Billado: The Vermont Republican Party is not and should not be Democrat-lite

Editor’s note: This is a letter by the chair of the Vermont GOP.

By Deb Billado

The Vermont Republican Party is fundamentally committed to limited government — one that does not punish the people of Vermont with escalating taxes to pay for failed legislative experiments. The Vermont Republican Party advocates for a balanced budget with checks to prevent out-of-control state spending. The Vermont Republican Party supports policies that would return economic prosperity to struggling Vermonters, instead of those that feed the state’s bloated bureaucratic machine.

Deborah Billado

Deborah Billado

We are unified in the belief that we can create a new and prosperous chapter for Vermont. To those that simply can’t catch a break under Montpelier’s entrenched tax tyranny, I say: We hear you.

As the chair of the Vermont Republican Party, I am committed to protecting the unique rights and freedoms we have as Vermonters and to standing up for all those who feel betrayed, dismissed and forgotten by the political system of our state. I am not interested in defying the founding documents and values of Vermont or the United States in service of perceived political opportunity.

Remember, the Vermont Republican Party is not and should not be Democrat-lite.

We are proud of our right-of-center values and principles. We will not apologize for putting hard-working Vermonters first. We will not apologize for standing up for what’s right or pushing back against the crushing taxes Democratic leadership forces on us. We will not apologize for respecting the founding principles of this great state and nation and will continue to fight to uphold them.

We are striving toward a new chapter for Vermont. One that ends the same old, same old gimmicks that have become synonymous with Montpelier.

I hope you will join us.

Deborah Billado, of Essex Junction, is chairwoman of the Vermont Republican Party.

Images courtesy of Vermont Republicans and Deborah Billado

39 thoughts on “Billado: The Vermont Republican Party is not and should not be Democrat-lite

  1. Boy, there’s a hell of a lot more intelligence in these comments than in the past 20 years of Liberalism in Montpelier. More enlightening and hopeful. Why are the stupidos allowed to control intelligentsia?

  2. Colony Collapse Disorder: a pathological condition affecting a large number of honeybee colonies, in which various stresses may lead to the abrupt disappearance of worker bees from the hive, leaving only the queen and newly hatched bees behind and thus causing the colony to stop functioning.

    Vermont Collapse Disorder: A political condition affecting a large number of Vermont communities, in which various stresses (coming from Montpelier) may lead to the abrupt disappearance of working Vermonters from the State, leaving only the liberal legislature, and newly hatched progressives behind, and thus causing the State to stop functioning.

    Yes, that sounds about right.

  3. Nice letter Deb but unfortunately the actions of the party speak louder than words. Phil Scott is a progressive who signed gun legislation and the individual mandate bill. He supports free electricity for EV owners, free money to replace woodstoves, and handing out checks to people who move here but work remotely. When I ran against him in the primary you repeatedly sent out emails saying Republicans had to support him. You lost this conservative for that and all credibility was lost whether I ran against him or not because he is exactly what your letter says we don’t want or believe. “Remember, the Vermont Republican Party is not and should not be Democrat-lite.
    We are proud of our right-of-center values and principles.” Phil Scott, the leader of the party, is the exact opposite of that. To have supported him in the primary counts. Being neutral until after the primary would have been acceptable and fair. Backing him tells me that holding the office was more important than holding on to Republican principles.

    It’s time to build a party that has conservative principles and actually follows them.

    • I was there at the summer meeting when they wouldn’t even introduce you, Keith. All the new candidatest the meeting were people from gun owners of Vermont, not recruited from the party but citizens who stood up for the nonsense going on in Montpelier, I was at the time running for lt governor, many at the meeting said I would be a spoiler. Since we had no money to fight and we didn’t want to be labeled a spoiler party we withdrew our candidacy, there was no support for anybody down ticket either, the sad part is there were many fine people who stood up to lead. We didn’t see any effort or coordination to stop,the blue wave, perhaps ther was an effort?
      We sent many article of support for Keith Stern Vermont digger and this publication among others refused to print.
      People called into VPR, myself included and were put on hold the entire time when we were asking about something other than supporting the dnc drivel,

      Interesting times in vt

      • The VT Digger is a wood pulp waste based liberal rag. They don’t want anti-Liberal news, positions, or comments. If in a comment you say “conservative or hint of that” you’re not in the comment section. I told them so. Those crapologists won’t respond. Put them on the trash heap of losers.

