Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Crunch day for "Inside Track." And would you believe I was up at 6 A.M. pounding out my May "Under the Dome" column for Vermont Business Magazine?
I love writing. When I was a 20something cabbie in Chicago during the 1970s I always had a notebook with me, a copy of Letters to Theo, a Henry Miller novel. Mike Royko on the corner of the Billy Goat bar nursing a brew. Lincoln Avenue was my Left Bank night scene. Blues, jazz and Mamet plays.
Chicago was this New Yorker's own little Paris of the 1930s. When I wasn't at the BelAir Hotel on Diversey, I was living with the artist/painter sweetheart who eventually led me to Vermont in the late 70s where life really got interesting.
Still live on the shore of a "Great" Lake as the photo of Burlington shows.
I know, I'm procrastinating. Beating around the bush. That's because there's something I have to write about that I've been ducking....
Something for "Inside Track" about my own personal inside track - something about what I've learned about cancer.
OK. OK. Gotta run......
Monday, April 23, 2007
On Friday morning, the Vermont Senate passed its President George "WMD" Bush Impeachment Resolution on a 16-9 vote. The news went national and apparently disturbed an unidentified fellow from Al Gore's home state who left the following message on Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin's (at right) office answering-machine:
"Yes, sir. I live in Tennessee, but when people like y’all up there make national news, be prepared for some response.
"I see where you voted for your non-binding resolution to impeach the president, but listen, dumb ass, you need to name some specific crimes, not just some bullshit that you think he may have done.
"Impeachment is a serious business and you’re just politically posturing. You’re a fucking communist just like the rest of the goddamn Democrats! So how about naming some real crimes or shut the fuck up!"
It's said you can judge a man by his enemies.
Shumlin must have done something right, eh?
Wonder if Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington will continue blocking the Impeachment Resolution from floor debate?
The "gentleman" in Tennessee would certainly appreciate it if she did!
As one who was born and raised in a world that did not have have recycling trucks or seat belts or self-serve gas stations, I've pretty much been able to go with the flow and adapt.
Not everything, though. Still use cassette tapes for my Radio Vermont News reporting. Cassettes have an "antique" feel, which is nice, And they're cheap, efficient and get the job done.
Dashed out a few minutes ago when I heard the recycling truck out front. It's Blue Box Day on the Southside of Burlington, Vermont - each blue box a sign of hope, really, hope that we will, each one of us acting in unison, save the damn planet and stop the environmental degradation that will be the lasting legacy of the Corporate Age and the 20th Century.
Another sign of reason to hope is the big story in today's Times Argus by Editor (and former Howard Dean Press Secretary), Sue Allen. Sweet Sue is not someone who's easily fooled. And when her name is the byline of a news story, pay attention, folks.
In this case, it's a story about the upcoming Wednesday showdown under Montpeculiar's golden dome between the common folk who refuse to be good, quiet 1930s-style Germans, and the lawmaker class of Vermont Democracy. At issue is whether or not our discredited and deceitful President George W. Bush and Veep Dick Cheney deserve Blue-Box treatment for the horror they've dragged America into.
The Impeachment Resolution that passed the Vermont State Senate on Friday morning is expected to hit the House floor Wednesday. House Speaker Gaye Symington of Jericho was in Bennington Sunday evening to speak to local Democrats. And based on what she told Bennington Banner Reporter Neal Goswami, she's still a victim of the chronic tunnel vision that, sadly, is becoming her trademark:
"I'm still coming to terms onwhether or not we want to have that debate in the House," saidSymington, D-Jericho, before speaking to a gathering of BenningtonCounty Democrats Sunday evening. "I just do not believe it'sappropriate, at this point, for the Vermont Legislature to call for theimpeachment of the president. I voted against a resolution at my owntown meeting." Symington said the approach taken by Shumlin in the Senate would not happen in the House. "They brought it up at 8:30 in the morning and there was nonotice. I don't think that's a fair way to do it. I think if we were todo it in the House we would do it with a full, open debate," she said. Symington maintains that debating a resolution in the Housewould take up a significant amount of time in a legislative sessionthat is scheduled to adjourn the first week of May. She said theSenate, a body of just 30 members, is able to debate issues morequickly than the 150-member House. Poor Gaye, eh? Doesn't get it, does she? Such a "radical" notion - that the elected-by-the-people Vermont House of the People actually address an issue of great concern to Vermonters, even if it wasn't on House Speaker Symington's "to-do" list for the 2007 session. Check this out - even retired ABC News foreign-correspondent extraordinaire Barrie Dunsmore of Charlotte addresses the issue in his Sunday Rutland Herald column.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Vermont’s senior U.S. Senator Patrick J. Leahy and longest serving voice on Capitol Hill (since 1975), was on CBS’ Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer this morning. The main hook for the program was Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech that left 33 people dead.
