Vermont Republicans have apparently seized upon the GMP/CVPS merger as their best weapon against Governor Shumlin. More precisely, the utilities' plan to repay a $21 million ratepayer bailout through some energy-efficiency investments. It was one of the key issues House Minority Leader Don Turner included in his last-minute list of demands that hamstrung Democratic attempts to pass its remaining legislation. It became arguably the single biggest anti-Shumlin talking point in the closing days of the legislative session.
And, considering that the issue is emblazoned on Randy Brock's "Republican bear" mascot, it's certain to be a key component of his campaign for Governor. (The bear could simply get a different T-shirt, of course; but Brock has also referred to it as his "$21-million bear," which seems a pretty firm commitment.)
I'm not here to debate the merits of the merger, just to explore its place in the coming campaign. And, more precisely, the Republicans' utter hypocrisy on the issue.
Now, I do believe that some Republicans legitimately oppose the deal on the grounds of fairness to ratepayers. But for the entire party to seize on the issue, and to try to portray itself as the friend of Everyman, is a complete joke. The VTGOP is pushing the issue out of sheer political opportunism; Governor Shumlin has outmaneuvered them on so many issues, and done a good enough job of keeping the state running through very challenging times, that the Republicans are desperate for a winning issue. And this is the best one they've been able to find.
Which is a little bit sad, frankly. And a whole lot hypocritical.
After the jump: an outbreak of politeness at Vermont Tiger, and consequence-free demagoguery in the GOP.
On April 22, Senator Randy Brock (R-Hopeless) dipped a cautious toe into the world of social media by launching a Twitter feed -- @BrockforGov. I became one of his Followers. One of his, ahem, 39 followers. Yep, the likely Republican nominee for Governor is gaining followers at the blistering pace of three per day. At that rate, he'll catch up with @GovPeterShumlin in about four years -- assuming that the Gov stops attracting new Followers of his own.
Of course, Brock isn't helping matters by the slow pace of his Tweets: a total of ten, and none at all since last Sunday's Maple Festival in St. Albans, where he unveiled his $21 million "Republican bear." C'mon, Randy -- no Twitter commentary on this week's hot and heavy Legislative action? Missed opportunity, son.
Now let's pay a brief visit to Brock's Facebook page. Hmm, that's curious: his "About" message appears to be a relic of his 2010 run for Senate:
Thank you to the thousands who voted for me. Thank you to our many dedicated volunteers and contributors. It's no secret that the next two years hold many challenges for Vermont. I pledge to do my part to help us meet these challenges and to transf
"To transf" what, exactly, is a mystery. And another online embarrassment for a campaign that seems to pay no attention whatsoever to its Web presence.
Otherwise, there's a smattering of messages to and from the good Senator, but nothing much. (The page is worth a visit to read the two angry messages from conservative Catholics who were upset with Brock's cancellation of a planned fundraiser at the infamous Wildflower Inn.) As for the candidate himself, his latest Facebook posting is a pre-St. Albans hint about that damn bear. Nothing since.
Update: Within hours of the national Freedom to Marry's press release, Jake Perkinson was out in the media with denials that he had signed on to the call for a national Democratic Party plank supporting marriage equality, as noted in NanuqFC's comment. So, no plank if it relies on the VDP Chair to actually take a public stand for a position he has said before he personally supports. Much gnashing of teeth behind the scenes at the VDP with regard to Freedom to Marry and an unnamed reporter, according to inside sources. Meanwhile, Perkinson looks like a square breakfast food served with butter and syrup. ~ GMD
Jake Perkinson, chair of the Vermont Democratic Party, is among eleven state Democratic Party chairs pushing the Democratic National Committee to adopt a same-sex marriage plank to the national platform.
While some of these states, like Vermont, New York, and California, are obvious choices, some of the others are a big deal. Who would have expected such a position from either Texas or Kansas, for instance?
Many people rely on the mainstream media (TV and Newspapers) to know what's going on in their communities and in politics. Having worked for years on workers' rights and economic justice issues, we've gotten used to shaking our heads at the lack of coverage and/or the negative spin that the media outlets put on our events. After all, these media outlets are themselves, employers, often flush with their own workers' rights issues. They make their money selling ads to the big corporations.
This year's coverage of the historic May Day rally gives us an opportunity to analyze how the media covered the event, to hold our state's media outlets accountable, and applaud those who got it right. Media coverage was all over the place as to the purpose of the rally, but were fairly consistent in under-reporting the size of the rally. A few outlets estimated around 2,000, most left it at hundreds and the Vermont Press Bureau went as low as to say "more than 300." Several volunteers counted almost 2,000 at the peak of the day. With people were coming and going throughout the day, at any given point the crowd was at least 1,500. The Ben & Jerry's scoopers who arrived an hour after the march said they served 600 people on a cold, wet day. The media also tended to quote only "big name" personalities, not everyday Vermonters who have joined Put People First to make their voices and demands heard.
Ultimately, we are the ones who are going to tell our own stories, so we started our own People's Media Project. You can check out the May Day podcast to compare it with the reports below.
Among the criteria we employed in grading were:
Their reporting on the numbers,
How they described the purpose of the event,
Whose voices they lifted up/ quoted, and
The nature of the photo and video they included from the rally (how well did it convey the energy, purpose, and people at the event).
Please email us if you have read, seen, or heard additional media coverage of May 1st: avery@workerscenter.org
(Not the title of the latest Robert Ludlum potboiler)
If you follow Vermont politics, you've probably been keeping up with House Minority Leader Don Turner's last-minute maneuver. Earlier, he'd promised to suspend House rules as long as his caucus got at least 24 hours to review legislation; but this week, he issued a lengthy list of new demands for his assent. Then came House Majority Leader Lucy Leriche calling Turner a "terrorist," quickly followed by Captain Renault-style expressions of shock and outrage from Republicans, and numerous apologies from Leriche.
