Vermonter.com

I remember renting a home in South Burlington back in 1987 for $650 per month. That was pretty steep back then even though I was earning $9 per hour (which was a decent wage in 1987). Anyway, I eventually ended up taking a 10 year job with UPS for a $11 per hour as a starting driver. Back then, loading trucks was $9 per hour. Fairly good wages especially for the Northeast Kingdom where a really nice house could be purchased for $50,000 or so.

Fast forward to 2007. I believe UPS (and FedEx) are still paying $9 per hour (in Chittenden County) for loading trucks. I recently noticed a morning maintenance job at a local McDonalds for $10 per hour. A scan through a job website for high-tech jobs brought up a computer support position in Williston for a whopping $11 to $15 per hour. Meanwhile, the prices for a single family home have tripled or even quadrupled since 1987. Utilities have also at least tripled and gas prices, well ’nuff said.

So how does anyone make a living in Vermont these days? It just doesn’t make sense. Wages are at 1987 levels or slightly above while everything else is in the stratosphere. I noticed in the Free Press that crime is up in Vermont, particularly drug related crimes. Nice.

In 1997, the Sunday edition of the Burlington Free Press used to be loaded with good paying tech jobs. Companies like IBM were so busy that recruitment firms (or headhunters) used to do all the hiring for the positions. Now, it seems those jobs are mostly outsourced overseas. Now, the Sunday paper is full of service jobs at local hotels, banks and other low paying companies. Not much left for manufacturing jobs either and the temporary IBM jobs at $10.50 per hour are more insulting than inviting.

Vermont is becoming a very difficult and unaffordable place to live for middle class families. I can remember hearing years ago that someday, Vermont would become a playground for the rich. One look at Stowe, Woodstock, Manchester and now most of Chittenden County certainly confirms that. Worse yet, places like the Northeast Kingdom with annually high unemployment are also becoming unaffordable for native Vermonters.

Pretty sad really and it looks like it’s only going to get worse instead of better.

Every night we hear about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan on the news. Probably so much so that no one is paying attention anymore. Sort of like those car alarms that no one pays any attention to anymore. However, I’m sure that soldier’s families are paying attention. It’s too bad that many of us are not. Recently, on WCAX, there was a story about how interest has waned for involvement in the “Adopt A Soldier” program.

America seems to be more preoccupied with the plight of celebrity pop-tarts such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and who wins American Idol. Pretty sad, when almost every day, average Americans are being injured and killed overseas. The issue isn’t whether you are for or against the war. Are you for or against our American soldiers? If you aren’t for their best interests maybe you should move to another country and complain there. Good luck!

After 9/11, America was all fired up for a year or so. Now, that all seems to be a distant memory as most people seem to have forgotten. We have people who are in this country illegally who should not be here. We have dangerous people in the USA plotting to kill Americans. What the hell? When will someone wake up to reality? We have a government and media that hides photos and videos of atrocities afflicted upon our American soldiers. Yet, there are always plenty of gory scenes of damages inflicted to the enemy. Fair and balanced? I think not!

Soldiers coming back from the war with serious injuries are having problems getting medical care and their families are facing other problems that should not be so. Meanwhile, Paris Hilton commits a crime, spends time in jail and it’s a national issue. Is it for this that brave Americans are defending our country? A bigger shame is that there are things that can be done to help our soldiers but our armed forces are mired in outdated technology for our our troops on the ground. Many in the public sector are very active protesting and voicing opinions but not willing to do something constructive to at least help protect our soldiers.

American Agility is a project that is trying to make a difference, but needs your support. If you’re concerned enough about our guys & gals safety overseas, take a moment and visit http://www.americanagility.com and find out how you can help. If you can’t be bothered, go back to your family picnic and forget about it. Maybe your interest level will move up a notch after it’s too late. When terrorists infiltrate a complacent USA and blow up the car or bus that takes you to work in the morning.

