Governor's race: Is our hair on fire?

Is it “hair on fire” or “pants on fire,” Mr Shumlin?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Email: AnnetteSmithforVermontGov@gmail.com

Write In Annette Smith For Vermont Governor

Is it “hair on fire” or “pants on fire,” Mr Shumlin?

Smith Calls Out Shumlin and Brock for Hypocrisy on Climate Change and Energy

Working out of her homestead-office in Danby, Independent candidate for Vermont Governor Annette Smith's carbon footprint and renewable energy lifestyle sets an example that others, especially Governor Shumlin, and Randy Brock, could learn from.

“Referring to climate change, Governor Shumlin says ‘our hair is on fire’ and Vermont must do everything possible to stop climate change.  Then he burns thousands of gallons of fossil fuel flying to Florida to look for EB5 money for his friends, and flies to California for a fundraiser, and flies again to California for ‘negotiations’ over computer systems with a firm that just happens to have also donated to his campaign,” said Annette. “Shumlin’s supposed desire to fight climate change didn’t stop him from spending four full months traveling out of state in the past year.”

Annette offers a different approach to energy issues, leading by example and empowering local communities.  She spends her days advocating for those concerned about their health, their environment and their future; she has been using photovoltaics for her home more than 20 years. She uses solar hot water, drives a car that gets 40mpg, and grows a big garden at her homestead.  Annette understands from experience that it is indeed possible to implement “Vermont scale” renewable energy to reduce dependence on expensive and polluting fossil fuels.

“Mr. Brock seems to think that Vermont can have a prosperous future while still endorsing dependence on imported fossil and nuclear fuels to run our economy, but we all know we need to scale back,” said Annette. “And our Governor has made investments in several fossil fuel companies, even as he advocates for the industrialization of our ridge-lines to fight climate change.”

“This hypocrisy and manipulation cannot stand. The best thing that Vermont can do about climate change and peak oil is lead by example and become more self-reliant in ways that actually benefit Vermonters. Vermont’s impact on global greenhouse gas emissions is a drop in the bucket. But we can and must lead by example using realistic, Vermont-scale solutions – not with hypocritical corporate-scale projects that send money and power out of Vermont. We must reframe this discussion, for the health, well-being and energy security of future generations in Vermont,” Annette added. “Shumlin is doing exactly the opposite of leading the way, and is selling out to large corporate interests while thousands of Vermonters struggle with high energy costs. He is a poster-child for excessive personal energy consumption. His advocacy for false solutions like residential smart meters and consolidation of Vermont’s energy infrastructure under foreign-owned mega-corporations make it clear that Shumlin is not a true leader on climate or energy issues.”

Annette believes that the millionaire candidates Shumlin and Brock could also learn something from the Dalai Lama's recent visit to Vermont.  The Dalai Lama responded to a question about what humanity's ethical response to climate change should be, by noting that western society consumes too much and we should be more content and live more simply. Annette lives this perspective in her daily life and recognizes that Vermont’s fossil fuel consumption for heating, hot water and transportation should be the priorities, not our electricity grid which can today be supplied with existing in-state and regional hydro-power.

Annette emphasizes that the first step towards reducing Vermont’s fossil fuel cost and emissions is to reduce consumption: “Turn the lights off. Turn the thermostat down.  Button up the house.  Convert fossil fueled hot water and heating to solar, wood-fired or heat pumps powered by photovoltaics,” she said. “The key to all of these real solutions is empowering Vermonters with affordable financing to make this transition at the household and community level, instead of subsidizing corporate false-solutions that trick consumers into sending their money out of the state.”

“At this point the idea of wind-powered electric cars is interesting, but until the car industry comes up with affordable and sustainable ways to build electric cars, this is another false solution that only benefits a few corporations,” said Annette. “I’ll be first in line to buy an affordable electric car, powered by human-scale solar power. Until then I’m going to run my existing high mpg car, until it’s beyond repair, which is the best way to conserve resources.”

Instead of calling Vermonters “NIMBY” or “denier” and yelling at them to support more, more, more, false solutions that give Vermonters’ money and power to giant corporations, Annette engages Vermonters in sensible, respectful dialogs and finds Vermont-scale, affordable solutions – and this empowers people and business-owners.

