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


7.11.2008

 

Tree bending

The news that Vermont Tubbs will be closing its Brandon plant is, as you can imagine, causing a furor on the campaign trail.

Immediately, Democratic Coordinated Campaign Director Kristina Althoff fired off an e-mail, charging Republican Gov. Jim Douglas with a failure to deliver well-paying jobs. She also accused him of wasting a half-million dollars in state money on the company.

That wasn't true, however. The state did approve a community development grant for Tubbs in February, but Tubbs never completed the process to receive the money, said David Mace, spokesman for the state Agency of Commerce and Development.

Althoff was unabated. Today, the Democratic Party posted a video on YouTube blaming Douglas for announcing a $500,000 grant in an April 15 news release that never ended up reaching its destination.

Althoff's new statement: "Jim Douglas needs to explain why he misled Vermonters that he was giving $500,000 to help Vermont Tubbs when in fact he never delivered on that commitment."

One does wonder why Douglas highlighted a grant that wasn't a done deal, but to say that he never delivered on the commitment? Did anybody really want the state to insist that a company take the money? You have to figure that at that point Tubbs execs were already calling the movers to arrange the move out of town.

Don't be surprised, too, if somewhere along the way Douglas puts the blame for these job departures on the Legislature. If only the state were more affordable ...

So it is with the election season. Some healthy questions are raised. For some points, the truth is bent farther than a palm tree in a hurricane. The finger-pointing is alternately a healthy piece of democracy at work and a destructive turnoff to voters. There's a fine line between the two.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Comments:
It's really sad that Symington's people are taking advantage of people losing their job to score a cheap political point on the back of a lie.

The out of state trustfunders running the Symington campaign could care less about the real Vermonters who are struggling to live in the fairy-tale land of wine & cheese parties that Symington and her rich friends have developed.

Sad.
 
I should have forked over my $10,000 in bonus money to Tubbs. That might have saved Jimmy's face a little, and that is what I live to do. Okay, I have to go now.I need to take my pant legs up to mid calf to match Jim's. Now where can I find a pair of 1970's glasses?
 
Anonymous said...

"It's really sad that Symington's people are taking advantage of people losing their job to score a cheap political point on the back of a lie."

Ya mean the jimi douglas experience folds when faced with the facts, yet again, little fella?

Gee, that's a shame.

"The out of state trustfunders running the Symington campaign could care less about the real Vermonters who are struggling to live in the fairy-tale land of wine & cheese parties that Symington and her rich friends have developed."

And your evidence in support of your ignorant anonymous ass's latest load of lunatic-fringe falsehoods is....?

That's what I thought.

"Sad."

Yeah, but you've never let that along with the facts, your consistently-caseless and clueless-cretin crapolla stop ya from dolin' out your latest load of delusional dreck before, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella. I doubt you're gonna let the fact that ya haven't been able to substantiate any of your psychotic slop since ya got here and that ya just plain don't know what the fook you're talkin' about slow your ignorant anonymous ass down now.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
Hey JWcrap,

Pack your trust fund and head back to the village.

No need to write back.
 
I never cease to be amazed and amused at how poorly you self-proclaimed "real vermonter" punks stand up to reality, little factually-challenged fella.

There's nothin' real about your ignorant anonymous ass, putz.

In other words, you're still dumb, you're still scum and ya still got bupkis.

Take your ignorant anonymous ass where the climate suits your sheet, schmuck.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
You are a true nut job.
 
The new owners said it all- "it is less expensive to operate a business in NH." Taxes, permits, workers compensation and compliance reporting are all factors in choosing NH over VT. VT does have cheaper electricity but that advantage may soon evaporate if VT Yankee closes.
 
NEK correctly looks to the owners of to explain why they are leaving. It's that simple.

Gotta say that's sloppy research by the Symington "campaign". Never press "send" on that press release before you know all the facts.
 
Anonymous said...

"You are a true nut job."

In other words, you're still dumb, you're still scum and your ignorant anonymous ass has still got bupkis.

Thanks for clearin' that up, little fella.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
NEK said...

"The new owners said it all- "it is less expensive to operate a business in NH." Taxes, permits, workers compensation and compliance reporting are all factors in choosing NH over VT. VT does have cheaper electricity but that advantage may soon evaporate if VT Yankee closes."

Well, the cost of everything has gone up under this incompetent, illegitimate-trash administration and the jimi douglas experience who supports it, nekkie boy.

