Bruce Lisman’s vanity proj– er, campaign stalking hors– er, public policy organization, Campaign for Vermont, continues to crank out opinion pieces, press releases, and radio advertisements. And while I appreciate CfV’s copious ad buys on my favorite radio station, WDEV, I must also note that its true character is coming into sharper focus.

For those just joining us, Lisman is a native Vermonter who made a fortune as a top executive for cratered Wall Street giant Bear Stearns. In retirement, he has returned home with the avowed goal of promoting the greater good of the Green Mountain State through a “nonpartisan” effort called Campaign for Vermont. Which, although it claims to be a broad-based coalition, seems to be centered entirely on Mr. Bruce Lisman. For instance #1: Bruce’s oddly unfocused smiling face appears on every webpage. For instance #2: CfV’s position statements, although supposedly a group effort, are entitled “The Lisman Perspective.”

There are many other indications that the CfV is (a) solidly Republican, and (b) an attempt to whitewash Lisman as a potential future candidate for office, in hopes of avoiding the fate of rich-guy flameouts Rich Tarrant and Jack McMullen. I outlined these signs in two mid-December diaries, “Lismania” and “Lismania II.”

So now, on to the latest, including a fourth word in the CfV nameplate, and two new (very obviously anti-Shumlin) radio ads.  

The Lisman campai– er, CfV, is going through a bit of an identity crisis these days. On its website, it calls itself “Campaign for Vermont.” But on its new radio ads, it goes by the name “Campaign for Vermont Prosperity.” Which is a better indication of the group’s priorities, equating improvement with economic growth.

Yes, certainly, we do need a strong economy. But when you make “prosperity” your clarion call, you’re declaring yourself in the conservative camp on issues like taxes, regulation, land use, environmental protection, and nuclear power.  

Next, there are Lisma– er, CfV’s two new radio ads, on the subjects of education funding and health care reform. And both are attacks on Governor Shumlin that sound exactly like Republican campaign ads.

On school funding, CfV asserts that “we will pay more in property taxes this year” because “Governor Shumlin has cut state support for education funding.” The truth: Shumlin’s budget does call for a reduction in state education funding, but (a) he hasn’t cut anything, that’s up to the Legislature, and (b) if the cut goes through, it’s up to local districts whether to raise property taxes or cut their own budgets. Now, in my opinion, Shumlin should balance his own budget without passing the buck to school boards. But Lisman’s assertion is untrue.

On health care, over a background of dramatic, ominous music, we are informed that the Governor intends to “severely limit our choices in health insurance coverage,” and that no other state in the country “would limit health insurance choices so dramatically.” That’s the worst possible way to frame Shumlin’s plan, of course. Those who support the effort take pride in Vermont’s leadership on health care reform. And the ad assumes that the health-insurance marketplace can be counted on to produce a wealth of wonderful options for Vermonters to choose from. Which is laughable, but it’s the basis of the Republican position on health care reform: let the free market do its work, and a thousand flowers shall bloom. Trouble is, the free market has a long and disappointing track record of producing crappy, expensive health plans full of loopholes.

But you won’t hear that from Bruce Lisman, stealth Republican. The more we see of the Campaign for Vermont Prosperity, the less it looks like the unbiased, nonpartisan, public-interest group it claims to be. I don’t see Lisman running for office this year; the timeline is too short. But I do expect him to run for Governor in 2014 if a Democrat (presumably Shumlin) occupies the office.

(One more little thing: the CfV website includes a list of links to Vermont media — print, radio, TV, online. The “online” list includes Vermont Digger as well as conservative outposts True North Reports, and Vermont Tiger. But not Green Mountain Daily. Gee, Bruce, that’s not very nonpartisan of you.)