Freyne Land

“Why aren’t Americans screaming bloody murder?” asked former U.N. Iraq weapons inspector Scott Ritter Friday evening before a packed house at Burlington’s Unitarian Church.

“When the president suspends habeas corpus,” said Ritter, “it should put every one of us in the street screaming revolution!”

Good point. Ritter was referring to the Military Commissions Act passed by Congress last month (Vermont’s congressional delegation voted against it.)

And the explanation offered by Ritter is simply that Americans cannot defend a document they do not know!

When’s the last time you read the Constitution of the United States?

“If you allow the terrorists to shred this document in the name of security,” said Ritter, “the terrorists win.”

The U.S. invasion of Iraq, he said, was an “illegal” invasion. “If you’re willing to hedge on that,” said Ritter, “what’s next?”

Good question, eh?

Ritter says the answer to what's next is -  Iran. That’s the case he makes in his new book: Target Iran: The Truth about the White House’s Plans for Regime Change.

He told the Burlington audience Friday evening that he believes the plans have already been made by the Bush White House to invade Iran. Congress, he said, even Vermont’s congressmen, have bought into the false idea that Iran possesses a nuclear weapons program. And that he compared to the Vietnam War's Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - the fraudulent basis for the increased hostilities that left 58,000 U.S. soldiers dead. Afterward, yours truly asked Ritter a couple questions. We wanted to be sure on when he was predicting a Bush administration attack on Iran?

“A window of opportunity opens in March of 2007.  I don’t think the president will have the ability to act before that. I think the president will start putting in play things to facilitate a strike using the lame duck session of Congress. But that doesn’t mean that we’re going to strike. I think you’re going to see pressure put on Congress to set in motion an aggressive stance against Iran."

Scary.

“I think the plan’s been made. It’s just a matter of implementing the plan. But that’s complicated. That requires domestic political preparation, international diplomatic preparation and then military preparation. And if the president starts now, he won’t be able to get all those pieces in place until, I believe, March."

But hasn’t the November 7 election diminished the power of President Bush?

“But he’s still the executive and constitutionally he still has all the power he had beforehand. And on the issue of Iran, unless Congress is willing to step up to the plate and stop him, there’s nothing to prevent him from implementing his policies.

“The Congress has bought into the notion of Iran possessing a nuclear weapons program. Congress is making the same mistake on Iran that they made with Iraq about WMD.”

Great.

Catch Ritter yourself - tonight, Saturday at 7 p.m. at The Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield.
Free admission - priceless talk.

Jim Barnett is departing from his Vermont GOP-chairman post at the end of the month to go to work for Sen. John McCain. "Mad Dog," as we call him, will be the New England top dog/boss for McCain's "exploratory" 2008 presidential committee. Congratulations, James!

It was not a good November for Republicans, concedes the Barre boy, but the GOP did better in Vermont than anywhere else in New England. Just ask Scudder Parker and Matt Dunne, eh?

Said Mad Dog to Freyne Land on Wednesday afternoon:

"In relative terms, we had a respectable showing, the best of any Republican Party in New England, although we’re disappointed with some of the results.  It was a tough year. We saw the effects of that nationally and especially in the Northeast. I think we have a lot to be proud about when you get down to looking at the party infrastructure and how it’s improved over the past three-and-a-half years.

"We made immense progress, a near tripling of our number of donors to the state party. Dramatic improvement of our voter file [and] the programs we implemented at a grassroots level. All of these things are laying the foundation for many years to come for a stronger and more successful party."

John McCain, eh?

"He’s looking very, very good at this point. There’s a long way to go, but I think the American people know, respect and have great admiration for Sen. McCain. I think in these times when the country is divided, it’s going to take someone like Sen. McCain to bring us together and lead us effectively in the future."

By our count, McCain turned 70 in August.

"You know, Ronald Reagan was 72 when he was reelected to a second term and I think he did a pretty fine job."

How much does it pay?

"You can check the FEC reports."

You've been wanting to leave Vermont?

