young, working Vermonters.

Replacing them with older retirees, even if they have more money (yes, I've seen the Public Assets Institute data) may be okay in the short term, but who's going to work at GE in Rutland when their workforce ages out? IBM? Goodrich?

Douglas is doing the best he can, but the majority in the Legislature still don't believe there is a problem with making the state harder to do business in; more expensive to live in; and pushing the population downward.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:48 PM, March 26, 2008

The workforce is shrinking because there ain't no jobs, homeboy!

Wake up and smell Jimmy's broken promises.

Jimmy promised jobs. He hasn't delivered.

Now he's making excuses.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:49 PM, March 26, 2008

Anonymous said: "The workforce is shrinking because there ain't no jobs, homeboy!"

No, actually there are plenty of jobs, just nobody to fill them. There's a difference between jobs and workforce. That's why you see only a small jump in the unemployment rate.

Sure, it's possible that some of those workers gave up looking for work (or maxed out their unemployment benefits) and therefore aren't counted in the workforce numbers, but all of them? Highly doubtful.

Any business that watched the Legislature trying to play "pin the tax on Vermont Yankee" last year got the message: You could be next. Even though Douglas vetoed it, any CEO watching from afar would have to think twice about expanding or locating here.

I haven't seen a poll on the question, but I'll bet that more Vermonters trust Douglas on the economy and jobs than either Pollina, Galbraith, or the Democratic leadership in the Legislature. They talk about creating jobs, but their actions don't match their words.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:36 PM, March 26, 2008

Exactly!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:36 AM, March 27, 2008

Seems like Jimmy D's followers need to get their story straight.

Yesterday they said that the legislature is preventing the creation of new jobs.

Today they say that there are plenty of jobs ... but nobody wants them.

Yea, that's the problem. Too many jobs!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:58 AM, March 27, 2008

It will be very difficult for Vermont to attract business as long as we have the highest business income tax, one of the highest personal taxes and a permitting process that takes years and $$$$$ to satisfy (Lowes, Walmart, Omya, etc.) With some of the leaders in the Legislature determined to run VT Yankee out of state and causing our utility rates to increase apx 40%, business will look elsewhere. So far no one can get approvals for wind, hydro or methane so that leaves all purchased power until someone discovers/invents an alternative.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:03 PM, March 27, 2008

Well, the latest from the Douglas camp is that we don't need any more jobs.

They say, "There are plenty of jobs."

So why attract business to Vermont?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:49 PM, March 27, 2008

Good point. Let Vermonters fill all these jobs Jimmy keeps talking about not being able to fill.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:21 PM, March 27, 2008

You are correct- we do not need more business- all they do is create,more traffic, causing more pot holes, put more kids in the school system that raises the education budget that is currently $1.6 bil for apx 90,000 students -(thats' almost $18k per student). VT's population is the 2nd oldest in US so we will leave it up to Bernie to save us all with FREE health care, FREE heating oil, food stamps and obviously more social security because he insists it is solvent. The companies that stay should accept a tax increase and the minimum wage should be raised to $15/hr.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:23 PM, March 27, 2008

nek,
Jimmy Douglas's people say that we have too many jobs already.

Tell it to him. He's the one that thinks we have too many jobs.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:30 PM, March 27, 2008

Ya...Bernie will bail us out.

I think we should build a fence around the entire state to keep all the carpetbaggers out. We can live in log cabins, burn firewood for heat and live off our maple syrup businesses.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:33 PM, March 27, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Ya...Bernie will bail us out."

He'd better. Somebody's gonna have to stop the bleeding from the wounds Bush and the jimi douglas experience have inflicted on us.

"I think we should build a fence around the entire state to keep all the carpetbaggers out. We can live in log cabins, burn firewood for heat and live off our maple syrup businesses."

Thanks, as always, for that factually-challenged, fundamentally-dishonest, utterly-psychotic, ignorant-trash perspective, little fella.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by: