Arlington Democrat follows own star
Toolbox
By Patrick McArdle Staff Writer - Published: May 25, 2009
ARLINGTON — Rep. Cynthia Browning was elected as a Democrat but given her vote against same-sex marriage and the legislative budget, as well as her talk of supporting a budget veto, she has proven that she isn't simply supporting the party line.
Browning, who is serving her second term in office, said on Friday that she had been in touch with both the Democratic leaders in the Legislature and the office of Gov. James Douglas and said she hadn't made a decision on how she would vote if Douglas vetoes the Legislative budget.
"If (Douglas) had vetoed it right now and I had to make a vote right now, I would vote to sustain the veto because that would make them go back to the table. Now I'm taking a chance that they're going to do something during negotiations that I like better than the legislative budget," she said
Browning is one of two Bennington County Democrats who voted against the legislative budget. Rep. William Botzow of Pownal said he had voted against the budget in a largely symbolic gesture because he thought that there were pieces that would be particularly hard for a town like Pownal that borders on another state.
But Botzow said he had also made it clear what he planned to do if the governor vetoes the budget.
"I would support the legislative budget because the alternatives are even harder for my town," he said.
With a degree in economics, Browning said while she may not understand all of the budget, she believes she sees room for a compromise. However, she expressed doubts that either side was interested in reaching one.
"They want to have a showdown and then however it plays out, somebody can win. I see the Democrats using this difficulty to get through some tax changes that they've always wanted, the governor is using the difficulty to shrink the size of government and lay off employees which is something he always wanted so they're not really trying do things to solve this crisis, they're working on long-held ideological agendas. I understand that but I think we need to have that fight later. Right now we need to have some kind of pragmatic solution to the current situation," she said.
Browning said she knew there could be consequences.
"Yes I am concerned. I'm concerned that I might be punished in some way. I'm concerned that things I want won't go anywhere but also, I have to take that risk," she said.
Rep. Floyd Nease, the Democratic House majority leader who represents parts of Lamoille County, said the party didn't punish members who vote against the party but he said that party loyalty was remembered when considering things like committee membership.
"When your vote is not consistent with the leadership, well, the folks who stuck with the leadership, they're in the front of the line," he said.
A person who votes against the party may also find themselves facing a primary challenge in the next election cycle, Nease said, something Browning acknowledges is possible.
Browning said she knew her vote against same-sex marriage disappointed some.
"I know that there are people who are very, very disappointed in my vote on that and they may never vote for me again. I know that. That may have been true no matter how I voted on that issue."
Browning said she was not prepared to vote with the Democratic majority if she didn't agree with them.
"I think I may not always be as diplomatic about things as I should be. There's a lot theater in Montpelier and … when you don't like something, they like you to register that beyond the scenes. … If I can, I try to make my opinion known ahead of time but sometimes, I don't find out about things … and it ends up coming out before I speak against it. I'm still going to speak against it and they don't like that," she said.
However, Browning said she believed she was being true to her constituents.
"When I leave this district to go up to Montpelier, people don't tell me, 'Okay Cynthia, be nice.' They tell me, 'Give 'em hell.' That's what they say (when I'm) leaving here because people are so alienated from Montpelier and so confused by what goes on there and feel so strongly that the things we care about are not being represented up there. That's what they tell me and so to some extent, if I'm giving people problems up there, I'm kinda doing what people wanted," she said.
patrick.mcardle@rutlandherald.com
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