So, the Democrats are having their annual fundraiser (directly following the state committee meeting to elect officers for the next 2 years), called the “Autumn Harvest” in Barre on November 5.
The event, to be held this Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. at the Old Labor Hall on Granite St. in Barre, is reportedly featuring both Peters – Welch and Shumlin – among other elected guests, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Patrick Leahy, and all the statewide office holders, Vermont House Speaker Shap Smith, and Vermont Senate President pro tem John Campbell.
One wonders:
- whether there will be picketing by VSEA, VtNEA, and other unions and their friends and allies
- whether Senator Bernie, at the immediately preceding meeting having presumably gotten the state Dems’ endorsement (which gets him access to DNC campaign funds, not that he needs them), will cross those lines
- who else among the Democratic statewide office holders – Condos and Pearce for two, and Sorrell, although no one I know thinks the A.G. will do anything but cross lines and flip off the unions – will show their lack of support for the unions by crossing lines to shmooze the richer donors inside
Given Peter Shumlin’s / Jeb Spaulding’s obvious and publicly expressed disdain for Vermont union workers, and Peter Welch’s obvious disdain for anyone among the lower echelons of the 99 percent, I would imagine that quite a few people, perhaps even some from the “Occupy” movement, might show up to express some opinions at this gathering.
One wonders.
Imagine …
In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. ~ Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)
The American people are quite competent to judge a political party that works both sides of the street. ~ FDR, Boston, Nov. 4, 1944
I represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party. ~ Paul Wellstone, later quoted without attribution [ironic mode on] by Howard Dean
Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
Dems Autumn Harvest rally or not
I see no reason why unions should be forgot
Guy Shumlin, t’was there intent to ignore what contracts meant?
Floods as excuses were used to prove enviro regs shouldn’t rule
By god’s mercy wha’s the catch with Lunderville you find a match
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
And what should we do for him?
Hip hip hoorah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G…
Be kind to the Lamoille County and Washington County Democratic people because they look like they get it. I hope Sen. Sanders expresses his outrage with the treatment of union people in Vermont. Shouldn’t be this way. Taking a person’s right to strike away should be high up on his list of things to rail about. Bernie knew Paul Wellstone and Paul never would have let this happen in his state.
Honestly, I just don’t think this kind of hyperbole is helpful. I’m not calling you out for it or anything, just disagreeing.
In my experience/opinion the opposite is true. Welch obviously seems to give a damn, which makes clearly political votes like this deeply frustrating.
“I would imagine that quite a few people, perhaps even some from the “Occupy” movement, might show up to express some opinions at this gathering.”
What are you implying here? Hmmm. It almost sounds like some kind of hint, or message…
Actually I think that a double prong tactic is called for, throngs of people outside with signs and chanting, and pack the inside with well-mannered folk, who each have some polite and pointed questions for our so-called ‘democratic’ leadership.
Especially that welcher, Welch, who eagerly signed the far-right GOP letter begging for the SuperCmte to drastically cut Americas’ desperately needed social programs, instead of increasing them to meet the demand brought on by the malfeasance of the obscenely wealthy Republicans. Welch needs to stop believing everything he hears on far-right extremist propaganda outlets like Fox ‘News’, CNN, WaPo, and NPR.
Welch is NOT a Democrat.
Especially that fake Dem Leahy who introduced the draconian ‘PROTECT IP’ act which, like all GOP legislation, does the opposite of it’s acronym. This bill would allow the US government to cancel the IP address of any website in the world that merely links to another site that might possibly have posted anything that is copywritten by someone else. The law is written in such a way that it is guaranteed to be misused from the very start. YouTube would never exist had this law been around back then. GMD will be shut down immediately, BTW, because sometimes video clips and photographs are posted here.
Does your band perform covers of someone else’s songs? Well, your website will be eliminated by Senator Leahy because you don’t own the copyright to the lyrics, and your friend’s website will be removed permanently because they linked to your site. Like all Republican legislation, Leahy’s PROTECT-IP act decrees you guilty first on only one single complaint, no matter if it’s true or not, and there’s no way to fight it, or get your website back.
Leahy is NOT a Democrat.
And don’t get me started on Shap, John and Peter who, like the rest of the moderate Republicans the Vermont Democratic Party represents, refuse to make the obscenely wealthy pay their fair share of the cost of having a first-world society. And just why is Peter so eager to sell all of Vermont’s electricity infrastructure to the Canadian mob?
Shap, John and Peter are NOT Democrats.
The last time the VT Dems did this (Oct. 22) I was at the Restore’s Grand Event, with Jerry serving out Ben&Unilever’s ice cream, and the all-day concert with some of Vermont’s greatest acts. The Restore is right next door to the venerable Labor Hall. But I didn’t see anyone from the Labor Hall event come and support the Restore…
“Well, sounds rather like we’re supposed to suck-up and be ‘polite’ to the people who suck-up and are ‘polite’ to the people who are destroying this country and the world. A Steel Hankie to Mr. Welch for his latest atrocity. Stealing from the needy is not a class-act. I believe that is something reserved for low-bred rowdy types. And Mr. Sanders had better pay attention to the union folks. In fact, a class-act would be for him to ‘join’ the picket line. And provide coffee, and, of course, tea for those out in the cold.
Meeting at the Labor Hall? No doubt some ‘clever’ Dem thought the location of the meeting itself would imply solidarity. Let us hope bad taste does not prevail. I think it’s time for our elected Dems to start being ‘polite’ to the people who elected them.
to say once again that we welcome postings on GMD from members of the Vermont delegation. We have one from Bernie on the front page right now.
It would be helpful all around if, when our representatives propose legislation or cast votes that clearly raise controversy amongst our progressive readership, we could learn therationale directly from the representative. We don’t just want to hear from our reps when they think we will be in complete agreement. Let’s have some dialogue.
To our delegation: if you feel strongly about your position on one of these issues, take the opportunity to include us in your thought processes. If you can’t do that, maybe you ought to rethink your position. We are trying hard to find common ground with you, and sometimes that will be impossible; but we really give high points for frank engagement.
If you leave us to guess at your motivation for positions we find questionable, we will inevitably gravitate toward the worst assumptions.
My sources in the leadership of our two leading unions, VNEA and VSEA, say they’re not planning a picket line.
Looks like the top of the Democratic ticket in Vermont is actively trying to piss off public employees, teachers and the environmental people. Interesting strategy going into an election year. They must be counting on rich people to switch over and make up the vote difference or drop off of the three constituancy groups mentioned. How to lose an election 101, brought to you by the Vermont Democratic Party. Wise up people before it’s too late.