Vermont Megathread

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

This is how you kill a party

By running the trust-fund farmer with statewide name recognition for an office with little power aside from its holders' visibility? Anyone who can put up a few thousand dollars of his own money and not come across as a complete joke is a decent enough candidate. The alternative to Zuckerman running isn't a better candidate; it's running no one or someone irrelevant.

Zuckerman is a vaccine skeptic and lost by an absolute landslide in his last gubernatorial election. He was bound to loose, but damn he barely carried a town. He is more well known, but he’ll do more harm then good

[KaiserDave]

Also I'd like to throw out there that Zuckerman didn't really lose because of his vote to provide philosophical exceptions for vaccines. It was because Scott was getting free airtime basically all the time to present himself as a capable crisis manager, and plenty of Trump scandals and McConnell indecencies to contrast himself as an independent Republican. Zuckerman just couldn't catch up, nobody really cared about his candidacy.

[Not Me, Us]

https://vtdigger.org/2022/04/12/final-reading-the-shot-heard-round-the-state/

Scott said Tuesday that he meets regularly with legislative leadership to hammer out disagreements on the state pension system, housing investments, workforce development and universal school lunches. He described their working relationships as “civil.”

But after an interview with NBC5 that aired over the weekend, Scott fired a shot heard ‘round the state.

Off camera, Scott reportedly said that, if he decides not to seek reelection, Vermont state government could slip into one-party rule. “There needs to be an adult in the room,” he said.

Asked to elaborate Tuesday, Scott said that the state has seen an influx of federal cash this year, resulting in a “feeding frenzy” in the Statehouse. But even a large pot of cash has a bottom.

“A governor, on an engine, is like a rev limiter,” he said. “We have to make sure the engine doesn’t over rev and self-destruct. And that’s what the governor has to do here, as well, is make sure that we're doing the right things to make sure that we don't do harm to our state.”

He thinks pensions, housing, and universal school lunches would harm the state? I guess he is a Republican after all.

[KaiserDave]

https://vtdigger.org/2022/04/12/final-reading-the-shot-heard-round-the-state/

Scott said Tuesday that he meets regularly with legislative leadership to hammer out disagreements on the state pension system, housing investments, workforce development and universal school lunches. He described their working relationships as “civil.”

But after an interview with NBC5 that aired over the weekend, Scott fired a shot heard ‘round the state.

Off camera, Scott reportedly said that, if he decides not to seek reelection, Vermont state government could slip into one-party rule. “There needs to be an adult in the room,” he said.

Asked to elaborate Tuesday, Scott said that the state has seen an influx of federal cash this year, resulting in a “feeding frenzy” in the Statehouse. But even a large pot of cash has a bottom.

“A governor, on an engine, is like a rev limiter,” he said. “We have to make sure the engine doesn’t over rev and self-destruct. And that’s what the governor has to do here, as well, is make sure that we're doing the right things to make sure that we don't do harm to our state.”

He thinks pensions, housing, and universal school lunches would harm the state? I guess he is a Republican after all.

Really man, how does anyone read the article and think that "Phil Scott opposes pensions housing, and universal school lunches." I'm watching his interview, and I'd advise you to if you want to get a look at his thinking. It's a very good interview. It's clear that his biggest budget priority is housing, and constructing new middle income housing. Constructing new housing has been his number one priority for a year now! He is like the biggest YIMBY housing governor in the entire north-east. On pensions, I admit I don't quite know enough, but it doesn't sound unreasonable. On school meals, his position is means testing. I disagree with his position, but it's not Thatcherian. He says the state has a duty to pay for school meals for people who can't afford it, but not for "affluent" families. I disagree with his position, but you're mischaracterizing it.

[KaiserDave]

https://vtdigger.org/2022/04/12/final-reading-the-shot-heard-round-the-state/

Scott said Tuesday that he meets regularly with legislative leadership to hammer out disagreements on the state pension system, housing investments, workforce development and universal school lunches. He described their working relationships as “civil.”

But after an interview with NBC5 that aired over the weekend, Scott fired a shot heard ‘round the state.

Off camera, Scott reportedly said that, if he decides not to seek reelection, Vermont state government could slip into one-party rule. “There needs to be an adult in the room,” he said.

Asked to elaborate Tuesday, Scott said that the state has seen an influx of federal cash this year, resulting in a “feeding frenzy” in the Statehouse. But even a large pot of cash has a bottom.

“A governor, on an engine, is like a rev limiter,” he said. “We have to make sure the engine doesn’t over rev and self-destruct. And that’s what the governor has to do here, as well, is make sure that we're doing the right things to make sure that we don't do harm to our state.”

Sounds like he's running.

[KaiserDave]

Anyway I encourage everyone to watch the Scott interview here

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/nbc5-in-depth-governor-phil-scott-2022-legislative-session/39692355

I disagree with some of his positions, particularly on means testing school meals. But ultimately I think the differences between Scott and the Democratic legislature, while very important on the local level, are not very large when compared to a larger, national scale.

[smoltchanov]

https://vtdigger.org/2022/04/12/final-reading-the-shot-heard-round-the-state/

Scott said Tuesday that he meets regularly with legislative leadership to hammer out disagreements on the state pension system, housing investments, workforce development and universal school lunches. He described their working relationships as “civil.”

