Many people, wherever they might be in this country, think of buts and fruits when they think of California - and perhaps rightly so. We do have the oddest sorts of people here - but then our weather tends to be better than at least 47 other states, who may in fact be jealous when they make the 'nuts and fruits' comments.
Vermont however is an odd state. Maybe not as odd as California, but close.
They have a governor who after a couple months on the job, and during a very bad snowstorm disappeared - his press person said she didn't know where he was, then said she did but would not reveal that information - it was top secret. When pressed, repeatedly - she refused.
The people of Vermont hired the guy (2 months ago) to do a job. He is being paid to do that job. He has state security with him wherever he is in his secret place (every governor has state police protection). And yet, when questioned, his office refuses to provide details - not even whether he is in the US, in Vermont, or where. He has disappeared. Perhaps like another governor from further south. And the fact he was sending emails back and forth doesn't mean he is not off hiking the Appalachian trail.
Vermont’s political observers have been all atwitter this week, wondering, “Where in the world is Gov. Peter Shumlin?”
After two months on the job, the state’s chief executive decided to take “a few” days off at an undisclosed location. In Shumlin speak, “a few” is six. He left Thursday morning and was scheduled to return Tuesday night.
News of Shumlin’s vacation was reported by WCAX-TV news director Anson Tebbetts. Shumlin spokeswoman Bianca Slota, a former WCAX reporter, at first told Tebbetts she didn’t know where Shumlin was.
Slota later told the media she did, in fact, know where Shumlin was holed up, getting a well-deserved rest after two grueling months on the job. But she wasn’t going to tell in an effort to honor his “privacy.”
She also wouldn’t divulge if he had his taxpayer-funded, around-the-clock state security detail in tow. That, too, is secret.
No word if Shumlin is in Cancun, the Dominican Republic, Rio, or New Orleans, or at his stone cottage on Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.
But top aides say he was in regular contact by phone and email with Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, who was acting governor, as well as Commisioner of Public Safety Keith Flynn. In other words, he wasn’t off hiking the Appalachian Trail or something.
Slota said her boss was in cellphone range, but wouldn’t divulge if their communications would result in international charges.
Mysterious. Inquiring minds extended beyond the Vermont media. Even the New York Times wanted to know where the gov was lounging. No dice.
Shumlin’s senior spokeswoman, Susan Allen, refused to tell the Times if Shumlin was simply “out of state” or was actually “out of country.”
Why not? “Privacy reasons,” she noted.
Since when are the governor’s vacation spots considered top secret? It hasn’t been the case with prior governors — or, heck, even the president of the United States.
It’s not like we’re jealous (OK, maybe a little, if he’s on a sandy beach) or begrudge him time off (no doubt someone will object).
But it’s an odd statement from a guy who has been talking up trust and transparency.
Pressed to reveal Shumlin’s locale, Allen told “Fair Game,” “I believe Vermonters respect the governor’s right to privacy.”
He was hired by the people to do one job ... not to go off and be doing ... unknown stuff. He is an employee of the people and as such he does not have the freedom to do whatever it is he wants to do whenever he wants to do it - snowstorm or not.
And people from within the progressive (read: left of left) movement understand this, although they apply it selectively ....
There is this guy in Vermont - Republican Auditor Tom Salmon who is setting up an exploratory Senate campaign to possibly challenge leftist / socialist Bernie Sanders. Just setting up the committee to think about running. The response was quick ...
Progressive Party chairwoman Martha Abbott was first to pounce.
“Vermont taxpayers should not be forced to pay the salary of a guy who has announced that he will be spending his time doing something other than the job we are paying him to do,” said Abbott, who ran for auditor in 2006 and 2008.
Soon thereafter, Democratic Party chairwoman Judy Bevans joined her Progressive sister in calling out Salmon’s fishy behavior.
“It’s clear that Tom Salmon is only interested in serving one Vermonter — Tom Salmon. As auditor, his only accomplishment has been his ability to stay in the news while accomplishing remarkably little. From his publicity-stunt party switch to his erratic behavior in the press, and now this, Tom Salmon may think he was elected to improve his own political standing — but the people of Vermont elected him to serve for four years,” said Bevans.
So, the Governor, elected by the people to do his job, and employed by the people - refuses to tell his employers where he is, even the slightest indication of where he is ( he could be in Tanzania emailing his administration) and that is perfectly cool with these winning progressives. However, some Republican candidate wants to set up a committee to explore a possible campaign against Bernie Saunders - THAT is not ok. Uh huh.
Why is it so wrong? Where is the backbone in people from Vermont. It is THE most taxed state in the United States and they are not upset, keep re-electing the same 'progressives' who want higher taxes.
Odd.
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