You Can Quote Me - July 15, 2012 - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

You Can Quote Me - July 15, 2012

MEBODY HAS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE, SOMEBODY HAS TO SAY, WE NEED TO CHANGE THESE THINGS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND MY OPPONENT DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK THAT WAY.

>> AT WHAT TIME DID YOU SAY, I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?

>> THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY CANDIDATES REALLY INTERESTED IN RUNNING AT THAT POINT. AND THEY KIND OF SEARCHED ME OUT AND ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE INTERESTED. KNOWING MY BACKGROUND AS 30 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF VERMONT, I'VE BEEN PAST VERMONT POLICE PRESIDENT. I HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WHO KNOW ME THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

>> WHEN THEY APPROACHED YOU, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?

>> MY FIRST REACTION IS, I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY. I'M A WORKING GUY. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PUT ANY MONEY INTO A CAMPAIGN. THEY SAID WE'LL HELP YOU AS MUCH AS WE CAN. THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, IT SHOULDN'T BE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE BUT HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO HELP THE COUNTRY.

>> LET'S GET YOUR BACKGROUND A LITTLE BIT. YOU SERVE AS A POLICE OFFICER. YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE. YOU TOLD ME YOU RETIRED BRIEFLY. WHAT BROUGHT YOU BACK TO BEING A POLICE OFFICER?

>> I THINK I JUST MISSED YOU KNOW BEING INVOLVED WITH IT. LAW ENFORCEMENT IS BASICALLY MY BLOOD. STARTING IN 1980, WORKING WORKING IN WINDSOR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WHERE I FIRST STARTED OUT IN 1980. THEN I WENT TO SPRINGFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT. I DID A COUPLE OF YEARS OVER IN CLAREMONT NEW HAMPSHIRE. THEN I ENDED UP GOING TO HARTFORD AND SERVED THERE IN '92 AND SERVED UNTIL 2002 2007 WHEN I RETIRED. I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE IN ALL KINDS OF DIFFICULTY SITUATIONS. HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS RIGHT AWAY, SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS AND COME TO THE RIGHT ANSWER THAT GOT EVERYTHING DONE. I THINK IN A WAY THAT MY BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE, HELPS ME, THAT CAN I ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF VERMONT AND KNOW WHAT THEY WANT. SAME THING GOING TO WASHINGTON. I CAN TALK TO PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, ENGAGE THEM, TRY TO CONVINCE THEM, THROUGH MY TRAINING AND NEGOTIATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I BELIEVE I HAVE A LOT TO BRING NOT STATE OF VERMONT.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING YOU FACED AS A POLICE OFFICER AND HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH IT?

>> I WOULD SAY MY MOST DIFFICULT SITUATION WAS QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO. WAS DELIVERING A DEATH MESSAGE TO A FAMILY ON A CHILD THAT HAD DIED AND THAT WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING I EVER DEALT WITH.

>> HOW DID THE CHILD DIE?

>> IT WAS A FREAK ACCIDENT IN A CAMP ACTUALLY, WHERE THEY HAD A I GUESS IT WAS A GAS OR PROPANE REFRIGERATOR THAT MALFUNCTIONED.

>> SO THAT -- HOW DID YOU GET THROUGH THAT OR HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

>> YOU KNOW BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT IT AND YOU KNOW DEALING WITH IT. YOU KNOW IT'S PART OF THE JOB. YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T REALLY DEAL WITH IT THE SAME WAY WE DO WITH IT NOW. BUT TALK TO PEOPLE, TALK TO YOUR CO-WORKERS, YOUR CHIEF, EVERYBODY ELSE. PEOPLE KNEW IT BOTHERED ME BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT MADE MIE ME TO THE POINT I WASN'T ABLE TO GO TO WORK. YOU KEEP GOING.

>> TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES. THIS TASK, BEATING CONGRESSMAN PETER WELCH, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE HE WAS TALKING ABOUT RESPONDING BETTER TO PEOPLE'S NEEDS POSTIRENE, THEY WERE FRUSTRATED WITH THE LENGTH OF PAPERWORK, GETTING A LOAN, MANY BUSINESS OWNERS DECIDED TO GO WITHOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HE WAS PROPOSING A FIX THAT WOULDN'T NEED LEGISLATION. HOW DO YOU THINK THINGS WERE HAPPENING POST-IRENE?

>> I LIVE RIGHT NEAR HARTFORD, WHITE RIVER, BACK ROAD THERE. AND I TALK TO A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T GET ANY HELP AFTER IRENE. THEY PUT IN FOR HELP WITH FEMA AND WERE TURNED DOWN AND TURNED DOWN AGAIN. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE IT. I THINK WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS LET THE LOCAL BANKS DEAL WITH IT, AND HAVE THEM BASICALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE THE LOANS, HIKE THEY DO THROUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BUT LET THE LOCAL PEOPLE GO TO THE LOCAL BANKS. A, THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW WHO THEY'RE DEALING WITH. THEY'LL GET HELP WITH THE PAPERWORK. THE PAPERWORK WAS SO ONEROUS, THEY COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. IT WASN'T WORTH THE EFFORT. LET THEM GO TO THE LOCAL BANKS, THE PEOPLE THEY WERE DEALING WITH, FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK AND DO IT THAT WAY. SO IT WOULD BE PART OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. THEY'RE BETTER EQUIPPED TO HANDLE DISASTERS LIKE THAT. DECLARED DISASTER AREA AND MOVE ON FROM THERE. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THE WAY PETER IS TALKING ABOUT DOING IT IS GOING TO HELP.

>> JUST EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE BIT, MARK DONKA, REPUBLICAN RUNNING FOR THE HOUSE, HOW WOULD THIS WORK THEN, WHERE WOULD THE LOCAL BANKS BE GETTING THE MONEY FROM?

>> IT WOULD BE LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE MONEY WOULD BE COMING AND GUARANTEED, THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE TAKING OUT LOANS, BUT IT'S A LOWER INTEREST RATE TO HELP THEM GET OUT AND REBUILD. VERY FEW OF THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO IN STORES SAID THEY GOT ANY TYPE OF HANDOUTS SO TO SPEAK OR ANY KIND OF MONEY RIGHT AWAY. THAT WAS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, THEY WERE OUT OF BUSINESS, THEY WEREN'T MAKING MONEY AND THERE WAS SO MUCH OF A WAIT TO GET ASSISTANCE IT WASN'T ANY HELP AT ALL. BUSINESS OWNER IN WEST HARTFORD SAID HE PUT IN APPLICATIONS THREE TIMES FOR HELP, AND IT NEVER WORKED. HIS WIFE HAD TO SELL STOCKS JUST TO GET THEIR BUSINESS UP AND RUNNING. HE DIDN'T MAKE ANYTHING, DIDN'T GET ANY REAL HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

>> HOW CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A PROPER VETTING PROCESS SO PEOPLE GETTING LOANS ARE REPAYING MONEY? BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GOING TO LOCAL BANKS THAT'S STILL A LOAN.

>> CORRECT. THE BUSINESS IS GOING TO SURVIVE AND MAKE MONEY AND THAT THEIR CREDIT IS GOOD ENOUGH THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS. YOU KNOW IT WOULD BE JUST LIKE TAKING A LOAN ANYWHERE, BEFORE A BANK GIVES YOU MONEY THEY HAVE TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN PAY IT BACK.

>> YOU MENTIONED SOUTHERN VERMONT. WILMINGTON, THAT AREA. IF THIS IS YOUR PROPOSAL, WOULDN'T THE BANKS BE FLOODED WITH APPLICATIONS? ONE OR TWO LOAN OFFICERS, IF YOU HAD THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY COMING TO BANKS SAYING I NEED A LOAN, HOW WOULD YOU DEAL WITH THAT BACKLOG?

