What is the biggest challenge facing Vermonters? Is it Vermont Yankee, jobs, declining milk prices, energy, high taxes, or the state’s mounting deficit? It’s none of the above. By far the biggest challenge confronting Vermont is the American Empire itself – the largest, wealthiest, most powerful, most environmentally insensitive, most racist, most militaristic, and most violent empire of all-time.
Two of the most vehement Vermont supporters of the American Empire are none other than Lt. Governor Brian Dubie and his brother Major General Michael Dubie. Brian is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and Michael is Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard.
As Adjutant General, Michael Dubie is Vermont’s principal promoter of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both his budget and his political clout are closely linked to the number of Vermonters deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. He has absolutely no incentive whatsoever to call for an end to these wars or a return of Vermont troops from overseas. War is his business.
If elected Governor, what is the likelihood that Colonel Brian Dubie will call for an end to the illegal and immoral wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? I believe the chances are virtually nil that he will ever challenge the authority of either his brother or the Pentagon.
Will he continue to serve in the Air Force Reserve and as an American Airlines Captain? How is it possible to be loyal to Vermont, if you owe your soul to the American Empire?
To increase the number of jobs in Vermont, Brian has expressed an interest in trying to attract more military contractors to Vermont. One can imagine a scenario in which the Dubie brothers promote more wars, send more Vermonters overseas to fight in these wars, and attract more defense contractors to Vermont to support even more wars. Vermont could become a tiny military state under the absolute control of the American Empire. Its position as the state with the highest per-capita combat death rate in Iraq would remain unchallenged.
Unfortunately, the Dubie brothers may not be stoppable. There is little evidence to suggest that any of the Democratic challengers for governor can defeat Brian Dubie. None of them have the guts to confront the American Empire, the wars of the Empire, or those who promote and support these wars. They have no vision of the future without the Empire.
However, Vermont independence gubernatorial candidate Dennis Steele and his running mate Peter Garritano just might be able to stop the Dubie brothers’ military madness machine.
Dennis is a fifth generation Vermonter from the Northeast Kingdom, a U.S. Army veteran, and a strong supporter of second amendment rights. He and Peter know how to cut through the military bullshit. Unlike the Dubie brothers, Dennis and Peter are both independent businessmen who are unaccustomed to taking orders from anyone, least of all the U.S. Government.
It’s high time peace loving Vermonters stood up to the American Empire, to Brian and Michael Dubie, and the ghastly wars which they condone. The Gods of the Dubie brothers are not the Gods of Vermont.
Imagine…Free Vermont
Thomas H. Naylor
June 10, 2010