    • You’re a gamer, Keith! Don’t give up. The VT GOP is going to have to get a personality. People need to project passion in describing their beliefs to get any serious attention. Candidates are so toned down, seemingly afraid to rock the boat, or get called out by the opposition for some bs thing. True North is a great medium for like-minded people, but come on …. its about preaching to the choir. All I’m getting is Monday morning quarterbacking – – woulda coulda shoulda. Doesn’t anyone in leadership have national contacts to reach out to? Let’s be honest, we desperately need fresh eyes, fresh voices, and a new construct to get this Party activated again. Face it, the National GOP was wandering aimlessly about until Trump came in.

  4. I’d like to see investigative journalism expose the Migration of people flooding VT from more conservative states because our welfare is easier to get onto. Maine, NJ and Indiana have all paid for one-way bus tickets and shipped their problem children to VT. They land in our shelters or hospitals, file for low income or elderly low income housing, get on VT disability, and suck dry our health services, housing, transportation and school services. It feels to me like what people on the southern border complain of with immigrants but in our case, it’s people from other states. I work in healthcare and human services and see this every week, with people coming over the state line from New Hampshire. The “affordable housing” crisis wouldn’t exist if the state weren’t being flooded by the poor from other states. We need to enact a five-year residency law to stop newcomers from coming here to freeload.

    • Seems you’re saying that the people that go to NH (conservative) where there are better living conditions return to VT to get health services—then they return back to NH to make a living? I can’t grasp that scenario. There’s a huge influx of people as you mention coming to VT to get free services.
      The recent article by True North Reports indicates young people are leaving VT.
      New Hampshire is attracting young people
      http://truenorthreports.com/roper-new-hampshire-is-attracting-young-people

    • What you say appears to be true.

      At an in introductory meeting of candidates held by the Gun Owners of Vermont in Warren, then Senator Rodgers stated that there are large landlords in northern Vermont that advertise out of state to fill section 8 or state assisted renters or what ever the p.c term is to move to Vermont and have our state pay their way. This drives up rent price btw, since nobody care what the rent is, since it’s “free” from the state, mean while land lords make a killing. I’m in the business, I’ve seen the tax returns.

  5. I served on the Republican State Committee for many years from both Washington and Orleans County. The problems in the Republican Party started decades ago and are only getting worse. Lack of communication; no coherent, consistent message; bad voter data; lack of support for candidates; lack of cooperation among candidates; the list goes on. These things have been neglected at worst, poorly implemented at best, for 20+ years and a dwindling number of elected Republicans is the entirely predictable result. Part of the reason Democrats win is because they are more organized, use better voter data, and provide support to their candidates in ways the Republican Party doesn’t, which helps them recruit candidates. The Dems are already hiring now for the 2020 campaign:

    HOUSE CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR

    The Vermont Democratic Party (VDP) is hiring an experienced Caucus Director to manage the Party’s House Campaign Project over the two-year 2020 campaign cycle. The House Campaign Director will be responsible for creating and implementing a campaign plan that includes fundraising, incumbent support and candidate recruitment. Democrats currently hold 95 of the 150 seats in the Vermont House. This position reports to the Vermont Democratic Party Executive Director; however, the Director will also work closely with the Party’s House Leadership and the House Advisory Committee. The position is based in Montpelier, VT.

    Ideal Candidate will be a highly organized, detail-oriented and responsible self-starter who has proven leadership, management, and interpersonal skills.

