DUMMERSTON-Dear Gov. Scott,
You enjoy a broad, bipartisan base of support here in Vermont, elected with 73% of the vote. That is because Vermonters appreciate your competence and steady hand, even though we don't always agree with you. And we have trusted you to maintain and protect the safety and security of our state.
Now that President Donald Trump is allowing the illegal and unconstitutional dismantling of our federal government, and threatening the security of our alliances, diminishing our reputation and power around the world, I am no longer feeling safe. I fear for our national security, and for our own health and welfare.
What will happen to our state when federal employees are removed from their jobs here, when grant money that supports so many of our systems is denied, when individual freedoms are threatened and abolished?
I worry about our economy and our ability to maintain our institutions. I worry about what will happen the next time we face a natural disaster. I worry that our wonderful Grace Cottage Hospital will not be able to build the new clinic that we need so much, or that the hospital we depend on will even survive. I worry that our roads and bridges will become unsafe, and much more.
So, Gov. Scott, I trust that you are not in agreement with the Republican party's embrace of Trump and his policies. If you don't support what his administration is doing, please speak up and let us know. Find a way to publicly disagree and challenge the march away from democratic principles and the rule of law.
My hope is that you work with other like-minded Republicans (as well as Democrats and independents) who don't support this destruction of our government to stop the things that are endangering us.
I realize that it's risky politically to openly resist, but please find a way to let us know if you deserve the trust that Vermonters hold for you.
Linda Rood
Dummerston
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