>> THEY WERE FLOODING THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO GET THEIR LOANS THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT. THAT'S WHAT WAS CAUSING THE BACKLOG. ONE EMPTY TRYING TO DO THAT. IF EVERYBODY CONSEQUENT TO THEIR LOCAL BANK, IT WOULD SPREAD IT OUT, NOT DEALING WITH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PAPERWORK. THEY WOULD BE DEALING WITH LOCAL BANKS, LOCAL CUSTOMERS THEY ALREADY HAD AND THEY WOULD KNOW WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE WERE A GOOD RISK TO GIVE THEM MONEY.

>> ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT'S COME UP THIS WEEK IS THE ISSUE OF OVERTIME PAY AND AN ALLEGATION OF A STATE TROOPER SERGEANT WHO WAS PADDING HIS PAY. I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS CASE, SERGEANT DEAGAN WAS CHARGED WITH NOT ONLY PADDING HIS PAYROLL BUT MAKING ALLEGATIONS OF PRETTY MUCH FRAUD, THE STATE PROSECUTOR CALLED THIS ONE OF THE WORST CASES OF ABUSE HE'S EVER SEEN. I WANT TO GET YOUR REACTION TO THIS, POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS IF IT DOES PROVE TO BE A PROBLEM?

>> I DON'T HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS OF THE STATE POLICE AND THEIR ORGANIZATION. I BELIEVE IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION, IT WILL BE INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY. THE GUY ISN'T GUILTY YET, HE'S BEEN ACCUSED OF THINGS. MAYBE IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT THAT HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG OR HE DID DO SOMETHING WRONG. BUT LET THE COURTS AND LET THE INVESTIGATION TAKE PLACE AND THEN WE CAN MAKE A DECISION. I CAN'T MAKE A DECISION OF HOW THE STATE POLICE HANDLES THEIR OVERTIME OR THEIR CALLOUT BECAUSE I'M NOT INVOLVED IN THEIR ORGANIZATION.

>> DID THIS SITUATION SURPRISE YOU WHEN YOU HEARD ABOUT IT?

>> VERY MUCH SO, ACTUALLY, IT DID.

>> WHY?

>> I JUST BEING A POLICE OFFICER AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HEAR THINGS LIKE THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A BLACK EYE FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE THE STATE POLICE OR WHATEVER. IT'S GOING TO BE THE PUBLIC ALL OF A SUDDEN LOOKS AT IT SAYING YOU HAVE ONE BAD APPLE. THIS MUST BE WIDESPREAD, MUST BE GOING ON, THE INVESTIGATION WILL SHOW IS IT WIDESPREAD OR IS IT AN INCIDENT LIMITED TO ONE PERSON? EVERY BUSINESS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE. PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN EMBEZZLING MONEY AND FINALLY GOT CAUGHT. DOES THAT MAKE ALL OF THEM THROUGHOUT THE STATE BAD PEOPLE? NO. AND THE SAME WAY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE'RE HUMAN, WE ERR, AND WE GET ON WITH IT.