How to prevent such from happening again wondered Schieffer?
Former FBI profiler Garry McCrary was nice enough to scold the media for running and rerunning and rerunning and rerunning the madman’s video. [Hey, man, it’s a ratings battle out there. The Almighty Dollar rules!]
Thank you, Garry.
By the way how many people have been killed in the ongoing massacre known as the “U.S. War in Iraq?”
Hundreds of thousands?
How many Americans?
According to CNN - 3316. They died to protect us from Iraq WMD's that simply did not exist!
Anyone looking into how that happened, and how it can be prevented from happening again?
In Blacksburg, Virginia, the gunman took his own life. Has anyone been held accountable for the continuing bloodbath in Iraq? Anyone?
At least Face the Nation had Leahy on so they could devote about three minutes to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ all-day appearance before Sen. Leahy’s Judiciary Committee on Thursday. After all, Gonzales is the chief law enforcement officer in the United States.
I know, hard to believe the "land of the free" and "home of the brave" has sunk this low, eh?
BOB SCHIEFFER: A lot of people now calling for his resignation. Are you ready to call for his resignation?
SEN. PATRICK J. LEAHY: You know, it’s an interesting thing. A lot of those calls are coming from Republicans. I think the Republicans were as critical as the Democrats during these hearings. The question I have if he left, he’s lost the confidence of many, the Democrats and Republicans in the Congress and many people throughout America, and the hearing did not help at all. It was sad in a way.
SCHIEFFER: But do you think he ought to stay? Can he be effective now?
LEAHY: I don’t think he can be effective, but who would he be replaced with? Is it going to be another person who is going to be really run by the White House? And if the White House is continued to be allowed to interfere with the criminal justice system throughout this country, something that affects everybody right down to the officer on the beat, then it does no good.
Never in the history, never in the history of the Department of Justice has there been a case where there’s be so much interference from the White House in our criminal justice system. That is what’s wrong.
SCHIEFFER: Thank you, Senator. Thank you.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Scads of folks on Burlington's Church Street Marketplace today, but by our count, only about 60-70 were there specifically to attend the noon Impeachment Rally on the City Hall steps.
Afterward I interviewed two of the rally organizers Nanny Liza Earle of Richmond [pictured below, standing], and Attorney Jimmy Leas of South Burlington [seated on bench behind her].
LIZA EARLE: We've been busy focused on Montpelier and haven’t done much to spread word about the rally. It’s one of the first gorgeous days we’ve had so people are out. They want to do something active. I think it’s great for everything else that’s going on on this beautiful Saturday.
JIM LEAS : We only really started trying to get publicity out after Tuesday. cause we were so focused on Tuesday. We did have a flier, but we never went out to do plastering the town.
FREYNE: Prospects for moving in the House?
LEAS: Well, I think it depends on how many people we can get there on Wednesday. If we can duplicate what we did last Tuesday or even do more, then I think they’ll pay attention to us.
We had a wonderful, respectful, passionate and articulate group of people.
FREYNE: Don’t you think House Speaker Symington has made it perfectly clear to you where she stands?
LEAS: She’s made it perfectly clear, but, you know, we do have a democracy and we do expect the legislators to listen to the voice of the people.