    DUTIES INCLUDE (but not limited to):

    Developing and executing a statewide candidate recruitment strategy

    Serving as the primary House Candidate contact

    Maintaining and expanding corporate and individual donor lists, managing mailing and call-time, producing fundraising materials, event planning

    Developing 2-year finance plan. Maintaining financial records and creating internal finance and budget reports

    Opposition research

    Writing campaign plans, advising candidates on message, mail, targeting, fundraising and other issues that may arise

    Organizing and conducting trainings for candidates, volunteers, and staff.

    Networking, building and maintaining relationships with constituency groups, allied organizations

    Establishing relationships in communities and with local committees in order to identify possible Democratic candidates

    Develop and implement direct mail plan

    Produce newsletters, form letters and other written materials

    Identifying and organizing opportunities for members to provide constituent services

    Work with incumbent Representatives to create constituents outreach plans

    DESIRED SKILLS:

    2-5 years of campaign experience.

    Familiarity with Vermont legislative and political processes

    Ability to execute strategic goals and work effectively with state and local leaders.

    Ability to track and report regional activity in an accountable structure.

    Experience with NGP VAN and Votebuilder

    Excellent oral and written communication skills

    Fundraising experience with a political organization or non-profit

    Ability to work independently, multi-task and prioritize with minimal supervision

    Flexibility to allow for frequent event evenings and weekends in the office and work-related functions

    Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation

  6. I agree with you Deb but I don’t see it getting any better. The liberals control everything and they keep funneling more in from out of State. Most of us Conservatives are getting old and the republican party really needs some young bloods to lead the charge. Therein lies the dilemma for the younger generations have been brainwashed with liberal thoughts since they entered their 1st day of school and as parents, we were not paying close enough attention.
    I’m a 74 year old native Vermonter and I don’t see a bright future for this State. It will never be what it once was or anywhere close to it.. It has become a State for the needy. It is really quite sad.

  7. Herein is a huge problem with Vermont:

    Vermont is big — in terms of government
    https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/money/2017/10/18/vermont-government-bigger-than-national-average-26-percent/773552001/

    “The total number of full-time equivalents employed by state and local governments in Vermont, normalized by our population, is 26 percent more than the national average and only three states — Wyoming, Alaska, and Kansas — employ more government workers than Vermont as a share of total population”.

  8. Thanks Deb. Well said and right on!

    Vermont citizens and especially those who are discouraged, feel forgotten and may not even vote any longer, want and deserve more than non-principled leaders, most of who are liberal Democrats and/or Progressives but sadly include some Republicans who have lost their way. We have some in the Republican Party who believe that doing things like liberals will win them an office. What they fail to recognize is that Democrats do “liberal” much better than Republicans.

    We must learn from our past failures and rebuild the Republican Party by fielding a ticket with good, talented, principled, caring fiscal and social conservatives for state office positions, the legislature and local offices.

    If we do that, there will be a coat-tail effect for these candidates when Republicans win again in 2020 at the national level. Republicans only ran for 75 out of the 150 Vermont House seats that were contested last time. Out of those 75 the Republicans won 43 or 58% of those. If the other 75 had been contested and if Republicans won 44% of those, they would control the House. Even if they had only won 11%, the House would be able to sustain any vetoes of the Governor. No one running guarantees a 0%-win rate.

    Thanks for such a clear and principled position.

  9. I am also a Vermonter by birth and a constitutional voter in spirit. Mr. Page explained perfectly what happened to Vermont. People with money and large egos came to Vermont and needed to change it for our own good, so they thought. Liberals have taken over the schools, the local town governments institutions and the media.

    There are two important facts that escape discussion. The first is that the population centers of the state are inhabited and controlled by liberals. Chittendon County has 6 liberal senators, Washington county has 3. Just those two counties control almost one third of the votes in the senate. Rural Vermont is still conservative. There should be 2 senators from every county for a total of 28. We need a system similar to the electoral college in Vermont. The cities and the population centers will never vote for a republican which brings me to the second problem, the media.