That's why they and their gop-scum supporters have gotta go.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
Another jaundiced commentary from the master of baseless trash talk. All insult; no solutions.

All the more reason to vote against the libs. It is easy to say I am running on change and hope. It is more difficult to say exactly what that change is that you will bring and how it will make things better. Actually, I am not hearing a lot of that from the D's or the P's.
 
Facts please...

Jim Douglas ran on JIM=JOBS in 2002 - he also balmed the Dean-Racine administration for job losses despite the efforts of the Racine to say that it was more global.

Now Jim Douglas is hiding behind the the same, it's a global issue - not my fault.

Jim Douglas' legacy is "It's not my fault - someone else is to blame.

6 Years after taking office, Jim Douglas almostr always says... it's the Legislature's fault, or it's the previous administration's fault.

At some point Jim, the buck DOES stop with you!
 
"Another jaundiced commentary from the master of baseless trash talk. All insult; no solutions."

Yeah, well given the fact that your ignorant anonymous ass can't come up with a name to say nothing of a case and a clue and the factual evidence to support your psychotic slop, little factually-challenged fella, it's really just a clueless-cretin consolation prize for ya.

"All the more reason to vote against the libs. It is easy to say I am running on change and hope."

Yeah, who wouldn't want to stick with the gop-scum responsible for the status quo, little factually-challenged fella.

"It is more difficult to say exactly what that change is that you will bring and how it will make things better."

Clearly, your ignorant anonymous ass is not up to the task any more than it's up to substantiating your psychotic slop or comin' up with a name to attach to your delusional dreck, little fella.

Then again, you're nothing if not consistently caseless, clueless, ill-informed and inept, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
Are you on your lunch break at Ben & Jerry's? You know they have rules about surfing the net during your work shift.
 
From Vermont Public Radio:

"VPR's Nina Keck reports.

(Keck) Toby Alger has worked at Vermont Tubbs for 20 years. On June 3rd, he says employees learned that Brown Street Furniture - a 35-year old furniture maker in Whitefield, New Hampshire - had bought the Vermont company's assets and name.

(Alger) "The told us in June that they were going to make every effort to keep the jobs in Vermont - if they could do it. Most of their sticking points were because of high rent, taxes, energy costs, high costs of doing business in Vermont."

I think the voters of Vermont can be trusted to decide for themselves which candidate has a record of trying to lower costs for businesses and which candidate doesn't, regardless of the condition of national/global economy.
 
Anonymous..

"Are you on your lunch break at Ben & Jerry's? You know they have rules about surfing the net during your work shift."

No, I didn't know that, little fella, but now that you mention it, Ben and Jerry's seems to be the one thing your ignorant anonymous ass is an authority on, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella.

Your ignorant anonymous ass certainly raises the topic whenever you've got bupkis and can't answer another.

Why is that, little fella?

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
IndependentVter (12:35 PM) said...

(Alger) "The told us in June that they were going to make every effort to keep the jobs in Vermont - if they could do it. Most of their sticking points were because of high rent, taxes, energy costs, high costs of doing business in Vermont."

Interesting that two of their complaints were taxes, and high energy costs - let's look closer at this...

1)Property taxes... are generally higher in NH, Corp Taxes are also higher, and NH charges a tax on a company's payroll

and,

2) Higher energy costs... Vt has the lowest electric rates in New England

And then there is the rent - that can be negotiated or move to a cheaper space without moving out of state.

And then the Governor offered them a $500K grant - which they chose not to accept.

I'll bet the real reason is they just wanted to consolidate in their home state and needed to point a finger at something else - much the way Gov Douglas approaches governing - blame the legislature and blame the Dems!

Gov Douglas lacks leadership and vision - it's time for a change!
 
Jim Douglas HAS NOT not raised taxes since he took office- he HAS NOT increased the cost of workers compensation since he took office- he HAS NOT made the permit process more difficult since he took office. Douglas in fact has decreased, or at least leveled off all of the cost above. He has kept energy cost from escalating since he took office but with the creation of a new & improved "Inefficiency Vermont", that may not apply.
BTW- I think Coop had a twin brother that starred in "All in the Family"- what was his name "Meathead?"
 
nek - you are obviously connected to Douglas' staff!

FACT: If the legislature had agreed with the Governor's budget proposals over the last 6 years- Vermonters would have seen their locqal property taxes increase by $100 million.

Just like George Bush, Jim DOuglas will not raise taxes but he will pass costs off to the locals.
 