But after an interview with NBC5 that aired over the weekend, Scott fired a shot heard ‘round the state.

Off camera, Scott reportedly said that, if he decides not to seek reelection, Vermont state government could slip into one-party rule. “There needs to be an adult in the room,” he said.

Asked to elaborate Tuesday, Scott said that the state has seen an influx of federal cash this year, resulting in a “feeding frenzy” in the Statehouse. But even a large pot of cash has a bottom.

“A governor, on an engine, is like a rev limiter,” he said. “We have to make sure the engine doesn’t over rev and self-destruct. And that’s what the governor has to do here, as well, is make sure that we're doing the right things to make sure that we don't do harm to our state.”

He thinks pensions, housing, and universal school lunches would harm the state? I guess he is a Republican after all.

No. He, simply, is NOT a crazy socialist......

[President Johnson]

https://mobile.twitter.com/progparty/status/1507094482730242059?cxt=HHwWlsCy4c6c...

Wait, he's running for his old job? Lmao.

[KaiserDave]

I met Senator Joe Benning today, candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Cool guy, great talking voice. We'd probably disagree on most issues but he was sensible. Very interesting guy, philosophically, background, all that. Maybe I'd vote for him in some circumstances, but probably not in this race. Who knows though.

[Duke of York]

I think Scott is going to run again. I would be shocked if he didn't.

[KaiserDave]

Just ran into Zuckerman. He asked me if everyone I knew was okay when I told him I'm originally from Brooklyn. Good strong handshake.

[KaiserDave]

https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1693&context=survey_center_polls

Massive new polling dump.

More Republicans than Democrats want Scott to retire, among other things.

Sco􏰁ispopularamongIndependents(+60netfavorabilityra􏰀ng)andDemocrats(+43)butisonlysomewhatpopularamongRepublicans (+13).

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Scott is gonna have this seat as long as he wants unless Minter runs and there is no sign of her running

[KaiserDave]

Gray's polled support in the Congressional primary is underwhelming for someone who just won a statewide election, especially as I doubt that she has more appeal than Balint does among those inclined to vote for Kesha Ram-Hinsdale.

Yep, especially given her big name recognition edge. I guess her shameless careerism just is obvious to most people.

[Duke of York]

https://vtdigger.org/2022/05/04/citing-health-challenges-state-treasurer-beth-pearce-to-retire/

Citing health challenges, state Treasurer Beth Pearce to retire

[KaiserDave]

Every day I remain confused why Scott vetoed the pension deal. It had the unanimous support of both parties, including state legislators far more conservative than him. It is politically stupid (the state employees unions has always more or less supported Scott) and the way he went about it was so.....dumb. I do not like it, I do not like it all. It's the worst veto of his tenure because it was just so pointless. I will admit that I don't know where his proposal (of allowing new state employees to opt into government-backed 401k style funds) was good or not. It sounds not worth it the hassle. Very dumb move by Scott all said. He's override unanimously, and for what? To curry favor with the state party? The state party hates him! Voters? Nobody supports his position. Does he really believe his proposal was necessary to keep the fund solvent? I don't buy it. I'm so confused! Scott vetoes a lot of bills. Sometimes that's a good thing, the legislature seems him a lot of stuff they know he will veto. They didn't send those bills to Shumlin, because it's entirely political. But sometimes he does inexplicable stuff like this. He said he knew he would be overridden by wanted to send a message. Dumb.

In better news, Scott said yesterday that he is voting for the Reproductive Liberty Amendment, which will enshrine protection for abortion rights in the state constitution, which I believe would be a first in the country and making Vermont best in the country for protecting these rights. Glad to see Vermont leading the way.

He also said the following on the SCOTUS leak opinion (not an exact quotation)

"This will have a devastating impact and ripple effect on other civil rights.....This will create distrust in government. What's next? If they take this away, what's the next right someone is going to take away, whether it's LGBTQ, the right to marry and so forth, I think that's a legitimate concern, when we see a fundamental right taken away."

[Duke of York]

https://www.wcax.com/2022/05/05/donovan-wont-seek-reelection-vermont-attorney-general/

Donovan won’t seek reelection as Vermont attorney general

[Not Me, Us]

https://www.wcax.com/2022/05/05/donovan-wont-seek-reelection-vermont-attorney-general/

Donovan won’t seek reelection as Vermont attorney general

Surprising, he's pretty young. I wonder if he's quitting politics for good or will come back for Governor or something down the line.

[Roll Roons]

https://mobile.twitter.com/PhilScott4VT/status/1526518283956011013

LET’S GOOOO!!!

[KaiserDave]

And the election is over!

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Brenda Siegal is running and Scott and SUNUNU always start out 70/30 but he's in a better position than Sununu because NH is a swing state

[Sir Mohamed]

Likely D -> Safe RINO

[Politician]

Safe D->Safe D

[President Johnson]

https://mobile.twitter.com/PhilScott4VT/status/1526518283956011013

LET’S GOOOO!!!

Great news, endorsed!

[KaiserDave]

https://twitter.com/SKrowinski/status/1530256294686466048

Big news. Phil Scott signs the legislature's statewide child tax credit and disability benefits package. See thread.


In other news the race for Congress was totally changed today, Senator Ram Hinsdale endorses Balint. Lt. Gov Gray in trouble....