>> WE'RE TALKING WITH MARK DONKA. WE'LL COME BACK RIGHT AFTER THESE MESSAGES. [ Male Announcer ] A FULL LIFE MEASURED IN SEATS STARTS WITH THE RIGHT ONES EARLY ON. CAR CRASHES ARE THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF CHILDREN 1 THROUGH 13. LEARN HOW TO PREVENT DEATHS AND INJURIES BY USING THE RIGHT CAR SEAT FOR YOUR CHILD'S AGE AND SIZE. AS THE WIFE OF A NASCAR DRIVER, I'VE LEARNED THAT LIFE DOESN'T COME WITH CRUISE CONTROL. EVERYTHING CAN CHANGE IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. THE VICTORIES HAVE BEEN GREAT, BUT THEY DON'T PROMISE CONTROL, AND THEY DON'T TAKE AWAY THE FEAR. LIFE CAN BE REALLY SCARY SOMETIMES, AND SOMETIMES I'M EASILY OVERWHELMED BY IT. THAT'S WHY I READ OUR DAILY BREAD. THE CLEAR STORIES POINT ME TO GOD AND TO THE LIVING PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. YOU CAN RECEIVE OUR DAILY BREAD AT NO COST OR OBLIGATION. THEY'LL DELIVER OUR DAILY BREAD RIGHT TO YOUR HOME. THE INSIGHTS OF OUR DAILY BREAD HAVE BECOME VERY PRECIOUS TO ME. I BELIEVE THEY'LL HELP YOU, TOO. BECAUSE NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE HEADING, WITH GOD'S GRACE YOU CAN ENJOY THE RIDE. MAKE THE DIFFERENT MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. MY ADDRESS BOOK IS FILLING UP FASTER AND FASTER. I'VE HAD TO MISS SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON AROUND THE STATE, SOME OF THE PARADES THAT WERE GOING ON TO MEET PEOPLE AND TALK TO THEM. I JUST COULDN'T DO. WORKING 40 TO 50 HOURS A WEEK FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN TRYING TO FIT EVERYTHING ELSE IN, IT IS TOUGH. AS IT GUESS CLOSER TO THE ELECTION, IT'S ALREADY -- I'VE ALREADY SPOKE WITH MY CHIEF ABOUT IT THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF AND REALLY PUT MYSELF OUT THERE AS MUCH AS I CAN. AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT AND THEY ARE FINE WITH IT. SO AT THIS POINT, YEAH, IT'S JUGGLING, BASICALLY, YOU ARE HAVING TO JUGGLE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

>> YOU'RE GOING AGAINST A THREE TERM INCUMBENT. WHAT DO YOU THING CONGRESSMAN WELCH HAS DONE WRONG? YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?

>> I THINK QUITE A FEW THINGS PETER HAS DONE WRONG. HE WAS BEHIND THE CASH FOR CLUNKERS, HE VOTED FOR THAT. ON THE SURFACE, IT LOOKS GOOD, WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF GAS GUZZLERS AND REDUCE OUR OIL CONSUMPTION. BUT I DON'T THINK HE THOUGHT IT OUT OF WHAT IT WOULD DO TO THE LOWER INCOME PEOPLE OR MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE. WHAT IT DID WAS TOOK A HUGE AT OF CARS OUT OF THE USED CAR STREAM WHERE WE'RE DO MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO BUY USED CARS GOING TO GET A CAR? THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO AFFORD A NEW CAR, GOING TO A DEALERSHIP, GETTING A LOT OF HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO DO THIS. WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD THE CAR? THE THE USED CAR STREAM DRIED UP WHICH MEANT SUPPLY AND DEMAND, USED CARS STARTED COSTING A LOT MORE MONEY. I DON'T THINK HE THOUGHT IT OUT AS FAR AS WHAT IT WOULD DO IN THE STATE OF VERMONT.

>> ARE YOU AND PETER WELCH PLANNING DEBATES?

>> AT THIS TIME NONE HAVE BEEN PLANNED. I WOULD LOVE TO GO AGAINST PETER AND TELL MY SIDE. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE GRASS ROUTES CAMPAIGN, NOT ALL ABOUT MONEY. PETER WHREP HAS WELL OVER $1 MILLION IN HIS WAR CHEST.

>> HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE?

>> BUY AN ELECTION. I DON'T HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS IN MY WAR CHEST. WE'RE WORKING HARD TO GET SOME MONEY COMING IN. WE HAVE HAD SOME DONATIONS COMING IN, NOT A LOT OF MONEY. BUT WE WEREN'T TRYING TO PUSH FOR DONATIONS, BUT GETTING THE MECHANICS OF THE CAMPAIGN SET UP. THE TREASURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO SIT BACK AND DO CAMPAIGNING FOR MONEYS AND REACHING OUT TO WHOEVER WE CAN TO GET IT FROM THE NATIONAL PARTY DOWN IN WASHINGTON, THROUGH THE VERMONT PARTY AND TO ANYBODY ELSE YOU KNOW. WE'RE GOING TO START DOING SOME MAILINGS AND E-MAILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'VE PUT TOGETHER SOME BARBEQUES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, TO RAISE MONEY. I'M NOT GOING TO RAISE A MILLION DOLLARS BUT I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE ABOUT MONEY. I THINK IT'S ABOUT WHO IS THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB, WHO IS GOING TO DO THE BEST FOR THE COUNTRY NOT THE ONE WHO PUTS THE MOST MONEY IN.