FUEL/ENERGY SECURITY Position Statement

Vermont must aggressively promote energy conservation and reverse the trend of increasing monopoly power over our energy supply. We must support local control over our energy resources instead of subsidizing out-of-state monopolies. Forcing residential wireless smart meters and the corporate industrialization of our pristine ridgelines is not a solution to either climate change or energy security.  Distributed solar electric and hot water, sustainable biomass heating fuels, ecologically designed micro-hydro, and the sensible reclamation of our existing hydro-power should be our priorities.

Visit http://annettesmithforvermontgov.blogspot.com/ for more information about how you can get involved in her independent WRITE IN campaign for Vermont governor. Print ads and Palm Cards can be downloaded from her website for volunteer supporters to use. 

Campaign PLATFORM PALM CARDS now available for people-powered distribution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2012

Email: annettesmithforvermontgov@gmail.com

 

WRITE IN Annette Smith For Vermont Governor

Independent Calling For Local Control With A Vision for a 21^st Century Vermont 

Campaign PLATFORM PALM CARDS now available for people-powered distribution

  

2012 Independent WRITE IN candidate for Vermont governor Annette Smith is now offering PLATFORM PALM CARDS for any Vermont citizens interested in supporting her WRITE IN CAMPAIGN on Election Day. “We are determined not to take any outside money to run our campaign,” explains Annette, who champions a LOCAL CONTROL platform for a 21^st century Vermont. “Instead, we’re calling on all Vermonters interested in genuine local control to continue to distribute our campaign information and palm cards in every way that they can.”

 

Visit http://annettesmithforvermontgov.blogspot.com/ to download and distribute PALM CARDS and PRINT ADS or for more information about how you can get involved in her independent WRITE IN campaign for Vermont governor. Please share her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WriteInAnnetteSmithForVermontGovernor or contact her at annettesmithforvermontgov@gmail.com. 

Annette Smith Local Control Issues Platform

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, OCTOBER 10, 2012

Email: AnnetteSmithforVermontGov@gmail.com

Annette Smith For Vermont Governor

Local Control: A Vision for a 21^st Century Vermont

Independent Mounting Statewide WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN for Election Day ‘12

2012 Independent WRITE IN candidate for Vermont governor Annette Smith has published her “Local Control” platform outlining a vision for a 21^st century Vermont that empowers  Vermont citizens and communities. “It is past time for Vermonters to claim our right to self-determination,” Annette said. “We need to challenge the monopolistic power of large corporations and the political systems that serve them, and take that power from the state and federal level back to the community level.”

1. ECONOMY/JOBS

40% of working Vermonters are making less than a $10.50 hourly wage.  We must support a vibrant working landscape here in Vermont, just as Vermonters have done for generations. We can raise wages and revitalize the economy by removing regulatory obstacles and encouraging local businesses to create value added products.  State and federal policies that promote exporting raw resources while taxing and regulating productive businesses have to be reversed.

2. FINANCE/BANKING

Vermont must challenge Wall Street's corruption and take charge of our financial future by developing comprehensive financial and legal policies to address the unsustainable practices of Wall Street and the Federal Reserve.  Vermont must create a publicly-owned bank like the state-owned Bank of North Dakota that can leverage Vermont's assets to make loans available through existing community banks to encourage investment in diversified agriculture, innovation, conservation, and small businesses.

3. FUEL/ENERGY SECURITY

Vermont must aggressively promote energy conservation and reverse the trend of increasing monopoly power over our energy supply. We must support local control over our energy resources instead of subsidizing out-of-state monopolies. Forcing residential wireless smart meters and the corporate industrialization of our pristine ridgelines is not a solution to either climate change or energy security.  Distributed solar electric and hot water, sustainable biomass heating fuels, ecologically designed micro-hydro, and the sensible reclamation of our existing hydro-power are our priorities.

4. FOOD/AGRICULTURAL SOVEREIGNTY

A 21^st century Vermont must feature local control over a diversified working agricultural landscape.  Instead of unwieldy state and federal mandates and regulations that stifle productivity and subsidize commodities, Vermont must encourage diversified local food production to feed ourselves and our communities with our own abundant agriculture resources.  Exporting more value added products with the recognized Vermont brand will boost incomes across the state. Transparency in GMO labeling is a priority. Vermont must remove obstacles to traditional agricultural crops for biomass and fiber production.  We must take on the Dean Food monopoly and get dairy farmers a fair price for their milk as we help them diversify.