From the Bill O’Reilly website:Talking Points Memo & Top Story
The Truth About Vermont
Guest: Joe McQuaid, Publisher of the Manchester Union Leader

“Vermont is one of ten states that have rejected Jessica’s Law, which imposes harsh prison terms on child predators. The law was beaten down by state representative Bill Lippert, who instead drove a law through that imposes just five years for child rapists. But Bill Lippert is tough on one group - those who would discriminate against transgendered people. Lippert championed a bill that prohibits any bad behavior toward those who change their sex. Talking Points supports that legislation, but it’s not nearly as important as Jessica’s Law. Lippert turned us down for an interview, but Factor producer Jesse Watters went to Vermont and confronted Bill Lippert, who said this: ‘You people don’t even begin to know what the truth is … we have the strongest law in the country against sexual predators.’ That’s simply a lie. Bill Lippert is lying, and child predator statutes in most states will prove that. The moral of the story is that many Vermonters have no idea how they lost their state, which used to be traditional. But lost it they have.”

The Factor was joined by Joe McQuaid, publisher of New Hampshire’s most influential newspaper. He analyzed the stark difference between his state and neighboring Vermont. “Our transplants came to New Hampshire to flee higher taxes, most from Massachusetts. The people in Vermont came from New York, and they like having this little green state without a lot of people, a place they can control. Vermont is the most liberal state in the union - when people try to give a speech on the conservative side in Vermont, they get shouted down.” The Factor complained that Vermont is a one-party state. “There are no conservative papers or conservative anything in Vermont. This guy Lippert torpedoed Jessica’s Law, and if Vermonters don’t vote him out it’s a total surrender.”

The interview in Montpelier and the aftermath:
JESSE WATTERS, FOX NEWS PRODUCER: Why did you pass that transgender identity bill and kill Jessica’s law?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is this?

BILL LIPPERT, (D), VT STATE REP.: We don’t know what you are talking about.

WATTERS: The transgender identity bill you guys just passed. Seems like the priorities are a little strange.

LIPPERT: I passed an anti-discrimination bill to protect transgender people in Vermont. And I’m proud of that. What’s your problem?

WATTERS: What about Jessica’s law?

LIPPERT: Who are you with?

WATTERS: I’m with “The O’Reilly Factor” with FOX News.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go home!

WATTERS: What about 25 mandatory minimum for child rape.

LIPPERT: We have the strongest laws in the country against sexual predators.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are out of here!

WATTERS: Mr. Lippert, are you OK with a guy getting probation for sexually assaulting a four-year-old?

O’REILLY: He obviously, Lippert, don’t have the strongest laws. They’re very weak laws regarding child predators. Now, that confrontation happened last weekend. We played the whole thing on Monday. Today the Rutland Herald newspaper, a corrupt enterprise, ran a column that said, quote, “So why would FOX News ambush Bill Lippert, one of the most respected members of the legislature? The answer is as simple as it is unsettling. Lippert is gay. Bigots like Bill O’Reilly have the right to free speech but Vermonters also have the right and responsibility to stand up to intolerance. Go home, indeed, Mr. O’Reilly. Hate has no place in Vermont.”

Well if hate has no place in Vermont then the Rutland Herald has to shut down right now. “The Factor” never mentioned Bill Lippert’s private life in any way. It was never an issue.

So what the Rutland Herald did was change the subject from the failure to pass Jessica’s law, designed to protect children, to accusing me of homophobia. Doesn’t get more hateful and dishonest than that.

Now the Rutland Herald needs to be held accountable for that. So I’m going to give you some information and I hope hundreds of thousands of Americans will contact this newspaper. This is a culture war issue.

The editor of the Rutland Herald is Randall Smathers. His phone number is 802-747, like the plane, 6121. 802-747-6121, ext 2279.

Now if you can’t write it down we have it on our Web site. If you do call Mr. Smathers please be polite. If you are not polite, if you curse, if you harangue, you will hurt the children. Remember, this is about protecting the kids. This is about Jessica’s law.

The e-mail for the Rutland Herald is letters@rutlandherald.com. Now the reason I’m asking you for help in this situation is that the Rutland Herald is a corrupt, dishonest enterprise. It’s enabling bad politicians like Bill Lippert to do what they do. This is a Vermont issue but it’s also an American issue and the folks need to fight back against this kind of corruption.

