Freyne Land

Senate President pro tem Peter Shumlin did You Can Quote Me with Marselis Parsons and Kristin Carlson Sunday morning.

Anyone watch?

He made it absolutely, positively clear he has no interest in running for governor.  Shummy says there'll be a Democratic candidate, but he won't say who.

Sounded like a guy convinced nobody can beat Jim Douglas, the three-term Republican incumbent. But the Democrats, the main-streamers, all sound like they won't run for governor unless they're positively certain ahead-of-time they'll win.

Politics is all about money. Raising money. Spending money. So's governing.

Shummy doesn't like Gov. Scissorhands' proposal to lease the Vermont Lottery to Wall Street for 40 years for a one-time, up-front $50 million payment. Says it's making us $20 million a year "and there’s certainly ways we can increase those proceeds."

One of the things Wall Street wants to do is put advertisements on the backs of lottery tickets to increase revenue. Why, he asks,  don't we do that?

“Go ahead. Let’s do it!," said Sen. Shumlin, "Why not?

"There’s probably three, four, five things that we could do like that."

Said he gets his advice on this stuff from State Sen. Dick Mazza, owner of Mazza’s General Store in Colchester.

“He’s selling the tickets. He knows what the demand is. He and I agree that we’ve got it on low-idle. You can barely hear the engine running. We could turn the engine up a bit, get more revenue out of it. We’re going into a tremendously difficult time fiscally. Let’s have that discussion."

OK. How about a little discussion about casino gambling.  The Green Mountain Casino?

Said Shummy:

"It’s my judgment that the problems that you get with casinos, that come with gambling - prostitution of all kinds, is not something that would be coming to the Green Mountain State. I don’t think we should be so desperate in our pursuit for money that we start to make choices that aren’t in synch with Vermont values. And I just don’t think that casinos are."

Agree with him?

Beating city councilors to the roach-clip, Gov. Jim Douglas [right] weighed in Thursday on Burlington citizens voting for-or-against marijuana decriminalization on Town Meeting Day.

Next Tuesday night, Burlington city councilors will debate whether or not to place an "advisory" question on the March Town Meeting Day ballot, asking voters if  they think possession of small amounts of marijuana should be decriminalized in Vermont’s largest city.

The resolution, sponsored by Democrat Ed Adrian and Progressive Tim Ashe, would also call on the Governor and the Legislature to “explore creating a similar system for all communities statewide.”

"I really believe the appropriate place for that debate is in the General Assembly," said GOP Jim, "not in individual communities or counties in the state, but here in the Legislature where the lawmakers ought to decide what the appropriate penalties are."

"It’s awkward," said Douglas at his Thursday press conference, "for a state to have individual municipalities making criminal laws different from district to district."

Currently there’s a bill in the State Senate that would decriminalize possession of up to four ounces of marijuana, making it a civil offense punishable by no more than a $1000 fine.

Incidentally, on St. Patrick's Day 30 years ago, when he was representing Middlebury in the Vermont House, Rep. Jim Douglas was one of 75 House members who voted in favor of a marijuana-decriminalization bill that would have made possession of one ounce of pot punishable in Vermont by no more than a $100 fine.

Though it passed the House on March 17, 1978, the pot-decriminalization bill died in the Vermont Senate where it never made it to the floor for a vote.

Should Peter Galbraith, a complete unknown to the people of Vermont, run for governor on the Democrat ticket?

That's a shot of Ambassador Pete taken on Church Street in Burlington last November, holding a copy of his book The End of Iraq. He'd just had coffee with Anthony Pollina at Uncommon Grounds.

Yesterday on VPR's Vermont Edition he was asked directly: Are you going to run for governor?

“I’m thinking seriously about it, but I haven’t decided,” he answered.

What more goes into your considerations, I mean, Anthony Pollina  is running. We know Jim Douglas is running. What are you still working on deciding?

"There are a number of points," replied Galbraith.  "First I have to say this is very early in the season. We have a two-year term for governor. I don’t think anybody in Vermont is interested in a permanent campaign. I’m not a politician. I was one 30 years ago [as chairman of the state Democratic Committee], basically I turned my attention to international affairs and dealing with some difficult problems. The question for me is whether I want to continue to do that and whether that’s the best way I can make a contribution... or closer to home."

Doesn't Tony the Prog's candidacy make things a little tough?  You and he split the "left" and Jim Douglas skates to an easy victory!

