This election promises to be a transformative one both here in Vermont and in the nation as a whole. All across the country, Americans are standing up, speaking out and getting involved to bring the real change we need. We can restore America to its path of progress at home and its place of respect in the world, but we can’t do it without you.
This Independence Day, as communities come together to celebrate the values that define America, Vermont Democrats will hit the streets and parks, village greens and parade routes to register fellow Vermonters to vote.
There are thousands of qualified voters in our own Vermont communities who are not registered to vote. Some believe their vote doesn’t matter and some have been actively disenfranchised. Too many are disillusioned with a system that has lost touch with the hopes and concerns of working Americans.
But, together, we can reengage our friends and neighbors. Sign up now to volunteer and register new voters in your community this Fourth of July!
Already, more than 30 Vote for Change events will take place around the state organized by dedicated volunteers like you who are leading the Campaign for Change in Vermont. Sign up to help at one of our organized events on our website.
Or, you can organize an event in your town. It’s simple to get started, just sign up on online and we’ll get you everything you need to Campaign for Change in your town.
This campaign is about change from the grassroots up—it’s about coming together to build a better world for ourselves, our neighbors and our children. That change starts with you.
It's Murphy Barbeque time!
This Sunday, we hope you’ll join us for the annual Murphy Barbeque at Camp Plymouth State Park, from noon to 3 p.m. Hosted by “General Murphy” himself, who spent almost 30 years in the Vermont House championing the issues that matter to Vermont workers, the event recognizes labor’s contributions to the state.
This year, you can meet up with current legislators, new candidates and Democrats from around the state for great food and great conversation. Also, Annie Noonan, Executive Director of the Vermont State Employees Association, will receive the second annual John Murphy Friend of Labor Award.
For more information, directions or to RSVP, contact Ben Palkowski, (802) 279-2719 or bpalkowski@vtdemocrats.org
Sanders' outreach to working Vermonters highlighted
Earlier this year, Senator Bernie Sanders asked working Vermonters to tell him about their experiences in the slowing economy. While he expected a few dozen responses, almost 900 Vermonters wrote to Sanders about their struggles to keep afloat from day to day.
Over the weekend, these “Letters from Vermont” were featured in a column by Bob Herbert in the New York Times. “Senator Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, remarked on the disconnect between the harsh economic reality facing so many Americans and the Pollyanna claims of the Bush administration and others over the past several years,” Herbert wrote.
“It is one thing to read dry economic statistics which describe the collapse of the American middle class,” says Senator Sanders. “It is another thing to understand, in flesh and blood terms, what that means in the lives of ordinary Americans.”
You can read more of Senator Sanders’ thoughts on the letters he received and download a booklet with the letters on his website.
Connect with the new SymingtonForGovernor.com
Earlier this week, Speaker Gaye Symington unveiled her new campaign website, which features a host of new information and features.
So head on over to SymingtonForGovernor.com and learn more about Gaye or find out when she will be in your part of the state with the new calendar. You can also invite Gaye to attend an event in your community with her online event request form.
If you really want to take your involvement to the next level so we can shift Vermont back into gear, sign up to volunteer or make a contribution to Gaye’s campaign. One or two hours a week or $10 or $20 dollars can make a huge difference as Vermonters unite around the state for new leadership and vision!
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Earlier this year, when Congressman Peter Welch discovered a loophole the Bush Administration proposed that would allow contractors to defraud American taxpayers, so long as they do it abroad, he jumped into action and demanded accountability. Then, he rallied other members of Congress to demand an explanation.
Congressman Welch's efforts on behalf of taxpayers delivered results: The Bush Administration backed down and agreed to remove the loophole that would have let overseas contractors defraud American taxpayers.
Monday, Welch's initiative to close the loophole became law when President Bush signed the 2008 supplemental appropriations bill.
"The creation of a loophole by the Bush administration that protects overseas contractors engaged in fraud proved to be both inexplicable and indefensible. This new law forces the administration to prioritize the protection of taxpayer dollars in the context of an explosion of overseas contractors that has occurred on this president's watch," said Welch. "No contractor should be given a green light to defraud taxpayers."
A second Welch initiative, the Government Contractor Accountability Act, was also included in the supplemental appropriations bill signed into law. The new law requires all companies that receive more than 80 percent of their annual gross revenue from federal funds to disclose the salaries of their most highly-compensated officers.
"The number of private contractors doing government work has exploded during the Bush presidency," said Welch. "As agents of our government, contractors need to be held accountable for their actions and they need to be transparent in the way they operate. Taxpayers have a right to know this information just as shareholders have the right to know the compensation of corporate managers in publicly traded companies."
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