NEK...

"Jim Douglas HAS NOT not raised taxes since he took office-"

Gee, I hate to keep confusin' your ignorant, ill-informed ass with the facts, nekkie boy, but if "Jim Douglas HAS NOT not raised taxes since he took office-" as you clueless claim, you're saying he's raised taxes at every opportunity since his incompetent ass took office.

If you're gonna continue to mindlessly cheerlead for the chimp, chump, I tend to doubt that he's gonna want ya to emphasize that angle, but feel free to run it by them first, little factually-challenged lunatic-fringe fella.

Still, I'm sure Vermont businesspeople will be glad to know that the cost of doing business hasn't gone up in the past six years and if they think it has, they're crazier than people who think the price of gas and home-heating oil costs more now than it did when the doogie/dubie debacle first took the stage and anyone who thinks they have gone up is a whiner suffering from a mental recession who's just imagining things.

Sure thing, nekkie boy. Anyone who claims they weren't paying over four bucks/gallon for gas in 1/03 when the jimi douglas experience took the stage is a lying whiner suffering from mental recession who's just imagining things - Reelect Jim Douglas will make a great Campaign Slogan, little nekwit-nonsense fella.

That's clearly the McSame/gop-scum strategy national strategy.

If you don't think you're better off now than you were eight years ago when your son/daughter/husband/wife/brother/sister/father/mother was still alive and in one piece, you still had a home and a job with health care and the dollar was worth considerably more than it is today, you're a lying whiner suffering from a mental recession who's imagining things.

Vote Republican.

Good luck running on that record, little fella.


"...he HAS NOT increased the cost of workers compensation since he took office- he HAS NOT made the permit process more difficult since he took office. Douglas in fact has decreased, or at least leveled off all of the cost above. He has kept energy cost from escalating since he took office but with the creation of a new & improved "Inefficiency Vermont", that may not apply."

In other words, your ignorant, ill-informed ass might not know what the fook it's talkin' about.

That fact's been painfully obvious for quite some time, nekwit, but thanks for fessin' up all the same, little fella.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
Pollina for Governor - he is the answer
 
Anonymous....

"Pollina for Governor - he is the answer."

He is, eh? Not to any question worth asking he isn't.
 
Coop says..."I'll bet the real reason is they just wanted to consolidate in their home state and needed to point a finger at something else - much the way Gov Douglas approaches governing - blame the legislature and blame the Dems!"

Any facts to back that opinion up, little fella.

No I didn't think so. Just more ingnorant, ill-informed, liberal-slop. It would be nice if once, just once, you walked the talk and offered a fact or a solution to the board. Insults are not solutions.
 
POLLINA=DOUGLAS
 
Pollina = loser
 
This comment has been removed by the author.
 
Anonymous said...

"nek - you are obviously connected to Douglas' staff!"

Well, given the fact that nekkie boy has no connection with or to reality, it's nice to know the little factually-challenged fella's ignorant ass is connected to somethin'.
 
Anonymous...

"Coop says..."I'll bet the real reason is they just wanted to consolidate in their home state and needed to point a finger at something else - much the way Gov Douglas approaches governing - blame the legislature and blame the Dems!"

I did, eh? Feel free to have your ignorant anonymous ass show me just where and when I said that, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella.

That's right, your ignorant, anonymous, coalition of the clueless-cretin ass is quoting the wrong post and the wrong poster, putz.

Once again, you're not only caseless, clueless and don't know what the fook you're talking about, you don't even know who you're making an ass outta yourself talking to, ya meshuggah schmuck.

Evidently, in your continuing
clueless-cretin efforts to fail to prove that I'm Chuck Hoffer and/or Chuck Lacy along with everything else your utterly-psychotic, gop-slop-spewin' ass manages to muster up, you've managed to get posts and posters confused, shmendrik.

Oy, this just ain't your ignorant anonymous ass's life, little fella.

"Any facts to back that opinion up, little fella."

Nah, I'll stick with the ones your ignorant anonymous ass has provided, little fella. I'm perfectly content to play the hand your ignorant anonymous ass has dealt me.

Seein' how, once again, your coalition of the clueless-cretin ass has already slit your own throat, dug your own grave, fallen in and pulled the dirt in behind ya, at this point, anything more would be gratuitous piling on.

"No I didn't think so. Just more ignorant, ill-informed, liberal-slop. It would be nice if once, just once, you walked the talk and offered a fact or a solution to the board.

