FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: August 31, 2010 Kate Duffy
kate@briandubie.com
(802) 735-8321
Citing Major Differences, Dubie Challenges Eventual Opponent to 12 Debates
Essex Junction, VT – While the recount of the primary vote gets underway, Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie said he is eager to debate the eventual Democratic nominee, challenging his opponent to a series of debates throughout the state.
“Whether my opponent ends up being Peter Shumlin or Doug Racine, our plans to address the economic challenges that face Vermont could not be more different,” Dubie said. “I look forward to letting Vermonters decide who they think best represents the interests of Vermont families, workers and job creators.”
Twelve debates over seven weeks, as well as several joint appearances, will make increasingly apparent to Vermonters the many differences between Lt. Gov. Dubie and either Peter Shumlin or Doug Racine.
“It does not matter who is chosen to be my opponent,” Dubie said. “They both want to raise taxes on Vermont families and both have a long history of voting against the interests of our state’s job creators. These debates will clearly show that their pro-tax, job-killing agendas are out of touch with the interests of Vermonters.”
Dubie vs. Shumlin:
Shumlin has a history of raising taxes on Vermont families: As Senate President Pro Tem, Peter Shumlin in 2009 led the charge to override the Governor’s veto of the state budget, increasing taxes on struggling Vermonters by $26 million, even after he said on multiple occasions that Vermonters have no more tax capacity. The $4.5 billion budget increased spending by 3% despite a huge decline in revenue. He later called his charge to raise millions of dollars in new taxes during a recession a “fluke” (WCAX, 8/18). “I stood with the Governor to adamantly oppose tax increases on families and workers,” Dubie said. “Calling a tax increase on hard-working Vermonters a ‘fluke’ is offensive. Maybe to a millionaire, a tax increase is no big deal, but to the average Vermonter who is already overtaxed, it could break the family budget. That just shows how out of touch he is.”
This year, when other lawmakers considered rolling back the tax increases, Sen. Shumlin opposed it, telling the Burlington Free Press the state couldn’t afford to lose the revenue (February 5, 2010). He even voted to increase taxes on manufacturers and farmers by blocking the pass-through of the domestic production tax deduction. As Governor, Dubie will cut taxes to create jobs and rebuild the economy. “I’m running for Governor to make Vermont more affordable,” Dubie said. “As Vermonters pay more and more in taxes, they have less money to devote to other priorities such as housing and utility costs, a college education for their kids, and saving for retirement.”
Shumlin has a history of voting against the interests of job creators: In a legislative scorecard released two weeks ago, Sen. Shumlin earned a 0% rating from the National Federation of Independent Business/Vermont, the “Voice of Small Business” in Vermont. “This means he voted against the interests of job creators not once or twice, but every chance he got,” Dubie said. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of Vermont’s economy. As Governor, I will do everything I can to support them. You cannot be pro-employee but anti-employer.”
Shumlin seeks dozens of new government-funded programs: Sen. Shumlin has proposed dozens of new publicly financed programs, including free child care, a government-run health care system; and a laptop computer for every 6th to 8th grade student. Even his primary opponent, Sen. Doug Racine, said it would be impossible to pay for all of these programs without raising taxes. “We are already facing a budget deficit of $112 million,” Dubie said. “It would require the biggest tax hike in state history, and Vermonters are already overtaxed. We need a Governor who understands the only way to sustainably support worthy state programs is to grow jobs and expand our tax base.”
Dubie vs. Racine
Racine seeks even higher taxes on overtaxed Vermonters: In 2009, Sen. Racine voted against $26 million in tax increases because the bill didn’t raise taxes enough.
Racine has a history of voting against the interests of job creators: In a legislative scorecard released two weeks ago, Racine earned a dismal 11% rating from the National Federation of Independent Business/Vermont, the “Voice of Small Business” in Vermont.
Racine will raid the state’s Rainy Day Fund to back government-funded programs: Racine said he would expand government-run services and raid the state’s “rainy day fund” to pay for them. He was on record opposing the bipartisan effort to find efficiencies in state government known as Challenges for Change. “Raiding the rainy day fund, especially during a recession, is simply irresponsible,” Dubie said. “Doug Racine would risk our strong bond rating and put Vermonters in the dangerous position of having no reserves rather pursue more efficient government.”
Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie has committed to the following debates, and invites the Democratic nominee to join him in discussing their differences in a public exchange of ideas. The twelve debates represent a range of issues important to voters. They will be held in diverse geographic locations, including Bennington, Chittenden, Franklin, Orange and Washington counties, to enable more people to attend debates in person. Eight of them will be hosted by broadcast media, which will allow the highest number of Vermonters to see or hear the exchange of ideas.
“Voters have been waiting patiently to compare the candidates while the Democrats determine their nominee,” Dubie said. “I propose the first debate be held as soon as possible – at 8:00 a.m. the day after the nominee is confirmed.”
