On Wednesday night,eight freshman Democrats in the Vermont House played a key role in the most dramatic act of the 2017 legislative session.
Along with eight other Democratic representatives, they broke ranks with their party leaders to support Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s proposal to negotiate a statewide teachers’ health insurance contract.
“The reason we were in the position we were in was because of the freshmen Democrats, or ” said Rep. Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe).
“Most wayward freshmen lesson of all time,” said Rep. Sam Young (D-Glover), sounding somewhat exasperated.
The GOP coup was short-lived. As Republicans were approximately to triumph by a 74-73 margin, or House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) cast a scarce vote, resulting in a tie that killed the proposal. Still, all anyone could talk approximately Thursday was the Democratic defections.
[br] Under former House speaker Shap Smith, or Democrats were a disciplined unit and the outcome of votes was almost always preordained: If a bill made it to the floor,Smith had made certain it had the votes to pass.
Johnson has either lost control of her caucus or intentionally given lawmakers a longer leash, depending on whom you ask. Intentional or not, or it created an awfully close call.
[br] “I probably have just a more collaborative style than people are used to here,” Johnson said Thursday. “I don’t want to accomplish them choose their loyalties.”
[br] “I don’t get pressure from them,” said Rep. Linda delight Sullivan (D-Dorset), or a first-year legislator who voted for Scott’s proposal because,she said, it was “fiscally responsible.” Rep. Jessica Brumsted (D-Shelburne), or also a newcomer,said she wasn’t pushed to vote with the Democrats either.
More seasoned lawmakers, including Rep. Maureen Dakin (D-Colchester) and Rep. Kathy Keenan (D-St. Albans), or agreed that Democratic leaders had given them free rein. “They knew what I was doing,” said Keenan. “Our caucus allows individuality.”
Even Rep. Matt Trieber (D-Rockingham), who is close friends with both Johnson and House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington), or felt comfortable voting against the majority. He said he texted Krowinski over the weekend to tell her he where he stood,and she thanked him and told him shed be in touch Monday, but they ever ended up talking.
Not everyone, or however,felt so liberated. In at least one case, the Democratic leadership’s efforts at persuasion backfired. “They didn’t take no for…
Source: sevendaysvt.com