Once upon a time, Governor Douglas had nine Tiger Teams, and now Phil Scott wants one of his own. If you’re thinking these are bad kung-fu action movies, you’re off the mark; instead they’re teams of officials created to prowl through state government, supposedly looking for inefficiencies and ways to save money. I don’t remember if the nine Douglas Tiger Teams ever actually accomplished anything, but Phil Scott says he will form a very similar group. 
I know this because of his crowing on twitter that he is “…the only candidate w/ a plan to modernization [sic] State Govt.” These declarations of his seem to occur at surprisingly regular intervals — but that’s what Twitter is for, I guess.
Scott says: “On the first day I am Governor, I will sign an executive order creating the Government Modernization & Efficiency Team (GMET).” And I can’t begin to guess why on day one. You know, god save-our-souls and have mercy on the state of Vermont if he doesn’t get to this on his FIRST freakin’ DAY, should he become governor! I wonder: is Phil liable to forget to do this if he waits a day or two?
Anyway, Scott’s proposed GME Team will be overseen by Vermont’s Chief Information Officer. According to the campaign website, the team’s areas of interest include: increasing operational efficiency, accounting improvements for IT projects, consolidating and streamlining and/or automate services (layoffs?) to name a few.
But like the Douglas Tiger Teams of yore, Phil’s GME Team may prove a handy cover for a little Republican budget slash n’ burn “In addition to the limits we would impose on budget growth, our goal will be to reduce the current operational cost of every agency and department by one cent for every dollar currently spent, in my first year in office. This could generate as much as $55 million in savings.”
One of the Douglas’ Tiger Team so called “savings,” highlighted in his 2010 budget address, was a proposal to cap certain types of ER visits funded through Medicaid. This Medicaid “savings” (along with earlier proposed cuts to mental healthcare providers’ salaries) were heavily criticized because advocates said it would have made it harder for Vermonters in need to get proper health care.
Scott’s GME Team proposal gives little hint at any specific cuts, but it sure looks like his version of the Tiger Team will be wearing the same stripes as ones from the Douglas era.
Great graphic, BP!
What is it with Republicans and the magical Day One?
Should, heaven forbid, either Phil or Donald even get a first day, we must remember to do a little accounting on what they actual do with that day.
My guess is they’d spend most of the day rearranging the furniture, choosing stationary and dictating preferences to the menials. All of a sudden its 3:30 and…where did the time go?
And also too…
I hope as promised Scott finds time to put a blind trust in place for his Dubois Construction business. Maybe”On day one” or before. That issue has gotten shunted aside …for now.
Food for thought: You might want to prepare yourself, as people are sick to death of the In Crowd. While Scott may not be my natural cup of tea, he will likely get my (life-long dem’s) vote this year and may well be elected our next governor.
Vermonters outside of the dominant bubble are sick to death of being played by the beautiful people (cough) who have no understanding of our lives, nor an appreciation of the land that has supported the generations preceding us. Environmentalism can be found today with those Vermonters whose lives and livelihoods connect with and care for the land and who will not willingly sacrifice that land to appease your corporate false gods of Iberdrola or Blittersdorf.
Vermont is being sold as fast as it can be accomplished to corporate interests via the misguided efforts of today’s self-congratulating “environmentalists.” Climate change hangs over us but climate change is a symptom, and Vermont’s so-called enviros are treating the symptom while the cause (industrial civilization) goes unchecked. You pontificate about your latest perceived villain but not about the industrial civilization which is swallowing us. Overconsumption, greed and overpopulation go unchecked while you mock anyone who is not part of your in crowd. It reminds me of high school.
And why do you think that Phil Scott is a choice that better reflects your values?
The guy is endorsed by the Used Car Dealers’ Association (whatever its called) and drives race cars ’round and ’round a track! He’s betrothed to the problem rather than any genuine attempt to find a solution.
I have a terrible fear that in pursuit of the perfect, we may well find ourselves losing any incremental good that has already been gained.
Car racing is not likely your choice (or mine) for sports or entertainment, but it is loved by many Vermonters, young and old. And it’s local and affordable. You might want to check out this video if you can find it at your local library…to better understand your fellow Vermonters. Have your read Howard Frank Mosher’s novels or watched Jay Craven’s movies? Their characters still live in Vermont but appear to be invisible to many who want to remake Vermont to their liking.
High Water – http://kingdomcounty.org/product/high-water-vhs/
Would you be equally dismissive here of a candidate who enjoyed world travel? Which pastime is more environmentally destructive?
The Vermont that we all see as iconic is slipping through our fingers as big money and and wrongly-posed expediencies take root. Renewables have been rolled out in a back-asswards manner, and that wedge festers as the beautiful people trot around knowing it all.
On the Food for thought bit-
All prepared. It had occurred to me long before that Scott could be our next Governor. But thanks for your thoughtful heads-up.