Vermont’s top-rated morning radio program, the “Charlie, Ernie & Lisa Show” on WVMT Newstalk 620, has agreed to host the first debate and broadcast it live the day after the Democratic candidate is officially named.
Date TBD WVMT Newstalk 620, WVMT studio, Colchester
Sept. 15 Vermont Public Radio, VPR studio, Colchester
Sept. 17 WDEV Radio, Tunbridge Fair
Sept. 21 Franklin County Business & Prof. Women, St. Albans
Sept. 23 Manchester Journal/Bennington Banner, Bennington fire station
Sept. 26 AARP/VPT live broadcast, Sheraton Hotel, Burlington
Oct. 1 Renewable Energy VT, Montpelier
Oct. 3 Vermont Press Assn., St. Michael’s College
Oct. 5 Vt. Chamber of Commerce/NECN, Champlain Valley Expo
Oct. 7 Vermont Public Television, VPT studio, Colchester
Oct. 19 WPTZ-TV, Echo Center, Burlington
Oct. 23 WCAX-TV, Location TBD
We only have to look around to see the misery that Republican economics has caused, and Dubie thinks that shoveling the same old “cut taxes, cut regulation” nonsense will help despite the fact that taxes and regulation are, and have never been, the problem. But he knows that if you appear to promise people a few bucks right now, you’ll get their vote right now regardless of the long-term consequences. It’s amazing that he can still get traction with that tired old myth.
You have more choices. I offer you a complete solution to the recessions and the corporate ownership of , well YOU. Here is the last piece of writing I have sent out. I hope you see the value of my work, and do what you can to make my candicacy more visiable and viable.
I respond to the Opinion of James Douglas published on Sept. 1 : A responsible use of federal money. The $13 trillion dollars in debt is a misleading concept when money gets into circulation only as debt. Indicative of the scam that has been perpetrated on a public who has been taught and molded to think of money as a tangible item, money is only accounting. All of our money is fiat, backed only by faith. We live under an accounting system that benefits the banks . This includes creating money through an accounting entry as both a liability and an asset, and not creating the interest that is expected. Therefore, we are perpetually caught in a game of musical money chairs. Bolstered by a deliberate shift from Common Law to the Uniform Commercial Code, the banking industry at its most concentrated level has rewarded greed and harmed the natural ecosystem of our Earth. I will not get into the history of the Federal Reserve, the IRS, the corporate USA, the practices of corporate banking that have been hidden etc., instead I will merely describe what we must do before they take everything.
We must build a complete foundation that addresses the need to fund the way of life we want, and reduce the inequities that have developed over the past century as banking interests took over our future. I will describe 2 of the 4 corners of the foundation we need in this brief essay; I will begin by asking you this:
Where does money come from ? From the Banks of course. What happens when money used in Vermont comes from banks that are owned out-of state ? Our wealth is sent there in the form of interest and fees. What happens when the Banks are owned and operated by the people of Vermont ? The things that Vermonters want to see happen, will happen. Interest from the loans are returned to benefit everyone in Vermont. The interest rate is decided by people of Vermont. There is profit and it goes to Vermont.
What bank am I proposing? Not one, but two separate types of banks. A single Bank of Vermont and Common Good Banks for each community. The power of money is given directly to Vermonters through Common Good Banks in a more meaningful way than credit unions. Modeled after a successful Bank of North Dakota that has been in existence since 1919, the Bank of Vermont I propose is run by appointed, hired and elected people of this State. North Dakota , with pop 600,000, is the ONLY state to have job and income growth through this recession. North Dakota has protected itself from the recession because it created its own “mini-federal reserve”. We must create the same economic environment for Vermont. Simply, we should NOT be sending value to financiers who live glamorously elsewhere. We should not pressure major banks to lend to Vermont. The 4 billion Deb Markowitz describes in our treasury should be protected in our own State Bank, and we should make loans for the things we want to do here in Vermont; the interest returning for the benefit of our future.
We cannot move forward effectively to do the things we know we should do without concurrently reclaiming the monetary system so that it benefits the people. Today our daily efforts benefit pathologically greedy people who sit at the pinnacle of financial helms elsewhere as we repay loans to out-of-state owned banks, or act on bonds owned out-of-state. Let us focus on the methods we have at our disposal to make a system that benefits our people and our future.
Here in Vermont we care about the balance between Nature and human activity, good numbers of us take great joy, care and pride to honor nature in every way imaginable. This is the path of the future, where complexity is not always more interesting than simplicity.
I am running for Governor because I want to do these things before it is too late. I have not enough room here to describe very important supporting actions we must take to cope with the problems of minimum wage, entitlement, criminalization, and how to best care for our collective good health.
Emily Peyton
Independent for Governor
Website: Vermontforward.com
email: peytonincharge@yahoo.com
phone: 802 579-5524
PO Box 821 Putney VT 05346