So you make the call, pardon the pun. If you feel the way I do, that the Rutland Herald is despicable, let them know. It’s a small thing in the culture war but it’s important.

“Since when is it legal to do a damn illegal thing?” Dr. McCoy, Star Trek

Governor Douglas is taking the heat recently because his relatives are using undocumented immigrant workers on their farm. He side stepped this one rather conveniently by placing the responsibility at the national level.
Nut case Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss wants to make Burlington a safe haven for illegal immigrants, yet supports gun control. So in his mind, it appears ok to open the doors of Vermont to criminals while taking away guns from law abiding Vermont hunters and sportsmen. No wonder Bill O’Reilly and the rest of the USA consider Vermont a laughing stock and potpourri of weirdos and oddballs.

Ok, so back to illegal immigrants. Notice the word “illegal”. That’s right, “illegal. When we drive to fast on the interstate or run a stop sign, we have to pay a fine because we broke a law and guess what? That’s “illegal”. Somebody robs a bank or mini-mart. Well, that’s illegal too. So is cheating on your income tax and a plethora of other things. If we can allow immigrants to run around our country illegally, why can’t we just ignore all of the other laws too? I mean, fair is fair, right?

Illegal immigrants are also a slap in the face to people who have immigrated here legally. To become a citizen of the USA and work here, legal immigrants must pass a number of requirements and literally pay their dues, which can be a costly affair. When you stop and think about it, people who are here illegally are often taken advantage of by the criminals who employ them. That’s right, the people who employ them are criminals too and should be fined heavily. Asian restaurants traditionally hire a number of illegal immigrants who work “under the table” for cash. On many occasions, they are cheated out of their tips and taken advantage of in other ways, as the business owner knows there is no one they can complain too.
As a matter of fact, in many countries such as Thailand, if you overstay your visa by just a day or two, you are subject to a hefty fine and/or imprisonment. I spoke with someone from England who was unlucky enough to overstay his visa by just one day. He was brought to prison for the day and put in a crowded cell where they had to take turns standing up and sitting down, until his paperwork was in order and his fine was paid.
God forbid that you get caught working without a visa and a work permit. A Thai prison is a place no one wants to experience.

In the days after 9/11, everyone thought that the US borders would be tightened up and people who weren’t here legally would be thrown out. Unfortunately, that has not happened and it seems to be getting worse instead of better. I personally know several illegal immigrants who have been living and working here for years. They are good people but they are criminals. Just like the guy with good intentions who must rob a bank to pay for his wife’s cancer treatment. Yes, we feel sorry for them but they still have to pay a penalty for breaking the law. As the saying goes, “there is a right way and a wrong way to do something”.
Oddly enough, we’re involved in a war to help another country and telling other people how to live. Isn’t it about time that we all take a good, hard look at the USA and cleaned up our own problems first?

You can’t turn on your TV set in Vermont these days without seeing the ever present Rich Tarrant ads constantly in your face. Although I’m not a Bernie Sanders supporter, I’ve got to give him credit for not interrupting my daily dose of the “King of Queens”. I realize that all this goes along with the territory of running for government but don’t some people (like Tarrant) know when enough is enough?

First it was his unwelcome telemarketing campaign which prompted me to call his headquarters and mention that I was on the “no-call” list. To which is was told by his people in a somewhat stuffy manner, “we’re exempt from that”. Well, Richy you may be exempt but you just lost my vote! They seemed amazed that they had just lost my vote “because of a few phone calls”. Well, Mr. Money Bags, you may get away with interrupting my TV viewing but intruding upon my dinner is unforgivable.

I really get a kick out of the Tarrant signs. They’re everywhere, like dandelions in a field where manure has just been spread. What really takes the cake are the BIG signs. I guess those are for the vision impaired. Anyway, for those of us who can see clearly, it’s just another symbol of what big money can buy. Has it really come down to “he who has the most money and gets his face seen, wins”? Fred Tuttle is sorely missed these days. Mark Shepard is also shouting “hey, look at me” but he’s being pushed aside in favor of those with bigger pockets and thus bigger visibility.