    Does anyone get the kind of news that we find on True North from any other news source? Look at Vermont Digger. Every reporter they hire is from a left leaning background. The Times-Argus and the Burlington Free Press as well as Seven Days all are Liberal minded papers. WCAX TV and WDEV radio has adopted left leaning programming and WSNO in Barre has dropped all of it’s conservative talk shows. Vermont Digger employs the cartoonist (?) Danziger who has an anti-Trump message every day and they are always begging for money.

    Here’s the question, how can conservative republicans survive in a state where everything important from what children are taught to think in school to what people see on the internet, TV, read in the newspapers and hear on the radio? Most of the media is against how we think as conservative Vermonters? Who has the answer? Until the message and the truth gets out to the general population nothing is going to change. Those who make up the rules always win the game. Our problems are the institutions, election laws that are impossible to overcome the population centers (cities) and a dishonest media. Where do we go from here?

    • Very well said. Not only that but so many candidate could not get ANY coverage or interviews. Unless you were 13 and then you got National press on top of that. The debates, questions and all the PAC’s and lobbyists looking to support candidates conveniently asked all and usually only the questions of the DNC platform. How convenient. We could have gotten money from planned parent hood if we answered yes to every question. Now in Vermont, $3,000 can make or break a local election pretty easy. We wanted to tax PAC money so accepting it wouldn’t make sense. Nor does the fact that 50% of all pregnancies in Vermont are unplanned and have been that way for decades, we suggested that perhaps planned parenthood was a failed organization, we scored zero on their questionnaire.

      Then in our local race with Maxine Grad and Kerry Dolan, suddenly we saw massive advertising, at least three mailers going out the must have cost $10k each. Nice stuff. Conveniently paid for by PAC’s, Lobbyists and one rather supportive person. Our debate was more fair than most. Questions weren’t sorted ahead of time, but asked live, let me say for being in the bluest part of the entire state the questions were more balanced than any other debate. About 260 people watched the debate live and on line. We had 1,000 more votes than any election ever. We had a 1,000 blank votes. We had 8800 people vote.

      Debate
      https://mrvtv.com/388045-2/

      Interview with Rob Williams

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDlETFdReMc

      • Really REALLY need to view this video. Pay close attention to the dialogue at about 6:30 where the discussion is re the “discussion” groups/proposals. This is exactly what is the topic of Rosa Koire’s book, “Behind The Green Mask: U.N. Agenda 21”, where she explains how non-governmental groups employ the Delphi Technique to steer decisions to a pre-determined end. It is happening all over the state of Vermont — and the rest of the USA!

        Rebuilding the conservative base is dependent upon recognizing those groups for what they really are and opposing them. Until we stop allowing them to manipulate policy this stuff will continue happening.

        • Haven’t heard about that book, thank you for the heads up. It’s maddening to experience this. A friend Angelo told me about Agenda 21, to which I first thought was crazy, until I read it and realized that this document is directly affecting what goes on in Waitsfield Vermont.

          Something signed by George H. W. Bush, in South America…..gives us stupid, wasteful pocket parks in a flood right in Waitsfield village. Vermont has really become the socialist, sjw, nwo, guinea pig.

          I was also told by school teachers this is used on young children, give them two choices, each of which you want.

          • The book is available on Amazon for a mere $17. I’ve bought several and given them to those I know. It’s information that truly needs dissemination.

  10. So we basically need a constant cascading messaging system that reaches all Vermonters, even those who aren’t politically interested, that draws the picture(s) of opportunities they know nothing about. Like concentric circles, start with small inviting bytes then ever larger till the big picture is finished. We need to accomplish a 180 in 802.

  11. The majority of taxes are confiscated and diverted to a corrupt school system, 80+% thanks to Montpelier. They control all properties, Taxation changes ownership. They can charge any rent they want, you have no say or control. Until that attitude changes there will be no prosperity or producing people in this state. I can’t wait to see VT collapse under the weight of liberals and suffocate them.