That has become the story, unfortunately; it's diverted attention away from Turner's maneuver, which is a far more significant political development. But that's what a single intemperate remark can do, and the Dems are paying full price for Leriche's outburst.
As of this writing, Speaker Shap Smith was still trying to reach common ground with Turner, so this whole thing may be moot by the time you read this. But I wanted to take note of the contretemps and the ill will that lies behind it.
There's a whole lot of anger among Vermont Republicans, folks. They are seething with frustration. (Turner said his maneuver was a matter of "the leverage I have." It's about the only time in this biennium that he's had any leverage at all.)
Observers might wonder if Vermont Republican gubernatorial hopeful Randy Brock may re-think more public appearances with his taller, more forceful co-star.
Granted it’s no Dukakis in a tank moment but it isn’t an image likely to get voters up on their hind legs.
“It’s a walking, moving, waving, candy-dispensing bear,” Brock said. “And it’s a Republican bear."
Maybe that explains the new, edgier, bear-themed ad. Well it's minor, really, just one small booboo in a larger campaign.
Stupid was the person who thought it would be a nice surprise to send a musical card inside a Fed-X envelope to a friend at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in St. Albans. Arriving on the day after the first anniversary of Bin Laden's demise, it gave government employees a day off and the St. Albans police a chance to break out the full toy box in what was no doubt a very expensive day of show-and-tell.
Stupid was the guy who clocked 170-mph on a motorcycle, headed south on I-87. The cops eventually caught him and he is being held in the pokey on $20,000 bail. The Freeps said
"it could not be immediately determined if he had a lawyer."
Better get one, Son.
Stupid was the Ohio deputy who apparently couldn't get enough of Abu Ghraib-type funnin' around and ordered five inmates at the jailhouse to dance for their privileges,
"inviting his colleagues to watch."
Since he apparently used a prohibited cell-phone to play musical accompaniment, we must assume that he belongs to the short-attention-span variety of media watchers and never learned what the ultimate consequences were for the Abu Ghraib Eleven who also incorporated a cell-phone in their routine.
Unsurprisingly, the sheriff thought it was time for him to have a career change. Maybe there'll be an opening on "Dancing with the Stars."
And extremely stupid, were Miro Weinberger and Ian Carleton for thinking they could justify a hefty salary boost for Mr. Carleton thusly:
Carleton asserted Monday night that a higher municipal salary would be appropriate due to the significant pay cut he'd endure by leaving his current job (he's a principal at the Burlington-based law firm Sheehey Furlong and Behm).
Carleton also said his graduation from Yale Law School should figure into a higher salary.
Where to begin with the optics of this stupid blunder? Nepotism, elitism, fiscal irresponsibility...
We don't like it when the "other" guys do it. Our guys ought to know better.
There's a story in this week's Seven Days about State Treasurer Beth Pearce. Pretty good story, actually. But the headline is just annoying as hell.
Treasurer Beth Pearce Fell Into the Job -- Can She Win an Election to Keep It?
Don't blame reporter Paul Heintz, because reporters don't write the headlines. Someone further up the chain does that. And in this case, s/he did a tooth-grindingly tone-deaf job of it. Beth Pearce did not in any sense "fall into the job," and to imply that she did is condescending and offensive.
In actual fact, as you would know if you read the article, Beth Pearce may be the most qualified person in the entire state of Vermont to hold the job of Treasurer. She's been Deputy Treasurer of two states, Vermont and Massachusetts. She's spent most of her career as a financial professional in local and state government.
Admittedly, she did become Treasurer by being appointed to replace Jeb Spaulding when he became Governor Shumlin's Secretary of Administration. But to say that she "fell into the job" makes it sound like she was a bartender when she got the call. It's an insult to her experience and her qualifications for the position.
Now, if you want to say that a top state official "fell into the job," there's someone practically right next door who qualifies...
It looks like Entergy has another high-profile state fight coming to a head about now.
'Seems even Massachusetts State Senator Robert Hedlund of Weymouth, a Republican, is joining nuclear opponents in an effort to derail relicensing of another Fukushima era relic like Vermont Yankee; the Pilgrim Nuclear Generating Station in Weymouth.
Besides the inherent design flaws of the Mark 1 reactor, and it's advanced age, State officials are concerned about an overcrowded spent fuel pool, which, though designed to hold just 880 of the highly radioactive spent fuel rods, will soon reach 3,859 units with no likelihood of transfer to dry cask storage.
Like VY, the 40-year old plant has experienced troublesome issues due to equipment failure and human error.
"I've heard clearly from my members that they would rather strike than accept Entergy's ongoing efforts to cost shift medical coverage and change their working conditions," UWUA President Daniel Hurley said. "This vote is absolutely critical to the safety of our communities and the well-being of our members."
The good folks who work at Pilgrim have apparently given some thought to the safety of the three million people who live within 50 miles of the plant. That fifty-mile radius represents the evacuation zone that U.S. officials said should have been observed at Fukushima.
Opponents to relicensing recognize that it would be quite impossible to evacuate that population, which includes Boston, should the worst come to pass. My son currently lives in Boston. Trying to navigate in, around, and out of the city on the best of days is challenging.
In the immediate aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, relicensing the Mark 1 reactor at Vermont Yankee was an act of irresponsibility on the part of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Considering how much larger is the scale of the affected population, that level of irresponsibility is many times greater when it comes to blithely relicensing Pilgrim.
Observers might wonder if Vermont Republican gubernatorial hopeful Randy Brock may re-think more public appearances with his taller, more forceful co-star.
