Dubie – Dubie – Who?

by Margaret Michniewicz

With the gubernatorial primary race almost behind us as we go to press, many Vermonters are suffering from election fatigue, perhaps a little overstuffed from the multitude of appetizers available to choose from on August 24. But soon we’ll know what the specific options are for the main course on November 2.

Or will we? True – we know that one of the options will be the Republican candidate, Lt. Governor Brian Dubie. But after all this time it is frustratingly difficult to obtain a complete understanding of the ingredients that would inform his objectives as governor, were he to win the general election. Most campaigning politicians can be faulted for their ubiquity – but Dubie has stayed clear of any debating opportunities thus far.

And just this week, he released his jobs plan, “Pure Vermont: Blueprint for Job Growth and Economic Expansion.” Alas, immediately following presentation of this long-awaited window-onto-a-future-with-Dubie, another campaign stop was scheduled – and so the Lt. Governor had to scurry off after spending just over ten minutes with the Vermont press corps. From all reports it seems that he had an eager audience, quite prepared to have an engaged discussion about the material. It was not to be though. Off he went.

And so, at this time we have fresh questions as to what a “pure Vermont” would be in terms of job growth and economic expansion.

Soon, soon we will finally have the opportunity to see Dubie enter a debate.

At that time, it will be refreshing to get more clarification on all his policy positions – the concept of “growing jobs”, his mantra, is laudable but the questions remain as to how that will be accomplished. More troubling is the use of that refrain over and over in response to unrelated topics. To wit, questions on reproductive rights, for example, inevitably, in Dubie talk, segue into “growing jobs.”

So, though it may be difficult to now start thinking of November, it’s helpful to bear in mind some of the glimpses we’ve had into Brian Dubie’s socially conservative mindset. Important and telling examples are his anti-choice views and opposition to marriage equality over the years. He seems to be well-practiced these days in shifting the conversation into “common ground” kinds of speak, but we need more guarantee where his stand would be once governor.

A recent back & forth with Anne Galloway at VT Digger (see www.vtdigger.org) is indicative:

Vtdigger.org: Under your administration, would you propose restrictions on abortion?

Dubie: Abortion is a federal law of the land. I am pro-life, and my agenda in running for governor is to help create jobs. I will continue to support pro-adoption efforts like Project Family, which I’ve been a champion for, and I continue to support the Lund Family Center. I would continue to find commonsense, common-ground legislation like baby-safe legislation of which I testified for the Senate Judiciary Committee. That’s the commonsense, common-ground agenda that I would support, promoting adoption.

That’s what I’ve done, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.

Vtdigger.org: So you wouldn’t be proposing things like requirements that teenagers get a sign-off from parents?

Dubie: That’s not my agenda. My agenda is to grow jobs. My spirit has been — on abortion and other tough issues — to find common ground to try to bring Vermonters together. Others might use this as an issue to drive us apart. My spirit has been to find common ground as I did on baby-safe legislation.

And in answer to a question on his stand on reproductive rights in Seven Days earlier this summer, he replied: “I’m pro-life. The agenda that I’m running on for governor is to grow jobs in our state. That’s pretty much who I am and what I’m about.”

Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie is an affable man, but the issues we face in Vermont right now are complex. It’s going to be very important that voters have the opportunity to get a much clearer picture of where he will come down on important decisions if he were to become governor. After the debates have commenced, will he still remain the darling of Vermont Right to Life? What does it mean for women and children that his budget proposals would call for major cuts to human services?

Soon the time will come when Brian Dubie will have to step up to debate and elaborate on these issues – and in the meantime, we’ll soon find out against whom!

Vermont Woman will have coverage throughout the remainder of the election season on our website, www.vermontwoman.com.