    Give a liberal enough rope and they will hang themselves.

    “How prone all human institutions have been to decay; how subject the best-formed and most wisely organized governments have been to lose their check and totally dissolve; how difficult it has been for mankind, in all ages and countries, to preserve their dearest rights and best privileges, impelled as it were by an irresistible fate of despotism.”
    –James Monroe, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788

    “A government that is big enough to provide everything you need is big enough to take everything you have” — Thomas Jefferson.

  12. We need to understand out terrain in Vermont. We have basically become brainwashed. People are triggered by certain words, to the point of which you can’t have a meaningful conversation, until we realize this and change how we say things the Republicans will never make any progress. Having been in organizations it’s very, very difficult to get people to change, it’s a tough job.

    If you say Donald Trump has a good point here or there, immediately others will start to physically shake with hatred and fear. People know I speak the truth. If you say cut taxes, the immediate response is people will starve, orphans will go hungry. The messaging does not go across party lines. The same old rhetoric will never work in Vermont as we’ve pretty much been subverted by the PSSC (progressive, sjw, socialist, communist) mind set so eloquently laid out by Yuri Bezmanoff in the 80’s, we educated at least one entire generation, perhaps more in the utopia of socialism.

    Vermont has been left for dead, which is a shame as we’re now an incubator of poverty, drug births and bad/failed ideology.

    Ask a Democrat, should we be paying $500/sq. ft for affordable housing and explain how most homes sell for $130/sq.ft…do you want to keep people in generational poverty by the rental trap, you may make some progress.

    How about equal pay for equal work? Yes we agree and Republicans should solve that problem immediately, because some don’t want it solved! They’ve been using it for 20 years to keep women from voting Republican.

    How about tax cuts for the poor? Cars under $5,000, no tax. Registration for cars over 10 years old for only $5/year. Democrats will raise minimum wage but increase taxes and take it all away. Soda Tax anyone?

    The DNC has a terrible format for lifting our fellow man from despair and poverty, it’s extremely weak tea. The truth is the DNC (not everyday democrat) only wants power and gets it through division. When you see and understand their game plan and how tightly held their play book and franchise is it’s easy to defeat, because they aren’t for the common man, but for power and money. They can’t change. They don’t get results.

    Vermont has had one of the highest wages minimum, in our country and the world. We have more poverty 20 years later. We struggle more now than in the past. Why? Because we’ve made things much more difficult and expensive. We’ve protected monopolies and those with power, when I say “we” it is the majority I speak of.

    The DNC will push more drug use in our state. We will become the biggest experimental take over for failed socialist ideals, the same ideals that have failed in every city it’s been adopted in, it doesn’t matter your back ground or color.

    Will they fund the teachers retirement? Nope. Will they bring more prosperity to Vermont? Nope Will families get stronger, healthier in Vermont? Definitely not. Will we have more government control of our personal property? You bet! Will our taxes go up? You bet! Will drug abuse and crime go up? You bet! Will we have more corruption, waste of money and lack of transparency? Most definitely!

    Most won’t notice this, many in Vermont are well off. It won’t be reported. Craft beer sales will be up, we’ll some grand push for a carbon tax, which will be renamed something else. We’ll have artisanal buds for everyone to smoke so all will be fine. And we’ll wonder years from now, how come the IQ of our children has dropped? How come all the other states have strong families? How come we’re growing in poverty?

    We have to understand what has happened in our state and why? How did we get here? There were many great people that ran under the republican ticket this past year. None of them were recruited by the party. The party gave them NO help and actually hurt them. The republicans lost what 13 seats? These new people got somebody in office, without experience or help. I’ve witnessed some ineffective, disorganized groups, but never one that treats those within so poorly. I’m not saying this as slam, because I’ve also never met so many great people, but the structure within which they operate can’t function. From what I’ve heard it’s been this way for decades.

