Anthony:
Anthony in the morning on News Talk 101.3 FM and 620 AM WVMT.
Curt:
Welcome back to the Morning Drive, everybody. We’re Curt and Anthony. We’re born in a small town.
Middlebury, both of us grew up in Middlebury and Virginia. And we are back on the Morning Drive on this Monday morning, 20th of July. And pleased to have joining us in studio now, Suzanne Seymour.
And we’ve been talking to a lot of Republican candidates, even more Democratic candidates, because there are the big primaries going on between all the Democrats. So we’re talking to a lot of Democratic candidates in particular. But we wanted to get a chance to talk to an independent candidate now who’s running for Congress, who talks about politics unusual rather than politics as usual.
And her theme is, Are You OK, Vermont? Good morning, Suzanne. Good morning.
Welcome to The Morning Drive, first of all. And then, so let’s start out talking about, because this is your first time on the show, I think it’s your first time running for political office. That’s correct.
And we know there’s something going on around the country where there are different people are looking, there’s a feeling that people are looking for something different. They’re looking for somebody authentic. So tell us about yourself, who you are, and then what made you decide to run for Congress?
Suzanne:
Sure. Well, it’s probably a good thing people are looking for something unusual and a little bit different. That should work well for me in my favor.
I am many things in my life. I’ve been a business owner. I still am a business owner, I should say.
But I started out young. I franchised with Domino’s Pizza. I started right here in Burlington and made my way around New England, opening up stores, ended up franchising in New Hampshire.
I became a massage therapist at 30 years old, and I’ve had a career now for 35 years in that field. But in between all of that, I did a couple years of radio, I wrote for newspapers, was married, divorced, raised some stepchildren, and now I’m a comic up here in Vermont. And, well, I haven’t been really doing a lot of comedy since my accident, but we’ll get into that later.
Curt:
Your accident? What happened?
Suzanne:
Oh, gosh. Well, you can check that out on my website if you want to know more about the whole story. But in brief, I was traveling on 116 in Heinsberg, and a construction company vehicle came around a blind corner, going 50 miles an hour in my lane. He was texting. He never even looked up.
Anthony:
Oh, good Lord.
Suzanne:
I had seconds to respond, and so, you know, instinctively slammed the brakes on. I broke 12 bones and nine ribs and compound fracture to my femur, So I’ve got some really nice pieces of metal in my leg. And I now really know I am a superhero.
Curt:
Yeah. Yeah. Holy cow. Titanium.
Suzanne:
That’s right.
Curt:
Holy cow. Well, it sounds like you’ve done it all. That’s really an interesting story.
And so, and then, and sorry about that horrific accident happening to you. That’s, that’s awful. But I’m glad you have recovered so well.
Suzanne:
Yeah. I’ve been learning how to walk again for four years. So it was, it’s a little bit more difficult at this age than when I was seven months.
Curt:
Yeah. I hear you. So what made you, with all that going on in your life and what’s happened to you and everything, clearly you’ve recovered, but what made you decide that you want to run for Congress this year?
Suzanne:
Well, that’s a great question. You know, somebody actually proposed it to me and who saw me at a comedy show. And there’s a part of my show where I call, you know, when I’m president, you know, and I make a whole thing about that.
So this person said, you know, have you considered running for political office? And I said, no, not really. It sounds pretty like something I wouldn’t want to do with my life, you know.
But, you know, Becca Ballant is running unopposed in her primary. And I thought to myself, you know, somebody should be running against her who wants that job. Even an underling that wants that job in four years or something.
You know, somebody should be standing up and giving her a little pushback. So I thought, well, why not me? You know, I’m more than qualified in many other ways.
I’ve never been in political office, but, you know, that’s never stopped me from doing anything else.
Curt:
So where do you consider yourself to fit in the political spectrum? You know, there’s Becca Ballant, who everybody would agree, I think, that she comes from significantly from the left-hand side of the political spectrum. There are Republicans running, one will emerge from the primary, who would be considered conservative or very conservative with one of the candidates. Where would you, where do you consider yourself to fit in that political spectrum? And then we’ll also get into some specific issues.
