Politics

[Barbara]

I am very disappointed to see that the attack style politics have been brought into our local election.  We are a small community that relies on the ability to know our candidates personally.  I don't believe ugly, negative mailings assist the process.  A postcard, paid for by the Vermont Republican State Committee, came in my mailbox today.  It acts like an expose on one of our current representatives so called failing record.  The "report card" is determined by whether the vote was in line with the stand of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.  This is a special interest group.  I think it is fine for them to decide for themselves how they would like votes to go, but to declare a vote a failure for the general public based on their displeasure is not a correct assumption.  Lets not waste our resources on spin style propaganda; misleading and incomplete information clouds the decision making process and doesn't bring clear answers to our many real problems. 

[Carolyn Branagan]

I want the voters in Franklin-1 to know that I had nothing to do with this post card. I do not participate in this kind of negative campaigning and those who sent it have made a mistake.

Earlier this afternoon I called Rob Roper, the Chair of the Republican Party in Vermont and told him directly not to use this  kind of technique in this district again. This kind of tactic does not belong in Fairfax/Georgia.


Rep. Carolyn Branagan
Franklin-1 Fairfax/Georgia
Vermont House of Representatives

[Henry]

Apparently Republican Party Members in Chittenden County were also as upset with the Flyer distributed there according to an article in The Milton Independent this week:

http://www.miltonindy.com/10.23.08don.html

[Carolyn Branagan]

I was very disappointed with the state Republican party's reaction when I called to complain about the mailing. There is no  doubt the card puts Rep. Gilbert's votes in an unfairly negative light. A call to him to apologize was my first phone call after I learned of the card. I do not agree with Chairman Roper's interpretation of the law, but I do have a promise from Roper and others at the state level that there will be no more negative mailers. These kind of tactics are not going to tolerated in my campaign.   

Rep. Carolyn Branagan
Franklin-1, Fairfax/Georgia
Vermont House of Representatives
 

[j_gluck]

Carolyn, thank you for your response to this. I may not agree with all of your views and votes, but I appreciate your honesty and the way you communicate with the residents of your district.

I am curious about why Mr. Santee has not followed Carolyn's lead on this. His lack of response tells me that he does not have an issue with the mailer.

I agree with Barbara that this kind of campaigning does not belong here.

[Chris Santee]

Don't assume that, I do not.

Gary Gilbert's been my friend for years, coached my son Colin in soccer and is another "True Blue" New York Giant fan.
Our wives work together at B.F.A. Fairfax.
George Bilado and I have been on the board at Habitat for the last couple years.
We've been working "together" to help folks out for years !

I didn't send the flyer.
I never received the flyer.
Peter Moss showed it to me.
I do not support the attack.

I want to run on issues.

I support Governor Jim Douglas and his Tax Free Weekend.
I believe in his new economic stimulus program
and realize we must do some good in the first 100 days.

I support Lt. Governor Brian Dubie in his quest
to put sexual predators behind bars for a long time.
25 years to be exact.
I support an Updated Sexual Offender Registry.
I do not support "early release" for sex offenders.

I do not support a new "dime tax" on gasoline.
We must cut wasteful spending across the board
to pay for Roads and Bridges.

We need to see "Welfare to Work"
and we need inmates producing their own food.
Savings here could be tremendous
while also beneficial to society.

I believe in using technology in schools
to lower education costs and improve learning.
I know Vermonters can produce that technology.

We need mass public transportation.
Safe, clean and comfortable.

Our mountains, streams, lakes, air and woodlands need to be preserved.

That's some of what I believe.
I believe in Vermont and Vermonters,
not attacking them.

[Loctavious]

Unfortunately, this tactic isn't new.  If you all recall, Rich Tarrant used a similar method when running against Bernie For the Senate.  Tarrant's campaign wrendched out of context Bernie's votes and made it look like Bernie was against what ever good was in the bill.  WHEN REALLY, Benir voted down bills that had key points of the republican agenda enclosed within them.  Tjis is a key and well-known practice in politics.  one side will introduce a bill and write in things they know their opponents across the isle will go for - thus making their opponents weigh out if what they want in worth giving up what they don't want.

on another similar note, Smear campaigns are nothign new either.  We've ALL heard the rhetoric.  We've all heard many politicians say they won't engage in negative adds.  YET, they all do it.  When it comes down to 'helping' voters make a choice, it's not enough for opponents to JUST state their views, beliefs, and plans.  It's like the only way they can distinquish themselves is by pointing out the weakness or bad things about the other.  I can see there point when some voters do not research the info fed to them by the media.
     I share the sentiment that we don't need negative campaigning in our area.  To tell the truth i was a bit embarassed when i saw the first statements released.  Bu tthen again, i have no affiliations to these groups so, i guess i was more embarassed as a Vermonter, and more specifically as a Fairfaxian.