"Oh, no. That’s one of the unfortunate facts of the job  - that it will take me out of my native state...  Still part of my repertoire here, as part of the New England Region, so I’ll be in close contact."

What do you think, gang,  - Vermont GOP loss, right?

Didn't have enough room in today's "Inside Track" print edition for this photo we snapped the other day of the senior senator from Vermont - Patrick J. Leahy.

St. Patrick's been serving in the United States Senate since 1975, which is before a lot of folks I met in Campaign 2006 were born.

Sen. Leahy wasn't on the ballot this time, but he sure acted like a big winner once the votes were counted. The Democrats are back in charge on Capitol Hill and a Vermonter will be the new chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Yours truly, meanwhile, gets some "vacation" time - the next two weeks off from the print column, but this being the Internet Age, chances are we'll keep Freyne Land updated.

Hey, who'd a thunk the race for state auditor would have such intigue?

Out of about 250,000 votes cast, Incumbent Republican Randy Brock is ahead of Democrat Tom Salmon by only 137 votes.

Progressive Martha Abbott got 23,545.

Liberty Unionite Jerry Levy picked up 4,229.

So far, we haven't heard anyone call Abbot or Levy "spoliers."

Wednesday's Brattleboro Reformer reports:

But Tuesday, after the official results were released, Salmon said he got calls from supporters urging a recount. But he said he wanted to talk with Brock before making a decision.

"We'll talk with each other tomorrow," Salmon said. "I am sure we can do this with the level of professionalism that we had mutually through this whole thing. Democracy is great and Vermont voters deserve a little more attention toward this."

Brock also said late Tuesday that he did not have enough information to decide whether or not he would join Salmon in asking for a recount.

He said he wanted to learn more about how the gap shrunk from more than 800 votes to just 137, and he said he would be talking with Salmon in the morning.

Sanders Announces Anticipated Committee Assignments

Washington DC- Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) today announced the anticipated committee assignments for members of the Democratic Caucus in the 110th  Congress. Senator-Elect Sanders has received placements on Environment and Public Works (EPW); Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); Energy and Natural Resources; Budget; and Veterans' Affairs. These assignments include three committee positions previously held by Senator Jim Jeffords (EPW, HELP, and Veterans' Affairs.)

Sanders said, "These are very strong assignments and I appreciate Senator Reid responding positively to my requests. As a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, I will have the opportunity to strongly impact the direction of our national health care policy and will work tirelessly to move our country towards universal health care. I am also looking forward to the opportunity to promote responsible spending as part of the Budget committee and develop forward-thinking energy and environmental policies as a member of the Energy and EPW committees. Finally, I am particularly pleased with this opportunity to work for our nation's veterans on the Veterans' Affairs committee and will use this position to ensure that our government looks out for the brave men and women that have served our country. 

"These committee selections put our state in a strong position to promote responsible, forward-thinking national policies and I am looking forward to getting to work for the people of Vermont as a member of the United States Senate." 

It's official. The one and only Peter Shumlin of Putney, reelected to the Vermont Senate after a four year absence, will get his president pro tem office back in January. He defeated State Sen. John Campbell at a Democratic Caucus in Randolph yesterday. That's Shummy (at right) with Ho-Ho in the old days.

Interesting.

Shumlin was one of those Ds who wanted to move up after Howard Dean departed for his presidential quest. Party elders talked him out of a gubernatorial primary with then-Lt. Gov. Doug Racine. Racine ran for governor and lost. Shumlin ran for Lite-Gov and got chewed up in a three-way with Republican Brian Dubie and Progressive Anthony Pollina.

Now Gov. Jim Douglas and Lt. Gov. Dubie are getting ready to start their third terms. Pollina's into value-added dairy products. And the Democrats are still just talking about universal health care.

Live and learn, eh?