Suzanne:
Sure. Well, I would say most of my life, I have considered myself very liberal. And that has, that did change actually after 2016, when I saw what happened in the primary between Bernie and Hillary and how that was all sort of maneuvered to kind of push him out. and I actually went to the DNC that year, and sort of the scales fell from my eyes about the political parties. So from then on, I’ve been very much, I would call myself fiscally conservative and socially open-minded.
Speaker 4:
All right. Yeah, I think that resonates with a lot of folks. And so the final push to actually actively get involved was this year, And it was because there was no, Becca was running unopposed in the primary. Is that kind of was the final precipice?
Suzanne:
Well, also that, you know, I think pretty much that when it comes to what’s happening in my life, which has been healing myself a lot since this accident, I really haven’t been myself since the accident. It’s been four years. And so part of my motivation is I’m not just running for office.
I’m running for my life because I really want to talk about health and healing and what happened to me, my experience, how I got better. It’s pretty unusual. And also, you know, running on ideas and solutions instead of just platitudes or, you know, what the party lines are. Yeah, it does seem like
Speaker 4:
there’s an enormous amount of time wasted right now about people talking about each other and in not coming up with fresh ideas?
Suzanne:
Well, you know, for 35 years, I’ve been basically in a room with another person, you know, in my massage therapy practice. And I work on some of the, you know, most brightest people in the world, you know, people who are in government, people who work at the hospital, people in the education. These are people who are out in the world that have their own great ideas.
And so for years, I’ve been listening and sort of bouncing back, reflecting ideas with them. and I always thought that was great. You know, they’re in the world.
They’re going to take this nugget of information that we just talked about philosophically. They’re going to go out and make the change and that was enough for me. But now as we approach 2026, things are so divided and so ugly, really, that I thought maybe it’s time for me to be in the world.
And so here I am.
Speaker 4:
Let’s grab a call for you. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Speaker 5:
Good morning. Quick question. how much is a gallon of local whole milk a gallon of local whole milk yeah how much is a gallon of
Curt:
local whole milk is this for me yes i think what he’s maybe trying to make a point to see if you’re
Suzanne:
in in touch with right yeah well i don’t buy gallons of milk because you know i just live by myself but uh i think it’s probably a little higher than it should be at this point i’m gonna
Speaker 4:
to save five dollars it’s probably about right you have a i have a store and i think we’re at 469 right now there you go um but uh that that’s a loaded question in vermont because this you can pay as much as nine bucks in some stores for the same thing you pay four four and another so uh but
Curt:
yeah so suzanne you say you say this is this is politics unusual too many vermonters feel ignored by a political system that seems more interested in party agendas than the people it serves. Vermonters deserve a representative who understands Vermont, listens to their concerns, and answers to the people, not parties or political interests. So where do you think Vermonters are looking for?
I mean, obviously people are split on different issues, different feelings. You pick out an issue, people feel differently on it. What do you think Vermonters are looking for that’s different?
Suzanne:
That’s different.
Curt:
than what we have now.
Suzanne:
I think they want action. That’s what I feel. Like, you know, there’s a lot of people right now that told me their story.
I was just up at the Stars and Stripes Parade and festival up in Lindaville. Heard a lot of stories of people who are feeling quite nervous and scared about skyrocketing prices, that they’re feeling priced out of Vermont. They love this state.
I love this state. I’m sure you love this state. You know, we live here for a reason and that people want a politician that is not going to lie to them, that is not going to just say things to make them feel good.
They want somebody who’s going to go out there and not just fight for them, but stand up for them.
Curt:
And that’s where I think I can do. We’re talking to Suzanne Seymour. She is an independent running for U.S. Congress.
So you already have your petitions done? Well, I’m still collecting signatures. What’s the deadline for that?
It’s August 6th. August 6th. And you have to get how many?
500. 500. We’re getting close, yeah.
So you will have it. I will have it. If you have a question for Suzanne, give us a call on the Martin Coyne Jewelry Hotline, 888-414-0303.
Let’s go to it. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Speaker 6:
Yeah, good morning. I listen to the woman talk here. I’m going to move her because I don’t stand Sarah George. I mean, she goes out and sues all these big companies. That’s all she’s good for.
Curt:
You’re in a different race, though. Different race. This woman’s in a different race. She’s running for Congress.