As for Louie the Cowman…we know where he is and I’d vote for him before I’d waste my time on Rich Tarrant.

Press release:

The Northeast Kingdom—a home-grown country boy by the name of George Aiken coined the phrase in 1949 delineating the rural tri-county region of Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia counties. Born in the hills of southern Vermont in 1892, Aiken worked the soil with his hands growing crops and building a lucrative horticultural business. In time, though, because of his independence, his willingness to study issues, and his ability to see people beyond their titles, the Vermont farmer rose to become the governor of Vermont before transforming himself into one of this country’s most influential United States Senators.

Although a proud member of the Republican Party, he was an independent thinker with a dry Vermont humor that helped him to cut through the political rhetoric. Many politicians form their alliances, and base their votes, along party lines, but Aiken did neither. Aiken built alliances across party lines, and cared little about the party of the bill’s sponsor. Instead he focused on the bill and what it would mean to his constituents, now and in the future. He asked tough questions of both parties. Occasionally some of his fellow Republicans bristled at their colleague’s thoughts and votes, but the congenial, yet plain and straight to the point words of this Vermonter made him a man of few, if any, true enemies.

With these reflections about a man that I never met, yet admire to this day, I announce that I’m running for the Vermont House of Representatives in Orleans 1 (Derby, Charleston, Morgan, and Holland). I am running as a Republican, not just any Republican, but what I call a “George Aiken Republican.” Without a doubt, I’ll be turning to Lola Aiken, Mr. Aiken’s widow, a woman that I am proud to know, for guidance during my pursuit so I can attempt to run an election in the good natured spirit of Senator Aiken.

A 1984 graduate of North Country Union High School, and a graduate of Johnson State College, I am no stranger to the area or the people. My ancestry is firmly rooted in Northeast Kingdom soil. My home in Derby is located a few miles up the road from where my great-great-great-grandparents are buried. Married for more than 20 years to my wife, Penny (Curtis) Wheeler, we are the parents of three children. Curtis and Nicholas attend the University of Southern Maine, while Emily is a freshman at North Country Union High School. Penny and I are employed by North Country Hospital. I work in the Community Relations Department and Penny works in the Pharmacy.

History is a big part of my life. As the publisher of Vermont’s Northland Journal, a publication dedicated to sharing and preserving the history of the Northeast Kingdom, I provide the region’s more seasoned residents with a forum to share their memories. I am also the author of the book Rumrunners and Revenuers: Prohibition in Vermont.

Working with the area’s seniors in my writing has had a mellowing effect on me, forcing me to take a more focused look at life and at what is truly important. Seniors have taught me that the more things in life change, the more they really stay the same, that anger and worry are seldom productive, that laughter and every thing in moderation are keys to a happy life, and that hate only torments the hater. One man I interviewed a few years ago had great insight into the world of hate. A prisoner of war for six years in horrific conditions, he lost many of his friends and comrades to starvation and disease. I asked him if he hated his captors for the suffering they inflicted upon him. I’ll never forget his words.

“No, if I hate, they will have won. Hate is useless.” He credited a long, healthy life with his willingness not to hate people that he could have easily justified hating. If he can avoid hating his captors, I should surely at least try not to hate those who offend me during my daily walk through life.

I agree with Aiken’s premise that to represent the people takes a willingness to listen, and to get along with people, even people on the other side of the political fence or people you might not agree with. This means sometimes trying to find common ground on difficult issues without abandoning personal values. There are other times, though, when one must dig in his or her heels and refuse to budge, especially when lives and liberty are at stake.

While some candidates and politicians might promise you the world, and insist that they have all the answers, I am not one of them. I won’t look you in the face and say one thing, then when you turn your back, say another. If I don’t have the answer for a question, I won’t make up one; instead, I’ll try to find the answer.

I’m not George Aiken, but like the late senator, I am a good, conscientious, home-grown country boy, and a Vermonter without a personal agenda who wants to work for the common good of the region and its people.

I welcome people to contact me at (802) 334-5920 or swheeler@together.net.

The state’s primaries are on September 4 with general elections on November 7.