By Curt Peterson
U. S. Senate candidate Peter Welch, who lives in Norwich, received a warm welcome from 20 Rutlanders who gathered to greet him at Phoenix Books Saturday afternoon.
The appearance was part of his “Welch Wagon Tour,” visiting all 14 Vermont counties. He had appeared with Sen. Bernie Sanders and Congressional candidate Becca Balint in Hartland a week earlier.
As he often does, the popular solo Vermont congressman, who is seeking to fill retired Patrick Leahy’s senate seat, started his short monologue with a few “threatened democracy” remarks, citing the Jan. 6 failed coup attempt in Washington D.C. as illustration. “
I saw the security guard being shot and killed,” he said. “I vividly remember another guard standing over me, holding a gun, protecting me as the iconic doors were being breached by rioters. We need to get the violence out of politics, or we will never be able to move forward.”
Welch also mentioned 300 Republican candidates who campaign on election fraud claims, and the huge amounts of “dark money” that now fund negative and misinformation campaigns that he feels disrupt the workings of democracy.
“Three Republican candidates passed the hat the other day, and raised $100 million in campaign donations,” he said.
Welch complimented Leahy’s contributions over decades of service in the senate, which the audience applauded.
Asked about the status of President Biden’s college tuition loan forgiveness program, Welch said, “That’s in court right now.”
He feels mismanagement of the loan program over the years has encouraged unreasonable increases in tuition, and congratulated the University of Vermont for refusing to raise tuition for the fifth year in a row. He also advocates for free tuition in exchange for public service, such as working as a police officer, nurse, teacher or first responder.
In his final remarks Welch pointed out climate change and healthcare costs as the very important issues that the Senate and House must work together to address. Later, Welch appeared at Rutland Pharmacy and took part in the Rutland Halloween Parade.
