Look, anything’s possible. And I’d like to see it happen. I think Dean is a more than competent manager, has learned a tremendous amount in the last decade (making him one of those rare national-level Dems with a hands-on understanding of national and corporate dynamics, as well as rural needs), and has a real commitment to health care as an issue. Is he a single-payer proponent, no. But we’re not getting one of those. And Dean isn’t in the single-payer camp, not necessarily because he is ideologically opposed to it per se, but rather that he sees it as unattainable. In fact, I daresay there’s no one better suited on the horizon – and I say that as one who could respect (if not necessarily agree with) Obama’s decision to choose Daschle over the good Doctor.

But the reason Dean was passed over for anything and everything in an Obama administration has not changed. His arch-nemesis, Rahm Emanuel, is still Obama’s “Number 1,” and I see no reason to believe that his mood has softened. And if one would absolve Obama of responsibility for enabling such petulant grudge-mongering, recall how it was made clear that Dean would not even be welcome at the press conference where the new President introduced Dean’s successor at the DNC, Governor Kaine of Virginia. Although former-Deaniacs-turned-Obamiacs across the internet have tried to ignore or rationalize that slight away, the fact is, it was cold, cold, cold, and is part of the reason so many Washington insiders have termed Obama’s snubbing of Dean as completely without precedent.

So, although strange things happen, I’m afraid in this case its pretty unlikely. Far more likely that Obama might – oh, I dunno… maybe cut a deal with Senate Republicans to pull an arch-economic-conservative he barely knows into an empty post at, say, the Commerce Department, without upsetting the balance of power in the Senate… rather than do the right thing by the guy who deserves much of the credit for getting him into office in the first place.

If Obama suddenly decides to throw his activist base a bone (or frankly, to go for the best choice over political calculus and personal bullshit), it might go the other way, but that’s the only caveat I’ll drop.

Quick update: I’ll also add that I think those that speculate that Obama may well break out the position that Daschle was to fill into HHS Chief and a distinct Health Care Czar are probably correct. My hunch is to look for Kansas Governor Sebelius to get the former, and a congressional alum to get the latter – perhaps someone we haven’t thought of at all, like a Dick Gephardt or somesuch.

How many of you are still unable to access your e-mail, two days after the changeover from Verizon.  I have spent a total of 7 hours in queue and finally struggling with three separate technicians, none of whom could get my e-mail working.  Now they tell me they’ll “get back to me” within 48-hours of 7:00 last night (even though my first request for help went in at 11:00AM that morning.)  I was also told that the 150 messages that seem to be held in suspension may never be recovered!

What’s next with Fairpoint? They’ve already reneged on their promise to keep those accounting jobs in Vermont.  What will happen with their promise to provide DSL to rural communities?

(Heh. – promoted by odum)

I was trying to imagine the presentation that Gov. Douglas might have made to President Obama at their meeting on Monday. Given his approach to the state budget situation, I have to think it went something like this:

“Mr. President, I appreciate the offer of support through the stimulus package. But we Vermonters believe that tough times call for tightening our belts. We should not live beyond our means, especially in times like these. As I told the people of Vermont, we can no longer afford to maintain all the government programs we have come to enjoy. Therefore, Mr. President, with all due respect, I must refuse any influx of federal funds that arise from deficit spending. And I urge you to follow our example throughout the country: Cut spending. Balance the budget.”

So that’s it, right? That’s gotta be more or less what he told the President, right? Let’s turn to the Times Argus account:

The Republican governor and the Democratic president spent about 30 minutes discussing the state of the national economy and the dire need for the economic stimulus bill to pass during a meeting that came as a surprise to Douglas.

“The president and I both believe that we need to do something now to help the economy,” Douglas said early Monday evening during a telephone interview.

Oh. Gee. Never mind about our core principles, then. Show me the money!

(Cross-posted at Broadsides.org)

Poor Rod Blagojevich. He got caught, of course, trying to negotiate a deal for how he’d go about appointing a replacement for Barack Obama’s senate seat. And the crowd went wild – liberals and conservatives alike. And, while using all the strength they could to keep straight faces, they intoned in a near-perfect chorus: How dare he? How could he? This isn’t the way things are done.

