[Clemenza]

I'm one of those people with (far) right wing politics, but who appreciates the urban left-wing lifestyle (no cars, excitement, cafes, etc) offered in places like New York and Chicago. Nevertheless, I think Vermont would get on my nerves after a few hours walking around Burlington.

[dirtboy]

ping for a very interesting read on Dean and the changes in Vermont that spawned him

[keithtoo]

The Flatlanders are actually, Joe Ely, Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore

[Redbob]

"Also, older limousine liberals from the media and government have vacation homes in Vermont."

And somehow they get to vote there?
That's interesting.

But at least you don't need a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

[91B]

I have Army friends who live in Vermont (near Burlington) and I visited them once a few years ago. I thought the state was beautiful (I am from geographically similar western North Carolina) and really enjoyed my stay. I hate that the state has become a haven (or should I say a containment area) for loopy lefties. Maybe after W crushes their champion in 2004 we can convince them to move to France.

[1Old Pro]

I can think of only one thing about Vermont that would ever make me visit, The Ski resorts. The odd thing about Vermont is that you can smoke in their bars. That won't last long.

[.cnI redruM]

Howard Dean = Randall Flagg. I don't care how 'beatable' Karl Rove may think he is. His nomination to run for our country's presidency would truely be an abomination.

[Chuckster]

Four years ago, after an absence of more than forty years, I returned to my native state to prepare for my retirement homecoming. I represent the forth generation of my family born in, or within a fifteen mile radius of, Williston, VT. My intention was to purchase a small farm in my old home township and raise horses and plant a garden to enjoy the fruits of my labors which had taken me around the world, in my boyhood home.

We stayed with some wonderful people on their farm in Williston who told us flatly to avoid Chittenden county and look elsewhere for our new home. Not because we weren't welcome, quite the contrary, but because of what the flatlanders had done to the area. They explained that property taxes had gotten so bad that they had been forced to begin selling off a few acres at a time to pay the tarriff on the farm that had been in their family since 1850! In a few years there would be nothing left they said and listed several of the old farm families that had already given up and sold out, subdividing to pay taxes and giving up the family homes they had owned for generations.

We eventually found our new home in the Northeast Kingdom in Orleans county. Still rural, still reasonably priced and not too heavily taxed, and thankfully, solidly conservative. Our new neighbors are the most wonderful folks you would ever want to meet. They are almost universally conservative Yankees and we get along famously. But they all seem a bit bewildered at what has happened. Perhaps the "Good fences make good neighbors", "Live and let live" Native Vermonters were just a bit too accepting of the invaders.

Personally, I am hopeful that the Free State Project now just across the Connecticut River will energize the Vermont GOP and have a positive effect on the Green Mountain State. Who knows? We may even be able to eventually repeal Acts 60 and 250 and really Take Back Vermont.