Hiding behind the shroud of big party politics, presidential debates, vice-presidential follies and the wind-down of the blockbuster summer movie season, is the upcoming Vermont Governors race.
While this may not seem like an important election compared to that other election coming up – you know, the one that decides who gets to be supreme galactic commander of the U.S. for the next four years? – I still think it’s important that all of you know a little about our upcoming local election. And since I’d like you all to keep your options open, I present a little nonpartisan information about our three major choices for Governor.
Anthony Pollina is a straightforward Progressive politician with big dreams of how Vermont should run, has run for Governor four previous times, is our first candidate. He is running on the platform of change, much like every other candidate this year.
However, what draws him away from other candidates is that he has no real solutions to any of our problems. His campaign Web site alludes to possible solutions and he offers up, more often than not, what should be done rather than what he himself plans on doing. He could have the finesse to be a good leader if only his positions were more concrete.
Secondly, we have Gaye Symington our current Democratic Speaker of the House. Her positions are rock solid compared to Pollina’s claylike stance. She expressively maps out her ideas and the direction the state should take – drawing up a two-fold energy plan that would not only produce and provide energy for Vermont, but would also create jobs for Vermonters to produce the power.
Her policies are on track, but her biggest downfall is relying on cooperation from the “new-President,” as her Web site states, to aid her in reforming Vermont’s health care system.
Lastly, we have Republican incumbent Jim Douglas. His stances are as wish-washy as Pollina’s, praising the state as running fine “as-is.” Rather than face his challengers head on with new goals, he suggests that his work needs no improvement.
His biggest ambition is to get Vermont on par with global economy despite flagging national prospects. So far he has done a fair job of running the state, but should probably focus on improving the lives of those at the bottom of the Vermont economy first.
If none of these candidates seem particularly inspiring, then we’re probably in the same boat – all of them seem about equally likely to crash and burn. And if you are worried, just think about that galactic election in November and take your mind off it, because the winner of that one has the potential of screwing things up even worse.
