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


5.14.2008

 

Douglas' dear friend letter

Jim Douglas has wasted no time getting out a letter asking for support (read that money) following Gaye Symington's announcement that she will challenge him for the state's top job.

Here's his take on the final weeks of the session. Douglas writes:
"Republicans in the Legislature and I accomplished a great deal in the final weeks of the legislative session by refocusing Gaye Symington and her Democratic supermajority on what matters most to Vermonters, and away from the secondary issues that consumed so much of their time."

Democrats would say the "secondary" issues on which they were focused included all the money bills, which had to be adjusted in the final weeks because of a $25 million revenue downgrade.

The accomplishment he's touting is the economic stimulus package he whipped out at a home and garden show. It carried a price tag without a source as they were considering cuts to programs -- which created a bit of tension.

Douglas writes, "Despite push back from Gaye Symington, my Economic Growth Initiative was adopted by the Legislature - providing more than $214 million in economic stimulus. These initiatives will help more Vermonters achieve the dream of owning a home; stimulate job growth while protecting existing businesses and the environment; provide tax relief for consumers; and make responsible investments in our infrastructure."

What was Symington's push back? She didn't like the two-day sale-tax holiday, which will cost taxpayers $2 million to save individual consumers $6 on their $100 purchases. Remember no sales tax is paid on necessities such as food and clothing.

Tom Kavet, the economist who works for the Legislature, advised lawmakers that "there is no credible literature, however, that suggests such holidays result in anything but net revenue losses at the state level and therefore produce no net stimulus to the economy." He went on to say, "This program component may serve other political and social objectives, but it will do nothing on balance for the Vermont economy during a time of recession."

Kavet also disputed Douglas' claim that his total package would result in $214 million in economic stimulus. "Based on available research to date, actual net direct impacts of the proposed programs are likely to be in the range of $40-$60 million, depending on the maximum bonding capacity that may be allowed."

For the record, Douglas' plan wasn't adopted as proposed. Many of the suggestions were revised by a legislative panel.

It's clear from the letter that Douglas plans to put Symington and Pollina in the same basket and suggest that both are far from mainstream. He's reaching out to centrist Democrats with that message. He writes, "If you're a Democrat who supports my vision of a more prosperous and affordable Vermont, please join the Democrats for Douglas team today."

I can hardly wait to see her letters.

-- Nancy Remsen

Comments:
Deadweight Douglas ... don't confuse him with facts.
 
Dear Jim Douglas:

We appreciate your recent fundraising appeal.
As a special thanks for adding many thousands to our coffers and ticking up our stock price for our shareholders (some of whom you know very closely), we're sending you this $2,500 check to use as you see fit.
If you're re-elected, please don't forget to ask us for an inauguration donantion too. We would love to help.

Thanks again Jim!

The Board of Corrections Corporation of America.

cc: Andrew MacLean
 
Jimmy Boy!

Need you ask? Here's $2,000 to put towards your 2008 race. Your defense of Entergy and nuclear power was top notch buddy. The way you set a double standard for us versus those wind power nuts was second to none. Whatever you need Jimmy Boy. We do mean whatever.

The Board of Entergy
 
Thanks for again pointing out she a poor candidate. But that doesn't matter, because she only wants to go away while taking a bullet for the party.
 
Housing 500+ inmates out of state is awful public policy. After spending time in large private prisons, offenders almost always come back to VT as far more sophisticated criminals. Someone really should be looking at the $$$ Corrections Corporation of America donates to the Douglas campaign and to the Republican Party.

Fecteau Homes is another big contributor. They landed that big contract in Bennington to set up the modular units currently being used as temporary state offices.
 
Jim Douglas touted his $214 million economic stimulus pkg - unfortunately, 2 of the 15 were basically illegal according to Treasurer Jeb Spaulding.

Then when the one of teh state's economists reviewed the pkg, he said it was more like $40 - $60 million, nowhere near the $214M.

