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


3.01.2010

 

Politics and the VY vote

When this legislative session started in January, we knew the fact that the Senate contained four people running for governor and one for lieutenant governor would make for some interesting political theater. Last Wednesday might just have been the command performance.

The Senate’s vote on the future of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant was oozing with political undertones.

Scene 1:

Sen. Phil Scott, R-Washington, (candidate for lieutenant governor), started things off by questioning the Senate Rules Committee vote to allow the Yankee bill to reach the floor without ever meeting in person. Standing almost directly behind Scott in the audience was Mark Snelling (fellow Republican candidate for lieutenant governor).

Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin, D-Windham,(candidate for governor) polled the committee members and declared the approval unanimous. He claimed it was a common practice.

Under questioning from Scott, Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, said he didn’t believe he gave his approval.

A recess was called so the senators could sort this out, at which Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, (candidate for governor) said, “We’ve got a problem.”

To which Shumlin responded, “You’re creating a problem.”

Back on the floor, Scott called it a “flawed process.”

Shumlin accused Scott waiting to raise the issue in public when news cameras were rolling.

Then Mullin backed down, suggesting he and Shumlin had misunderstood each other and that he would never vote by informal polling again.

“I don’t want anyone to think my colleague from Windham was trying to pull a fast one,” Mullin said, referring to Shumlin. That pretty much left Scott hanging out alone.

Scott would continue challenging the Yankee bill. In the end, he was one of four senators to vote in support of the plant, calling the vote “a blatant political maneuver.”

Afterward, Scott said, referring to his own moves, “It may be political suicide.”

His support of Vermont Yankee might help him in the Republican primary, but then there’s the general election.

Scene II:

Shumlin, meanwhile, had a more subtle clash with Sen. Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille, (fellow candidate for governor).

A few days before the vote, Bartlett issued a statement saying that though she was against Vermont Yankee operation after 2012, Shumlin’s timing on the vote was “more political theater than making good public policy.”

Shumlin slapped back, telling Vermont Public Radio the next day, “I understand that politicians don't always want to go on record taking courageous positions but it's time to move ahead."

A couple days later on the Senate floor, Bartlett had her response, "This vote is not an act of courage. Education reform was an act of courage. Civil unions was an act of courage. Equal marriage was an act of courage. This is a no-brainer."

Scene III:

Dubie, who presides over the Senate but doesn’t vote except to break a tie and doesn’t engage in the debate, had plenty to say when we asked him afterward, most of it directed at Shumlin:
- The Senate had not considered all the implications of the vote, should not have voted now, and if he had had a vote it would have been in support of the plant, he said.
- He noted that the Senate Finance Committee, which sent the bill to the Senate, is all Democrats, by virtue of appointments Shumlin made. “There’s not a contrarion view on the Finance Committee,” he said.

- Terri Hallenbeck

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Comments:
They are trying to get Bartlett to drop out of the race. I hope she doesn't but I have seen Shumlin at work so he will probably succeed it is really sad.
 
Leading the charge to eliminate hundreds of good-paying jobs and raising every Vermonter's electric rates at the same time . . . what a winning campaign platform!
 
I got news for you - electric rates were ging up even if VY was relicensed.

Governor conveniently forgot to tell Vermonters that little piece of information.
 
Fact one, ‘King Coal’ kills over 25,000 Americans a year due to particulate pollution alone.-US EPA.

I would like to ask all the anti nukes who were against Vermont Yankees licenses renewal just how many Americans do they think they will be responsible for killing after Yankee closes down? There is no way the anti nukes can shirk their impending responsibility for the eventual death of hundreds if not thousands of American citizens. Fact two, once Vermont Yankee closes the Northeastern United States will rely more on ‘King Coal’ to produce its electricity.

With the closure of Vermont Yankee it will be impossible to reach the zero emission carbon levels that we need to achieve in the Northeast. In fact due to alternative energies expense and unreliability it is in all likelihood we will not be able to reach the low carbon levels that the Northeast currently achieves when Yankee is in operation. Yes the statuesque will change with the closure of Vermont Yankee. Unfortunately come the fall equinox of 2012 it will change for the worse.

Once again I ask the planet killing anti nukes to come out and take responsibility for future deaths that will be caused due to the closer of Vermont Yankee.

I would laugh about the insanity of it all if I were not already crying,

Jfarmer9
 
Fact one, ‘King Coal’ kills over 25,000 Americans a year due to particulate pollution alone.-US EPA.

I would like to ask all the anti nukes who were against Vermont Yankees licenses renewal just how many Americans do they think they will be responsible for killing after Yankee closes down? There is no way the anti nukes can shirk their impending responsibility for the eventual death of hundreds if not thousands of American citizens. Fact two, once Vermont Yankee closes the Northeastern United States will rely more on ‘King Coal’ to produce its electricity.

With the closure of Vermont Yankee it will be impossible to reach the zero emission carbon levels that we need to achieve in the Northeast. In fact due to alternative energies expense and unreliability it is in all likelihood we will not be able to reach the low carbon levels that the Northeast currently achieves when Yankee is in operation. Yes the statuesque will change with the closure of Vermont Yankee. Unfortunately come the fall equinox of 2012 it will change for the worse.

Once again I ask the planet killing anti nukes to come out and take responsibility for future deaths that will be caused due to the closer of Vermont Yankee.

I would laugh about the insanity of it all if I were not already crying,

Jfarmer9
 
Peter Shumlin is showing his true self to all the electorate. His strong arm tactics, and lack of proper follow through are typical of a candidate that has been bought and paid for by guess which political action committe. THIS IS NOT THE MAN WE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING AND GOD FORBID VOTING FOR. This man has nothing good to do or say for our state. A vote for Shumlin moves Vermont back into the dark ages.
 
11:08 am is a VPIRG robot.
 
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