**Update** 6 p.m.

Senate Democrats meet to choose new leader

By ROSS SNEYD
AP Political Writer
RANDOLPH, Vt. (AP) -- Democrats turned again to one of their former Senate leaders Tuesday as they began organizing the overwhelming majority they'll carry into the Legislature in January.
Peter Shumlin of Windham County, who served as Senate president pro tem for six years before stepping aside in 2002 for an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor, beat incumbent Majority Leader John Campbell of Windsor County as the Democrats' candidate for president pro tempore.
That's tantamount to winning the election, which will not formally take place until the Legislature convenes on Jan. 3, because the Democrats hold 23 of the 30 seats in the new Senate.

**Update**  4 p.m.

Quiet, quiet, quiet. But reliable sources say the 23 recently elected Democratic members of the Vermont State Senate convened at 3 p.m. this afternoon in Randolph. Word is they wanted a little privacy to work our their differences over who will be the president pro tem, i.e. Top Dog, in the coming session. Word is A.P. reporter Ross Sneyd found out in time and crashed their little out-of-the-way "secret" session. Should be something on the wire for the Six O'Clock News.

Cool.

Yours truly hit the Vermont Milk Company presser in Montpeculiar.   

Four-year old Maplebrook Farm of Bennington, an artisan cheese producer, signed a six-figure contract with the fledgling Hardwick milk processor that pays its farmers top dollar.

Cheesemaker Michael Scheps, a New Jersey transplant, said when they started they had a five-year goal of becoming 100 percent Vermont i.e. using 100 percent Vermont milk.

"We made it!" said Scheps.

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Looks like we're in a wee bit of a wet and gloomy streak. At least weatherwise in Vermont.

Don't you just love November?  The early dark nights!

Hey, it's Howard Dean's 58th birthday on Friday. Happy birthday, Ho-Ho!

This sweet and sunny shot of the Statehouse in Montpeculiar was taken last Thursday. It's a reminder of what a beautiful day looks like. The last few, and the forecast for the next few, don't exactly lift one's spirits. Yes, indeed, Virginia, there's bright light on the other side of those thick clouds above. We will see blue sky again. One day!

Hey, did you catch the story in the morning press on Judge Ed Cashman receiving an honor yesterday from the Vermont Press Association?

I wasn't there, but Lisa Rathke popped a story on the A.P. wire:

MONTPELIER — A judge whose initial sentencing of a sex offender sparked a national outcry said Sunday that the case has been a highlight of his career.

Vermont District Court Judge Edward Cashman said he was able to stand up for what he believed in – that he correctly sentenced Mark Hulett to the 60-day-minimum under the law.

"I think one of the risks a judge has to take is knowing that when you make a difficult decision it very well may be misunderstood. And then comes the real hard part: you gotta remain quiet," Cashman said in an interview Sunday. more here.

The memories from January do come back. The misreporting by WCAX-TV, which repeatedly told viewers Cashman had told the court he didn't "believe in punishment."  That led to the AP's Chris Graff doing a story based on the court transcript - a story that showed the judge never said any such thing.

Too bad, WGOP, er, WCAX never admitted its mistake, eh?

Here's the top of "Inside Track" from January 11, titled "Crucifying Cashman":

It's the hot Vermont story of the day, and Monday night it went national on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor."

Teasing viewers at the top of the program, Bill O'Reilly flashed a picture of veteran Vermont District Court Judge Edward Cashman. The bombastic right-wing cheerleader told viewers, "You may be looking at the worst judge in the USA. He gave a child rapist 60 days in prison. We'll confront him!"

Appearing live on "The O'Reilly Factor" via satellite was freshman Republican State Senator Wendy Wilton of Rutland.

"The reaction from Vermonters is outrage," said Wilton. "People are just horrified about this. People think that Judge Cashman has basically flipped his lid."

Asked by O'Reilly if "impeachment" was deserved, the longtime choir girl at Rutland's Immaculate Heart of Mary Church replied, "This guy has to go!"

Funny. On November 7, Rutland County voters decided Sen. Wendy Wilton had to go!

Sen. Wilton did not win reelection.

Let the sun shine, eh?

It kind of snuck up on me this year - deer season. Got lost behind the Election of 2006, which is still sinking in. Yeah, sure, some of the people, some of the time. But don't plan on all of the people all of the time. Understand?

