Center stage to a large degree  was  his for the  taking as some of the bigger lites of  the Republican  party  were  no shows Arnold Schwarzenegger ,Sarah Palin ,Tim Pawlenty and Bobby Jindal  failed to attend .Governor Mark Sanford may still be resting after hiking to South America . This past weekend Douglas debuted as chairman of the National Governors Association. Recently greenwashed online as the 8th greenest governor in the nation Douglas moved his performance on to Broadway or eh Biloxi. Haley Barbour RGA head and the former head of the RNC back in the  Contract for America glory days has a soft spot for the new chairman Gov.Douglas .After the last election he described Douglas as “being stronger than a  field of garlic up there in Vermont”. (It is wonderful to think when they are alone together Barbour calls him Jimbo.)

Last week some here in Vermont were most atwitter in anticipation about this milestone in Douglas’s career. “This month Douglas adds to his resume the chairmanship of the National Governors Association. The timing is fortuitous. He assumes a leadership position that will give him incredible national exposure in what will primarily be a bipartisan setting.” Chris Graff corporate spokesman for National Life gushed

Sadly it looks like Governor Douglas may see his new role in simpler terms, mainly balking, balking at unfunded federal mandates.

Several governors joined Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in calling on Congress to revise requirements by this fall for secure driver’s licenses that are intended to help boost national security. The governors said federal mandates for the licenses are too expensive, and 13 states have voted not to participate in the Real ID Act passed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In response NGA Chairman Douglas sagely noted that “Security standards are only useful if people are willing and able to use them,” said Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican.

Such comforting simplicity in a world so  complex , many things in life are only useful when people are willing and able to use them.

Who could have predicted that he would shine so brightly in Biloxi, a star in the Republican field of garlic indeed?

http://www.vermontbiz.com/arti…

http://www.timesargus.com/arti…

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07…