 Good afternoon everybody coming to you live from Channel 17 town meeting television your champagne and I am the host of the Democratic live at 525 show that is on on The second Tuesday of every month coming to you here on town meeting television from Beautiful downtown Burlington in the heart of the Old North End. I got my crack crew here today We have Daniel and Kevin and Jordan and Emily Daniel's parents are here. Hello. Hello from Winooski These people are the very best everyone and and this you know We're the only station in the country that it's called town meeting television Isn't that great now? I'm going to leave this mask on. There's only a couple people here I'm triple Vax, but I'm doing this to make a point and the point is Even though the mask mandate is over What we all need to think about if you're in a crowded place if you're with an older person if you're with someone that has some kind of you know, maybe it isn't feeling well you want to wear your mask and The mask mandate has been lifted March 3rd, and I think it really did succeed in dropping the numbers down Not to be too optimistic. We're hoping to God's sake Please that after two years that this is over or at least diminishing I have to do before I get in my political thing. I've got to get into my I've got to give you the covider app We do it every month We need everyone to be vaccinated. We cannot move forward as a society unless you are not They are doing vaccinations in this very building I am on the corner of Archibald and North Winooski Avenue, but they also do in the community health They do a mccosco. They do them all over the place Now I will tell you if someone had all three shots their first shot is is so painless and Sure, the second shot. I was a little tired and and the booster. I was great but in order to do this we cannot move forward as a society and I'm asking direct appeal. We all know someone who's not vaccinated of All the hundreds of millions of vaccines not one person has died of the vaccine So that makes it safer for me to cross Pearl Street and get hit by a car Then get the again get then have the vaccine to take a toll on me So also another announcement we make every time. It's been a rough two years. Money's tight. It was a cold February We are not a ski town in Burlington and Chittenden So we do not get the economic stimulus of a post Christmas up beat up jump so if If you're having trouble paying some bills if you're having trouble with your heat If you're having trouble with your landlord or your landlord's having trouble with you if you need a good meal if you need a cupboard full of groceries and And especially if you have children We have the amazing three squares program that was for formerly called food stamps and I like three squares It means in order to be healthy. You need to have three square meals a day If you have any questions about this, you know, I can give you a long Email and all that but the easiest thing to do within the state of Vermont is to call 2 1 1 that's also questions for COVID also questions about three squares or perhaps getting fuel assistance or project Lifeline Which is a phone program which I actually get which is fantastic takes the price off your phone Because they know every Vermonner needs a phone Okay, so that's my two cents on that and I have to do that every show. I have about I have about 17 minutes, so It's not called town meeting television for nothing We had an excellent town meeting in Burlington I know this show goes out to all 13 towns in Chittenden so I Know there was a big turnout in South Burlington and Shelburne in Heinsberg But what I'm going to do today because we have a limited time. It's a little bit of a short show I'm actually off to register voters tonight at higher ground Those folks have so kindly invited me for a great musician from Nashville named Marcus King I need to thank higher ground because it was there just about two weeks ago that I registered my 1500th voter so They are so so kind. I want to thank Alex Brothers Mike McKinley Sean Connor all the nice folks over there Jeremy Bonnie everybody They couldn't be nicer so we only have a few minutes and So I thought I'd talk about town meeting television in Burlington For a Democrat the results were mixed. We had some first-time candidates that did spectacularly well But didn't quite make it The progressives are very very strong on campaigning for a town meeting They do a great job in February. Do they do a great job with pole presence their social media and their creativity is Outstanding and I better tip my hat to Josh Ronsky We're kind of on the other side sometimes but Josh you did a good job. You put some quality candidates out there I want to talk about a candidate full disclosure that I worked on their campaign That's my friend Ben Travers. He's just been elected to Phil's Chip for the retiring Chip Mason seat. Thanks Chip for all the years and He's a young lawyer with three children. He lives in the South End. He's a great guy. He's a friend of mine He really cares about the South End and we've been talking about economic revitalization We're always always talking about trying to help veterans We've we've had some talk just very primary about doing more stuff on veterans issues And I think that's gonna come next So no homeless vets as my friend Jordan Riddell from the mayor's office tells me no one wants that and we got to thank all the men and women who who fought for our own forces and You know, we're coming off Coming off 20 years of war. So we have we have a lot of healing to do and The show is not about Ukraine But we obviously see this is the first time they call war and in Eastern Europe in 70 years and it's really scary my Thoughts and prayers are with the people in the Ukraine. It's a democratic country Vladimir Putin is obviously He's a person without scruples and And it's a very scary situation. I want to wish everyone well. I know the Ukrainian community here is doing stuff I know some Russians and they're very appalled by the war So that's a difficult one. So let's I want to talk about okay, so getting back to Ben He he ran in the in the south-end district, which is about almost three miles long It goes from basically like maple maple Street all the way to the South Burlington line like Queen City Plaza Ben He received 78% of the vote, which is