Editor’s note: This commentary is by Scott Campbell, of St. Johnsbury, who is director of 3E Thermal, a statewide program providing comprehensive support and incentives for energy efficiency retrofits to Vermont’s affordable apartment housing. He narrowly lost a bid for state representative from St. Johnsbury in 2016.
[I]t’s impossible not to react to a recent commentary by Jeff Bartley, executive director of the Vermont Republican Party (“It’s Time to Change the Culture of Montpelier,” June 26).
Mr. Bartley launches his piece by accusing Speaker Mitzi Johnson of “bizarre moments of political posturing” for taking issue with Gov. Phil Scott’s last-minute proposal to change completely how teacher contracts are negotiated.
Regardless of the merits of the governor’s proposal, it’s a serious change that requires serious consideration. What’s bizarre is how the administration proposed it, and held a near-unanimous budget hostage.
What’s bizarre is how the Grand Old Party — historically a party promoting business, economic development and personal freedom — has become single-mindedly focused on spending cuts and tax cuts that benefit primarily the rich.
At the national level, the extreme right wing of the party has hijacked the government. Perhaps they truly believe that lower taxes stimulates economic growth and increases government revenues. But this irresponsible fantasy has been tried and failed repeatedly.
No one likes taxes. But the relentless pursuit of spending cuts hasn’t substantially lowered taxes for working people. What it has done is cut vital services.
Why can’t the richest nation on the planet afford to connect every home and business to high-speed internet? Why can’t we build and maintain our transportation network, including trains, bicycles and rural airports? Why can’t we educate our young people without burdening them with nearly life-long debt? Why can’t we provide health services to everyone?
Why are we — especially rural areas in Vermont and across the country — in the grips of an opioid crisis that will kill more people this year than the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq combined?
The opioid crisis will not be solved by spending cuts. Infrastructure will not be improved by spending cuts. People will not move here and attract more businesses because of spending cuts.
Why is there an unprecedented wealth gap in the land of equal rights, with the rich cruising in overdrive and everyone else stuck in neutral?
Sen. Jim Jeffords, when asked why he left the Republican Party, replied that he didn’t — the party left him. The national party has gone off the deep end, and it has taken even some New England Republicans with it.
It’s enraging, frankly, to hear them claim to defend the interests of “common people” when their policies gut the resources necessary to serve them.
The opioid crisis will not be solved by spending cuts. Infrastructure will not be improved by spending cuts. People will not move here and attract more businesses because of spending cuts.
Prosperity doesn’t come from spending cuts. It comes from wise investments.
The conversation in Montpelier, and in Washington, should be about how to prioritize and improve those investments, how to balance business promotion and economic development with social and environmental responsibility — not about how to provide token tax cuts to working people and windfalls to the rich.
This week’s Exhibit A: the Republican health care plan that would save the rich billions and throw millions of working people off insurance — including many of our neighbors struggling with addiction.
That’s what’s bizarre, Mr. Bartley.
