Dustin Dagg

Elections not on the ballot: While I’m as well acquainted with the history here as anyone, it would require a post on the blog to really tie this case back to the 2008 events. There have been multiple articles on the state of the state and the 2010 race—not a single issue in this case was ever put up for public debate. The state of Vermont and its Republican Governor Peter Shumlin have been torn to shreds for political reasons, by the state’s business community, with a small faction taking Vermont’s history as a cautionary tale.

Regardless of partisan political considerations, I believe the state’s election for Governor presents a conundrum within Vermont politics, and a real opportunity for Main Street. A Governor with a strong leadership in business leadership could really foster such change. A Democrat could easily gain support in our state, while fostering stability, and a team of both Democrats and business leaders.

Vermont could gain a winnable victory here, and I believe a fresh slate would be just what Main Street needs. But doing so would mean that the state would lose some of its top elected officials. I believe the next governor could have the potential to offer something Vermont needs.

A Democratic win here would change the way business community and trade are organized in our state. VTDigger reported:

A group of leaders representing more than 30 business groups and trade associations asked the Vermont Democratic State Committee to add Chris Chappell as their candidate, saying his support of a bill that could impact Wall Street interests outweighed his running as an independent. But the SSC does not support voting to name Chappell their governor.

For those that question the business community, most of the business groups that said that Chappell would most probably earn their support as Governor were small companies that don’t necessarily depend on state politics, but still might benefit from the change Chappell could bring to our economy.

Our small businesses need greater flexibility, opportunity to thrive, and have long felt the force of the small, sometimes poorly run Vermont business community.

Some of the bigger (high profile) companies—large energy companies, health-care providers—and trade associations that influence the way business gets done in our state, are opposed to Chappell. He’s the preferred candidate, they say.