Speaker 6:
She’s running for Congress against Becca Ballant. Yeah, I know. Becca Ballant, I mean, she’s not for Vermonters.
She’s for herself, her own stupid party, and going to these rallies and stuff. She makes herself look like a big jerk. So, but anyway.
Speaker 4:
Okay. Thanks. Thanks for calling this morning.
Let’s go to the next line. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Speaker 7:
Good morning. Now, what if that local whole milk, a gallon of it, what if it was chocolate? How much would that be?
Suzanne:
Probably a lot more.
Speaker 4:
He’s one of our most comedic callers. I love that. Well, you know, it depends on who it’s coming from, too. It’s got to be its monument.
Curt:
Get one more before we have to hit the break.
Speaker 4:
Oh, yeah, there is one coming in right now. I don’t know. It’s showing on the screen, but not on the phone.
Let’s see what we got right here. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Speaker 8:
Good morning. I’d like to ask Suze a little bit about health care. Since she knows a lot about it as a practitioner in the wellness realm, it seems like people are waking up to the fact that you’ve got to stay well, that to rely on the traditional medicine of just, you know, you go to the doctor when you’ve got a problem is wrongheaded thinking.
So I know she would probably agree with that. And I know Suze, she’s great. Vote for Suze.
But Suze, what do you think you would do to encourage that if you were in Congress?
Suzanne:
Sure. It’s probably a much longer answer than I can do before the break. But I’m going to start and say that, you know, I’ve spent my entire career talking about preventative wellness.
And my answer is that we have to start young with people, with students, teaching them how to stay well so that they never get sick. And, you know, there’s a whole other complex issue to the health care system, which is really a disease care system that we’re in right now. So I would definitely start with young people and start working really hard to get them healthy so that we never get in the same kind of boat we’re in right now, which is a huge price of costs for the medical system.
And it’s a system that, again, treats your disease, not keeps you healthy.
Speaker 4:
All right. We need to take a quick break. We’re talking to Suzanne Seymour.
She’s an independent run-in for Congress. If you want to join the conversation, 888-414-0303. The Martin’s Coins and Jewelry Hotline is open, and we’ll be back in two minutes right here on The Morning Drive.
Anthony:
First thing in the morning as I get ready for work. 101.3 FM and 620 AM. WVMT. Ow!
Curt:
Welcome back to The Morning Drive, everybody. We are back, and if you were calling in, give us a call when we hit the break. Give us a call back.
Martin’s Coins and Jewelry Hotline, 888-414-0303 is open. If you have a question for Suze Seymour, we’ve talked to lots of Republicans. We’ve talked to lots of Democrats, and we’re going to be talking to more.
But we want to give a chance, an opportunity to talk to an independent, because you don’t see that many independents running. And so if you have a question for her, give us a call.
Speaker 4:
Let’s go back to the phones. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Speaker 9:
Good morning, guys. I’m just wondering how she thinks Donald Trump is doing as their president. Thank you.
Curt:
Donald Trump. That’s the big question. And everybody has to answer at some point. Your thoughts on Donald Trump?
Suzanne:
Well, there we go. I mean, I’m not going to choose sides in this matter. I’m choosing solutions.
You know, that’s how I feel about it. Every president has its problems. Every single person pretty much in politics has some problems.
I think Donald Trump has made some mistakes. I think he’s also done some great things for the country. I’m willing to work for and with Republicans, Democrats, and independents.
if it serves the purpose of Vermonters.
Curt:
Can you, just to put a finer point on it, and we don’t want to dwell too much on it because we know we can get carried away with that, but name one or two things you think that he’s done that have been right, and if you want to name something that you didn’t agree with.
Suzanne:
Sure. Well, I don’t like his 4 o’clock in the morning tweets. I think he’s pretty divisive, and I would respect someone more in the office of the presidency who actually had more decorum. That’s one small thing. you know i think that when it comes to the borders i’m really glad that they’re secure
Curt:
and i support that okay uh give us your thoughts uh with a couple of minutes left before the break what do you think on the because if you’re if you’re elected i mean this has been an issue that’s been in front of congress the war in iran uh because they there’s there’s been votes on the war powers resolution what do you think about that do you think the president had the right to go into iran are you supportive of the efforts in iran or are you opposed good question and magic eight ball
Suzanne:
says murky on all this uh stuff with war you know actually i’m a proponent of peace i’m very much pro-peace i would propose a department of peace because i think that we spend a lot of time on war or once the situation has gotten out of control that’s like the only option that we tend to use It doesn’t usually work out for very many people, except for the people who make the bombs. So I would say that, you know, working more towards finding solutions before they become problems would be my way of going about it. When I think of Iran, I think about, you know, some of the videos I’ve seen of young people being massacred before the war. You know, I think that it’s a human rights problem and one that we should address in other ways besides violent.
