Candidates Grilled at Randolph Chamber Debate
By Sandy Cooch

uick—in 90 seconds—what do you think about legalizing marijuana, unrestricted school choice, and parental notification for an abortion? What do you believe is the state’s role in developing alternative energy sources, providing health care, and regulating genetically-engineered seeds?

The rapid-fire series of questions fired at candidates during last Wednesday’s Randolph Chamber of Commerce debate gave voters a rich opportunity to assess the varied views of those who would be their state representatives and senator.

The debaters were Orange County Senate candidates Mark MacDonald (D, incumbent) and Steve Webster (R), and the four folks seeking the two seats in the Orange-Addison-2 district, Democratic incumbent Reps. Patsy French and Jim Hutchinson, and their challengers, David Atkinson and Bob Wolffe, Republican/ Libertarians.

Party line positions were mostly followed, with Atkinson and Wolffe mostly sounding more Libertarian than Republican. There were other times when answers were inconsistent—for example, when the Libertarian/Republicans supported more government programs—or disarmingly honest, as when Webster concluded, "I just don’t know," regarding the question of legalizing hemp/marijuana.

The most-succinct-answer award would go to MacDonald, who simply responded "No," when asked if he favored legislation prohibiting alcohol.

The candidates pretty much agreed on that one, with many pointing out that Prohibition proved a "dismal failure," as Jim Hutchinson put it, which funded organized crime.

There were a few occasions when one or another candidate appeared flummoxed by a question, as when MacDonald was pitched the "What would you cut from the budget" question, and when Webster was the first to be asked whether state government had a responsibility to encourage alternative energy sources.

Unfortunately, only about 25 voters came to the Randolph Union High School auditorium —which seats 430—to hear the two-hour debate. And, due to a technical error, no one will get a chance to see the debate on Cable Access Channel 17 this year.

It had been planned to air the program three times this week, but Chamber of Commerce Director Lynn Irish said this week that the tape proved to have no audio, though the visuals were "great."

A Sampling

For those who missed the debate, below follows a sampling of questions and responses, in the order answered. (For each round, Moderator Peter Nowlan started the questioning with a different person.)

Q: What is the government’s role in making health care accessible?

French: Health care for Vermonters is a "public good," that should be available to all, based on ability to pay. Last year’s Catamount health care bill was a "small first step" and should be expanded in the near future to cover preventative/dignostic care, such as flu shots and mammograms.

Hutchinson: "A healthy population serves the state," as healthy workers contribute to the economy. "The economy in Vermont is suffering because of the cost of health insurance." Business owners say, "Get health care off the backs of business."

Bob Wolffe: Catamount program is "a good start," but state "should not raise taxes to pay" for more health care. Vermont needs more choice, more business, and less regulation. Supporting organic farming would be good for citizens’ health.

MacDonald: The U.S. "free market" approach has resulted in the world’s most expensive health care system, but not the best results: U.S. has higher infant mortality rates, more chronic disease, etc., compared to other industrialized nations. A system that ensures regular access to "doctors and clinics" for preventative care and early diagnosis would be more effective.

Webster: There is a cost shift to "private pay," because of "tremendous underpayment" for Medicaide/care. However, "government, not cost shift," is the main problem, as programs pay for "unneeded services." Post WWII legislation offering exemptions to businesses providing health insurance was "a big mistake." Present system "encourages individuals not to be responsible" about their health.

Atkinson: "It’s a big mistake to ask government to do something complex." If you ask government to keep us healthy, it will start dictating what we have to eat.

Question: Should state government encourage the growth of alternative energy sources?

Webster: "Not sure" this is the responsibility of government. Tax credits and grants could be used to encourage individuals to install windmills, etc, but "in general" opposed to using the tax code to support initiatives.

Atkinson: Recently visited two, "just gorgeous" wind farms in New York, which supports their development. "The farmers love them." Vermont should support windmills, too. Nuclear power has risks and "coal miners are dying so we can turn on the juice."

French: Energy costs and global warming make this an important issue. Government should encourage alternate sources, "so we have more control over our energy future," and educate consumers about advantages of renewables.

Hutchinson: Two-thirds of the electricity used in Vermont comes through "expiring contracts" with Hydro-Quebec and Vermont Yankee. If Vermont doesn’t develop its own sources soon, "energy prices could inflate" the way gasoline has. Has surveyed local voters and only 1% say they object to windmills on "aesthetics."

Wolffe: Coal burning is cleaner than it once was; nuclear energy is "cheap and plentiful," but there is the problem of what to do with radioactive waste. "Natural resources are good: We should not turn away from windmills."

MacDonald: Current "competitive electric rates" are due to contracts set up 10 years ago. When these expire, Vermont will have to pay more in the open market. "We can’t ship Vermont dollars out of state to buy energy." Presently, "Vermont won’t talk to" its own high-tech companies, which are developing alternate energy facilities for other places.

Question: Should Vermont farmers be protected from "genetic drift" from genetically engineered seed?

French: A "farmers’ protection bill," which would place liability with the seed companies, would protect both organic and conventional farmers from liability. It’s a "scare tactic" to say that such a bill would curtail the sale of GE seeds in Vermont. Organic will be a "big sector" in Vermont’s economic future.

Hutchinson: The future of Vermont farming is in diversity, and all kinds of farmers need to work together to ensure that future. "Why should we exempt suppliers from liability and make farmers pay?"

Wolffe: "Genetic engineering scares me, because we don’t know what’s going to happen in 20 years." Incentives needed to help farmers convert to organic. "If we lose our farms, we’ll be a state of tourists."

MacDonald: If a bull jumps fence and breeds neighbor’s heifers, there is a law to address the issue. Now seeds can "go over the fence." New technology requires anticipating new problems. "Liability has to be established or we will have chaos."

Webster: "I am not sure; I guess the market will work it out. I would have to be persuaded to make the suppliers liable."

Atkinson: "The only answer is that the company that makes the seed has to be responsible for what the seed does. The people experimenting, making major bucks, have to be responsible for the damage that those seeds do."

Question: What is your position on U.S. presence in Iraq?

Wolffe: It’s a federal issue, but personally "my feeling is the whole war is more American imperialism." U.S should close its borders, and solve our own problems before trying to help others.

MacDonald: 30,000 soldiers had already died "when I was sent to Vietnam, because we weren’t going to dishonor them. After another 28,000 died we came home. An occupying force can’t make a place democratic. It is time to shine a full light, and take a look at what we’ve done again."

Webster: "I am sorry that we are there, but we are there … The war and surrounding events convinces me that we are in WWIII with the jihadists … I have more confidence in President Bush than many."

Atkinson: "We should never have been in Iraq, and the longer we’re there, the worse it is." We should not "cut and run," but why not follow George Aiken’s Vietnam solution: "Declare victory and get out."

French: We should bring the troops home.

Hutchinson: We should not blame the president or Congress: "It is our fault: We have allowed ourselves to be led by the nose … driven by fear, and we should have known better … We have destroyed our credibility in the world and partly destroyed our military, and we certainly have not made ourselves safer by what we have done in Iraq."

This week, Chamber of Commerce Director Irish thanked the candidates for their willingness to participate; Moderator Peter Nowlan; Marty Strange, who gathered questions from the audience; student Robert Sherwin and RTCC instructor Bill Croney for the taping; and RUHS for the use of the auditorium.

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