It isn't often that I'll think it's good news that a Democrat loses an election, especially an incumbent Democrat in Congress, but this time it definitely is:

 “Dollar Bill” Jefferson (D-LA) Loses Re-Election

Rep. “Dollar Bill” Jefferson (D-LA) has lost his seat in tonight's Louisiana elections to Republican candidate Joseph Cao, giving the Dems their own case of Ted Stevens Syndrome — that is, a safe and well-entrenched incumbent, who holds a seat that ought to be an easy win for his party, going down to defeat on a corruption scandal.

Yes, that's right, the guy caught hiding bribe money in his freezer, but still hasn't been tried, in large part because of overreaching by the prosecutors, is out.

I think this is great news for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that we all benefit from the ejection of a corrupt politician. Maybe he was serving his district, but he wasn't doing that nearly so much as he was lining his own pockets.

The other reason is that for years now, as we have talked about the legions of Republicans involved in public corruption, the wingers have gleefully pointed to him, saying “Yeah, but you're sticking with Jefferson.”

Now they don't have that argument.

If the case ever goes to trial, despite the Feds' efforts to screw the case up, he will presumably be convicted and sent away, and I say good.

Pardon season is upon us. As Bush pardons some of the criminals on his side, let's see if he hands out a “Get Out Of Jail Free” card to Jefferson.

Yesterday, Obama made it official: he is going to put a massive amount of federal dollars on the table for infrastructure projects.  Conservative estimates put this at $400 billion.

So can Jeb and others please now drop the gas tax proposal for infrastructure?  Uncle Sam is picking up the tab, so there is no need to raise the revenue.  Arguments regarding fuel efficiency are premised on faulty economics – due to the inelasticity of demand a gas tax would need to be magnitudes larger to change purchase or commuting decisions of consumers.   Lastly, for Dems the idea of proposing a tax is yet another opportunity for Douglas to tee off.

The gas tax proposal is unnecessary, regressive and bad politics.  

As president-elect Barack Obama is introducing new members of his cabinet, bloggers are wondering if they’ll see anyone progressive enough to like. I heard Mary Beth Maxwell is being considered for Secretary of Labor. She’s a union activist and former field director for Jobs With Justice. If chosen, Maxwell will also be the first openly-gay cabinet member. I sincerely hope she gets it.

But now, many environmentalists are giddy over the fact that another progressive is being considered for Secretary of Interior. Roberto Lovato writes today, for Alternet and Huffington Post, that Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) is under consideration for Secretary of Interior. If chosen, environmentalists and environmental organizations have reason to celebrate.

Lovato writes “of all the candidates being vetted by the Obama transition team for this complex and challenging responsibility, none can match the unique qualifications of Raul Grijalva.” Let’s take a look:

Read below the fold.

* Grijalva is the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

* He led the way in denouncing this week’s most recent giveaway to mining companies by the Bush Administration.

* He spearheaded efforts to stop the planned re-mining of the Black Mesa, located in northern Arizona.

* He is a leading political supporter of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, an ambitious and highly regarded county program for planned land-use and biodiversity conservation.

* He leads the way on Native/Indigenous Amerocan issues and a strong supporter of sovereignty and government-to-government relationship.

* He serves on the Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education and the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities; the Committee on Natural Resources and chairs the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands; the Committee on Small Business and the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, co-Chair of the Congressional National Landscape Conservation System, and 1st Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

* Check out his report on “The Bush Administration’s Assault on Protections of Public Lands.

* He supported H. Res 635 calling for the censure of George W. Bush.

There’s more, but those are the highlights. California Blue-Dog Dem Mike Thompson is also being considered, but Grijalva brings some much needed balance to Obama’s cabinet. To read Lovato’s article click here.

Let’s hope this happens folks.  

Here it comes.  The trolls are coming out of the closet to lament how the General Assembly, in this coming 2009 session, will not have no time to pass a law giving equal marriage rights to all Vermonters.

The chorus is chiming in and the preemptive song is that the General Assembly will be legislating 24/7 and Eight.Days.A.Week to get a handle on all the policy problems — social, fiscal, legal, economic, regulatory,environmental, health care, educational etc. ad nauseam that are gripping our State. Last I heard it was the Republicans and conservatives who tanked the economy – the same people who are so concerned (at the mention of marriage equality) that only the economy should have our attention.

But does that mean that justice necessarily goes on the back burner?

Here is the deal folks: One sentence of Vermont law needs to be changed. One syllable (“All those in favor . . . “AYE”) needs to be uttered on the floor of the House and Senate; AND the Governor needs to take just one measly second to sign his James Douglas Hancock to the legislation. Then it's done. It's a big deal, it's important, it's a huge step, but it doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. The work is already done, we know the problem, we have the solution. Let's get it done.

Say it with me —

One Sentence  *  One Syllable *  One Second

One Sentence in Title 15 of the Vermont Code to fix. Just one.  One Syllable to utter. Just one.  One Second to put pen to paper. Just one.  That is all it will take to end marital inequality in Vermont.