Out and about on the two-wheeler in Burlap this morning. Caught the Veterans Day observance in Battery Park. The wind was whipping out of the south at what must have been 40 mph with higher gusts. The little portable wireless speaker didn't work. A couple of the speeches never got heard. That's Sen-elect Bernie Sanders with the hooded, light-colored jacket. Mayor Bob Kiss is to his left. Rep. John Tracy, representing Sen. Patrick Leahy, is to Bernie's right.

Better sound down in front of City Hall. That's where about 60 folks, many of them UVM students, gathered to protest the International Paper test burn of tires. Dr. Jack Mayer M.D. of Middlebury was one of the leading speakers:

"A Bully is someone who hurts, frightens, threatens or tyrannizes those who are smaller or weaker. So what do you call a company like IP that knowingly puts harmful particulates, metals and cancer-causing chemicals in our sir?  A bully. 

"I want to be perfectly clear. This is not about burning tires. This is about burning tires with obsolete, inadequate pollution controls. This is about the arrogance of one company that doesn't seem to care about the harm their pollution will cause the citizens of the Champlain Valley - New Yorkers and Vermonters."

Doc Mayer's got a point, eh?

And rounding out today's threesome in Burlington, Vermont was Katherine Monstream's annual art show - for years at Union Station on the waterfront. First met the remarkable Katherine 20-some years ago when she waited tables at Leunig's. The old Leunig's. Did I ever tell you I'd bartended there for a year-plus, a couple years before that?

Katherine had been a champion skier in college. Her painting skill was a pleasant surprise coming on the heels of other "suprises" in the Burlington Renaissance of the 1980s.

Web Exclusive!

Breaking News....

***Friday evening 6:55 p.m....John Tracy to join Sen. Leahy's staff***

According to a "reliable source," State Rep. John Patrick Tracy of Burlington's Old North End, he who lost the Democrat Primary for Lite-Gov to State Sen. Matt Dunne, will be working on Veterans Affairs out of St. Patrick's Montpeculiar office.

Vermont vets will be in good hands. John-John served in Vietnam.

UPDATE - Spoke to Tracy at Battery Park Veterans observance at 11 a.m. this Saturday morning. He told us his new Leahy job will involve "outreach, veterans healthcare, human services and education."

"A perfect fit,"  said the departing chairman of the House Committee on Health Care.

Congratulations!

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Three days after defeating Republican Martha Rainville to win Vermont’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic State Sen. Peter Welch got right down to business Friday, choosing his new chief of staff.

Pedro has tapped Green Mountain Power's vice president of public affairs Bob Rogan of Burlington. Mr. Rogan is 47 and a former close aide to Howard Dean, both when Ho-Ho was governor in the mid-1990s and also when current-DNC Chairman Dean mounted his exciting bid for the 2004 Democratic Presidential nomination.

Before he joined "Dean for America," Rogan was a "public affairs" VP over at Central Vermont Public Service in Rutland for five years. Certainly he's got a different style, as well as, closer ties to and experience with "Corporate America" than his Sanderista predecessor Jeff Weaver.  Said Rogan Friday afternoon as Democrat HQ got empty:

“This is a surprise to me. Peter and I had breakfast this morning. I knew what the context of it was - he was going to ask me if I could help him.

"So I was willing to do that, but never expected that he was going to ask me to be his chief of staff. We had a really good thorough discussion.

"I’m excited about it. It’s a real honor to go down to Washington to serve Vermonters and to help Peter bring to Washington what we know him to be in Vermont, which is a practical, effective leader of the Vermont Senate. He’s going to do the same thing down in Washington and help deliver good things for Vermont  and America.”

Good time to be going to Washington, eh?

"It is a good time to go to Washington. Change is washing across the city. To have a small part of that in helping Peter play a big role is going to be exciting. All of my political juices are flowing once again and it feels good."

The Ho-Ho deputy chief of staff experience on Montpeculiar's Fifth Floor 10 years ago - good training?