...The Senate has spoken. We’ve gotten a lot of momentum from the Town Meetings, from the mobilization of the grassroots, I would think that Gaye and members of the leadership of the House should really think through why they would want to suppress this. Why they wouldn’t want to encourage it?
Friday, April 20, 2007
Yes, it really happened. Today, the Vermont Senate passed a resolution calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
The story made the "A" wire. In fact, sources say, Democrat Senate president pro tem Peter Shumlin, a co-sponsor, got calls from far and wide including a call from the International Herald Tribune!
With this morning's action, an 180-degree turnaround by Shummy, the Vermont Senate became the first legislative body in the United States of America to have the guts to call for the impeachment of the most corrupt, greedy and dishonest administration in U.S. history. Big Oil and Big Pharma could not have purchased better White House representation!
Unfortunately, Bush and Cheney represent us, too.
So guess what Channel 3, "Vermont's Own," led their Six O'Clock News with tonight?
Would you believe the weather? The nice weather?
I'm not kidding.
Alex Martin, WCAX-TV heir apparent, was "live" on the Burlington waterfront to tell us what we already knew: it was a sunny day with spring-like temps.
Stop the presses!
Also a bit of a surprise to see "Vermont This Week" on Vermont Public Television lead off tonight with the Nor'easter wind/ rain storm that downed trees and knocked out power in Rutland on Monday as their top story of the week. Brent Curtis of the Rutland Herald was on via phone to say anyone not already reconnected to the power grid, will be by the end of the day on Friday.
Stop the presses!
And Democrat House Speaker Gaye Symington had her noontime "Brown-Bagger" Friday. Full press turnout. She still won't touch an impeachment resolution with a 10-foot pole. More important things to do.
Obviously she does not realize what Peter Shumlin came to realize this week - the fact that outside the building, support for impeaching the Bush-Cheney Crime Family is strong, wide and deep among the common folk.
And the pro-impeachment grassroots passed the state senate resolution with 16 members in favor and nine opposed. Impeachment supporters are planning a Saturday rally in Burlington's City Hall Park at high noon.
See you there?
7:00 A.M.
Good morning.
A second bright dawn in a row in Beautiful Burlap.
And word from pro-impeachment sources that a new Bush Impeachment Resolution, not J.R.H. 15, the one that's stalled in both chambers, but a new one, will surface in the Vermont State Senate this morning.
With Republican Lite-Gov Brian Dubie out-of-state, Democrat Peter Shumlin will be the presiding officer.
That means the new impeachment resolution will be voted on by the full body (Democrats hold 23 of 30 seats) and not shipped off to the Judiciary Committee.
Interesting, eh?
"Vermont Senate Calls for Bush Impeachment" goes on the "A" wire.
Then the spotlight falls on the Vermont House....where today is anti-impeachment resolution Speaker Gaye Symington's birthday. Happy birthday, Madame Speaker!
Nice present, eh?
*************************************
***9 A.M. UPDATE***
At 8:41 A.M. the Vermont State Senate, in its first order of business, passed a resolution calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. (Thank you, VPR, for the live, online coverage.)
Senate Resolution 16, sponsored by Windham County Democratic Senators Peter Shumlin (who was presiding officer with Lt. Gov. Dubie away), and Jeanette White, was adopted on a 16-9 roll call vote.
Liza Earle, the Richmond, Vermont nanny/activist who was one of the organizers of the grassroots Vermont impeachment effort, was ecstatic.
"It's really an incredible day for democracy!" she told "Freyne Land" minutes ago.
Tuesday's turnout of 130-plus impeachment supporters at the Statehouse obviously had an impact, eh?
"I think Tuesday was a reallypowerful day in the House of Democracy," said Ms. Earle. "We got a lot of smiles from legislators," she said, even though the leadership of Sen. Shumlin and House Speaker Gaye Symington told them impeachment was "dead."
""It's amazing," said Earle, "how the leaders will follow when the people lead."
Amen!
Here's the text of S.R. 16:
Vermont’s state senators do support a resolution requiring the United States House Judiciary Committee to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president and the vice president of the United States.
