All These Things (Monday Edition)

It was a moment not unlike many others. Wait. That’s too wordy. I could also say it was a common moment. But that’s boring. And short. Worse, it would lead to the necessity of even more words so as to get closer to the goal: Novel.

Good luck with that.

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There’s nothing like a cold rainy day in January while being held hostage by a barnyard of animals demanding your attention.

Make. It. Disappear.

All of it.

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Memo to Vermont Democrats: Ask your gubernatorial wannabes to produce something tangible from their currents seats of power before offering an ounce of support to their campaigns. This is especially true for the three candidates who have powerful positions in the Vermont Senate: Peter Shumlin (President), Doug Racine (Chairperson, Health Committee) and Susan Bartlett (Chairperson, Appropriations Committee).

If Shumlin, Racine and Bartlett want us to believe that they’re great leaders, let’s see some political leadership during this current session. Shumlin, for example, should be putting his Senate leadership to use by calling for a vote this session on whether or not to re0license Vermont’s 40-year old nuclear power plant – Vermont Yankee. Shumlin’s rhetoric has been great on this issue of late, even declaring that “if the vote was held today, he’d vote ‘no’ on relicensing.”

Okay, Mr. Senate President, let’s see the vote. As the leader of that particular political body, Shumlin can make that vote happen. And Vermont Democrats should demand that he orchestrate such a vote THIS SESSION to prove that he is, indeed, a leader.

Similarly, Racine – as the Health Care Committee’s chairman – should produce by stewarding through some meaningful health-care legislation through his committee. Racine-the-candidate likes to say he’s for universal health coverage. Well, let’s see Racine-the-committee-chair produce it. Because if you can’t lead a committee, how can we trust you to lead a state?

The same, of course, goes for Bartlett, the leader of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee. Vermont Democrats should be demanding that Bartlett use her powerful position to bring forward and usher through some progressive budgetary measures. Bartlett could, for example, champion the obvious need to raise taxes on the wealthiest Vermonters so that they, too, could “partake in the pain” of this recession. Bartlett is in the perfect position to bring some justice – and sanity – to the right-wing drumbeat of “cut taxes,” “cut services,” and kill (government) jobs as “the only” solution to our economic woes.

Bartlett-the-candidate wants us to believe that she’s a “real Vermonter” who understands the challenges facing Vermonters – real and unreal alike. Well, let’s see Bartlett-the-budget-leader use her current powerful political position to champion economic justice by putting tax increases on the same table that “tax cuts,” “service cuts,” and “job cuts” have been on for years.

The message from Vermont Democrats should be clear: Show us the leadership now, or get out of the race.

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Oh wait, I forgot, it’s all Nader’s fault.

Fucker.

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Oh wait, that was in 2000.

Still a fucker.

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The liberal’s communion: The Body of Nader. Amen.

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Next year, let’s knit.

All kinds of things. Just all over the place.

Almost recklessly.

So as to gain the attention of the knitters.

And all that.

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I turned on a Sunday talk show long enough to hear a pundit declare that Obama’s political troubles were the result of his “clinging to a far-left agenda.” And there was no laughter afterward, just pensive looks of agreement as they nodded and noted their positions of power. They must somehow keep pumping life into the charade of a two-party government, so as to occupy the minds and time of those predisposed to rooting for “teams.” Groupthink: The necessary ingredient for manipulation. And when it’s bad, it’s really bad with a group. Or state. Or nation.

Or team: Go JETS.

Bastards.

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You seem different.

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Is that a new haircut?

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Here’s a link to a New York Times article on Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. A good read, but frightening to realize how far to the right the court has swung. Surprise, surprise.

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And, finally, another link that might help explain my whereabouts last Friday.

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But this has nothing to do with my whereabouts:

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We’re well into this new week and you haven’t done one, damn thing for me. Fix it. Now.