One Sentence  *  One Syllable *  One Second

(there' more, about how little it takes, on the flip) 

Kudos to Senator John Campbell (D-Windsor) who already announced that marriage equality was back in the hopper for 2009. This is a policy and justice issue that we should expect all Democrats to support this session.

When this equality for Vermonters issue comes to the State House, we will hear “there is no time.” That will be the opposition argument because their true opposition, which is “we hate, we fear,” is an argument most conservatives are smart enough – at least in public – not to admit in civil company.

The issue, however, is not what problems are more pressing or more important or more time consuming. The fact is, we have more problems than the General Assembly can possibly fix – a huge frustration to all of us.  No, the issue is what are the problems that the General Assembly CAN FIX? Marital equality for same gender couples is one that they can fix.

One Sentence

One Syllable

One Second

There is one sentence in the Vermont code that needs to be changed. ONE SENTENCE. It reads:

Marriage is the legally recognized union of one man and one woman. 15 V.S.A. § 8. 

Change that one sentence to: 

“Marriage is the legally recognized union of two people.”

Then add a sentence to clarify the language used in Title 15 related to marriage by inserting something to the effect of:

“Gender-specific terms relating to the marital relationship or familial relationships, including without limitation “spouse,” “family,” “marriage,” “dependent,” “bride,” “groom,” “husband,” “wife,” shall be construed to be gender-neutral for all purposes throughout the law, whether in the context of statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law, or any other source of civil law.”

Bingo. With that we're done. Check your watch because it's not even lunchtime yet.

With one sentence & one syllable out of the way, our General Assembly still has the entire afternoon, and the rest of the week, to work on grown-up Democratic solutions to the Vermont-specific problems arising from this latest GOP recession.

The job for our Democratic leaders in the House & Senate is certainly to pass a marriage rights bill to protect the rights of same gender couples equally. Just as critically, however, their job is to prevent

 — the Proposition H8 brigade

 — the Bigots

 — the Up.From.Under.the.Rocks.&.Taking.the.Lord's.Name.In.Vain.Lunatics

 — the Concern Troll Republicans and assorted conservative fear slaves

from turning passage of the marriage equality bill into a circus of wingnuttery, and a festival of hate and fear. Passing a marriage equality bill at this historical juncture is only the “showing up for work” part. The politically effective and reasonable part of this package is to pass it swiftly and efficiently and, yes, muscle it down the opposition's throat if that's what is necessary. Do not let this become a long and drawn out process because the opposition wants it to be long and drawn out.

The fact is we have complicated important work to do. That is in fact our argument, not the Governor's. “There is important work ahead of us and a serious economic crises, there is no time to waste as we pass a same gender marital rights law. Let's pass it without delay and move on.” On the question or marriage rights, we have the solution to the problem of inequality right in front of us.  We already know and respect the obligation to see justice occur.  There is no need for those of us on the right side of history to complicate things further by delaying Vermont's progress. Just do it.

One Sentence

One Syllable

One Second

Vermont is barely a nano-click or two ahead of civil society on the marriage equality front, assuming the General Assembly passes equality legislation in 2009. In the not too distant future, Vermont's role helping to secure civil society's minimum rights, responsibilities and protections for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters will be a dusty footnote. It is well past time that we un-hitch heterosexuals from their lonely burden of upholding the institution of marriage. Arbitrary monopolies and State enforced exclusions do not strengthen any institutions and marriage has proven to be no exception.  Lesbian, gay and heterosexual Vermonters need each other's support, and we will all benefit from socially reinforced, culturally enabled and legally empowered marriages and families that the law protects and that the State extends to all Vermonters. 

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Let’s see, Lamoille County has about 25,000 people or roughly 4% of Vermont’s population (as compared to Chittenden County which has a population of about 150,000, or 24% of Vermont’s population.

But that tiny Lamoille sliver of the population will soon include: The Speaker of the House (Shap Smith), the House Majority Leader (Floyd Nease) and the Senate Appropriations Chair (Susan Bartlett).

I guess that makes li’l Lamoille County the political big dog in the state, eh?

It seems that there's another trial balloon floating out there, this time for Obama's Secretary of Agriculture. The WaPo has a shortlist available now. And of course, some of the selections are rather troubling, even moreso to Vermonters, who value local farms and food. Kos diarist Orangeclouds115 has a good diary about the choices here, but a quick rundown:

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who many of you are familiar with. There's not a lot on her, other than she's a popular governor of a farm state.

Charles Stenholm: a lobbyist for BIG-AG, as wel as the horsemeat industry. Aside from Obama's promise to lessen the influence of lobbyists, this is horrible choice, because the needs of Big Ag are usually in opposition to the needs of local/small farmers. The last thing we need right now is more handouts to Big Ag, and Stenholm had a lot of input on the 2002 farm bill, which had a lot of Big Ag handouts.