WHEREAS, President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney have exercised the duties of their respective offices with respect to both domestic and foreign affairs in ways that raise serious questions of constitutionality, statutory legality and abuse of the public trust;
WHEREAS, the president’s conduct in his role as commander-in-chief leading our nation into the military conflict in Iraq and the vice president’s continual advocacy for American troops remaining in Iraq have cost the United States much of the good will that was extended in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States;
WHEREAS, the president and the vice president’s domestic leadership on issues relating to individual privacy and personal liberty under law has raised constitutional issues of the greatest concern to the nation’s citizenry;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, that the Senate of the State of Vermont urges Vermont’s representatives in the United States House of Representatives to introduce, and Vermont’s United States senators to support, a resolution requiring the United States House Judiciary Committee to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President and the Vice President of the United States, and be it further resolved that the secretary of the Senate be directed to send a copy of this resolution to United States Represenative Peter Welch, United States Senator Patrick J. Leahy, and United States Senator Bernard Sanders.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
The distinguished senator did not mince his words Thursday afternoon as he looked Attorney General of the United States Alberto Gonzales right in the eye and let him know exactly what he thought of Alberto's handling of the recent unexplained dismissal of eight competent, dedicated U.S. attorneys for political reasons:
“It was handled incompetently. The communication was atrocious. It was inconsistent.
“It’s generous to say that there were ‘misstatements.’ That’s a generous statement. And I believe you ought to suffer the consequences that these others have suffered.
"And I believe the best way to put this behind us is your resignation!”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. You see, those words were not coming from the lips of Sen. Patrick Leahy, but from those of a conservative Republican senator from Oklahoma - Sen. Tom Coburn M.D. - recently featured here in Freyne Land when he got up on the Senate floor and blocked a couple million bucks for the Jim Jeffords Center up at UVM.
No shit!
Read Sen. Coburn's official statement. And he wasn't the only Republican to suggest Gonzales needed better answers, credible answers or he might need to come up with fresh plans for his immediate future.
Despite weeks to prepare for his appearance before St. Patrick’s committee, George "WMD" Bush’s longtime Texas political crony continued to suffer from very wide and very deep gaps in his memory.
“I don’t recall” was the U.S. Attorney General's favorite line, uttered dozens and dozens of times, making him sound like what we used to call a "broken record."
It was unbelievable, literally.
"I must admit that this is a day that does not make me happy at all,” said Leahy as he soberly wrapped things up late this afternoon. “I cannot think of any time I’ve been more concerned,” said the Vermont chairman, “more concerned for the system of criminal justice in this country. With that we stand adjourned.”
Another day on Planet Earth.
Took this shot around the corner in my Burlington, Vermont neighborhood shortly after 7 A.M. - it's been so long since a sunrise beat the cloud cover! And word is there's a lot more to come. Notice the photographer's shadow?
Peter the Groundhog.
The plan is to catch St. Patrick, excuse me, Sen. Patrick Leahy, kickoff his Judiciary Committee probe of the firings of 8 U.S. Attorney's with star witness Alberto "I don't remember" Gonzales front and center. C-SPAN will carry it. I wonder if the "news" networks will?
(***Check NOON UPDATE below***)
What else?
Oh, yes. At his Wednesday presser, Gov. Jim Douglas was asked about Vermont "security," questions that were obviously prompted by the bloody massacre at Virginia Tech on Monday. The TV angle, eh?
Getting ready for the Virginia Tech Copycat Killer? Could it happen here?
Well, it could happen anywhere and it does regularly.
More than 200 innocent people were blown to bits in Iraq yesterday by suicide bombers, which appears the fastest growing occupation in that part of the world.
You remember Iraq?
The country OUR country invaded because President George "WMD" Bush's lies, like those of Adolph Hitler in 1930s Germany, were swallowed by the majority of the citizenry and the majority of the nation's "lawmakers."
Like Ol' Adolph, Ol' George was elected. Democracy at work!
And Adolph, like George, was only protecting his country from dangerous threats. At least, that's what he said he was doing.
