Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Yours truly was working on the Ol' "Inside Track" column yesterday, so I had an excuse to miss Gov. Jim Douglas' UVM presser at which he attempted to embellish and defend his environmentally-friendly image.
Here's the official spin from the Fifth Floor:
A new partnership between state government and the University of Vermont will look to develop a strategy that leverages the state’s green reputation into a leadership role in the emerging carbon credit market, while pursuing biomass research and enhancing environmental education in public schools, Governor Jim Douglas announced today.
Gov. Douglas was joined by UVM President Daniel Mark Fogel, Commission Chairman Ernie Pomerleau and cabinet secretaries at a press conference today to discuss the findings and recommendations of the Governor’s Commission on Climate Change.
Douglas applauded the efforts of the Commission and Plenary Group. “Their reports speak for themselves. Vermonters care about protecting our quality of life and that connection with our open spaces will help in fighting global warming while bringing a new green economy within our reach.”
Nice, huh?
Unfortunately for Jimbo, we live in a country with a free press that allows those who don't see things the Guv's way a chance to express themselves.
John Curran, Montpeculiar bureau chief of The Associated Press also noted in his report:
Neither Douglas nor Agency of Natural Resources Secretary George Crombie could give specifics of the carbon-trading standard plan or set a timetable for it, saying instead the announcement signified a road map for Vermont's energy future.
The Commission on Climate Change urged Douglas to expand the state's energy efficiency programs for electricity and gas to heating oil and other fuels, but his announcement Tuesday contained no proposal for that.
Instead, he said, he planned to work with the Legislature in its upcoming session in hopes of reaching consensus on an all-fuels utility...
"The Vermont Green Standard will be synonymous with a guarantee of rigorous expectations of reducing carbon emissions and helping to promote the goal of reversing global warming. The Vermont Green Standard will tell buyers and sellers of green credits that they are making an investment in verifiable efforts to reduce carbon emissions."
But he couldn't explain how the efforts would reduce the state's carbon footprint, a key element in the mission of the Commission on Climate Change when it was established nearly two years ago.
When asked who would set the criteria for what qualifies for the "Vermont Green Standard," he said: "This is a new concept I'm presenting you today, so it's got to be developed."
Critics also got their say in the reports in the Freeps and the Rutland Herald.
Nice try, Jim.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Yep.
Up an at 'em on this icy, damp, snowy morning in the Queen City of Burlington, Vermont. An "Inside Track" column to pump out, as they say. [Those watchful eyes are around the corner on Pine Street.]
And this blogger didn't learn until yesterday afternoon that "Freyne Land" had been quoted in the editorial in the distinguished Rutland Herald last Wednesday. It was a Rep. Peter Welch quote taken from our blog coverage of Welchie's meeting with anti-Iraq War folks in the Barre library. Yours truly was cited and identified as "columnist and blogger" [though Seven Days wasn't mentioned].
I confess that now, in the Internet Age, when the Rutland Herald "hard copy" is no longer delivered to Big Bad Burlington, I don't read it as thoroughly as in the olden days when I held it in my two hands.
Then, yesterday, in a Louis Porter story in the Rutland Herald and Times Argus on continuing reaction to Gov. Jim Douglas' intervention in Windsor County marijuana prosecutions, "Freyne Land" got quoted again. Apparently the Guv was not available, so Louis used a quote from Gov. Scissorhands that we got last Wednesday out at the Williston rest area. Mr. Porter gave me credit as "columnist," but, unfortunately, did not mention the existence of the bloody blog!
Hey, c'mon Louis, it's the 21st Century. The brave new world of high-tech.
Got to go with the flow.
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Monday, November 19, 2007
According to VT National Guard Chaplain Jim MacIntyre, 2662 Vermonters serving in the National Guard and Reserves have been deployed to the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones. And on Monday he joined Adjutant Gen. Michael Dubie and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who announced he’d secured a $3 million grant to expand the outreach program for returning Vermont war veterans and their families. Said Ol' Bernardo:
This funding will enable us to do everything we can to help National Guard and Reserve members and their families receive the help they need as they readjust and transition back to life here at home. At a time when returning soldiers across the country are suffering from extremely high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, these funds should play a vitally needed role.
Sanders also noted a CBS News Investigation released last week found Iraq war veterans more than twice as likely to commit suicide as non-vets. And the Dept. of Defense’s Task Force on Mental Health reported 49 percent of returning National Guard troops reported psychological concerns like PTSD and TBI.