I don’t see that any of the issues, you feel strongly about (other than wind power) will improve much with Scott as governor for a few terms. Perhaps Republican Scott will surprise us all (like Nixon going to China) and tackle unchecked industrial growth,climate change, over consumption and greed – we’ll maybe find out.
It is the prevailing dominant culture in Montpelier that has turned me off and turned me toward the right. Without a significant loyal opposition, the D’s have felt no check on the direction they’ve taken, and the result has been unfortunate. In the past, Vermont has had both Rs and Ds that cared for the land and the roots people who live on/with it…and working together had good results. Today’s D’s refuse to play with the R’s who remain, and instead run the table, cheering each other on as they trash those Vermont people and places that seem to be all but invisible to them.
I expect others feel as I do and will vote (in some areas yes, it would be against their own interest) to bring in voices who would better represent the many who have become alienated in the past decade. The trajectory we have been on insults our traditions of caring for the land and each other, in favor of being the first to (do whatever) and be admired as oh-so-clever – as special interests line their pockets. The In Crowd is so full of itself that it may not even look in the rear mirror to see who lies there, flattened. They need to get outside their cozy circle and listen (at length…as it has been a while) to Vermonters with differing perspectives. Peter Miller is putting together some of these Vermonters’ stories. They will speak for the Vermont that represents me.
So,Scott’s your candidate?
“The In Crowd is so full of itself that it may not even look in the rear mirror to see who lies there, flattened. They need to get outside their cozy circle and listen (at length…as it has been a while)”
And you think that Scott and the republicans are going to listen to anyone but themselves and the one percent, who write the big checks for them? Do you really think that Scott, who is an insider himself, is really going to do anything for the outsiders except cut their services while giving the breaks to 1% and his blind trust at dubois construction. Scott may be a great guy at the race track or to chug a brew with, but he is all Republican underneath, which means Koch brothers and ALEC.
While I also agree that the D leadership has got somewhat cocky with itself, yet they have done some nice things for us. One, for example, is the raised minimum wage, one of the “best anti-poverty programs around,” to quote Peter Galbraith. Another is paid sick days for all Vermont full-time workers, instead of those at the top. Scott was against all of these. If you vote Scott in, you’re going to have many years of this. Think about it.
Where have ya been. Sorry, we have a Dem running for POTUS who has spent alot of time between the sheets with Wall St. and who along with hubby Bill & daughter Chelsea run a “charity” whilst running the roullette table as Secretary of State, receiving tens of millions from foreign governments with Saudi Arabia the top contributer. Which is why she had to have the home server to destroy the evidence.
Just had a Dem governor along with one-party Dem rule under whose watch served as protectorate for himself and the wealthy 1% friends, allowed wealthy developers & corporations to make a killing in VT on the backs of We The Little People, and allowed hospitals & insurance providers along with their CEOs & IT tech firms to raid us for millions more.
And under whose oversight allowed DPS & PSB to fix the rules in favor of these same wealthy developers & utility owners which has caused all Vermonters to pay more for commodities & necessary expenses including exorbitant pay bonuses for the same bunch. The ones hardest hit are working poor & spanning entire middle class of workers — stubborn things, those facts.
Surely any doctrinaire Dem loyalist is able to recite a bit more than tiresome robo-repitition of Dems = good Republicans = bad. When one party screws up as spectacularly as the left on state & national scene, they’re generally voted out regardless of card-carrying credentials or lofty ideals which pale in comparison to the reality being faced by the voters. And personally see plenty of evidence they’re equally bad rather than equally good.
Funny thing, conspicuously absent is state and local establishment Dems running for the top job doing “better-off-than-you-were” sloganeering. Accomplishments are hardly worth mentioning, like the Weimer claiming ‘we now have a corner on the wheelbarrow market, a state-of-the-art printing press plus brand new papermill — weak sauce.
Also absent or nearly so is Obama, Biden & Shummy on campaign trail, in spite of HRC declining health. Latest episode typical HRC antics which have become sheer, now doing her own stunts, personally believe another weapon of mass distraction & manufactured sideshow.
But if not seriously ill & unfit for the grueling rigors of top job — now beginning to paint self in a corner with own lies, and even lying about the lies. Running out of places & reasons to run & hide following every off-script disaster, which appears to be teetering on edge of becoming a trainwreck & debatable whether it already has.
Not a fan of either party, unfortunately one of them has to be voted for. Third corrupt Clinton term not an option for many, and frightening to see the glaring flaws overlooked. Minter is an establishment Shummy-mentored surrogate, the Clintons are also the establishment choice, third term for Bill or Obama — take your pick. Predicting a Dem mass-exodus in VT & US.
Had intended to go with Johnson-Weld, but Johnson caved to the vaccine lobby & had own clueless “what’s-an-Aleppo” moment with Weld defending it by claiming he “didn’t understand the context” laughable & doesn’t pass straight-face test. Election consists of historically bad choices — so damaged none of them can be polished-up. Double-facepalm!