vt.Buzz ~ a political blog: Fraud OK, as long as it's far from home

This is terrible. The taxpayers shouldn't know about waste!

Perhaps Wendy Wilton will take Welch on!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:10 PM, April 08, 2008

So this explains why Douglas was dispatched to China last year. He was greasing the skids to make it open season for foreign fraud. We all knew it had nothing to do with selling Vermont goods in the land of tyranny.

I hear Jimbo has volunteered to carry the torch for the Vermont leg of its journey. He has no qualms with human and labor rights violations.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:37 PM, April 08, 2008

Very few people care about human rights unless the rights in question are theirs.

It isn't just Jimbo, it's the millions of people (American, Canadian, European) who buy cheep goods produced by the third world.

You want a boycott of China? It isn't going to happen. It would change our American way of life too much ... and in truth, would actually create such a massive ecconomic collapse in China that the average Chinese person would be much worse off than before.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:50 PM, April 08, 2008

You do not have to leave Washington to find fraud- all three parties.(R,D,I) The Legislators worked 121 days last year and averaged 2 free trips overseas (with spouse and/or friend)-all for a measly $162k plus full medical, plus friends & family on paid staff.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:06 PM, April 08, 2008

apply for the job. Welch is running unopposed.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:09 PM, April 08, 2008

"The Legislators worked 121 days last year and averaged 2 free trips overseas (with spouse and/or friend)-all for a measly $162k plus full medical, plus friends & family on paid staff."

Sounds like NEA members!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:11 PM, April 08, 2008

State legislators do not receive free medical benefits as part of their compensation and they do not have paid staff.

Plus, the state does not pay for friends and family to go with them on trips.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:22 PM, April 08, 2008

Not in Vermont, anyhow.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:22 PM, April 08, 2008

On the other hand, Jimmy Douglas does get free medical (paid for by the taxpayers). He has lots of paid staff (more than any VT governor in history). And the state does pay for his wife to travel with him (to China, to D.C., to wherever he feels like going.) The taxpayers pay for his car and a driver.

Oh, and he's paid more than any Governor in New England.

Yea, it's a pretty good gig. He's been cashing government checks his whole life.

What a life eh?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:14 PM, April 08, 2008

There is a big difference in the Vermont Legislators pay/benefit package than the Federal.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:37 AM, April 09, 2008

"There is a big difference in the Vermont Legislators pay/benefit package than the Federal."

And there is a bigger gap between gov't and private industry. That gap is a big reason why the most talented people in the country do not have an interest in pursuing public sector jobs. There is more money to make in the private sector. Until that imbalance is addressed we will never get the best people seeking some of our most important jobs.

It's the power of the free enterprise system.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:41 AM, April 09, 2008

Jim Douglas: Milking Vermonters for 30 years-plus. No wonder he doesn't know how to milk a cow.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:06 AM, April 09, 2008

Apparently Vermonters like him since they have kept him around that long.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:39 AM, April 09, 2008

Vermonters like antiques I guess.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:52 AM, April 09, 2008

I'd run for political office in a heartbeat BUT, I'm not wealthy, I do not have a spouse that can support me, I don't have a job that I can take 4 months off and the go back to work at full pay, and I can't live year round on a legislators salary. Does that give anyone an idea of who IS in the legislature? None are AVERAGE Vermonters. I may have great ideas, common sense and intelligence (as do so many others) but until I can find a way to live without working, the current members will continue to create budgets and develop programs that have absolutely NOTHING to do with them.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:51 PM, April 09, 2008

I'd run for political office in a heartbeat BUT, I'm not wealthy, I do not have a spouse that can support me, I don't have a job that I can take 4 months off and the go back to work at full pay, and I can't live year round on a legislators salary. Does that give anyone an idea of who IS in the legislature? None are AVERAGE Vermonters. I may have great ideas, common sense and intelligence (as do so many others) but until I can find a way to live without working, the current members will continue to create budgets and develop programs that have absolutely NOTHING to do with them.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:51 PM, April 09, 2008

That my friend is exactly the point. We have legislators that do this as a hobby, not a profession.

We go to great lengths in VT to ensure we license and monitor professional standards for nail technicians and tattoo artists but don't set standards of excellence for our elected officials.

We face serious issues that take well qualified people to address. With the Legislature viewed as a part time job, we don't get the talent we need. Look at the occupations of Senate and House, they are predominately farmers, shop owners and retired teachers.

Are you really surprised we get nothing accomplished?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:06 PM, April 09, 2008

That is so very true. The idea of the citizen legislature may have good through the 1800s but the novelty wore off long ago. Time for some folks who don't need schooled on every single issue that comes before them.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:19 PM, April 09, 2008

Yea, we need more professional politicians.

That'll solve everything.

Next topic: How we can get more lawyers and used car salesmen.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:41 PM, April 09, 2008

Maybe they would be less inclined to sleep during committee meetings.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:45 PM, April 09, 2008

John McCain has made millions in the Senate, but he fell asleep during the State of the Union.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:07 PM, April 09, 2008

Who didn't?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:47 AM, April 10, 2008

Grandpa McCain sure did.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:14 AM, April 10, 2008

NEK said...

"You do not have to leave Washington to find fraud- all three parties.(R,D,I) The Legislators worked 121 days last year and averaged 2 free trips overseas (with spouse and/or friend)-all for a measly $162k plus full medical, plus friends & family on paid staff."

And that's evidence of fraud, how, little factually-challenged fella?

Nice try, nitwit. Just because you accuse everyone of fraud doesn't make you non-partisan any more than it makes you right.

Ya got bupkis, schmuck. Ya always do.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:30 AM, April 10, 2008

Anonymous said...

"John McCain has made millions in the Senate, but he fell asleep during the State of the Union."

Let him sleep. He can't continue to confuse Sunni and Shiite, continue claiming Iraq was behind 9/11 and get other people killed for nothing when he's snoring.

He's old and in the way. The more he snores, the less damage he and the gops can continue to do to this Country and the rest of the World.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:40 AM, April 10, 2008

Don't be too hard on McCain, jw. Remember, he spent a few years as a POW fighting for his country, something scumbag fruitcakes like you managed to slip out of.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:32 PM, April 10, 2008

I thought Randy Brock was going to oppose Welch.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:11 PM, April 10, 2008