I shook the hand of someone back in February of this year before I knew who she wa, at a coffee hour. Many of you will poopoo what I'm about to say. But here goes. My experience in that moment of the handshake was of a noticeable but subtle push of bad energy up my arm. Almost like I touched a live wire, without the pain. A jangling. She didn't crush my hand or grab it forcefully. But I felt my spirit respond with repulsion.
And then I heard her name. And understood with a fundamental and intrinsic certitude that this was an evil person.
That has no bearing for most of you. For me it was profoundly disturbing.l
They both dangerous legislators. Sibilia jumping into the news weeks back was supposed to fake out the uninformed. The current Speaker seems only to control and direct the House where the most Liberal legislators want to go. Sbilia is the same or could be worse. Rob's recollections are correct.
One might surmise that Democrats may be unenthused about electing either Sibilia or Krowinski as Speaker due to the terrible drubbing that resulted from their leadership over the past 4 years. On the other hand, they may look favorably at a well-respected Republican whose integrity, intelligence and committment to the job is without peer in the house - Anne Donahue. There is precedent for such an outcome.
Tim O'Connor, a Democrat, served 3 terms as speaker under a Republican majority house, winning a majority of the votes or having no opposition each time. He was respected by his peers.
1979 Jim Douglas - 62, Tim O’Connor - 84, Norris Hoyt -1, Bob Kinsey - 1
I hope that Republicans take your advice. But I suspect they will offer only weaker versions of the same progressive ideas. There is nothing bold about the current Republican Party in Vermont. Weak weak weak.
I shook the hand of someone back in February of this year before I knew who she wa, at a coffee hour. Many of you will poopoo what I'm about to say. But here goes. My experience in that moment of the handshake was of a noticeable but subtle push of bad energy up my arm. Almost like I touched a live wire, without the pain. A jangling. She didn't crush my hand or grab it forcefully. But I felt my spirit respond with repulsion.
And then I heard her name. And understood with a fundamental and intrinsic certitude that this was an evil person.
That has no bearing for most of you. For me it was profoundly disturbing.l
They both dangerous legislators. Sibilia jumping into the news weeks back was supposed to fake out the uninformed. The current Speaker seems only to control and direct the House where the most Liberal legislators want to go. Sbilia is the same or could be worse. Rob's recollections are correct.
One might surmise that Democrats may be unenthused about electing either Sibilia or Krowinski as Speaker due to the terrible drubbing that resulted from their leadership over the past 4 years. On the other hand, they may look favorably at a well-respected Republican whose integrity, intelligence and committment to the job is without peer in the house - Anne Donahue. There is precedent for such an outcome.
Tim O'Connor, a Democrat, served 3 terms as speaker under a Republican majority house, winning a majority of the votes or having no opposition each time. He was respected by his peers.
1979 Jim Douglas - 62, Tim O’Connor - 84, Norris Hoyt -1, Bob Kinsey - 1
1977 Tim O’Connor No opposition
1975 Tim O’Connor - 77, Emery Hebard - 63, Oren Beattie - 10
1973 Walter Kennedy No opposition
1971 Walter Kennedy - 84, Tim O’Connor - 42, Frank Bunting - 20
There was more balance but some big swings during this period:
Biennium D R I
1979-80 68 81 1
1977-78 75 74 1
1975-76 70 78 2
1973-74 58 91 1
1971-72 52 98 none
Current 87 56 P4
I hope that Republicans take your advice. But I suspect they will offer only weaker versions of the same progressive ideas. There is nothing bold about the current Republican Party in Vermont. Weak weak weak.