"My decision," said Galbraith, "doesn’t depend on what Anthony Pollina does. I’m going to come forward,if I were to run, with a  set of issues. I’d like to see something doneabout property taxes, which is an enormous burden for a lot of people.We need to find some solutions there. I’d like to see us move towardcomprehensive and frankly affordable healthcare...I’d like to look atalternative energy. These are some of the issues I would talk about ifI were a candidate."

Exciting, huh?

What's your advice for Mr. Galbraith?

Democratic Speaker of the Vermont House Gaye Symington of Jericho is in Year #4 of her reign.

That's a picture of her in her corner office taken last winter. Below is one we snapped last week.

The other day we asked her what, from her travels around Vermont, she's hearing as the No. 1 issue Vermonters are raising?

"I would say it's the cost of healthcare," she replied. "If I had to add up the numbers over and over again, that would be very high up there."

Have to agree with her. That's the issue we're hearing the most about: the high monthly insurance bills that Vermonters have to pay, and the high-deductibles in the $5000-$10,000 range that go with them.

"The cost pressures on what they're paying for fuel," she added is another top issue. "And the pressure points of property taxes."

But healthcare's at the top? That's what you're hearing?

"I know, Peter," she replied with a tinge of irritation in her voice, "you want to know just the No. 1 thing."

Told her I'd listen to as many as she cared to mention. That all I can do is ask the question.

Also asked Speaker Symington how she felt about the prospects for the session?

She said she thought things had gotten off "on the right foot."

"I think we're talking about working together and as things get more specific, we'll see if that proves to be the case," said Gaye.

We dared ask: "On a scale of 1-10," how would she rate communication between herself and Gov. Jim Douglas?

"It's difficult to get information out of the Fifth Floor," she answered, "in terms of specific proposals." Speaker Gaye did say that she and Gov. Scissorhands have been meeting "regularly this past summer and fall."

And while she described her pow-wows with King James to be "more informative" than in the past, she told us she still has been in the dark on some things, including some in his State of the State speech.

While "the governor has the prerogative to have a few surprises in his State of the State address," she said, "it's common for governors to give people a heads-up on what's likely to be said and give us a copy ahead of time."

Gov. Douglas "chooses not to," she noted. "That's his prerogative."

Symington did say, with a touch of sarcasm, "I think Walter probably had a copy."

That's a reference to her predecessor  - Republican House Speaker Walter Freed, who was speaker for Jimbo's first term.

Bet she's right about that, eh?

Went on a little laundromat run this sunny Sunday in beautiful Burlap. This was an hour after sunrise.  Main Street in America's smallest largest city of any state.

And that other state - home of the Yankees - across the pond

First laid eyes on this vista in 1956 - a six-year-old in the back seat of a spanking new Mercury with sister and brother. Mommy was driving and Daddy was smoking and holding the map.

Time flies, eh?

Lot of miles since.

Clothes all clean. Ready to catch Gov. Scissorhands on WCAX's "You Can Quote Me."

Anyone else watching?

Ah, yes. The hallways are buzzing once again under the Golden Dome. Suddenly, each and every January the Statehouse halls fill with traffic and buzz and gobs of chat. Yet the present tense is only warmed and enhanced by the past-tense feeling provided by the magnificent reminders of yesterdays long gone.

Thank you, Governor Edward Curtis Smith (1898-1900), who also served in the United States Senate. Excellent railroad connections had he.

The son of Governor J. Gregory Smith, nephew of Congressman Worthington Smith, and grandson of Congressman John Smith, he graduated from Yale in 1875, studied law at Columbia University, and became an attorney in St Albans. He succeeded his father as President of the Central Vermont Railroad, was President of Welden National Bank, and was a founder of People's Trust Bank of St. Albans and New York City's Sherman National Bank.  More here.

And with Gov. Smith are distinguished daily lobbyists of the present Legislature: Rebecca McCarty and Gerry Morris, aka "Morris the Cat", of Morris Demag McCarty, Inc. More here.

Here in sunny Burlap this Thursday afternoon, we turn to Comcast Cable CH. 17, and Under the Dome where the Internet - not the local commercial stations - is making live viewing, not only of Gov. James Scissorhands' magnificent, warm and briefly interrupted State of the State Address possible, but the "Democratic Response" in Room 11.

Thanks.