Curt:
and while i hear you on that and we all want peace i i would hope um and don’t want the endless wars which is what president trump started out as but what do you do with a country like iran who has been a terrorist country threatened countries in the middle east have obviously killed americans and continue to be a threat and and want to get a nuclear weapon which if they did get one certainly we would suffer the effects of that as would israel yeah what do you do with a country like i mean i
Suzanne:
I don’t think Iran should have a nuclear weapon. I think they’ve proved themselves to be not good people in many ways. I mean, I don’t live there.
Curt:
At least leadership.
Suzanne:
Yes, at least leadership. There’s always more than we know what’s going on behind the scenes, you know. Until I was actually in the room listening to all the details, I don’t feel like I could make 100% guarantee on what I would do. But I don’t think people like that should have weapons. I think they are terrorists.
Speaker 4:
at least the leaders um okay uh so um we have a new text platform uh and i thought it was kind of strange i hadn’t gotten any text so i just opened it up i apologize if you texted us i’ve got some questions that are coming in on the text line um so the the question is you’re an independent you’re in washington um do you think or do you have a plan on who you would caucus with
Suzanne:
good question they should fight for me you know my my platform is you know i’m not red i’m not blue i’m purple i’m in the middle i’m i’m the bridge so um i would caucus with the party that would most reflect my ideals i think and at this point you know i i feel like the democratic party has sort of left me behind so i don’t like the way they’re going in many ways and I think they’ve gotten really extremist. I also see problems in the Republican Party. So I think they have to sort of try to bring me on board.
Speaker 4:
Let’s grab a call for you before the break. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Oh, there we go. All right, 7.30. We need to take a break.
Bottom of the hour. You know, this radio station’s been here over 100 years.
Curt:
Wow.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, we have two networks. ABC at the top of the hour, Fox at the bottom of the hour. So it’s bottom of the hour, 7.30.
We’re going to check in with Fox News. Jared has the local headlines. We’ve got the forecast from Channel 3’s First Alert Weather Center.
It’s all here, and we’ll be back.
Anthony:
Every morning, Vermont and Northern New York wake up with Kurt and Anthony on WVMT.
Curt:
Welcome back to The Morning Drive, everybody. We are back. And as we’ve said, we’ve talked to Republicans.
We’ve talked to Democrats. We’re going to keep doing that. Primaries coming up three weeks from tomorrow.
But we had a chance to talk to an independent candidate who is gathering signatures and is very close to having the 500 needed to get on the ballot in November to run in the U.S. Congress race that Becca Ballant is running, will be seeking re-election in. Again, if you have a question for Suze Seymour, give us a call on the Martin’s Coin of Jewelry hotline, 888-414-0303.
She’s got a lot of calls already, so keep the calls coming. All right, let’s talk on some hot-button issues, because those are things you’re going to be talking about going forward, including in the debates. So let’s talk about, first of all, ICE.
Sure. That’s a hot-button topic. You talked about securing the border.
People have a variety of views on ICE. Some feel like, hey, ICE needs to be out there removing some bad people from our country. Others feel like, you know, you see the signs around people’s houses saying ice out.
We don’t want ice here. They don’t like their tactics. Give us your thoughts generally.
Do you think ice should be abolished? Do you think it should be reformed? What’s your thoughts?
Suzanne:
Sure. Well, I don’t really like ice in my drinks. But with that said, I think that every nation has the right to defend its borders and keep terrorists out.
So, you know, we have that law enforcement agency for a reason. You know, it keeps us safe from human trafficking, drug smugglers, and, you know, overall bad people. So we do need some kind of a law enforcement agency.
You know, I wouldn’t recommend that we get rid of it. I haven’t heard anybody come up with a credible alternative either.