"I think it’s been great training. I’ve worked for two U.S. Senators and two governors and someone who was almost a nominee of the Democratic Party for president. So coming through all those experiences helps me bring to bear for Vermont and for Peter hopefully a successful term as congressman."

The only downside appears to be the fact Bob will be spending most of his time outside Vermont.

"I'd like to maintain my place here in Vermont and travel back and forth as needed. But the principal role of the chief of staff comes out of the Washington office, so I will be moving to Washington."

We also got a few quick words in with the one-and-only Carolyn Dwyer, Pedro's talented campaign manager.  At first she dodge questions, saying "I retired on November 7." But we pressed her for her honest take on Tuesday's outcome.

“I think it was a resounding victory.”

What did it?

"A strong candidate with a great grassroots organization and a command of the issues. He’s completely in touch with where Vermonters are at and he’s prepared to carry their message to Washington."

What does Carolyn Dwyer do next?

"Carolyn Dwyer goes on vacation now. A beautiful island in Hawaii.
Kauai. I intend to lounge on the beach."

Said veteran GOP State Sen. Vince Illuzzi from Newport:

"Rogan's one of the more benevolent utility executives in Vermont. I think he’s a great choice. He can work with both sides of the aisle."

He's also a utility executive who has actually seen Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.

Good sign, eh?

Here's tonight's sunset on the Burlington, Vermont shoreline. 'Twas kind of special, eh?  And warm like a spring evening. This was taken at 4:40 p.m. - alas, the season of the early night is upon us! But the light, the light that counts, has begun to shine in America after a very, very long absence.

I've been deliberately letting it all sink in slowly. Deliberately savoring the tactile restoration of my faith in democracy. Did I ever tell you about Uncle Peter?

"Member of the IRA. Killed in Action Against Forces of the Crown, North Wall, Dublin. April 11, 1921. He Died for Ireland." 

Democracy was but a dream for the 17 year old Kilkenny farm boy who became a gunman and freedom fighter in the Michael Collins IRA of 1920-21. The Anglo-Irish Treaty reached in December 1921 spared my captured and imprisoned father-to-be, Frank Freyne, 19, his execution in Kilmainham Gaol. Kind of made it possible for me to be here in 2006 blogging away about subjects like democracy!

On Tuesday, November 7, 2006 A.D., the American people, through a mechanism, a procedure, a system called "democracy" non-violently changed the political power structure of the most powerful nation on Earth - without firing a shot.

D-e-m-o-c-r-a-c-y. Use it or lose it. Ever catch the Ol' Leonard Cohen tune?  Been echoing around my head the last couple days....

It's coming from the sorrow in the street,
the holy places where the races meet;
from the homicidal bitchin'
that goes down in every kitchen
to determine who will serve and who will eat.

From the wells of disappointment
where the women kneel to pray
for the grace of God in the desert here
and the desert far away:

Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

(lycrics here)

Let's all take a few deep breaths. Thursday's "news" can wait,eh? 

A Montpeculiar triple-header it was: Speaker Gaye Symington in the CedarCreek Room at 10: Pat Leahy in his office down the street at theMontpelier Post Office at 11, then back to the Guv's Statehouse"ceremonial office" for reelected GOP Gov. Jim Douglas' first, regular, open-plate presser sinceAugust 31.

Landslide Scissorhands Rules!!!

"It has been for me, personally, a very long journey to become a United States senator," said  the son of the Jewish immigrant from Poland. "And I’m very grateful to the people of the state of Vermont, this great state," said Bernie Sanders Wednesday afternoon, "for allowing me the honor of representing our state in the Senate."

That's Bernie striding into his 3 p.m. "The Day After" presser at his campaign HQ yesterday. He was, as usual, mostly all business. Focused. The announcement of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's resignation at 1 p.m. upstaged him a little, but he still pumped out his agenda for January in the U.S. Senate.

Prescription-dry importation from Canada and Europe "could pass in five minutes," said Ol' Bernardo.  "It would pass 3-1 in the House right now," he said, if the GOP leadership would allow a vote take place. American consumers would save 25-30 percent.