incredible. He had two other challengers So I'd like to thank Ben and his family. It's not easy for any of the candidates every day and late ship from from You know mid-January till till March 1st. You're doing something on the campaign. There wasn't as much Door-to-door canvassing conversations. There was a lot of social network I'd like to thank Joanna Grossman for helping on Ben's campaign and also other campaigns great Democrat former vice-chair of the party really brilliant mind with with empirical data and So we had a great time I'd also like to thank the challengers in that ward and And as I said, it was it was a good campaign now look at the the race that has received the most attention is The race in Ward 8 and that is that was between a progressive alley house who is a UVM alumni and Hannah King who is a UVM student and Boy was that close there were two outstanding outstanding candidates Both the people that worked on the campaigns. I mentioned Josh Ronsky He and I are on other sides issues, but you got to give the respect when it's due and then my great friend Adam Roof Who's chair of the Democratic Party? In Burlington, and I have a flash announcement Adam Roof is going to be my special guest next month On channels on town meeting television coming to you live from channel 17 So that race Did not go Hannah's way and I have to say I was disappointed Hannah's a great friend of mine former state committee member former a merge program Graduate which is a program for women to run for public office Democratic Party Also, she's doing a lot of great work for Becca Ballant who's running for Congress and so Hannah I just want to say that you you did such a great job. We're so proud of you and Ali you ran a fantastic race We have to face the the point sometimes that the For young people in the in the district is predominantly young and renters That the Democratic Party might seem a bit old and stale to them The progressive party brings a lot of excitement from the campaigns of senator Sanders and AOC and the squad and And a hundred others more They've really come in with some great ideas and we've got to thank senator Sanders. The conversation has moved left I wanted Hannah to win, but I'm sure Ali will do a great job. I want to thank to all the people that worked on that campaign Owen and Aiden Dordy Sid I don't I'm sorry. I don't know your last name A whole bunch of other people that came in and worked on that campaign. So now We the most the race now, okay It looks like I'm getting stuff behind on my screen speak of the speak of the man himself Bernie burn baby burn I'm sorry. I didn't know that this is going to be going on behind me. So It's excellent. I hope my audience likes it too. Well, what can you say about Bernie Sanders? a little amazing man amazing man his life journey is to help people and he is doing some of the best work of his career right now as chairman of the budget committee and You know a lot of times that that night The State of the Union was the same night as town meetings. So senator Sanders had to be in Washington He usually comes by the polling places. So we'd like to say hi to To senator Sanders and Jane and Karina and Dave and Blake and the whole crew great people Burlington's finest and I Okay, hey, here's the man behind me That triggers something. I really want to talk about I thought and you know, this is a very partisan show but I thought the president was fantastic on State of the Union I had just gotten back from the polls and had it on the radio and I thought his Excitement, I thought it was great. It's very obvious that president Biden is very very comfortable in the Capitol and he's You know, that was where he served for 36 years Excuse me and That was a bar burner of speech as my old man used to say I liked what he was talking about There was some facts there that I'd never heard or maybe never heard a president talk about that one out of ten Americans to have diabetes Boy, that's scary. I Know the Republicans like to talk. Oh This and that but we reached very high. We maybe didn't dunk the ball, but we put it in the hoop and President Biden is doing a fantastic job the new Supreme Court nominee I believe we'll get close to 60 votes and we'll be fantastic and Finally, we're starting to get the court looking like what America looks like I read in the New York Times that even though White males only make up one third of the American population they've 94% of These Supreme Court justices in our history have been white males now that's something that has to end and Good job by President Biden doing this and also I think I think vice president Kamala Harris has done a great job And as my mother was saying to me fantastic to see two women behind the president first time ever Our first woman vice president and then the legend miss Pelosi She's the best no one can count votes like her We're lucky to have her we would not have the Affordable Care Act without her So I thought the state of the Union was fantastic. This is also senator Leahy's Last state of the Union. I think he saw saw He saw 47 of them and I'm just going to mention very quickly the president said senator Leahy served under and It's amazing president Ford President Carter president Reagan president Bush president Clinton president Bush George W. Bush president Obama president Trump. I don't want to say I want to love and now president Biden Incredible senator Leahy. I your personal kindness to me I've been fortunate enough to be a Leahy fellow worked on campaigns with you and I just always want to thank you For your great work We we thank you, and I want to thank this is a miss Leahy. I want to thank John Tracy Carolyn Dwyer John Goodrow All the staff with senator Leahy He has been there crucially Crucially battling for this this new deal agenda You know, I think we're going to come out of this inflation. I think the inflation is fueled obviously short term by the the war in Ukraine the invasion the illegal invasion and also that COVID has stretched us You know it we're in a different world now with working and and going back to work and people have moved jobs and we're still trying to figure it all out and There's going to be quite a book when somebody writes it in 25 years about these two years of COVID Because everyone's had different experiences. We've all had people die that we