There are some very different must-see video clips making the rounds that have come to my attention over the last day. They’re as different as they could be, but they all evoke strong emotion.

First, PoliticsTV has footage of five Democratic US Representatives being arrested in DC while protesting the Darfur genocide. Two of the US Reps are from across the border in Massachusetts. Another is Congressman Lantos, a genocide survivor himself. Powerful stuff. (Quicktime / Windows Media)

Second is this animation, called “What Would Jesus Do” juxtaposing the words of Christ against some truly horrific images of children in Iraq. Being dubbed “the video the religious right doesn’t want you to see,” it should only be viewed after serious mental preparation. (Link (html))

Finally, there is the absolute carnage on display from the much-discussed vivisection of leading neo-con pundit and ideological force of nature Bill Kristol by Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report (Colbert, of course, essentially plays a character that is a knock off of Bill O’Reilly on his faux-fox “news” program). It is indescribable. (Quicktime / Windows Media)

A recent statement by Republican Senatorial candidate Richard Tarrant is downright axiomatic. From Freyne in Seven Days:

[Tarrant:] “Everybody has a right to express their views, but I think politicians, it says something about themselves based on who they ask to help them. That’s just the way it is.”

I couldn’t agree more. As we reported, last year Tarrant “made a good impression” looking for support at the Center For American Cultural Renewal/Vermont Renewal (formerly the anti Civil Union Who Would Have Thought, Inc), a homegrown, reactionary, religious right organization. Their president is Stephen Cable, and as reported by the controversial counter-website Blier Watch, Cable is:

a registrant (Officer 5) of a corporation described as “Religious” that went by the name New Hope Ministries, Inc. The corporate status terminated on June 23, 1989.

Similarly, New Hope Ministries was registered as an corporation in California as early as 1981. Today, New Hope Ministries is a so-called “ex-gay” ministry with ties to the discredited groups Exodus International and Love In Action dating back to the 1970’s. The “ex-gay” ministries have been widely rejected by professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association and are considered to be harmful to lesbians, gays and, in particular, youth.

Yup, you sure can tell “something about [politicians] based on who they ask to help them.”

“That’s just the way it is”

You can hear Neil Young’s new album free online tomorrow. Here are the details.

We’ve heard that the Douglas Administration plays the game hard. Gloves off and all that. Still, you expect a certain modicum of honesty and integrity, even from your political adversaries.

This week the Douglas Administration sank below the level of decency we should hold our public officials to.

It all has to do with Medicare Part D, health care, and the health care fight in the Legislature. Some of the people who are now signed up for Medicare Part D are called “dual eligibles”, because they are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. They have to be in a drug plan just like everyone else, but Medicaid pays their premium. The Rutland Herald carried a story yesterday about one of the prescription plans and how they got in trouble with the state for billing about 200 people whose premiums had already been paid by Medicaid. In fact, this situation was so bad that the state had to demand that the insurer call everybody immediately to make sure they knew they didn’t have to pay. And they even had to threaten them with Medicaid fraud unless they did it:

“We would like to see a commitment that AARP contact each of these 200 Vermonters, who were understandably incredibly concerned, as are we,” said Heidi Tringe, spokeswoman for the Agency of Human Services. “We would like them to contact them before this has to be turned over to the Medicaid fraud unit.”

And isn’t it outrageous that the culprit here was AARP, that huge nationwide organization that’s supposed to be looking out for our retirees?

Lucky thing the Agendy of Human Services was there to look out for the little guy, huh?

Well, it turns out that it’s not so simple.

First off, did United Health Group (UHG), the prescription plan endorsed by AARP, actually double bill anybody?
No.

Second, how many of the eleven prescription plans sent out the same kind of notice to their beneficiaries that UHG sent?
Several, possibly all of them.

Third, how many of those prescription plans were singled out by the Administration, threatened with fraud charges, and called out in the press?
None.

So why single out the AARP-endorsed plan?
Could it possibly have something to do with the fact that the AARP is pushing for real health care reform, and they’re giving Douglas a hard time about his position?

Well, you tell me.

Oh yeah, and there is one other question:
Why isn’t the press asking these questions?

The news on the Vermont Democratic Party website today makes me proud to play on that team. The VDP has finally announced the winners of their annual Curtis Leadership Awards. The first recipient is Marcelle Leahy, but I want to focus for a moment on the other two: former Justice Department lawyer and “Rutland Resolution” author Jeffry Taylor (here praised in the current issue of the American Prospect), and Speaker of the House — as well as leading public opponent of the Rutland Resolution — Gaye Symington.

Anyone who finds this juxtaposition unfathomable simply doesn’t understand the Democratic Party. When it works, the Democratic Party has never been about shared opinions or strategies, so much as shared values. A shared perspective, encompassing a broad diversity of specific viewpoints within those common values. And this is something, to my mind, which sets us apart from the other major leftist party in Vermont, the Progressives. Where the Progs are so concerned about uniformity of opinions they have hardwired adherence to the Party line into their bylaws, the Dems eschew “party discipline” and give free rein to rollicking debate. While the Progs’ approach may work for some, it’s always been a poor fit for those leftists with a more left-libertarian bent. From that perspective, issue uniformity is mandated at the expense of open debate, and open debate is ultimately lost at the expense of real democracy. And as maddening, sluggish, and messy as democracy can be, it is a process people like myself are passionately committed to — even if that means losing on occasion (within and outside the Party itself).

Jeff and the Speaker are two people I’ve complimented on this blog, even though Symington has been an opposing force on issues near and dear to me of late. Nevertheless, both are highly deserving. I applaud the VDP for making such a positive statement on it’s dialtectical principles of open, honest debate (which yes, also means open and honest disagreements) among those who hold these shared values of community — not just individual — responsibility.

Congrats to Jeff, Gaye (and Marcelle).