Politics In The Free Republic Of Vermontistan

Freep on Douglas:

Gov. Jim Douglas, who co-chaired President Bush's election campaigns in Vermont in 2000 and 2004, now says he is "appalled" at the behavior of Washington Republicans and lays some of the blame on the White House.

Douglas said he would like to see a change in his party's leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, saying House Speaker Dennis Hastert should be replaced even if Republicans retain a majority in Congress.
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Douglas, who is running for his third two-year term, is usually reluctant to criticize Washington Republicans, particularly President Bush. But now he says the administration is part of the problem.
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Douglas said he is feeling more disillusioned than at any time during his three decades in politics.

"I'm appalled, I'm discouraged, I'm offended and, frankly, as someone who's been in office for many years, it's awful to see how some people who are given the public trust can breach it," Douglas said. "It's not exclusively a Republican problem down there, but it certainly seems that those caught up are predominantly Republicans."

Democrats were quick to charge that Douglas was seeking to distance himself from a party leadership whose prospects are not looking bright as the election approaches.

Um, yeah, Douglas is speaking the truth while certainly is distancing himself from his party's leadership.  So what?  What do the Dems expect him to do?  Really, that's just a stupid, desperate charge against a rather popular and effective Gov.

And now the exiting Lite Gov contest:

Republican Brian Dubie crisscrosses the state making nonpublicized visits to businesses and farmers -- reaching out to the network of Vermonters he's met during his two terms as lieutenant governor.

Democrat Matt Dunne mixes traditional campaigning with community work projects -- which he calls service politics. He and campaign volunteers don work clothes to paint, pick up, hammer and harvest their way around the state.

Progressive Marvin Malek rearranges his patient schedule and takes vacation time to participate in debates and media interviews, and attend any gathering of voters that party members set up for him.

Liberty Union candidate Mary Alice Herbert takes part in candidate forums -- but hasn't received a lot of invitations.

This is a race to pick the person Vermonters would be comfortable having step into the governor's job in the unlikely event the holder of the state's top position dies or becomes incapacitated.

More likely, voters are just picking the person who will preside over the Senate while the Legislature is in session -- which is usually less than half a year.

Since I vote strategically with an eye on the overall government landscape, I cast my ballot for Dubie.  I want contention, and his only real job is to preside over a (hopefully Democratic) Senate.  Our entire state government is a citizen-run affair in which people don't generally give up their day jobs, so the critiques on Dubie for his other business ring false to me.

Now it would be cool perhaps to have a Prog for Lite Gov, but I'd rather the party focus on winning more seats in the Leg to keep Dems honest.  I think they'd have more impact there on policy and that would help give them a launching pad for higher office.  It's much the same view I have of the Greens nationally and locally: build a solid foundation and show you have a real ability to govern before going for the Exec, which is inherently less-responsive to the People.

Of course, I'd rather abolish political parties altogether, but nobody listens to me and George...

ntodd