I thank the voters I met in just three towns - Bellows Falls, Springfield, and Rutland - for signing petitions to allow me to appear on the Aug. 9 Statewide Democratic Party Primary Election ballot for governor and for United States senator.
Some people told me they didn't know anything about me, but they'd sign my petition after talking with me.
I have been on the statewide ballot every two years starting 2002. Why am I so unknown?
I'll tell you why: because some nonprofit organizations receive taxpayer funding, either directly or indirectly from parent nonprofits, and they entirely exclude some candidates from debates and forums.
Or these nonprofits simply lie and say there are only a certain number of candidates, when in fact there are more, and people are faced with a selection of candidates they didn't know existed when they go to vote.
I feel that nonprofits commit fraud affecting the outcome of elections when they 1) state there are only x number of candidates when in fact there are really x 2 or x 3 more and 2) promote some candidates while discouraging voters from voting for other candidates by insulting and degrading and demeaning those candidates whom they don't want people to vote for.
I believe that latter action is illegal for organizations that take taxpayer funding under the guise of being nonprofits and then act like political action committees.
Vermont Public Radio, AARP, the University of Vermont, and the League of Women Voters - just to name a few - should be prosecuted for these actions. In 14 years, I have never been invited to a general election debate or forum by these organizations.
Again, I'd like to thank the voters I met in just these three towns.