Our inaction is allowing Bush and Cheney, and trickling down to Governor Douglas and our Legislature, to enrich corporations that are financial supporters of the Republican Party.

  Secret meetings and memos leading to industry-profiting legislation, payoffs disguised as campaign contributions, campaign workers with no prior experience appointed to top-level positions in control of millions of dollars of taxpayer money .. where will it end, and it will never end if we don’t take matters into our own hands.

  Your grandfather’s Republican Party is dead; killed by greed, and the ‘Moral Majority’ (which was neither) is being courted with wedge issues like the flag, school prayer and abortion to advance an an agenda that advances business profit rather than people.

  We cannot let our safety be compromised by those who worship money.  The ski areas can prosper while still protecting the environment — we will, if asked, cut back on electricity usage to protect ourselves from a looming catastrophe from an aging nuclear power plant and the cost of storing/disposing of nuclear waste.  We can no longer depend on our ‘regulators’ to protect us.

  Look at port security.  Never mind that only 5% of the containers coming in are inspected, and the budget for inspection has been further cut ….Supposedly the head of the Department of Homeland Security and the pResident were not told of the sale of US ports to a nation that funnels money to terrorists?  Does anyone really believe this?  Reagan was supposedly ‘out of the loop’ on Iran-Contra, and did have Alheizeimers — but Dubya … what’s his excuse?  (There are rumors!)

  The voters are seen as easy pickings for the msm to substitute press releases for real news. 

  Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, and thousands more like them had the courage to revolt against unjust laws and created a great democracy.  It’s up to us to find the courage to reclaim that democracy. Our country is being sold, piece by piece, to the highest bidder.  Dissent is patriotic …..

  We cannot let a bunch of self-serving incompetents turn this country into a third world nation.  The gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider every day; more people are losing their jobs because of downsizing, and can’t afford to pay their rent, or have health insurance, or pay the fuel bill .. we’re becoming WalMartized; the working poor.

  We can’t give up.  Our elected representatives are there to serve us .. and if they refuse to we can replace them in the November elections.  They must be held accountable.
Barbara

I wanted to post a letter printed in the Rutland Herald newspaper here.  I have heard Mr. Tarrant’s radio adverts when I drive through Brattleboro on my way to Boston.  When I first listened to the biographical nature of his adverts, I thought it was an odd approach.  Giving him the benefit of the doubt, maybe he is trying to get people who don’t know him to learn about his salad days???????
On the other hand, officials of the Democratic party in Vermont have told me that “its early yet” and “the electorate is not paying attention”.  Seems like maybe Mr. Tarrant IS trying to get people to pay attention?????

Rich Tarrant’s wonderful life   [http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060224/NEWS/602240311/1037]

February 24, 2006

The second installment of Rich Tarrant’s wonderful life is appearing in his daily campaign ads on our local television stations. It appears that we are going to be subjected for the next eight months to Tarrant’s egocentric rendition of his accomplishments, inclusive of delivering soft drinks and playing basketball. At the rate these ads are running, the cost will probably be in the millions of dollars. The expense will not be any deterrent to Tarrant, as he is expected to infuse millions of his own money into his campaign in an attempt to buy the senatorial election.

We have been down this road before. A rich guy who doesn’t know what to do with himself tries to buy a Vermont election so that he can get his ego stroked in Washington, D.C. Rich Tarrant does not genuinely care about helping the people of this state. How can a candidate who isn’t even sure if he is a resident of Vermont or Florida represent our interests in Congress?

I hope that others will join me in supporting Congressman Bernie Sanders in his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Bernie has continuously proven his commitment to Vermont’s citizens. He has worked tirelessly for years to help Vermonters obtain a livable wage, adequate health care and pharmaceutical drugs, affordable housing, food and heating assistance and benefits for veterans. When we eventually have the opportunity to view Bernie’s campaign ads on TV, he will not be touting what he has accomplished on behalf of himself, but will present what he has accomplished for the citizens of Vermont.

MONICA LITZELMAN

Northfield