I confess. I avoid the great, ceremonial days under the Golden Dome when everyone's hair is perfect and clothes pressed and shiny [even though we had learned that several antiwar protesters had something planned.] Can't read the Anti-Iraq War sheet hoisted in the back of the House.  Just before this one was raised and antiwar slogans shouted, another was carried through the floor of the House of Representatives - about seven minutes into Gov. Jimbo's 30-minute pep talk.

Bet you forgot, eh?

All this presidential primary saturation media coverage, and it's hard to remember America's men and women who continue to get killed and maimed for the Big Bush-Cheney Lie.

"The state of our state stands strong," said Gov. Jim Douglas. "We have the healthiest deer and moose herds in decades!" He called for "investments in job creation and our natural environment."

AND, would you believe, Gov. Douglas wants to "reduce healthcare costs," AND he wants "to reduce obesity," too!

Damn fat people! This Bud's for you!

Vermont's governor also has the radical view that "Drug pushers have no place in our communities...no place anywhere in our state!"

AND he wants to cut the capital gains tax-break for coupon clippers, while leasing the Vermont Lottery to Wall Street!

What a guy!

Afterward, live on VPR with Bob Kinzel, Senate Democrat Bossman Peter Shumlin said the Guv was "not being honest with Vermonters." Everyone acknowledges "we need more money," said Shummy. The question is "How should we get it?"

[Hemp? A few blog posters think so.]

Sen. Shumlin said he does "not think you’ll see Vermont give away this asset [the Vermont Lottery] to Wall Street and let them gin up the games."

It's a good bet Putney Pete ought to know, right?

Caught these fine gentlemen today sharing good wishes in a key Montpeculiar crosswalk right next to the Pavilion Building.

Hey, it's a small town.

Montpelier fixtures are they, for as long as I can remember. Damn baby-boomers!

That's Lobbyist Steve Kimbell of Kimbell Sherman Ellis [on the left] shaking hands with whatshisname, oh yeah, the Governor of the State of Vermont, the Honorable Jim Douglas!

However, the hot action under the Golden Dome Wednesday wasn't being generated by elected officials, but rather by the 200-plus folks who packed the Cedar Creek Room and Room II - doctors, nurses, patients, seniors - folks who took off from work, folks who won't take "no" for an answer when it comes to seeing Vermont make real progress on healthcare reform.

This year they want H.304, the global-hospitalization bill, to move. They insist it's not only doable, but includes everyone and cuts costs, too.

The Democrat leadership and the GOP Guv say fuggedaboudit.

More later...

"Gonna say anything about that?" we asked Vermont's Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders the other day before he departed for Africa with Sen. Tom Harkin.

Bernie was heading off during the congressional recess to take an up-close-and-personal look at where our chocolate actually comes from.

Not a sweet story.

I asked Ol' Bernardo if he will get involved in the 2008 Vermont gubernatorial race which now has Progressive Anthony Pollina's hat in the ring and still - still - no Democratic Party candidate [though several insist they are considering thinking about considering thinking about running].

Replied Sen. Sanders:

"At a certain point I sure will. I’ve known Anthony for many years. He worked for me when I first came into the House. Anthony is obviously a very bright guy, very articulate, and very knowledgeable about a whole lot of issues and I’d think he would be a good candidate."

And Sanders agreed that were a Democrat to jump in as well, making for a three-way race, Incumbent Republican Jim Douglas would have a smooth sail to victory lap #4.

"If you had a Democratic candidate and a Progressive candidate like Anthony, obviously that would be counterproductive."

"Obviously?"

Even to Democrat Party State Chair Ian Carleton?

The elected people's representatives from every corner of Vermont get down to business today under Montpeculiar's Golden Dome. It's Year II of the biennium.

Whoopee!

The first year was noted for all it did not achieve, for the impasse between our Republican governor and Democratic Legislature. For the vetoes that were sustained. For the lack of communication.

The second half kicks off with the real meat-and-potatoes issues being voiced loudest by folks outside the building - regular Vermonters.

With every passing day, more people get fed up with our healthcare system. Both people experiencing it as patients and people administering it as doctors and nurses.

Let's get real.

And after almost 40 years of building more courts and more prisons, more and more gray-haired folks, including prosecutors and cops, are willing to acknowledge the absurdity of our illegal-drug policy. It's costing us a fortune and creating more crime while doing nothing to reduce drug abuse.

If there was one bill you could sponsor AND get passed by the Legislature and signed into law this year by the Guv, what would it be?

C'mon.

Seriously....