General Dubie said that across the board, returning Vermont Guard troops are happy that someone is actually asking how they’re doing:
We had a soldier who got off the plane down at Camp Shelby. He came back from Iraq, from Ramadi, Iraq. And I said to him, “We’re going to be here for you.”
And he said, “Sir, are you going to be here two years from now? Are you going to be here 10 years from now?”
And I told him we would.
Currently, said Gen. Dubie, there are about 80 Vermont Guard troops in the Iraq war zone, That’s the smallest deployment, he said, in five years.
The Vermont Guard is comprised of 3700 troops: 1000 in the Air Guard and 2700 in the Army Guard.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Web Only
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Three local journalist types made it to the Burlington Airport Sunday afternoon to catch U.S. Sen. Patrick J. Leahy and his better half (wife Marcelle Leahy) coming home from Washington. That's Matt Gerien from Ch. 5 looking skeptical and Andy Potter, in the middle, from Ch. 3 [would you believe me and Andy were the "news team" at "Country Giant" 1390 WDOT in the mid-1980s?).
Can't cross the path of one of those Washingtonians and not ask 'em about the war crime that will forever be known as the Bush-Cheney invasion, overthrow and attempted occupation in Iraq.
LEAHY: I was one of those who voted against the war in Iraq. I thought it was a terrible mistake then. I think it’s a terrible mistake now. But unless we start putting some conditions on, we’re going to be there forever.
The President has made it very clear he does not want to do the difficult decisions in Iraq. He wants to pass it on to whoever the next president is. I think that’s a prescription for real problems and I think we should start figuring out how to get out of there now. Otherwise the Iraqi government is going to sit there and twiddle their thumbs. They’re never going to make the hard decisions that have to be made to bring Sunni and Shiites together and the rest of the area.
Press: Anything new on the passport issue?
LEAHY: I got a very good suggestion at the hearing I had in Newport, Vermont and that was maybe we should be talking not just to the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security, but how about the Secretary of Commerce because of the hundreds of billions of dollars worth of jobs that are going to be lost if this cockamamie idea goes through. And I’ve begun those discussions. I think it’s a very good idea.
Look at the business cost, especially since the American dollar has slipped so badly that this is a great place for Canadians to come and spend money. It just makes no sense to be sending them away.
If you’re a terrorist and you want to get through, no matter how many passport controls you put on the border, there’s plenty of places to get through.
And remember, the 9/11 Hijackers were here legally. In fact, the Administration had such poor controls that a least a couple of them, months after they died in 9/11, the Administration was sending them notices to renew their visas.
Press: Anything you’d point out to the people of Vermont we should be thankful for on Capitol Hill?
Thursday, November 15, 2007
A dark and rainy day in the Queen City as the anti-nuke set set their sights on Entergy and their nuclear power station in Vernon, Vermont.
That's Chris Wiliams [left] and Bob Stannard [center] from the Citizens Action Network and Jim Moore from VPIRG. Held a presser in that new joint on the Burlington Waterfront.
Stannard, a former state rep from Manchester and an accomplished blues-harp player had the best line:
"I learned the other day," said Roberto, "that if the Romans had nuclear technology, we’d still be in the initial stages of guarding their waste."
The troika released a document union workers at Entergy's Pilgrim Nuke in Massachusetts filed with the NRC two months ago. The union had copied Vermont Public Service Commish Dave O'Brien, though we hadn't heard a peep about it from the ol' Vermont PSD in the last two months. Said VPIRG's Moore in a "Freyne Land" interview afterward:
MOORE: The point here is that Vermont Yankee has a serious safety issue that’s been raised by workers within the industry at the Pilgrim Plant in Plymouth, Mass. and VT Yankee should not be allowed to continue to operate if there are serious safety issues now at that facility.
FREYNE: It’s no surprise. VPIRG’s wanted Vermont Yankee to shut down as long as I’ve been alive. What’s new today?
MOORE: There’s a pattern of failure at that facility and what’s new today is that workers within the industry are saying we don’t want to be associated with Vermont Yankee in any way because there are such serious safety concerns and that’s being brought up by workers within the industry who know what safety means and who are very supportive of nuclear power in general. It’s the union at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts which is owned by Entergy, the same corporate ownership as the Vermont Yankee facility.
FREYNE: What’s the safety problem? What’s new today?
MOORE: Well, there always have been safety problems at Vermont Yankee. What’s new today is that either the recent problems that have happened at Vermont Yankee, the recent accidents, these are not isolated incidents. It’s a systemic problem at that facility, OR there are safety concerns that these workers have that have not been brought to the light of day yet. The NRC should absolutely be investigating what are the safety concerns.