Curt:
But there are, certainly there are calls from people, many of whom are running for office, and some who are in office saying we want to abolish ICE. But what will we do instead? It’s a good question.
Suzanne:
I mean, I’d love to hear from a caller if somebody has an alternative. You know, I’m always open to listening.
Speaker 4:
Well, I think it’s kind of frustrating, too, because we hear about how immigration can’t be fixed, and we’ve gone years and years and years, and both parties have had control of the White House, the Senate, and the House, and haven’t really passed any sweeping legislation for immigration reform. So would you be opposed to coming up and working on looking at it and saying maybe update it to this century?
Suzanne:
Immigration reform to make it easier to become citizens? Everything.
Speaker 4:
I mean, whether, yeah, I think a pathway to be easier, and there’s a whole host of things that I think are appropriate.
Suzanne:
Yeah, I mean, it seems to take a really long time to become a citizen. That’s one problem. You know, I think that should be looked at for sure.
You know, also just because, you know, somebody’s in law enforcement doesn’t mean that they should get a blank check or a carte blanche to do whatever they want. I think it should be a transparent process. I kind of like the fact that they’re wearing body cameras.
You know, I’m not really a big fan of cameras at all as far as society and surveillance. I think that leads to a lot of problems. But in this particular instance, I think it is a good idea because people are concerned.
They have made mistakes, obviously, and that transparent process should be something that is available to the citizens.
Curt:
Talking to Sue Seymour, she’s running as an independent for U.S. Congress in Vermont. Sue, what about, what’s your, Becca Ballant being the incumbent congresswoman who you would be seeking to unseat her?
What’s your thoughts on her? Obviously, you have some differences with her because you’re running to replace her. What are some of your thoughts and differences that you might have with Congresswoman Becca Ballett?
Suzanne:
Okay, well, I’ve never met the woman, but that’s going to change. Eventually, we are going to meet. I did meet Gerald Malloy this weekend and had a nice conversation with him.
So we’ll see what happens when I meet Becca. But, you know, I think that she is different than I. She’s gone to, you know, Harvard. She went to Smith College in Northampton.
She seems to have always worked for the government in one way, shape, or form, whether being a teacher or in this case. You know, she’s a person who’s worked within the system. I’m somebody who’s outside the system.
I’ve shown my own leadership skills by being able to maintain my own company. And people are not paying me via the health care system through insurance reimbursement. So for me to stay alive in my alternative health care field, I have to be good at what I do.
So I see her as somebody who she says she’s fighting the oligarchy, but I see her as part of it.
Curt:
One of the things that she has said, even just recently, is that she hasn’t liked some of the decisions that have come down from the Supreme Court, even though they’ve been all over the place on a number of issues. They’ve not gone all one way. But nonetheless, Congresswoman Becca Ballant has said she feels like we need to pack the Supreme Court, what’s called pack the Supreme Court.
In other words, she doesn’t like the decision, so she wants to add more Supreme Court justices, which she says will balance the court out. What’s your thoughts on that? Do you think the courts, the numbers the way it should be should stay that way?
Or should we add justices or limit their terms? What do you think on that?
Suzanne:
Well, I am a big believer in term limits. I never used to be. I used to think that the populace should be able to make those decisions on their own, but I changed my mind because the populace seems uninformed or disinterested in certain of those kind of matters.
So I don’t believe we should pack the Supreme Court. I don’t see anything wrong with the number nine. Seems nice to me.
It seems like we have a good variety of people and thought processes within the Supreme Court. So I’d say no to the packing.
Speaker 4:
Let’s grab a call for you. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Speaker 10:
Hi, I’ve asked other candidates this. I’ve asked Becca Ballant this in the past. How do you balance the rights of a baby with the rights of a woman?
As I recall, Becca Ballant said it was an unfair question, but it is the question. So I’d like to hang up and listen for your response. Thanks very much.
Curt:
All right, so this is the abortion pro-choice versus pro-life question. There’s no doubt you’ll be talking about this in the fall. So there’s the question. And as she said, her question is the rights of a woman, because we always talk about it’s her body, her choice, that’s what people feel, but at the same time versus the rights of the baby.