Dennis Wolff: the current PA Sec. of Ag, he owns a 600 acre dairy farm,  tried very hard to ban RgB-free labels in PA, which was overturned by Gov. Rendell, has done lip-service for Mosanto front groups, and seems to overall be the last person on earth we need dicatating the farm policies of the nation. There's more on him here.

Two of the above are absolutely horrendous choices. This is one of those times where it's important to spread the word about this, especially if you know any farmers, and be sure to go the the Obama transition website here and let your opinion be known.

We’ve got sources telling us that Larson’s about to drop out.  Looks as though it’s down to just one candidate, Shap Smith.  Will update more when we get more details.

Okay, first update is Mark Larson’s e-mail:

Good morning,

Later this morning, I will be announcing that I am withdrawing from the Speakers race and supporting Shap as our next Speaker.  Before doing that, I wanted to say thank you for supporting me in this campaign.

I entered this race because I know what we can accomplish as a state. Vermont has always been on the forefront of change and I believe we are at a crossroads that challenges us to lead once again.

As you know, elections are filled with ups and downs.  What has sustained me during this race was the support of people like you who share my sense that we need to stand up for our values and stand with our neighbors who need our leadership now.  I am immensely grateful that you were willing to put your faith in me.

Thank you.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Mark

Also, per a fellow GMD front-pager:

Floyd Nease seems to have the Majority Leader position wrapped up, and its likely he may be the only candidate by tomorrow.

Another update: Mark Larson e-mailed me with a longer version of his e-mail that I’ll post after the fold.

And another update. Rep. Nease posts in the comments below: “This morning I received a call from Rep. Ancel in which she said she is withdrawing from the race prior to caucus tomorrow.”  -odum

The first e-mail was the one he sent to his supporters.  This is the one he sent to the entire caucus:

Dear friends,

For the past several weeks, I have had the pleasure of talking with members of our caucus about the challenges we face as a state.  We have talked about how we as Democrats can be the leaders that help our state not merely survive difficult economic times, but build a stronger future for our communities.

To address our economic and political challenges, I believe that we need to lay out a clear vision for our state, demonstrate our support for working families more consistently and take advantage of the talented leaders within our caucus.   Our agenda must respond to the challenges families and communities are facing and show that we can deliver results for the diverse interests represented in our caucus.

As we prepare for our work ahead, our most immediate task is the election of a leadership team that can unite us as a caucus and empower us to produce the work we are capable of.  I have stated from the start the importance of a unified caucus.  Our ability to be the responsible leaders that our state desperately needs is compromised if we break into factions unable to work together.  

With this in mind, I am writing today to let you know that I am ending my campaign to become Speaker and urge all caucus members to work with me to elect Shap Smith the next Speaker of the House.  My friend Shap has demonstrated that he is ready and able to be an excellent Speaker. He is prepared to help us define our priorities, defend our values and set a clear path to finding real solutions for our state.   He is the leader to help us accomplish the work that Vermont depends on us to get done.

I also ask that you join me in electing Floyd Nease as Majority Leader, Lucy Leriche as Assistant Majority Leader, and Kathy Pellett as Caucus Clerk.  Together, these outstanding people will form a great leadership team, one that we can be proud of.   It is time for us to unite in support of them.

When I began my campaign for Speaker, I stated that I was excited to stand shoulder to shoulder with our caucus – a strong mix of experienced members and talented newcomers, prepared to take action on the critical issues facing our state.  Today more that ever, I remain excited to be a part of our caucus.  With the dawning of a new day in the White House, we stand ready to rise to the challenges faced by our state and nation.  In such times, Vermont has always proven that we are leaders.  Our state and nation look to us once again to do just this.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow and to working together in the upcoming session.

Sincerely,

Mark Larson

(Bumping back to the top. – promoted by odum)

The fix it meeting is scheduled for Saturday, 1-3PM in Montpelier. Our location was set to be the meeting room of the Police Station behind City Hall. The overflow space in case this thing were to become more than simply cozy has been set to be the city council chambers in City Hall (the door to which is a mere 20 feet or so from the primary location in the Police Station).

Well, here’s the map to both – but from the increase in buzz this meeting has gotten in the last few days, its a safe bet we’ll be in the overflow room to accommodate everyone. The directions are the same, as the doors face each other and are a scant distance away, and I’ll inform the police dispatcher where we are in case anybody comes in wondering. An email to those I know who have RSVP’ed will go out tomorrow. In the meantime, here is a map:

From the Montpelier exit on I-89, drive in on Rt 2 to your fourth light (Main Street). Turn left, drive over the bridge and past the Shaw’s on the left. City Hall is less than a block down on your right. The Police Station – as well as the rear entrance to the city council chamber – can be found in back of City Hall. There should be parking.

( – promoted by Jack McCullough)

Maybe you can’t be at the 7Days lovefest tonight. So sit back, relax, and enjoy some civil discussion of the D and P rift. Included are the definition of an ideologue, the December 6 meeting,  the candidate vacuum, “weeniecrats,” legislative vs. electoral arenas, and a nice Greenspan hunting season beat rounds it all out.