FREYNE: Well, Gov. Douglas seems to be on board now, eh?
MOORE: It’s terrific that Gov. Douglas is now supporting an independent safety review, but he’s asking the wrong question. He’s asking is it safe to run for an additional 20 years beyond its license. He should be asking “Is it safe to run today?”
That’s the red flag that these workers in the nuclear industry have raised.
Entergy Spokesman Larry Smith told The Associated Press he suspected the Pilgrim workers, who he said are coming up for contract negotiations, were "posturing."
As the AP reports: Entergy is seeking to create a new company that would own six power stations, including Vermont Yankee and Pilgrim. At the same time, Entergy is seeking to extend Vermont Yankee's operating license for 20 years beyond its current 2012 expiration.
Vermont's congressional delegation is calling for the safety assessment before any extension is granted. And now, Gov. Jim Douglas is joining the call as well.
Public Service Commissioner David O'Brien said the August collapse of a cooling tower at Vermont Yankee played a role in the decision to support the safety assessment.
"It's safe to say the public's confidence level in the plant has been shaken," said O'Brien.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
The commissioners and state officials and worker-bees vastly outnumbered the press at Gov. Jim Douglas' noon event at the southbound Williston rest area on I-89. Gov. Scissorhands [seen arriving followed by his trooper], was there in good spirits to officially launch free Wi-Fi for the laptop crowd at 7-8 Vermont interstate welcome centers.
Just me and a Ch. 5 crew: Reporter Mia Moran and new videographer Ama Asmah, fresh from Denver. I filed a story with WDEV's Rich Haskell regarding the free Wi-Fi. But got there early to "ambush" Jimbo regarding the letter to the Attorney General from the Windsor 13 [see item below], urging AG Bill Sorrell to ignore the Guv's dictum that henceforth, Sorrell prosecute first-time drug possession cases in Windsor County instead of letting Windsor County State's Attorney Bobby Sand handle them.
"Several thoughts,” said the Guv to Freyne Land.
"I don’t understand the separation-of-powers argument since law-enforcement agencies and the governor are both in the Executive Branch, so there’s no separation-of-powers question.
"Electoral process?" he asked rhetorically.
"I was elected, too. I took an oath of office and I have a responsibility to faithfully execute that office and adhere to the Constitution and follow all the laws that are enacted by the General Assembly of our state.
"I believe in and respect prosecutorial discretion. It’s an important part of our criminal justice process. But this is an extraordinary situation where that discretion has been abused. And I think it’s important for me as the executive authority with law-enforcement agencies reporting to me to ensure that the laws of Vermont are carried out fairly.
"It’s simply unfair for someone in one county to be treated vastly different from someone somewhere else. There’s a perception of a double standard when a well-connected attorney and acting-judge is treated generously in a situation like this. I believe I’m doing the right thing."
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The decision by Windsor County State's Attorney Bobby Sand (at left) to drop Attorney Martha Davis' two marijuana possession felonies down to a court-diversion deal since it's her first offense drew Re-Elect Governor Jim Douglas, himself, into the fray.
Whooppie!
As has been widely reported, Douglas publicly announced Vermont State Troopers and Game Wardens should bring future Windsor County pot busts to the office of Attorney General Bill Sorrell [who is already kinda busy right now with murders and such, isn't he?]
That drew a rather pointed letter Tuesday from the "Windsor 13" - two state senators and 11 state representatives, led by Senate Majority Leader John Campbell and State Sen. and folk singer Dick McCormack.
Here's a taste:
Dear Attorney General Sorrell,
We urge you to exercise your office’s discretion to ignore Governor Douglas’ directive instructing law enforcement officials to bypass the Windsor County State’s Attorney, and to bring Windsor County drug cases to your office. Should such cases indeed be forwarded to your office, we urge you to redirect them to their proper venue. We suggest this out of concern for electoral integrity, separation of powers, prosecutorial discretion, the nonpolitical integrity of our judicial system, and the value of the Court Diversion program. Please note that our concern has nothing to do with approval or disproval of our present drug laws. By bringing charges and directing the defendant to Court Diversion in the case that precipitated the Governor’s directive, Mr. Sand is enforcing the existing law.
The people of Windsor County have repeatedly and overwhelmingly elected Robert Sand as our States Attorney. In doing so we have chosen him to prosecute criminal cases in our county. Mr. Sand derives his just powers in this matter from the consent of the governed. The Governor does not. By directing cases away from Mr. Sand’s legitimate authority the Governor has thwarted the electoral will. By refusing to cooperate with the Governor, you would re-establish the electoral authority of the people of our county.
