Five people murdered in Burlington? I was stunned, as I bet a lot of other Vermonters were when they first heard this. I said no, not Burlington, Vt., but then I found out Burlington, Wash., clear across the country. It was a relief, but proof positive that gun mayhem could and does happen anywhere in the country at any time of day, in a mall, schoolyard, almost on a daily basis.
And in Vermont, it’s so easy to buy guns online, in a parking lot, just about anywhere, without any kind of check. That is why we need universal background check legislation passed in the next legislative session here in Vermont. Some Vermonters are not aware we are considered to be a state with some of the weakest and least effective gun laws in the nation.
Sue Minter, the Democratic candidate for governor, has stated she would sign into law universal background check legislation, if passed by the Vermont legislature, and Phil Scott has stated he thinks things are fine with the laws we have now. In a debate in Rutland, Scott stated, “I don’t think we have any problem in Vermont.” But 89 percent of Vermonters disagree with him. In a Castleton State poll, Vermonters overwhelmingly support universal background check legislation. Sue Minter in that same debate stated: “I support the Second Amendment and Vermonters’ rights to own guns, and what I also support are ways to make sure guns are not getting into the wrong hands. We have a national epidemic of gun violence and Vermont is not immune.” Minter is correct on rational gun legislation for Vermont.
Paul Regan South Woodstock
I am a longtime Democratic activist who served for over 20 years as chairman of the Strafford Town Democratic Committee, and I am supporting Phil Scott for governor. While I have been pleased with the expansion of individual rights spearheaded by Democrats in recent years regarding same-sex marriage and death with dignity legislation, I have become increasingly distressed with the shift towards centralized decision making which ignores the strength and value of our local communities. Three examples of well-intentioned but fatally flawed and poorly implemented policies are Vermont Health Connect, Act 46 and energy legislation.
Vermont Health Connect is a continuing disaster, a prime example of incompetence and unwillingness to recognize and address a mistaken policy.
Act 46 is a one-size-fits-all approach to governance which both in its structure and rigid implementation is causing unneeded strife and divisions in many towns. It will not save money and ultimately will weaken the educational experience of many children as well as the fabric of communities where its provisions are simply not practicable.
Energy legislation which exempted large commercial projects from the careful review process of Act 250 and provided lucrative incentives for industrial-sized wind and solar projects has led to the type of thoughtless development so many in both parties have worked years to prevent.
It would be wise to use the next two years to reflect on what has been wrought during the Shumlin administration and make needed adjustment to ensure the Vermont quality of life we all cherish. Phil Scott, in the opinion of this Democrat, is the right person at the right time. He is a fair and even-tempered individual who has won the respect from both sides of the aisle for the way he has presided over the Vermont Senate. While a Legislature controlled by Democrats will continue, having Phil Scott as governor will require any new legislation to be far more thoughtfully considered. His leadership should also temper the shift of more power and control by the state government and help strengthen a healthier relationship between our local communities and Montpelier.
John Freitag South Strafford
Remember that big guy in high school surrounded by loud friends? He needs to borrow $10. He says he will pay you back next week after he gets his allowance.
You loan him the ten bucks. Feel pleased to have been asked.
Next week, you can’t find him.
Week after, “Huh,” he says “Sorry, little man.”
Week after that he says, “Dad cut me short.”
Week after that, “Quit bugging me, kid. Here’s seven. Now beat it.” His loud friends laugh.
What were you going to do? Remember that feeling?
Multiply by hundreds of millions and you’ve got Donald “King of Debt” Trump.
John Galton Hartland
Disappointed by the choice of presidential candidates, a Forum writer recently said he is considering giving up his right to vote. In doing so, he would be disregarding the sacrifices made by his countrymen throughout the history of this country to protect that right.
Instead, I recommend that he give more time to study and evaluate the experiences each candidate would bring to the office to assess and respond to the complex and potentially precarious choices that must be made both internationally and nationally to protect and promote his well-being. Then, after the election, he could devote his efforts to addressing the forces corrupting our political choices and ally his efforts with those working to eliminate the corrupting influence of money on our political choices.
Deborah Metzger Hanover
Though the two-party system in America no longer works well for many reasons, now is not the time to challenge it with a protest vote, or worse, by not voting.
Independent Bernie Sanders acknowledged this by running in the Democratic primary. He is urging independent voters to choose Hillary Clinton on Nov. 8. Elizabeth Warren is also “with her.”
The Republicans who opposed Donald Trump considered forming a new party. They realized that dividing the voters would make it hard for a Republican to win and have thrown their support behind Trump.
We are not voting in a popularity contest! We have the responsibility to steer this country by voting for a president with experience to govern, to build teams, to guide and serve us as a nation. Hillary Clinton has her faults, but a vote for her will bring us closer to a place where we can make needed changes. A progressive vote divided between Democrats and independents will place a self-serving Donald Trump in the White House.
While perhaps not my first choice, Hillary Clinton is the only choice to make sure that this country moves forward for our children and their children without the corrosive hate, anger and fear being incited by her opponent.
Then, beginning on Nov. 9, we can ramp up the effort and work to make the changes that might move us closer to a multiparty or consensus model of government so we do not repeat this ugly campaign season.
Please think about the big picture when you enter the voting booth.
Liza Bernard South Pomfret