Well, given the fact that your ignorant ass doesn't know what the fook you're talking about or who you're talking to, little factually-challenged fella, I'm inclined to agree with ya, little factually-challenged fella, clearly, your next thought will be your first

Insults are not solutions."

Nah, but since your ignorant anonymous ass has had bupkis since ya got here and that's all you've ever been able to cough up, you've earned 'em.

You've always taken care of all the heavy lifting, little fella, and I appreciate that.

You can be very thoughtful for someone with no capacity or inclination for rational thought.

Again, given your latest factually-challenged, nameless-nitwit, lunatic-fringe act of self-destruction, I'm content to let your ignorant ass stew in your own factually-challenged, gop-goo that you spew so well, schmuck.

So, what's on tap for you next act of clueless-cretinism your ignorant anonymous ass plans to hand me on silver platter, putz?

Don't go changin', little nameless-nitwit fella.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
"It's really sad that Symington's people are taking advantage of people losing their job to score a cheap political point on the back of a lie."

No, what's sad is Douglas and Dubie taking advantag of Brooke Bennett's death to score cheap politicla points. Shame on them.
 
Again- all you GOP haters call me ignorant, stupid and whatever Coop cares to type but not ONE of you has listed evidence that Douglas has increased you taxes. My points remain valid until you can list evidence that Douglas has increased taxes, increased cost of workers compensation, made permit process more costly/difficult.
All you do is blame him for the increase in gas/oil prices and general cost of living. The last I knew, Douglas didn't have the keys to the oil pipeline!
PS I am not connected to the Douglas Administration but I am thankful he is in charge because the alternatives are SCARY!
 
2 questions...

When is a fee a fee?
And when is a fee a tax?

A fee is a fee if Jim Douglas does it - it's a tax if the legislature does it. (This is how Jim Douglas views it).

Jim Douglas has proposed raising fees over the last 6 years by over $30 million. To Jim Douglas, it's a shell game - on how he can hide the truth from Vermonters.

Two years ago he insisted on raising #10 million in motor vehicle fees which hit predominantly Vermonters instead of a gas tax which would have been paid approx 40% by out of staters.

For 6 years Douglas has railed on the legislature to LOWER worker's compensation rates -- this year he insisted on DOUBLING the WComp premium tax (or should I say fee).

Each year Douglas insists on either level funding or decreasing Local highway aid to municipalities - this is a hidden tax because the towns infrastructure continues to crumble and they would be left to increasing prop tax to recover.

Jim Douglas has made cities and towns in VT LESS SAFE by essentially eliminating the Town Health Officer program and basically leaving towns to fend for themselves.
 
Coop spews..."Sure thing, nekkie boy. Anyone who claims they weren't paying over four bucks/gallon for gas in 1/03 when the jimi douglas experience took the stage is a lying whiner suffering from mental recession who's just imagining things.."

So prove the point that you are implying here Coopy. How has the Douglas/Dubie administration directly contributed to the rise in the price of oil to over $130/barrel?
It hasn't and again you just rant on with no facts to support your statements. Walk the talk big boy. Present your plan on solving the energy crisis, improving the financial viability of the State and reducing the partisan hate-mongering those of your political leaning have become so fond of.

Perhaps you can blaze the trail on hate-speak by posting in a civilize manner.
 
No proof huh Coopy. No surprise. You are an empty suit.

How was your shift at B&J's today? You looked busy this afternoon.
 
No proof huh Coopy. No surprise. You are an empty suit.

How was your shift at B&J's today? You looked busy this afternoon.
 
This comment has been removed by the author.
 
Anonymous...

"No proof huh Coopy."

Well, given the fact that your ignorant anonymous ass hasn't been able to substantiate any of your delusional dreck since ya got here, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella.

Still, given your hysterically-pathetic post last night, you did manage to make it abundantly clear that you not only have the "ability" to not know what the fook you're talking about, but you can also manage to not know who the fook your ignorant anonymous ass is talking to at the same time, little nameless-nitwit fella.

If your ignorant anonymous ass continues to prove nothing else as I have every confidence in the world in your ability to continue to effortlessly establish your complete and utter cluelessness, nobody can ever take that away from ya, little factually-challenged/nameless-nitwit fella.

As God is my witness, that record's yours and I won't let anybody forget it.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "Tree bending":

"Again- all you GOP haters call me ignorant, stupid and whatever Coop cares to type but not ONE of you has listed evidence that Douglas has increased you taxes.