Clearly the Governor is not alone in disagreeing with Mr. Sand’s judgment in regards to the case of Martha Davis. But nowhere does the Vermont Constitution require gubernatorial approval of State’s Attorneys’ decisions. Whether or not one agrees with his decision, Mr. Sand was well within his prosecutorial discretion...
Governor Douglas has intemperately and inaccurately described the Court Diversion program as merely “a get out of jail free card.” We’re sure you know that Court Diversion holds offenders feet to the fire...it also saves a great deal of money in court costs and corrections expenses. The many Vermont volunteers who work in this fine program deserve better than the Governor’s dismissive insults. By refusing to cooperate you would lend the prestige of your office to undoing the damage the Governor has caused in this regard.
The letter wraps up by noting “the Governor’s apparent lack of a sense of proportion.”
As everybody knows, we just experienced the “worst week of violent crime in our history...Our correctional facilities are overcrowded and understaffed. It is preposterous that the Governor would choose to focus, not on these problems, but on the routine decision to send a nonviolent first-time offender to Court Diversion. We urge you to distance yourself from so irresponsible and distorted a position."
This one has legs, eh?
Maybe a ripe issue that a long-haired Progressive/Democrat with statewide campaign experience could use to help pull the biggest gubernatorial upset since Phil Hoff surprised Republican Incumbent Gov. F. Ray Keyser Jr. in 1962?
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A gloomy, damp, cold morning in Burlington, Vermont. Perfect "Inside Track" writing weather, eh?
Lots on the political plate.
And the Christmas holidays are rolling in.
Rolling in against the backdrop of the ongoing crime in Iraq.
Please. Let's be honest. It's not a "war." Iraq did not attack us, nor was Iraq a threat to the United States of America. The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is a crime. Let's call it what it is.
And as with any crime, mes amis, it's not going to be okay until it's stopped and the perps - George W. Bush and Dick Cheney - are brought to justice.
How long before 9-10 GOP senators realize their loyalty to the Bush team is going to cost them their seats?
The clock ticks.
Politics is a painful process, but it still beats the alternatives.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Ol' Bernardo, excuse me, United States Sen. Bernard Sanders, usually does a presser on Mondays at his home base in Burlington and this Monday, a federal holiday for Veterans Day [no mail], was no different.
In this case, however, Sen. Sanders stuck to the theme and offered up a perfect made-for-TV news story about getting an 84-year-old World War II veteran from Barre his medals, including a Bronze Star.
Stanley Sabens was 19 when he signed up and he was a member of the precursor of the Green Berets who won fame during the Vietnam War. Sabens outfit was called the First Special Service Force, also known as "The Black Devils." And it was, uniquely, a half-American/half-Canadian outfit.
"What was so unique about Stanley’s experience," said Bernie, "is that he fought with our Canadian allies. They fought equally and they served heroically. On behalf of a very grateful nation, we thank you very much."
Stanley will also go into the Vermont history books, we were told, for opening the state's very first motel - The Knoll Motel in Barre. Opened in 1950.
As for recollections from the battlefields where he fought and his comrades died, Sabens told reporters it was "hard to think back."
"I think of the good times," he said, "but the rest of it, I can't do anything about."
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Rather it was the packed, standing-room-only basement of the public library in the heart of downtown Barre, Vermont. Democratic Congressman Peter Welch faced down the Vermont lions of the anti-Iraq War left and walked away unscathed.
Oh, sure, he had to take getting yelled at by a few baby boomers who needed to get it off their chests or wherever, but he in no way, shape, or form gave an inch to their macho-bullying tactics.
Under the original format - unrevealed to Welchie - he was going to have had to keep his mouth basically shut - just answer "yes" or "no" to the 15 questions they had prepared for him.
Unusual to see a United States Congressman have to fight for and win his 1st Amendment rights at a public meeting, but he did!
The meeting between the congressman and 100 of his constituents lasted from 1:30 pm until 4 pm.
Afterward, Vermont's only member of the U.S. House told Freyne Land:
It’s my job. These are good Vermont folks who care passionately about the Constitution and the War in Iraq. And I feel it was important that I listen to them. I was glad to participate and listen to the conviction, the passion, the sense of urgency that they have.
My goal was to convey that I’m doing everything that I can to bring this war to an end.
Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders and I all have an extraordinary record. That’s why Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), singled me out me for providing leadership to end the war. And I’m doing absolutely everything that I can to take practical steps to end this as soon as it possibly can be ended.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Web Only