And when asked the impact of 400 state employee job cuts - the legislature was told it would negate any stimulus.

The Governor provided 15 items - many of which the legislature had already passed in some fashion or were about to pass.

The legislature took his pkg and made it much better including a total of 26 items.

And some like the Governor's Mortgage Assistance - well, why did he wait? He could have done that back in January when everyone already knew the real estate and mortgage market was in trouble.

No, he waited so he could use it as a political tool.

That is all Jim Douglas is about - politics!

Since he became Governor along with Karl Rove understudies (Neale Lunderville, Jason Gibbs, and Jim Barnett) the VT GOP has brought us the most devious and underhanded politics this state has ever seen..
 
How about looking at the fat cats at NEA which has become no more than an arm of the dimocrat party. Of course, they are always rewarded for their "contributions" to leftists by being guaranteed that endless dollars will continue to pour into their paychecks, that no teacher will ever be fired, and that any possibility of school choice will always be discouraged. Let's hear it for Condos, Mathis, and the NEA goons like Dorta!
 
I don't know Bubba, that 2-vote bill the NEA lobbied so hard for didn't get approved. Guess that blows your blather above to bits.
 
Dorta's not a goon, but he was oneof the little children featured in the movie "The Goonies."
 
Hey Bubba,

First, I have never rec'd a contribution to my Senate campaign from the VT-NEA.

Second, I do support School Choice at the 9-12 level. Of course, there are a few logistics that need to be ironed out. And, fyi, the Chittenden County School Districts are currently working out a County school choice program - which I support.

Third, in case you didn't check your facts, last year I did vote for Act 82 which included the 2-vote section. I don't like it - and I don't think it really does anything to curb spending -- the estimate is it may save $10-20 M out of a total state ed budget of about $1.3 billion - that's about 1.5%.

Fourth, I not only supported but I actually think it makes sense now to make the Commissioner of Ed a Secretary of the Agency of Ed reporting directly to the Governor by doing away with the State Board of Ed. Last I checked, the NEA did not support that either.

So where did you get your facts from - the Cal-Record? There's a paper that never checks nor reports the truth.

You know Bubba, at least I am honest enough to fully identify myself - it must be real easy for you and others to trash talk people when you don't have to identify yourself.
 
Wow! Nice reply to Blubber Senator. He's consistently posting less than truthful posts in here. He actually does nothing but disgrace the Republican Party and all proud native Vermonters. We wish he would go away but I think he's lonely and has nothing else to do with his sad life.
 
Nice try, Angelo.
 
Jimmy Condos my boy...what are you going to do now that Annie's movin' south to Connecticut? Will you really keep your apartment in So. Burlington? You really should have been truthful with your constituents about your real living arrangements - (Washington County already has a full Senate delegation)
 
Yeah, guess they're not effete enough for the Montpelier elitists. Anyone likin' stock cars don't belong in San Frans.....I mean Montpelier. Gotta git some more outta staters to tell Vermonters how to act.
 
Let's not throw stones at glass houses. Randy Brock has a place in Franklin County but he really lived in where his wife wasregistered and his son goes to school.

And what about Richie Tarrant?
 
Bubba, You still didn't answer Condos' question?

I guess when you can't own up, you attack!
 
Condos at least identified himself - how about the rest of you attack dogs from the GOP.
 
Please don't ask Bubba any questions, he will have to check with Curt Hier before he can respond. Or are they one and the same?
 
"Anonymous said...
Condos at least identified himself - how about the rest of you attack dogs from the GOP."


Very nice. Congratulate Condos on identifing himself as an anonymous poster
 
"Anonymous said...
Housing 500+ inmates out of state is awful public policy. After spending time in large private prisons, offenders almost always come back to VT as far more sophisticated criminals."

Is your suggestion that if they stay in VT prisons it is better because they will come out as unsophisticated criminals or that in VT the judges generally just give a slap on the wrist, ask the bad guys just to promise that they will never do the crime again and let them off on probation to rehabilitate?
 