Suzanne:
Sure. It’s a complicated question for sure and one I’ve definitely given a lot of thought to. I definitely believe in my body, my choice for almost everything as far as my sovereignty and my health and government putting its hands on me.
I personally would never have an abortion. I don’t think that I want to make a decision for someone else. It’s a matter of conscience and morality.
And just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do something. And I’d rather spend a lot more time and money talking to people about not using abortion as birth control. For many years, I used to say that, you know, life began when the first breath came in.
But I’ve given a lot of pause to that over the years and wondered about that breath is coming in through the mother. So we have to really think about that in an ethical way.
Curt:
Right now we would have a very pro-choice congresswoman. And the challenger coming from the Republican side would be very, very pro-life. I want to see where you fit into that.
I got what you just said. But do you think there should be any restrictions on abortion? I do.
In other words, some people talk about there should be 16 weeks. Some people think there should be partial birth bans on abortion. bans on regarding the issues around rape and incest.
Your thoughts on some of those exceptions or potential exceptions?
Suzanne:
Yeah. Again, these are ethical questions that are up to the individual. There’s a consequence for your actions.
And we as a society don’t talk about those things very often. I don’t like the idea of full-term abortion at all. That seems repugnant to a civilized society.
I think that abortion should be used hesitantly. Again, I have actually, in the early days, when I didn’t think it was a big deal, I’ve actually taken people there. And I’ve seen the consequences that they’ve lived with throughout their life.
And that’s why I’ve changed my mind.
Curt:
Talking to Sue Seymour, she is an independent gathering signatures, getting very close to the number she needs, 500, right, to turn them in and be on the ballot as an independent in the United States Congress race. with Becca Ballant, and a Republican as well, I’m sure. If you have a question for Sue Seymour, give us a call on the Martin’s Coin and Jewelry Hotline, 888-414-0303, and of course, or the text line.
We have a new text line. In the meantime, let me ask you about… Oh, do you have something in there?
Yeah, the text line.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, go ahead.
Curt:
Yep, hit that.
Speaker 4:
I definitely have to change the font size because I can barely read it. I apologize. It says, would you please ask the guest about voter id uh-huh and good question voting uh every single question that uh is hard to answer is coming at me so bring it on this is a good this is a good training ground i’m sure we’ve
Suzanne:
got 10 more minutes for 10 more questions go right ahead um i personally think that we should be showing voter id uh i have to show my id to buy non-alcoholic beer okay yeah i mean and they were very very adamant that i had to show my license even as an old person with white hair
Curt:
so you support voter id so what do you say to the other side um on more on the left who say forcing people to show voter identification is going to suppress voter turnout in some way that’s what people on the left will say or this is a this is meant to keep votes down to minorities or whatever it might be. What’s your answer to people on the left who say that about voter
Suzanne:
identification? You know, I think that’s racist to assume that people can’t get to the polls, you know, based upon those sort of, you know, markers. I personally have not run into anybody who’s had trouble doing that. And, you know, I work right here in Colchester. So I work with a diverse population and certainly have friends within the community.
People show up with their license to get tickets to go to concerts. They show up with their license to get alcohol or cigarettes. They definitely have to show a license to get their medical marijuana.
So, I mean, why not make it a priority for our voting?
Curt:
I know Anthony’s going to take us to break in just a minute. In fact, maybe I’ll hold on that until we come back.
Speaker 4:
I will tell you, I just recently had a birthday and had to get my license renewed. And it takes a few weeks for them to mail it back to you when you have a verified ID. You don’t realize how much you need your license for until you hand it out and they’re like, oh, I can’t take this.
It’s expired. I’m like, well, do you have the piece of paper with you they gave you? No, I don’t. It’s mind-numbing how many times you have to show your ID.
And I just hadn’t even thought about it until I didn’t have one to show. And it was only 10 days. All right, we’ll be back right after this.
Speaker 11:
Attention, diamond lovers. Martin’s Coins and Jewelry has Labs for Less. Visit us at 1525 Shelburne Road, South Burlington for IGI Certified.
Anthony:
At 101.3 FM and 620 AM. News Talk, WVMT.
Curt:
Welcome back to The Morning Drive, everybody. We’re heading into our final segment with Suzanne Seymour. She is running as an independent for the United States Congress.
