11 Comments
Sep 27Liked by Robert Roper

The central problem here is that the legislature tried too hard to conceal their desire for a centralized command and control system that captured the oil market in the state. If they came right out and established a tax and a price control board they would have come to the result they desired but it would have been too transparently communist.

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I think that what everyone is sidestepping around is the obvious question of how did these Legislators come up with this convoluted, overcomplicated, and unsustainable idea to begin with? My understanding is that some of the Legislators who originally "worked on" this, left office and the state after it was passed in 2020. That may be an unfounded rumor. But the remaining "champions" are completely clueless to the working details nor could they defend it with any meaningful intelligence at a recent caucus they held on Monday, the 25th of September at the library in Brattleboro.

So what is the answer? The most obvious one is that they had nothing to do with its creation and therefore someone not in the legislature or many someones did. Like a large organization dedicated to an idealogy that is antithetical to our American history and philosophy, indeed our founding and fundamental documents. In other words, we've been hacked. And being held for ransom.

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author

Oh for sure! This thing was cooked up by RIchard Cowart, Jared Duval of Energy Action Network, VPIRG, with a lot of input from the big electric special interests that are going to benefit mightily if this thing passes. The rank and file Democrats are by and large dumb as boxes of rocks. They read their talking points and vote the way the sign on the majority leader's desk tells them to vote. I'd be shocked if any of them who are not on the committees of jurisdiction ever read the bill that's supposed to "fundamentally transform our economy", and one or two on those committees probably haven't either.

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And their attempt to parse the language, as progs are wont to do, trying to find a disingenuous substitute for the simple word "fee" would be perfect material for Monty Python; but this isn't a laughing matter.

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author

PS. Is there any record of that Sept 25 meeting? Did anyone film it or take notes?

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No but I can give you the name of several Republicans who attended. You are in contact with her. I will tell her to reach out.

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founding

This is probably an oversimplification but when we try to use the government to manage a market can't we expect this kind of curf--kle? Government managed / heavily regulated businesses have given us repeated disappointments...the public school system, healthcare, the housing/real-estate markets. Our casual acceptance of such intrusive legislative action has now given us this "...Clean Heat,,,solution". to our "climate emergency". We're not convinced...we don't approve. Shouldn't legislation arise from consensus among those represented rather than the enlightened moral agendas of government officials? Why do we elect such people?

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We don't elect them. They are elected by weak minded, self absorbed, easily frightened, pseudo intellectuals.

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founding

Wayward as they my be, they are our voting neighbors...we've got some missionary work ahead of us.

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I try, almost every day to have conversations, in person and online. Like RFK Jr. said, they need deprogramming which takes months of one on one conversation and therapy. It's utterly exhausting and soul stealing to attempt adult conversation with them. It's far more like speaking to a 9 year old. They know enough to push your buttons, evade logic and responsibility but have very little self awareness and those are the good ones. My take on it is, I have done my duty, and now I have more important things to attend to. I will always sit down and have a legitimate conversation with someone who is open minded and genuine. They don't have to agree with me nor get upset if I don't agree with them. But otherwise, I got things to do.

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founding

Agreed. Patient (seething) tolerance,,...cultivating our inner resister/objector ...keeping our metaphorical pistol holstered. Engagement is frequently like talking theology with a Jehovah Witness.

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