I can see Gaye's letter "I would have come up with a stimulus package if Douglas had not beat me to it". ..and "I would have called the House back to override the VT Yankee bill, if I thought ALL the Dems would come back"... "I would not eliminate 400 state jobs because our Economist doesn't think it would save any money". (Tom Kavat- what are you smokin', 400 state jobs eliminated equals +/- $15 million, more than 1/2 of the budget shortfall).
 
What is there to reply to re: Condos? I don't see any proof that the one paper in Vermont that doesn't toe the dim-NEA line (Caledonian Record) has lied about anything as charged by Condos. They are usually right on, particularly about the relationship between the dims and NEA. How could any Vt. pol be cozier with the NEA than Condos (among other dims)? If someone has proof about factual errors by the Cal. Rec let's see them!
 
With his back to the wall, Bubba punts the question. What a pussy.
 
"I support school choice at the 9-12 level, but A FEW LOGISTICS HAVE TO BE IRONED OUT!" And what might they be? Required NEA unionization of receiving schools? What are the "logistics"? Where has the Caledonian lied? Does jw write your material?
 
"Is your suggestion that if they stay in VT prisons it is better because they will come out as unsophisticated criminals or that in VT the judges generally just give a slap on the wrist, ask the bad guys just to promise that they will never do the crime again and let them off on probation to rehabilitate?"

My suggestion is that public safety suffers in VT when someone charged with a DUI is sent to a private out of state prison and returns home with swastika tatoos on his arm because he's been hanging out with the Aryan Nation.

Has nothing to do with sentencing, Mr.O'Reilly.
 
bubba said...

"What is there to reply to re: Condos? I don't see any proof that the one paper in Vermont that doesn't toe the dim-NEA line (Caledonian Record) has lied about anything as charged by Condos."

I don't your ignorant, ill-informed, bigoted-trash ass coughin' up any evidence of wrongdoing or unethical behavior on the part of Condos, the VNEA and/or every other paper in the State but the Caledonia Record "toeing the NEA line" as your sorry lyin'-slime butt alleges, little brain-dead bigot boy. If you've got any, let's see it.

That's what I thought.

You're dumb, you're scum and ya got bupkis, bubble boy.

Take it where the climate suits your sheet, schmuck.

Disappear.
 
NEK said...

"I can see Gaye's letter "I would have come up with a stimulus package if Douglas had not beat me to it....".

In other words, you'd be runnin' down a list of evidence against Symington if ya had any but you're ignorant, ill-informed, fundamentally-dishonest, bigoted-trash with bupkis and ya don't so ya can't.

Thanks for clearin' that up, little fella.

Always a pleasure.

Dismissed.
 
Coopy, you are really giving the Cut and paste keys a real workout today. Great work...no facts...no substance...just insults.
 
Randy Brock lives in Naples, Florida with his wife and daughter.
They also have a property in Vermont.
 
Anyone successful enough to live in Naples sounds like the kind of guy we need in Vermont. Anyone on this blog ever get hired by a poor person?
 
So, according to your ignorant, ill-informed ass, "Anyone successful enough to live in Naples "sounds like" the kind of guy we need in Vermont.", eh, little bigot boy?

And your sick, sorry, coalition of the clueless cretin ass wonders why the gops are dead klansmen walkin' even in racist-trash hotbeds like Mississippi and Louisiana.

Christ, schmuck. Even the gop-slop spewin' likes of Tom Davis says that "if the Gop Brand were dog food, they'd pull it off the shelves."

"Gop-Slop Dog Food: overpriced, defective and dangerous. It'll kill your Dog and the Country."

Always a pleasure. Always a piece of cake.

Dismissed.
 
yawn
 
Pollina for Governor!
 
Yeah, Pollina.
 
Yeah, Pollina.
 
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