knew and loved and cared about and The most pointed to me was the lady that she was a hundred and one years old. She was a twin and Her sister had died in the great flu epidemic of 1918 and she succumbed at age a hundred and one to COVID Wow but our our country is so strong and so resilient and and honestly not afraid to spend money and we are spending our Way out of this so Again, I have about five minutes left getting back to COVID. Please get vaccinated wear the mask Okay, so let's let's talk about what this means for the city council We have a 6-6 tie on the city council Also, I should talk about Ali Zhang the city council are in the new north end on the right side of North Avenue He was re-elected with two votes and they did a recount yesterday Thanks to all the people helped on that gym hallway all the good crew And that lead was kept what it happens with voting is for example when you come in You check your name is checked off on paper. You then put your ballot in the ballot which reads it The paper ballot falls and this is collected So at the end of the night we count when we checked you in we count the tally on the ballot box And we count the physical ballots so nothing is is on the internet or Computer nothing can be hacked and those numbers always equal and Attribute to the campaign did not excuse me not campaign the the the election staff up there They they didn't find any new votes So they I saw them the election night and they told me they counted so carefully they probably counted ten times So we are down to five minutes. Thank you, Daniel My line producer my my cameraman and again thanks to his parents. We appreciate we appreciate We appreciate Daniel here and tell me television is really is a family and that's what so so nice about it I look forward to it every week Okay, so I've got five minutes better look at the right camera so There's a real problem on the council. We have 12 members But a six-six tie kills something What what I think we need to do and we'd have to change the city charter and We'd have to it would have to go in front of the voters And it could not occur during this current administration But what I think we need to do is the mayor who is the only person who is elected By all eight wards of the district he gets to cast a tie-breaking vote now I think for that to go forward it would probably have to be Moved to the next mayor so there wouldn't be considered political But the mayor is the only person that is elected in all eight wards And I I think that if we trust the mayor we have to trust that he's going to use that vote to break it Break the tie either way Now sure, it's easy to say I'm a very partisan Democrat and it's the Democratic mayor now But I just think fair is fair. There's sure a good chance the next mayor could be progressive you know as I as I Speak today the mayor on an April 2nd. He'll have been mayor ten years Congratulations, mr. Mayor. You're a good friend. I'm very proud of you Burlington has moved very much forward We've had a lot of challenges. It's still not easy I'm sitting right here. I'm in the poorest neighborhood in all of Vermont. I mean, it's beautiful. It's the old north end It's charming, but then there's parts that sometimes it'll break your heart So that's that's what I think about the city council We'll see what happens. I'd again like to thank all the candidates Especially Hannah King Rob gutton and Ali Jang My my buddy Ben Travers and then a couple candidates ran on a post which shows to me They're doing a fantastic job and that is miss Karen Paul who I would like to see be the next city council president And I forgot also about Sarah carpenter long-term Activist leader and she is a new north-end counselor on the left side of the avenue. So We've gone through town meeting TV and the coverage that town meeting television did Was fantastic Pretty much all the candidates came in here. It was on the cutting edge. They were right downtown as the ballots came in It's it's not much different than democracy a hundred years ago. You come in with the ballots check them in I'd also like to I should say hello to Sarah Montgomery who was works for the city clerks and she She it was her first election because our pal miss Amy Bovi just had a baby Congratulations Amy Sarah you did an amazing job. It's not easy doing all eight words You have to go there the night before before 7 a.m. afterwards And it's really about a 20-hour day. So we're down to two minutes. The show will be on next Month the second Tuesday in April at 5 25 We will be back to our 45 minute segment today was a little short because I'm headed off to To do a great voting reg and here's some rock and roll. I had a pretty much sold out higher ground Um, okay, we're wrapping up. I better do my thank yous. Um, again everyone at town town meeting television Ms. Davidian Megan Kevin Daniel Emily Jordan Jordan's my executive producer He does a great job. I love all the stuff that was put behind me today. I appreciate it. I have one more I have one minute left. Let's just talk about Very quickly the next time there is election is the second Tuesday in august and boy, that's going to be a big one That's going to be candidates for lieutenant governor for congress We are going to on a hundred percent guaranteeing you we are going to elect a democratic woman to congress And then also we're going to have the the senate primary with of course our fantastic congressman peter welch who i've already endorsed and is great And it's going to do such a good job. Thanks to everyone over at his campaign ryan athea and ben and and skyler and meredith Anyway, it's hard to remember all these names We're just about done just about out of time If you need to register to vote you can give me a call 802 5407017 You can go down to city hall. You can vote online You can excuse me. I'm sorry. You cannot vote online. You can register to vote online Even though I think it's best to do it in person because you're left with a paper receipt Which is that you can use to get a library card So again, it's been fun. You know what's cool is when I come here in the winter It's dark and the last time I was here was five below and it's light and it's 40 We're going to have a great summer everyone. I'd like to thank you I'm not sure how much time I have left and that's it. Thanks so much. Have a great day