>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER AS A DAVID AND GOLIATH SITUATION. FROM DAVID'S REPORT. WHY JUMP DIRECTLY TO CONGRESS?

>> NOBODY SEEMED TO WANT TO TAKE ON THE TASK TO RUN AGAINST THE ECONOMY. YOU'RE PUTTING YOURSELF OUT ON THE LINE WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS. OPENING YOURSELF UP TO ALL KINDS OF STIFF, A LOT OF -- STUFF, A LOT OF HARD WORK. PEOPLE HAVE COME UP TO ME AND SAID YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF GUTS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TO GO AGAINST THE INCUMBENT. I'M UP TO THE TASK. I'VE NEVER SHIRKD FROM A CHALLENGE. BUT THE MIDDLE CLASS, THE BACKBONE OF THIS COUNTRY, THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THIS COUNTRY AND THIS STATE CAN RELATE A LOT BETTER TO SOMEONE WHO IS A MIDDLE CLASS PERSON COMPARED TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN IN WASHINGTON FOR A WHILE, BEEN IN POLITICS FOR QUITE A WHILE. I DON'T THINK THEY CAN RELATE AS WELL TO THE PUBLIC LIKE ME. I CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK TO THEM AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE NOT TO BE ABLE TO PAY BILLS.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THIS RACE?

>> GETTING MY NAME OUT. PETER WELCH BEING AN INCUMBENT, BEING A THREE-TERM, HE IS WELL-KNOWN. SO IT'S BASICALLY GOING TO BE NAME AND FACE RECOGNITION AND SO THAT'S WHY I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THINGS LIKE THIS. BECAUSE IT DOES GET MY NAME OUT THERE, GET IT ON THE AIR, PEOPLE GET TO SEE ME AND HERE'S SOME OF THE IDEAS. IT IS GOING TO BE A DAUNTING TASK. IT'S GOING TO BE HEART TO COMPETE WITH HIM SOME ESPECIALLY IF HE STARTS WITH THE TV ADS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND REALLY CHALLENGING THAT. AT THIS POINT I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM REALLY PUSHING, HE MAY NOT CONSIDER ME A THREAT AT THIS POINT BUT I WILL BE.

>> WE SHOULD SAY AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE CONGRESSMAN PETER WELCH ON AND HIS VIEWS ON EVERYTHING THAT'S FACING THE COUNTRY. WHAT IS YOUR CAMPAIGN STRATEGY THEN?

>> BASICALLY TRAVELING AROUND, LOT OF SHOE LEATHER AND TALKING TO PEOPLE AND GOING TO AS MANY GROUPS AS POSSIBLE, SETTING UP TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO TRY TO GET OUR NAME OUT. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE PRIMARY COMING UP. BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE MUCH OF A PRIMARY FOR ME BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY GOING AGAINST ME ON THE REPUBLICAN TICKET. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO CONCENTRATE AFTER THE PRIMARY AND PRETTY MUCH REALLY PUT OUR NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE SO TO SPEAK AND GET OUT THERE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW ME BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. YOU'LL SEE SIGNS GOING UP. WE'RE GOING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN AFFORD TO DO AND DO AROUND THE STATE AND GET OUT THERE AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH GOING TO BE OUR STRATEGY, GETTING MY NAME OUT AND MY MESSAGE OUT OF WHO I AM, WHAT I STAND FOR.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FARM BILL, A LOT OF VERMONTERS ARE LISTEN IFNING TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE FARM BILL. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> I HAVEN'T READ THE FARM BILL. LITTLE BIT THAT I'VE LOOKED AT I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TO HELP THE SMALL FARMERS IN VERMONT AND I THINK THEY DO NEED HELP. BUT I DON'T THINK BY SELLING THEM INSURANCE POLICIES AND MAKING THEM FILL OUT ALL KINDS OF PAPERWORK IS THE WAY TO DO IT. I THINK THE FREE MARKET CAN WORK, SET A BASE PRAYS FOR MILK THAT THIS IS HOW MUCH IT IS GOING -- BASE PRICE FOR MILK, THAT THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, THAT THIS IS THE BASE PRICE FOR A HUNDREDWEIGHT OR WHATEVER, THAT WORK IT, THAT THE FARMERS ARE BUSINESSMEN AND DON'T FLUCTUATE. IF YOU ALL OF A SUDDEN IT MOVES AROUND A LITTLE BIT WHERE GRAIN BECOMES MORE EXPENSIVE OR THEY HAVE TO BRING ON MORE COWS TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE, THEN THEY CAN DO THAT. BUT I JUST WONDER YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THESE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENTS WE KEEP GETTING MORE AND MORE INVOLVED IN PEOPLE'S LIVES AND I DON'T THINK IT'S THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB.

