Official CAMPAIGN STATEMENT of Candidate for Vermont Attorney General
Here’s the Plan…
1. At the top of the list is the protection of the most vulnerable. Every case of reported abuse of the disabled or elderly must be investigated in a timely manner – and prosecuted if the facts support prosecution. A backlog of hundreds of abuse cases shows a shocking lack of appreciation for the dignity of all human beings. This should never happen again. No excuses. No exceptions.
2. Call for a moratorium on the militarization of local police departments. The acquisition of unnecessary military equipment has many disadvantages. It places a burden on taxpayers. It also creates a militarized culture in small towns.
3. Thoroughly investigate every police shooting – especially when an unarmed civilian is killed.
4. Review/rescind the State policy which prohibits doctors/dentists, licensed in other States, from rendering compassionate medical care in Vermont.
5. Insure the privacy of all medical records.
6. Increase support of consumer protection. Increase access to the justice system for low income Vermonters.
Increase transparency in government.
Increase funding for Health Care Advocates. Reduce/eliminate the awarding of no-bid contracts by the State.
7. Increase the Prosecution of violent crime, home invasion, and other offences which are a threat to public safety.
8. Support farmers and the economy by encouraging the cultivation of hemp as an agricultural product.
9. Rescind the Vermont policy which supports the frivolous Defense of the State in cases where the State is clearly at fault. When a person is injured or killed – or when there is damage to property caused by carelessness or negligence by the State, there should be no gaming of the system by the State.
The Courts should never be used as a tool to prohibit justice. In addition, it is a waste of taxpayer money to litigate every case. Sometimes an offer of a fair settlement would save money and insure a fair outcome.
Sovereign Immunity should never be used to deprive citizens of Justice.
Eminent Domain should be used only in the extremely rare case when the public good demands it.
10. Restore the First Amendment in Vermont. Political speech in public tax supported facilities should never be censored. (See photos on the Internet of Dennis Steele being arrested.) The banning of political books by public tax supported libraries should no longer be permitted. The chipping away of Constitutional Rights should never be trivialized. Academic freedom in high schools and colleges must be supported.
The bottom line is this: The Office of Attorney General should never be used as a political tool. The power of the office is a sacred trust that must insure justice for all. The Office of Attorney General should set the ethical standard for Vermont.
“When Fascism came, it was not brought by uniformed troops.
It was not imposed at the point of a gun.
Fascism came because citizens were too distracted to pay attention.
Voters were too misinformed to cast intelligent ballots.
And the mass of people failed to recognize the inherent danger
In the censoring of speech and the banning of books.” RMJ
Rosemarie Jackowski is an Advocacy Journalist, Founder of Justice for Children, a member of Veterans for Peace, and author of BANNED IN VERMONT.
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Rosemarie Jackowski is a peace activist and advocacy journalist. She has spent many years in public and private education. Her first year of teaching was in a public school in New Jersey in 1957. She has been a resident of Vermont since 1985. She welcomes questions and comments. Phone 802-447-0868. E-mail dissent@sover.net