If you’ve got a question for Suze, don’t wait until the last second. Call now, 888-414-0303 on the Martin’s Coin and Jewelry Hotline. Suze, just one more thing on the…
So, the voter ID is part of the President’s Save America Act. There’s a lot more in there than that. Absentee ballots is a part of that.
I want to get your thoughts on that, too, as part of that. Some people feel like we should just go to vote in person. Vermont has a system where in the November election, everybody gets mailed a ballot.
Whether you ask for one or not, it just gets mailed to you. In the primary, you have to ask for a ballot. Some people feel like the president of the United States feels like it should only be you get to ask for a ballot only if you have a reason like sickness, you’re in the military, something like that.
So what do you think? We’ve got a call coming in. We’ll get right to you.
But what do you think about absentee ballots? Should they be allowed, everybody gets sent one? No. Should you have to request one?
Yes. Should we not have them at all?
Suzanne:
Well, I don’t love them at all. I think, you know, they’re fraught with opportunities for fraud. And I don’t, you know, the mail, the post office is in trouble too.
I mean, my friend, I sent somebody a ballot, I mean, a petition, and they haven’t received it yet. It’s been like eight days, right? So, I mean, I’m not a big fan of the government efficiency issue.
But when it comes to the mail-in ballots, I think I’m a no. And if you do need one, that should probably be built in there where you could get it if you’re disabled or having hardship or something along that lines. I’d also like to see Election Day as a national holiday so people could go.
Curt:
Okay, Election Day as a national holiday, but you would not. So you would not have Vermont’s system where everybody gets mailed a ballot. I would not. And you would not even have it that people could ask for an absentee ballot for any reason. You would limit it to, this is kind of what Trump believes, You would limit it to if you have a need, like you’re sick, you’re going to be gone, you’re in the military.
Suzanne:
Yeah, I think I want voters and I think people in the system should be educated enough to know their rights and to be able to ask for them articulately. That’s part of the problem, you know, because there could be the illusion of improper vote counting. And once there is that, people don’t trust the system. And I’ve seen this happening a lot with young people. They don’t even want to vote.
Speaker 4:
Back to the phones. There we go. 888-414-0303. The Martin’s Coins and Jewelry hotline is open. Give us a call before it’s too late. Sue Seymour,
Curt:
Sue, what do you think about tariffs? The president, that’s been a huge issue under President Trump. The Supreme Court actually sort of put a stop to some of what he was doing, saying that it was unconstitutional.
What’s your thoughts about that? Would you want to see us be able to put more tariffs on? Do you think it’s been a good thing what he was doing?
Just general thoughts on tariffs.
Suzanne:
I mean, my personal thought on the tariffs are that, you know, we have to do something to balance that budget and the deficit. And his idea didn’t seem to be that out of the park for me. But to be honest, there seems to have been some issues with it.
Obviously, the Supreme Court thought that. And Trump does kind of push the boundaries when it comes to the constitutional thing. So, you know, we’re kind of at least getting a very clear picture about what should not be done.
If anybody had better ideas, I’d like to hear them. I think a lot of countries have suffered because of tariffs. But it comes down to it.
I’m into what is best for our country first. We have to think about our country and our people and the state of Vermont.
Curt:
Think Canada should be the 51st state?
Suzanne:
Ah. My Canadian friends say no way, Jose.
Speaker 4:
Let’s grab another call. Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive. You’re on the air. You’re on the air.
Speaker 12:
Hi, good morning. I’m curious, where do you get your news information from, and why do you choose that source? Obviously, there’s a lot of ruckus about the news information and how people can be informed about what’s happening around them in the world. so I’m just curious what are your thoughts on that how do we get people back on track and how do we get the right information out to people so they can trust the news sources again
Suzanne:
well you know I read a lot and I’ve been reading a lot my entire life I stopped watching television and listening to radio when I was 30 but I read and obviously the internet makes it easier
Curt:
listen to the radio for sure
Suzanne:
I do listen to the radio absolutely wvmt was one i always listened to when i was a kid actually the mystery vault mystery vault i was always calling in for that yeah um but anyways uh i do think that when it comes to uh media that uh because of the smith-mund act being modernized in 2012 where the the government is now capable of giving propaganda to its people that you know that was a big big change in how people started to hear the news, because now the government legally can propagandize us, and that’s something you have to look through many different sources. So I read them all, actually. I always pay attention to what’s in the newspaper.