What else?

Sanders has said for decades that health care should be "a right of citizenship" in America, as it is in other "civilized" countries. The chances of that happening in the U.S. just improved dramatically.

And Bernie made it clear he will be pushing the new Democrat majority to back up its words with actions and seriously put the heat on Corporate America.

Sanders said he wants Vermont to become "a national leader" on global warming.  He's talking good-paying, global-warming related jobs.

Interesting.

Yesterday was truly a "Pinch Myself - Is it Real?" kind of day. Am I seeing and hearing what I think I'm seeing and hearing?

Yes! Yes, I am! I am actually watching this pathologically-dishonest presidential puppet (with cut-shots of Karl Rove the Puppeteer sitting in the corner), try to swallow outright rejection by the American people he's supposed to be leading. Said George W. Bush:

"My point is, is that while we have been adjusting, we will continue to adjust to achieve the objective. And I believe that's what the American people want. Somehow it seeped in their conscious that my attitude was just simply "stay the course." "Stay the course" means, let's get the job done, but it doesn't mean staying stuck on a strategy or tactics that may not be working. So perhaps I need to do a better job of explaining that we're constantly adjusting."

A "better job explaining that we're constantly adjusting?"

He really said that - holy shit!

"I would remind everybody that last week he was going to his base," said Senator-elect Bernie Sanders, "telling them Rumsfeld would be there for the entire length of this tenure. The issue here is not Rumsfeld," said Bernie, "the issue is policy."

Good point.

Without question, this White House and its myopic, out-of-touch secretary of defense have misused and abused the American military. They sent troops into battle below the required strength and without the required armor. Unprepared. And they sent them into battle without a just cause. In fact, without any cause that would justify the sacrifice of one American.

Don't people get court-martialed for doing things like that?

Our president appeared distressed. Still in a state of denial.  Antsy, like a spoiled little rich kid at a DWI arraignment. Under his leadership and the leadership of the entire Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld Team, America has gotten itself into a very dark place over the last few years, eh?

But we did it, folks. The light is coming back. And the healing has only just begun.

"I think what the president should be doing," said Ol' Bernardo, excuse me, Senator-elect Sanders of Vermont, "is going to the military people and say 'Alright, give me a plan by which we will have all or virtually all of our troops out of Iraq within the next year.'"

Make no mistake, this was an election in which the American people supported the troops that Bush & Co. have demonstrated absolutely no respect for. To these wrapped-in-the-flag banditos, most lacking military experience, our troops are but props in their game.

"I think it's a rejection of what I call the culture of corruption," said DNC Chairman Howard Dean to VPR's Bob Kinzel on Wednesday. "We got one-third of the white evangelicals in this country. We haven't seen that for a long, long time," said Ho-Ho.

Howard Dean - the guy who pushed for the 50-state strategy that led to the historic Democrat victory is looking pretty darn good right now, eh?

ALSO, a couple things:

1. Congrats to Freeps editorial writer Sweet Sue Allen - just appointed the new editor at the Barre-Monpeculiar Times Argus. Congrats to TA readers, too. Big loss for the local Gannett chain outpost in Burlington where's she's been the editorial writer since leaving Team Dean.

By the way, an enormous goof on yesterday's attractive Freeps front page. The headline was: "ESSEX DEFEATS MERGER 2-1."

Guess what?

It passed! Victoria Welch's story was wrong, too. She reports in today's edition:

The Burlington Free Press reported on its Web site Tuesday night and in its Wednesday print editions that Essex town voters denounced the measure by a 2-1 margin. Those results were erroneously reported as a sign that merger was defeated.

However, that tabulation was incorrect, as it failed to recognize the complicated nature of the Essex voting system.

2. Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington has scheduled a 10 a.m. presser at the Statehouse. It got a bit lost in the big national shuffle, but Republican Gov. Jim Douglas appears to have lost his veto ability by just one vote. Republicans dropped to just 49 seats in the Vermont House. Oopsie!