My points remain valid until you can list evidence that Douglas has increased taxes, increased cost of workers compensation, made permit process more costly/difficult."

You must be new it town, little factually-challenged/nameless-nitwit fella. Clearly, you're not familiar with how we do things in Vermont and the rest of this Country.

If you're gonna insist on spewing psychotic-slop with no basis in fact, it's up to you to make your case and demonstrate that your clueless-cretin contentions are rooted in fact and supported by the evidence.

Clearly, your inability to do that in any case and under any circumstances, is unmatched and unparalleled.

And while amongst coalition of the clueless cretins with names, you, unquestionably have no peer, no one is obliged to disprove something you've yet to prove.

Given those facts, your pathetic points remain your pathetic unproven points and as such, were never established as valid in the first place.

Feel free to check, little fella.

"All you do is blame him for the increase in gas/oil prices and general cost of living. The last I knew, Douglas didn't have the keys to the oil pipeline!"

Well, given the fact that Vermont is worse off after six years of his cluelessness and incompetence than the one he inherited, he supports the gop-scum in DC and he's been able to veto anything he hasn't liked to date, yeah, I do hold him accountable.

He's incompetent trash in the best of times and these aren't the best of times for Vermont or the jimi douglas experience, little fella.

If you're gonna continue to dole out delusional dreck and support incompetent trash, ya best get used to it, little fella.

It's July. It's gonna stop raining soon enough and the days are hot and long and I've got a new magnifyin' glass with your ignorant, gop-slop spewin' ass's name on it and I loves the smell of nuked nekwit in the summertime

It smells like a good year to be a Dem.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
O Merci Beaucoup- I am embarrassed with you Americans- you are so ignorant. I like foreigners, they speak several languages and are sooo smart. Barack H Obama
As for Coopster- he writes so much and says so little. He must be a blogger for the Obama campaign- absolutely NO substance, just insults and rhetoric!
 
Coop said..."JWCoop10 said...
Anonymous...

"No proof huh Coopy."

Well, given the fact that your ignorant anonymous ass hasn't been able to substantiate any of your delusional dreck since ya got here, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella."

I understand Coopy. You have no proof (again, insults are not proof in the adult world). That's okay. Your official July talking points from the Daily Kos should be there any day.
 
Anonymous said...
Coop said..."JWCoop10 said...
Anonymous...

"No proof huh Coopy."

Well, given the fact that your ignorant anonymous ass hasn't been able to substantiate any of your delusional dreck since ya got here, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella."

"I understand Coopy. You have no proof (again, insults are not proof in the adult world). That's okay. Your official July talking points from the Daily Kos should be there any day."

No proof, eh? That's a good one, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella.

Again, from your ignorant anonymous ass's allegations that I'm Doug Hoffer and/or Chuck Lacy, get my talking points from Kos, went to NYU and work at Ben Jerry's, the only thing you've been able to prove is that ya can't prove anything and don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Saturday night, your ignorant anonymous ass quoted me saying something I never said from a post I never wrote, you took it to the next level and proved that you're dumb, you're scum, ya got bupkis and ya not only don't know what the hell you're talking about, you don't even know who the hell your ignorant anonymous ass is talking to, little fella.

Once again, you provide all the evidence and do all the heavy lifting by establishing that your ignorant, anonymous trash with bupkis, little fella. I just point it out.

Works for me.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
Clearly no proof from Coopster.
 
No proof from the Coopster. Big surprise.
 
That's right Coopy. I would like you to present your plan.

Dazzle us with your brilliance.
 
Anonymous.....

"That's right Coopy. I would like you to present your plan."

Ya would, eh, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/nameless-nitwit fella?

I'd like your ignorant anonymous ass to present your evidence that I'm Doug Hoffer and/or Chuck Lacy, that I work at Ben and Jerry's, that I went to NYU, that I'm living on a trust fund and, well, everything else you've ever said and failed to substantiate since ya got here, deduce bag.

How ya makin' out with that stuff, schmuck?

That's what I thought.

You're dumb, you're scum, and your gop-slop spewin', clueless-cretin ass is long on bupkis and short on smarts, stones and substantiation, schmuck.

Get some or get lost.

Then you can tell the class why we should stick to the Bush?Cheney energy plan we've got now that's been workin' so well for the past eight years.

Have fun polishin' that turd, punk. You're gonna be at it awhile.

Always a pleasure.
Dismissed.
 
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