    Starting a new party was really rough too, though what support with no money or help was appealing across party lines.

    How does it change? It’s certainly a problem worthy of time, effort, thought and money.

    • How about maybe Burlington could spawn a few more Ted Bundys with a taste only for liberals to eat away at their voter base? just asking

  13. I am 67 years old Vermonter and have been voting Republican for my entire voting life !!

    As stated above,
    The Vermont Republican Party is fundamentally ” Committed ” to limited government ??
    The Vermont Republican Party advocates for a ” Balanced ” budget with checks& Balance ??
    The Vermont Republican Party supports policies that would return economic ” Prosperity ” to
    struggling Vermonters ??

    This all sounds great but you need to have ” Control ” of State Government, they let Progressive DemocRATs take over the state-house and strap Vermonters with Debt, Taxes along with failing infrastructure and a host of other issues…….Shameful !!.

    So where is the Republican Party in Vermont, where is there” Message” to get our state back
    on course ?? Show how these ” Liberal Transplant Politicians ” have ruined the state !!

    Republicans are not DemocRAT Lite, they’ve given up to Liberals, Take Back the State !!

    .

    • CHenry,

      Like the frog in the (Vermont) cookpot, if the water had been boiling (with high taxes and invasive rules and regulations) we would have jumped out right away ! But the water was cool when we first jumped in and we were busy tending to our lives (earning a living, paying the bills, raising families) so as they (the liberal flatlanders) slowly turned up heat of the cookpot (adding every imaginable tax, rule and regulation – one at a time) failed to recognize the rising temperature, until it was scalding and it seems almost too late to leap out ! The liberal flatlanders arrived and so needy were almost comical – the Vermonters felt sorry for them and tried to help them out ! Soon they settled in and began to secure positions on select boards, local school boards and then started running for legislative offices. Many were retirees or trust fund “babies” who, not needing to actually earn a living, had plenty of time to work on changing our conservative “world” to their liberal likings.

      So yes sir, Republicans were (and are) culpable in allowing the liberal disaster to fester and metastasize – the question is do we have a cure and are we willing to dedicate ourselves to wiping out the disease ?

      Time will tell !

      H. Brooke Paige
      Washington, Vermont

    • CHenry, are you ready to run for the legislature or cultivate a candidate in your district and manage their campaign in 2020? That is the kind of action it will take to reverse the current numbers at the statehouse.
      Also, the party needs to cultivate candidates for local offices as well. I assume you are retired. Someone with your life’s experience is critical to making good decisions in a citizen government. Please consider it.

      • Wendy, thanks for the vote of confidence, but as stated I am an old Vermonter
        just ” Tired & Cranky “, my persona is nothing needed in Montpelier.

        I feel we (GOP) need some young vibrant candidates to bring the Party forward, showing and presenting what Liberals have done to ruin the state !!

        • Same here CHenry – tired, cranky and retired military to boot. That didn’t stop me from donating time and money to our young, local Republican candidate for the House. She beat an established, Bernie-supported Progressive by a good margin. It can be done, but it may mean reading mean-spirited letters to the editor about how single large donors are attempting to ‘buy a candidate’.

        • CHenry, I am only 7 years younger than you and I am still working (and will be for a few more years). I am at the top of my game. 67 is not old and your life experience and wisdom is what our communities need. Please consider running for a local office or cultivating people who will

        • The difference another 11 years will make won’t become apparent until it arrives.

          If ya still got it, now is the time to use it

  14. First I would like to congratulate you on being elected the leader of our party in the state of Vermont. We are very appreciative of the things you have done and your plans for the future.

    You are correct when you state that we are the party of the people and we stand up for smaller government and less taxation.

    We have many people that are ready to get behind you and do the work that needs to be done in this state to make it livable for the people and to defend the rights of everyone in this state.

    We are excited about the changes that you speak about and we are ready to get behind you and make them happen.

Comments are closed.