5. EDUCATION/SCHOOLS

Local control of our public schools - from our curriculums to our lunch programs - must become a priority. Federal funding and testing mandates, overwhelmingly rejected by our public school teachers, must be rolled back, with a return to local control and equality of education opportunity for all Vermonters. Vermont needs to stand up to the failed federal education system and insist that funding which comes from the taxes Vermonters pay cannot be withheld simply because we make our own education decisions and standards locally. State-level policies must reverse the trend of consolidated power in Montpelier and return local school decisions to local communities.

6. HEALTH CARE

Health care freedom is a human right. Vermont is one of the healthiest states in the US, but pharmaceutical and insurance corporations have far too much influence on our medical system.  This influence contributes to skyrocketing costs and affronts to our freedoms, as government regulations are being written to benefit corporations rather than the average Vermonter. Vermont’s health care policy must be shaped by the choices of our citizens, families, and health care professionals; not by corporations and “one-size fits-all” state and federal mandates, such as requiring purchase of insurance or enforced medication/vaccinations. Every Vermonter has a right to clean water, clean air, pure food, and access to medicines – including natural medicines, vitamins and supplements –  that cannot be patented or sold for profit. The ancient Oath of Hippocrates, centered on the promise to “first, do no harm,” should guide all health policy while honoring privacy and freedom of choice in patient-provider relationships.

7. FREEDOM AND UNITY

Our culture of “Freedom and Unity” is under siege from the militarization of the U.S. economy and the rising power of the police-state. Vermont’s growing dependence on the military-industrial complex – Homeland Security, Lockheed’s F-35s and smart meters, nuclear power – threatens both our liberty and our security. The police-state and the failed war on drugs drains us of precious natural, human and economic resources and destroys families. We need our soldiers and police to protect our rights and help our communities at critical times. Vermont must take a stand against the expansion of the war economy, the war on drugs and the police-state, and focus on preserving the rights and safety of Vermont citizens.

Annette Smith For Vermont Governor

Local Control: 15 Years Of Walking The Walk in Vermont

Independent Statewide WRITE-IN Candidate In Upcoming Debates

Since 1999, Annette Smith has pursued public service in Vermont with passion and commitment. As the founder and executive director of Vermonters for a Clean Environment, Annette has developed a community-centric understanding of the economic and environmental challenges near and dear to all of us in Vermont. Annette has worked with local communities across the state to assert civil liberties and local control regarding natural gas pipelines, utilities, smart meters, industrial wind, mining, agriculture, groundwater, and drinking water.

The independent candidate for Vermont governor has a diverse set of experiences that inform her perspective. She’s worked as a seamstress, technical typist, harpsichord maker, small business owner, and currently is a practicing farmer who raises pigs, chickens, and Jersey cows at her off-the-grid sustainable farm in Danby, Vermont.  “Much of my work now and when I was making products involves complex problem solving,” she explains. “I do some of my best thinking while milking the cow.”

Annette’s success as a mediator has given her the capacity to see hotly debated issues from many sides, and to facilitate solutions-oriented outcomes that protect and enhance Vermonters’ ability to maintain local control over our own collective destiny. She is a gifted listener, an articulate public speaker, and a thoughtful advocate for ordinary Vermonters interested in preserving local control of their communities moving into the 21^st century. “My approach to leadership is more about enabling relationships that encourage finding solutions than dictating what people should do,” she observes. “Vermonters want more input into decisions being made that are directly impacting their lives.” 

Annette will post detailed position-statements on important issues to the media and at her website on Monday October 8.

Annette is scheduled to participate in two up-coming gubernatorial debates:

1. October 9, 5:25pm: Burlington’s Channel 17 studio, LIve call-in show. 
Air-dates Oct 9 at 5:25pm, Oct 25 at 8pm, Oct 26 at 1am, 7am and 1pm. 

2. October 11, 7pm: Bennington CAT-TV debate hosted by Bennington Tonite at the Bennington Firehouse and aired on CAT-TV at 7pm.  Randy Brock, Annette Smith, and an empty chair for Gov. Shumlin.