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Shepard for Congress - Write-In 2008 Rep. Welch's vote for Bush bailout was wrong! Two-term Vermont State Senator Mark Shepard from Bennington who ran for Congress in 2006 has put his name forward as a write-in option for Congress this year. Shepard, 48, was raised on a Hartland Strawberry farm. Since leaving elected politics, Shepard has been focusing his energies on his engineering business and had no intention of running for Congress this year. However, after Representative Peter Welch, who is essentially running unopposed, decided to support President Bush's federal bailout, Shepard expressed the need for Vermonters to have another option. In a recent letter to the editor, Shepard advocated that "even if Rep. Welch was the only name on the ballet, Vermonters should not bail him out with a vote on Nov. 4." Peter Welch's vote for the $850 billion bailout was wrong for a number of reasons: 1. It is wrong to continually expect taxpayers to bailout failures. This is becoming a bad habit in America and where does it stop? 2. On his first bailout bill Rep. Welch voted no and made a good case for why taxpayers should not be saddled with a $700 billion bailout. Then when the amount was increased to $850 billion he switched his vote and voted for the increased bailout. He followed that vote up by sending out an intellectually insulting email letter outlining his rationale for now supporting the even larger bailout. He presented no good case for voting for the second bailout bill, most especially after he had voted against the smaller bailout bill. At best it was a vote out of fear - "do something even if it's wrong." There were better ideas, and as a member of the party in control of Congress he should be in a position to work with his majority for real solutions. 3. Perhaps most disturbing is such a vote switch likely would not have happened if he had a real contest for reelection. It
seems clear that he followed his Washington party's leadership instead of
the voice of his constituents. Having no viable opponent, Rep. Welch
knew he could get away with this vote against taxpayers. Vermonters
were taken granted and that is wrong. Shepard said, "My opposition to throwing taxpayer money at problems rather than working toward real solutions and my desire that Vermonters have a means of expressing their disappointment or even outrage at this action by Representative Welch has compelled me to put my name forward." Shepard said, "Clearly time is short and many Vermonters have already voted, but at a minimum I want to give Vermonters a means to give Representative Welch a wakeup call and let him know we expect more from our only member to Congress. Just write-in Mark Shepard, Bennington and send Peter Welch a clear message that we do not appreciate him redistributing our wages to those who failed to perform their duties on Wall Street and Washington." While there are other options on the ballot, none are known well throughout the state and none are running a serious campaign, hence most Vermonters will not consider voting for any of these. Shepard hopes that his having served in the Vermont Senate and his run for Congress in 2006 will help provide a viable place for Vermonters to send a clear message to Peter Welch, President Bush and Washington DC that we taxpayers cannot continually bailout irresponsibility. Not only is it wrong, it is not sustainable and weakens our nation. Many Vermonters are showing support for Shepard by putting up their 2006 campaign signs and spreading the word that there is an option to Welch. Vermonters can learn more about Mark Shepard at his 2006 website, www.shepardforcongress.org. Please feel free to contact Mark Shepard at 249-7886 or by email at mark@markshepard.us. You may also contact Bill Stafford of Colchester, who managed Shepard's campaign in 2006 at 862-0858 or billstafford1@verizon.net. Excerpts from articles during Mark's 2006 run for Congress View related articles from 2006 Campaign
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"... many politicians talk the talk about doing something tangible about new jobs and it doesn't go much further. Sen. Shepard walked the walk." Bennington Banner State Senator Endorsement Editorial, October 29, 2004
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