Fans of the early, early days of rock 'n roll might recall the Platters' 1955 hit, “The Great Pretender”:
“Oh yes, I'm the Great Pretender, pretending that I'm doing well.
My need is such, I pretend too much. I'm lonely, but no one can tell…”
Well, it seems we've found a variation on this could be making the rounds as Gov. Whinin' Jim Douglas' new campaign song:
“Oh yes, I'm the Great Preventer, preventing what would do us well.
My need is such, I prevent too much. life in Vermont is hell…”
My apologies to the Platters there, but as you probably know by now, the Guv. vetoed the recent Instant Runoff Voting bill, as expected. Gotta keep those damn lib'ruls in check – it's his life's calling, you know (well, that and telling everyone else how miserable life in Vermont really is).
More below the jump…
In yesterday's Times Argus, Curtis Fisher of Common Cause Vermont ably eviscerated Douglas' “logic” for vetoing the bill, basically exposing the governor's b.s. and hypocrisy for exactly what it is:
If Douglas was so concerned about the constitutional implications of IRV (specifically the one-person, one-vote issue), then why did he sign the Burlington charter change allowing its use in the mayor's race? If he genuinely believes IRV to be unconstitutional, then he was negligent in signing the first IRV bill. If not, he has disingenuously used the Constitution as cover for his irresponsible veto.
Douglas then notes a legal opinion by the attorney general that questioned (incorrectly, I believe) whether instant runoff voting could be used for electing the governor, lieutenant governor and treasurer without first amending the state Constitution. Douglas ignores the fact that 1. this legal opinion also states that “A constitutional amendment is not legally required for the other statewide offices…”; and 2. this bill does not even address those offices! Douglas suggests that advocates pursue a state constitutional amendment to obtain IRV in Vermont after stating that he believes IRV runs afoul of the U.S. Constitution. Voters should be insulted by this political doublespeak coming from the governor.
Finally, Douglas outrageously asserts that “it is mathematically impossible for the candidate chosen by the IRV process to receive a majority of first votes cast.” This is nonsense, as most candidates elected using IRV in the United States in recent years won more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes. Either the governor didn't read the bill he vetoed, or he is blowing smoke to confuse the public.
So Gevernor Douglas is a also a flip-flopper, as well as an impediment to progress. He knows damn well that in many cases the only way a Republican in this state can get ahead in any kind of three-way race is to keep things the way they currently are, marginalizing the majority that is often expressed by the Dems and the Progs.
It is very important that wheneve we talk of Governor Douglas, we use these words that present an accurate assesment of what he really is, to rough up that 'likeability' veneer that has served him so well in his reign. Flip-flopper. Obstructionist. Out-of-touch. Standing in the way of progress. You get the picture. I'm sure you can think of a few more.
It's high time that the Dems and Progs in the legislature twisted some arms, and handed the Great Preventer the veto override he desperately deserves. The previous attempts to stand up to Douglas have been rather uninspiring, but perhaps with Symington and Shumlin eyeing the higher offices, they might find the necessary backbone. We shall see.
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