vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

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

7.30.2008

The countdown

The Vermont Democratic Party has launched a Web site with a day-by-day countdown over the next 100 days of "Jim Douglas' real record."

The entries so far:

100. Under Jim Douglas' failed leadership, the gap between rich and poor is growing faster in Vermont that any other state but one. (Vermont Housing and Finance Agency)

99. Under Jim Douglas' failed leadership, 35 percent of Vermont's 2,700 bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete -- that's eighth worst in the nation. (Federal Highway Administration)

98. Douglas' so-called "Comprehensive Energy Plan" mentions the potential risks associated with radiation from Vermont Yankee only once. In a footnote. (DPS Energy Plan 2009, p.69)

97. Under Jim Douglas' failed leadership, good jobs are leaving the state: Vermont has lost 2,800 high paying jobs in the manufacturing sector since Douglas took office, a 7.3 percent drop. (Vermont Economic & Labor Market Information).

You can catch it HERE.

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 6:24 PM |

Comments:

96. Can't bait his own fish hook.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:39 PM, July 30, 2008

It's about time the truth came out about Jim Douglas and his administration.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:40 PM, July 30, 2008

Just more "Campaign mis-speakings" by Symington - as you (Terri) refer to them.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:48 PM, July 30, 2008

Where is she anyways? Hiding in the raspberries?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:49 PM, July 30, 2008

Should post these in the "Campaign Mis-speakings" thread. Look-out Letterman! She's after your job next. How desparate is she? Is she a comedy or a tragedy?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:53 PM, July 30, 2008

Obviously, the reporting of one political parties record by another is suspect in facts. Symington hasn't been right once yet. She has an amazing threshold for embarrassment.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:57 PM, July 30, 2008

How ineffective was Symington as the Speaker of the House that she couldn't (as THE representative of the majority) overcome at least a couple of these 100 failings?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:06 PM, July 30, 2008

Douglas's camp is working on a list for Symington. It's called "The ONE (1) Reason Symington Should Be Governor". They can't find a news or government statistics source to take a quote from.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:11 PM, July 30, 2008

It appears taht the BFP has cleaned up this site. Good work. Now if you would only do some real reporting of issues, instead of the constant Douglas is sooooo good slop.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:14 PM, July 30, 2008

Do all Republicans drink the same water?

You folks are blind if you think Douglas is not raising your cost of living while proclaiming he is looking for your wallet.

He does it via huge increases in fees - by passing the buck to teh local governments, just so he can say, "I didn't raise your taxes"

The problem is Jim Douglas is not solving any of the structural problems in this state.

He is band aiding them because it's easier than actually fixing them.

Jim Douglas has had his turn and done nothing but come up with catchy slogans - as the GOP is quick to do!

All fluff - no substance!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:36 PM, July 30, 2008

Yeah - right on!

And to make matters worse, our lame media lets him do it without really challenging him.

Douglas' answers dance around a question, and the media says thank you.

It was a nice exchange to watch and listen to Louis Porter press the Governor a couple of weeks ago - the Governor finally gave in and admitted he was avoiding the question.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:38 PM, July 30, 2008

These all have some thread of truth but much more spin. I think since the points have been raised by the Dems they owe us an explanation of: (a) during this same period what has the Democratic leadership done to address these issues, (b) what is their vision, strategy and game plan to correct the problems and (c) how do they intend to pay for the issues they have identified without raising new taxes or shifting the burden from the State to the local governments?

This is a golden opportunity for them to communicate a well thought out plan for the State if they have one. So ask yourself, if they do have one, why aren't they offering solutions rather than just pointing fingers at problems?

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:29 AM, July 31, 2008

It's easy to dismiss something "spin". It's far more difficult to actually address the charges.

What we need to ask ourselves is, where is the Douglas plan? He points fingers. He whines and complains. Where are his solutions? He has none.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:00 AM, July 31, 2008

Anon 8:00,

Close but the real point is to ask both sides what their plan is. To date it has been fluffy rhetoric with little specifics. We have real issues that need addressing. Each side is asking us to trust them to solve them on our behalf. Each side owes it to us to tell us in advance clearly and specifically what it is they will do, how they will do it and how they will pay for it.

Buying into the party line that any change is good because 'we don't like Douglas' or because 'Douglas supported Bush' or any other tag line is asking to be duped again.

Each wants significant responsibility and is asking for our trust. Each side needs to offer up a real plan of action. That hasn't happened yet.

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:15 AM, July 31, 2008

You need to educate yourself a lot more.

Perhaps you could start with a book.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:29 AM, July 31, 2008

Could I borrow one of yours? Let me know when you are done with your latest Spiderman comicbook.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:46 AM, July 31, 2008

I don't have spiderman comics ... even if I did, it'd be over your head.

Start with something easier like "My Pet Goat". Sound out the big words. Ask a grown up to help you.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:50 PM, July 31, 2008

100. The rich-poor gap here used to be narrower than the national average, but now we are starting to look more like other states, what with the influx of out-of-staters (rich and poor).

99. The bridge problem was inherited from Howard Dean.

98. How many footnotes do you need? Everyone knows radiation is dangerous.

97. Manufacturing jobs are declining everywhere in the USA, thanks to our free trade agreements.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:08 PM, July 31, 2008

Douglas just keeps passing the buck:

"It's not MY fault, it'd Howard Dean's ... "

"It's not MY fault that radiation is dangerous!"

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:25 PM, July 31, 2008

And Symington is so much better - ha-ha-ha!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:26 AM, August 07, 2008