I read the internet for different things. I try to read nonpartisan things as well and get a real flavor of what’s going on out there in the world. But mostly I talk to people to hear about the issues, and they tell me in my profession, they tell me a lot.
So my clients have been listening to television and radio for years and movies. So I know a lot about things, even though I may not be actually sampling it myself. Let’s grab another call.
Good morning. You’re live on the morning drive.
Speaker 13:
Good morning. And thanks for running. Sounds very promising.
I like what I’m hearing. One of my questions would be there’s a lot of people in Vermont that outside of Jit County that cherish their two-way rights. on the hunting and guns and all that.
I was wondering what your stance is on that. And thanks for stepping up and running for office.
Curt:
That’s a good question because you know you’re going to be asked that in the fall. Thank you. And that was actually, I had just written down, guns. So your quick thoughts on the issue of guns and the Second Amendment.
Suzanne:
All right, great. I don’t have a gun, but lots of my friends do. When I grew up here in Vermont, you know, there was a rifle on the back of every pickup truck.
And nobody locked their car, and it felt very safe to be with Vermont men that had guns. Now a lot of Vermont women have guns. I see what’s happening in the world with the countries that have taken their guns away.
I think that’s a big problem. It’s in our Constitution. I do support gun rights.
Curt:
You support gun rights. So no, you would not have any further background checks or, you know…
Suzanne:
I didn’t say that.
Curt:
Okay.
Suzanne:
I think that, you know, background checks are important because there’s a real mental health crisis here in our world. And with that said, you know, anybody can get a gun. That does seem like a problem as well. So it’s going to be some checks and balances.
Curt:
We want to talk about funds, how you can get in contact with Suze, et cetera. So last minute or so on that. But real quick, give me something that you disagree with the Republicans on, something that you disagree with the Democrats on.
Suzanne:
Oh, gosh.
Curt:
in the last few seconds of my brain. Just something that, I mean… You say quite a few things that I think are appealing to people that are Republicans.
Suzanne:
I don’t believe that going the way of the government should give me everything is the right way because I believe in being strong and resilient. And, you know, we have to teach our kids how to be strong and resilient to survive. They’re not equipped to handle what’s coming their way.
And we see that right now in the workforce with young people. Everybody under 40 who comes to my office is suffering from anxiety and depression, and it seems like that’s a really complex matter. So I know I’m all over the board here because you’re asking me my thoughts.
I think that when it comes to Republicans, I think about how they can be very aggressive and putting a lot of money into war. And like I said, I’m really for peace and developing ways to never get to that problem.
Curt:
All right, Suze, now for the last minute or so, talk about money uh in in campaigns in politics and how you will get your message out in the last in these next three and a half to four months three and a half months and the countdown has
Suzanne:
begun but i’m into it um because at domino’s pizza it was 30 minutes or less and we found a way to get there in 29.5 minutes so yes you can find out a lot more about me and my campaign on my website which is r-u-o-k-v-t dot com. Those are the letters, r-u-o-k-v-t, because most people are not okay here in Vermont, and I’m listening to that, and that’s why I stepped up to do this. At this point, because I was hit by a construction vehicle, I have a little extra money, and I’m using my own personal funds to get started in the campaign.
You need millions of dollars to run for office, which is ridiculous. I’m against that big money in politics, and I’d like to do whatever I can to reduce that in the future. But if you want to support me, this would be a great way, whether it’s $5, buy me a cup of coffee.
I’m all into that in small donations because grassroots are the way to go. And when you think about grass, those roots are very strong. There you go.
We’re out of time, but you support public financing of campaigns? Public financing? Yeah.
What does that mean to me?
Curt:
Well, the government pays for the campaigns to some degree.
Suzanne:
I mean, that’s why I’m against the two-party system, because they have big money, and then they tell you what to do, and then you’re owned by them.
Curt:
All right. There she is. That’s Suzanne Seymour. She’s running for Congress as an independent. Thanks for being on the morning drive today.
Speaker 4:
You’re welcome, and thanks. Yeah, you betcha. Thanks for coming in. All right, straight up with…