Responding to the news that Donald Trump plans a visit to Vermont, our own Senator Bernie Sanders released this rather restrained statement:
“I welcome Mr. Trump to Vermont. I hope his presence here will help him better understand Vermont values — social and economic justice, tolerance, respect for all people and the environment.”
…To which I can only say, “Don’t hold your breath, Senator!”
For the Vermont Democratic party this is a sit-back-and-enjoy-the-show moment because, whatever happens, the Vermont GOP is bound to be dis-served by a visit from the celebrated Imp of Intolerance.
Usually, a big name on the national ticket coming to town means donations and reflected glory flooding statewide candidates of the same party.
That doesn’t promise to be the likely effect of Mr. Trump’s visit.
I almost feel sorry for Randy Brock, who has very recently taken a giant step away from the presumptive GOP national nominee…something that Phil Scott has avoided over the past couple of months, although he did say last September that he couldn’t support Trump.
What might Phil Scott’s reward be for keeping a lid on it? A photo op with His Nibs? And how would that play in Putney?
Under the immediate circumstances, I don’t know which has made the wiser decision.
Randy’s step size
Not so sure Randy Brock’s letter to the local St. Albans Messenger picked up by two or three statewide papers is a “giant” step. He did post it on his FB page but not a tweet that I can find. I agree it should be welcomed as a step in the right direction but seems too compact to be giant size.
And what’s former gov. gentleman Jim Douglas doing as his GOP burns? He wondered about the future in 2013: “Immigrants are among the most patriotic people I’ve met and should be receptive to Republican ideas. Only a party that welcomes them will succeed; otherwise it will be swamped by changing demographics.”
Now former Governor Jim Douglas (and certainly not Phil Scott) are not even taking a Randy Brock-sized step to denounce any of the rampant intolerance on displayed by the GOP presidential want to bes.
http://www.vpr.net/episode/55808/douglas-republican-revival/
‘Guess Randy didn’t want the Donald getting wind of his fightin’ words.
Anyway…pass the popcorn!
I wouldn’t call him the “presumptive nominee”. Though there are many signs that that would appear to indicate he’s being taken seriously (access to voter info etc) I believe it to be just going through the motions.
If the party doesn’t at the very least appear to take him seriously it would legitimize an independent run. But in fact there are noises about the party going rogue if he is handed the nom and running a true-blue establishment indy themselves.
Personally continue to gravitate to tea-leaf readers in attempt to receive assurance that it’s not going to happen.
Intemperence alone should preclude him from office therefore the obvious mental illness in the form of delusions (of grandeur) and maniacal behavior more so.
What the party is not getting is their clear disconnect from voters. Ryan going along with Omnibus, passage of TPP will hurt the party. Boehner shitcanned by not standing up to Obama and Ryan thinks this is going to work out for him?
Most recent soothsayers report that resonated:
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/lara-brown/2015/12/11/donald-trump-wont-win-as-a-republican-or-an-independent