>> LETS TALK ABOUT ANOTHER ISSUE ON VERMONT FARMS. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE ILLEGALLY WITHOUT THE PROPER DOCUMENTS. SHOULD VERMONT OFFICIALS BE CRACKING DOWN HARDER ON THIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IN VERMONT?

>> I BELIEVE SO. THEY CALL THEM UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS. THEY'RE NOT HERE LEGALLY. LET SET SOME UP WHERE THEY CAN COME HERE LEGALLY. WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT THEY'RE TAKING JOBS FROM AMERICANS.

>> DO YOU THINK THERE ARE VERMONTERS WHO WANT TO WAKE UP AT 2:00 OR 3:00 A.M. AND MILK COWS?

>> I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO IT AND WE HAVE TO MAKE IT WHERE THE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS DON'T SUPPORT THEM, WHERE THEY HAVE TO WORK HARD TO MAKE A LIVING. INSTEAD WE HAVE THE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS THE WELFARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT BASICALLY KEEPS THE PEOPLE ON WELFARE AND KEEPS THEM FROM WANTING TO DO ANY KIND OF JOB. THERE HAS TO BE A CHECK AND BALANCE IN THERE THAT YOU HAVE TO EVENTUALLY, IT IS A SYSTEM THAT HELPS YOU ALONG NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A CAREER.

>> LET ME UNDERSTAND. SO YOU THINK THAT THE FARM JOBS, THERE ARE VERMONTERS WHO WANT THOSE? BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO MANY WHO SAY THEY POST ADS AND NO ONE RESPOND, THEY RESPOND FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN NEVER RESPOND AGAIN, VERMONTERS THAT IS.

>> I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO AREN'T CUT OUT TO BE FARMERS. I REMEMBER MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS 18 AND 19 AND I WORKED ON A COUPLE OF FARMS AND IT'S TOUGH WORK. IT'S DAY LIGHT TO DARK, LONG HOURS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I STILL WONDER ARE WE BRINGING THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS OR ILLEGAL ALIENS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CAUGHT THEM INTO THIS 61, ARE THEY REALLY BEING TREATED WELL OR IS IT BASICALLY THAT THE FARMERS ARE ABLE TO PAY THEM THAT MUCH LESS INSTEAD OF YOU KNOW IF THEY'RE NOT DOCUMENTED THEY'RE REALLY NOT PAYING THEM ON THE BOOKS OR REALLY NOT SHOWING WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PAYING THEM. THAT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT TOO. PAY THEM A DISEEPT WAGE AND OFFER THE VERMONTERS A DECENT WAGE TO DO THE JOB AND I THINK THEY WILL DO IT.

>> MARK DONKA, THE REPUBLICAN RUNNING FOR CONGRESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

>> WE'LL REACH OUT TO PETER WELCH, WE'LL HAVE HIM ON THE SHOW SOON, ALSO. THANKS VERY MUCH, EVERYONE, HAVE A GREAT DAY AND TAKE CARE.