LSC alum for Gov with love for bud

5/1/08

Catherine Story
Business Manager

Tony O’Connor a LSC alumnus is making a run for governor this fall and he stopped by LSC to chat with students about his no politics policy.

“There’s no Passas,” O’Conner said “There’s no fun. I want to make it fun.”

O’Conner holds to his views which are a little different than most politicians. His motivation is that he’s not a politician.

“I won’t take the big bucks,” O’Conner said. ‘I don’t want anyone to own me at the end of this.”

O’Conner estimated that he had only raised about $5,000.

“The ordinary citizens of the state are sick of seeing professionals screw it up,” O’Conner said. “I could screw it up just as well.”

O’Conner’s speech was full of jokes. Many of these were focused on his disabilities.

“I lost my arm and both my legs, below the knee,” O’Conner said. He was shocked while playing in a train yard as a teenager.

“I was hoping to receive a lot of press for free,” O’Conner said. He has had trouble getting much attention in papers and on television stations.

“I want someone to write a letter to the Burlington free press and tell them that there’s another candidate,” O’Conner said.

O’Conner’s major issues are oil and energy.

“We need to cut the oil umbilical cord,” O’Conner said. He also talked about rising gas prices, which he said, are up $.71 since January 1.

“I do not support atomic energy,” O’Conner said. “There are other forms of energy.”

“I don’t think Vermonters want anymore atomic plants,” O’Conner said. O’Conner worked for the INS and he said that atomic plants are a more likely terrorist target.

He supports hydro dams around the state as well as solar power and wind turbines.

O’Conner’s other major political goal is to legalize marijuana 100 percent.

“I was in law enforcement for a while,” O’Conner said. “I hated ruining kid’s lives over a couple of joints.”

“When you pull over someone who has been smoking marijuana they’re apologetic,” O’Conner said. As opposed to pulling over a drunk which he described as hostile.

“Marijuana can’t be stopped,” O’Conner said. “ Just like distilling alcohol couldn’t be.”

O’Conner pointed out that while working on the border he new many people who had smoked pot in their past.

“If you use marijuana it leads to bigger things,” O’Conner said. “Which apparently means a job at the border.”

“50 percent of United States citizens want marijuana legalized,” O’Conner said. “Lets tax it and make some money.

O’Conner does not support the legalization of any other drugs.

O’Conner is also anti-draft.

“I am not in favor of the draft,” O’Conner said. “I am in favor of paying them.”

O’Conner hopes to return to the campus in the fall to what he hopes will be a larger crowd.

“I’m already reaching tens of people,” O’Conner said.”