The question of whether or not ignoring the gross impeachable offenses of George W. Bush and V.P. Dick Cheney does or does-not qualify one for contemporary "good German" status is a fair question and worthy of discussion and debate.
Back to Montpeculiar: The Guv was asked if there were any rules or laws preventing a person from bringing a loaded handgun into the Vermont Statehouse. (That's his Administration Secretary Mike Smith with a portrait of the legendary Matthew Lyon.)
Gentleman Jim, a regular in the building since his legislative days back in the 1970s, simply did not know. In fact, no one on his distinguished personal staff who was in attendance did either. That probably shows what a non-issue it is in Vermont where "gun control" laws only apply to hunting season.
I followed up and just got this from the Dave Janawicz, the Capitol Police Chief:
Rule 26 of Joint Rules of House & Senate: Regarding "Public Conduct"says no person shall carry a firearm or explosives, openly or concealed,except for official purposes, while in the State House.
******************************************
***NOON UPDATE***
C-SPAN1 & 2 went back to live floor coverage at 10:A.M., as they normally do. If C-SPAN3 is carrying the Gonzales Hearing before St. Patrick's committee, I do not know. I don't get it.
And CBS and ABC and NBC have "normal" programming while CNN and MSNBC and FOX - the cable-news giants - are milking the massacre at Virginia Tech for every drop its worth to them.
Fortunately, the Senate Judiciary Committee has Attorney General Gonzales available for live viewing on its website.
Thanks.
If I didn't know Alberto's "day job," I'd swear I was watching some Mafia Crime Family Godfather's top lawyer getting grilled in an organized crime investigation.
Big balls.
No memory.
Wonder how history will treat him?
And his boss?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
In the wake of the now patched-up controversy involving charges of legislative vote-buying by Douglas Administration Transportation Secretary Neale Lunderville, Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington has called for the establishment in law of a state ethics code for the executive and legislative branches, as well as creation of an "ethics council" or "ethics commission" to enforce it.
At his weekly press conference Wednesday, Republican Gov Jim Douglas was asked if he agreed with Symington?
DOUGLAS: “I don’t think we need a new bureaucracy to monitor the performance of our public officials. I think Vermont is a state where we can be proud of the people that serve in all branches of government, people who for the most part are above reproach, people of integrity and people who follow the constitutional edict of serving the public and acting in the public interest.
"I believe that codes of ethics are appropriate. The judiciary has the canons of ethics for attorneys and judges.
"Four governors in a row have adopted executive codes of ethics.
"Frankly, the only branch of government that doesn’t have a code of ethics is the Legislature and I think it would be very appropriate for them to adopt one."
Lunderville first served Gov. Scissorhands as his young and successful twenty-something campaign manager in the 2002 race and followed up in that role in 2004. In between campaign seasons, the Boy Wonder has been a key member of the governor’s 5th floor inner circle. Neale was appointed to the transportation secretary position last year despite having absolutely no experience or training in the field. Gov. Douglas was asked if the Boy Wonder's political past and lack of "transportation" experience reinforced the impression he wasn’t the right choice for the position?
DOUGLAS: "On the contrary, he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. As soon as he was appointed, Sen. Mazza ( Dick Mazza, a Chittenden/Grande Isle Democrat and chairman of the Transportation Committee), spoke very positively about the choice. I think everybody who sees the work that he’s done knows that he’s just the right person for the job!....I think he’s doing a great job!"
On other matters of "ethics" in politics, Gov. Douglas was asked if he "has confidence in U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales," who is scheduled to testify under oath and in public Thursday before U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy’s Judiciary Committee.
Douglas refused to give a "yes" or "no" answer, instead telling reporters we "should let the process go forward," and we should "wait and see what Gonzales has to say before the committee."
And speaking of ethics in government and media...
Here's a picture I shot around 11:20 A.M. on State Street in Montpelier across from the Pavilion Building.
Won't see this on the Six O'Clock News, eh?
I dare say it's solid evidence WCAX-TV News doesn't get any special breaks from les gendarmes of the parking space in Vermont's state capital.
When it comes to parking, everybody pays.