Vermont: Jim Douglas

Mark your calendars, kids. Gov. Jim Douglas will veto the budget bill and is calling the Legislature back June 2.

"If my only choice is between allowing your fiscal 2010 budget to become
law or a veto, I must choose veto," Douglas' letter says. "I cannot abandon
Vermonters' long-term economic security for short-lived political accord."

Douglas acknowledged in the letter that the Legislature may be able to override his veto.

"If this budget becomes law over my veto _ and despite my repeated attempts to
forge a compromise that puts the public interest over special interests _ I am
prepared to accept that outcome. But understand that what you reap is what
you sow; the adverse effects of your tax and spending choices will ripple
through the Vermont economy for years to come and those consequences will be
your sole responsibility.

Gov. Jim Douglas will not hold his previously scheduled Statehouse news conference today, but instead will go to Williston and unveil his new economic stimulus plan at MicroStrain Inc.

The money will be used to support existing companies and invest in new companies looking to grow or locate here in Vermont, according to the governor's office.

- Terri Hallenbeck

On St. Patrick's Day, Gov. Jim Douglas will host one of five health care forums the Obama administration is holding around the country. Mind you, this was the Obama administration's idea, and they turned to their new best Republican friend, Jim Douglas.

So how is this going over among those who've never seen Douglas as much of a health-care reformist? Funny you should ask, because Anthony Pollina has some thoughts on that:

“The irony here is far too great to ignore.

While Vermonters are fighting to maintain health care services, even in hard times, Douglas is leading the charge to throw people off health care programs and raise costs for lower income and middle class working families.

Look, we rag on Jim Douglas until the cows come home here at VDB, and then we rag on him some more, for good measure. But the guy is playing the opening of the Obama years like a well-seasoned professional. The latest smooth move? Douglas appears in an Onion parody involving the [...]