Pollina seeks to serve
Opinion Piece by Marian Harpan Peduzzi from Newport; published in the March 25, 2008 issue of The Burlington Free Press.
This Republican Vermonter who is an independent voter, meaning no party owns her, wants to tell you that Anthony Pollina, Progressive Party candidate, will be the best person to represent us as governor of our state in the forthcoming years.
Our dear Republican Jim Douglas has had his turn, and I think that three terms is a fair amount of time for him in which to realize satisfaction of success, and now acknowledge that it is his time to move to better things. Our other possibility is Peter Gailbraith, a Democrat, who has already indicated that his interests are in making higher contributions of his talents than being a governor of Vermont. He could be more valuable in Washington or the Middle East, where he could possibly find work directing or correcting our problems, which are vast. I feel he would be a great success in that area. Next, I feel Anthony Pollina’s criticism of the Democratic Party is not a bad thing. Democrats should listen to him, as he has much to offer. Any person who can stand up to the strength of such a party is no milquetoast. Pollina must be strong in his will and his persona. Such a man is a real leader. And by the looks of his accomplishments, he is.
Further, the present leaders of the Democratic Party should heed Pollina’s suggestions and combine all ideas with the current needs of Vermonters. They should also place those needs ahead of their petty political fears. Party leaders and members can forgive Pollina’s critiquing, and by so doing, everyone will benefit. Unification of Progressives and Democrats is the ticket to success.
Pollina is a man for the people. He has been and still is a businessman. He also is for betterment of our ecology; for our better health; for our farming community, including organic farming. He is a hard worker and is for the workers who earn and pay taxes, which provide money to operate state government, but at the same time he does not disregard the needs of those whose tax money is made by proper investment. He also knows the needs of the retired, the sick, the homeowner and all the rest of us who use our bumpy highways and dangerous bridges.
What more do we want? Who better can we get than a man who has worked hard and will work together with us, not against us, to make the lives of all Vermonters better for now and for the grandchildren who will foot the bills created by previous governors?
I feel we should give very serious thought to this man, Anthony Pollina, who wants to help us, which is the right reason for seeking the position in the first place. This man is not interested in just the glory of the title, “Governor of Vermont.” He sincerely wants to serve us.
Marian Harpan Peduzzi lives in Newport.
This Opinion Piece was printed in the Tuesday March 25, 2008 issue of The Burlington Free Press (link to source).