Bullshit. Old Blago was just a bit reckless.

But, cried the bullshitters, you can’t trade favors when it comes to making appointments like that. The liberal darling of the moment, Rachel Maddow, even went so far as to imply that Blago incriminated himself on her MSNBC show because he – rather laughingly – declared that what he was really trying to get in return for the appointment was a legislative promise or two.

Maddow’s knuckle-dragging competition at FOX News displayed a similar sense of “outrage,” only more so since Blago, the other key players and the seat in question were all wrapped in the “evil” D-word: Democrat.

The rules are clear, they all sang, you cannot seek anything in exchange for a political appointment.

Sure, this is a fine theory – not to mention one that ought to be followed and enforced. But, sorry silly talking heads, this is far from the political reality. And, of course, you know it.

Fast forward to today’s news that President Obama will be appointing New Hampshire’s Republican Senator, Judd Gregg, to be his Secretary of Commerce, an appointment that will lead to yet another open senate seat to be filled by a sitting governor.

When news of the potential Gregg appointment first broke last week it was portrayed as little more than a clever “trick” by the Obama team to either look bipartisan by even considering it or by knocking Gregg out of the Senate so that New Hampshire’s Democratic governor, John Lynch, could appoint a replacement – thus securing the coveted 60-seat filibuster-busting majority the Democrats desire.

As a result, the pundits scoffed at the Gregg pick. There’s no way Gregg would give up his seat and stick it to his Republican colleagues, they all chirped.

But that was last week. Because this week – today, in fact – a deal has apparently been reached: Gregg and Governor Lynch have agreed that a Republican will be appointed to take Gregg’s place once his appointment is confirmed. And not only that, they’ve also apparently agreed that whomever they appoint will also agree not to run for the open seat in two years.

So let’s tune into the MSNBC and FOX News pundits to feel their current outrage for the obvious “conditions” that were secured for a political appointment: Nothing. But. Silence.

Bullshitters, indeed.

And the most comical aspect to all of this is that these same news organizations are reporting this morning that the Obama administration has “not been involved” in any of the negotiations surrounding a possible replacement for Gregg. Cue the laugh track.

From a political perspective, I can understand why the Republican cheerleaders are keeping quiet on this one. But what about the liberals? They’re being asked to both “shut up” about the appointment of yet another Republican to the Obama cabinet and “ignore” the deal to appoint another Republican to replace him.

Geez, who put the “kick me” sign on their backs? But, being the good liberals that they are, they’ll just play along, pretending, of course, that maybe – just maybe – Obama will flash his mega-watt grin at them sometime soon.

The good news is that there’s at least one Democrat who won’t be keeping quiet on this New Hampshire deal: Rod Blagojevich. I’ll bet his lawyers are preparing the subpoenas right now for each and every player in the “Gregg deal” in order to prove what we all, unfortunately, should know: Our career politicians are little more than money and power whores.

And once they’re done with their dirty dealing, they rest of us still won’t have the jobs we need, the health care we deserve or the peace we desire.

Until we wake up.

This Friday morning, at the State House, is visibility day for marriage equality. Fellow-traveling defenders of individual liberty and defenders of the right to marry will be meeting in Montpelier starting at 8:00 a.m. 

Folks will be walking the halls of the State House and discussing equal justice for all Vermonters throughout the morning and early afternoon.

This is a good chance to come to Montpelier, see your Representatives and Senators in the General Assembly and tell them how important equal marriage rights are to you as a voter, a constituent, a Vermonter and an American.

Vermont has one of the lowest divorce rates in the country, and it’s no surprise. Vermont gives partial legal recognition to gay and lesbian couples through civil unions. Obviously, increasing the level of mutual support (and perhaps the level of  competition too!) for legal coupling in Vermont – through Civil Unions – has been a healthy shot in the arm to all types of family units. As we've seen in Vermont, legal recognition of a family leads to greater respect for all unions — homosexual and heterosexual.

But remember, civil unions is just a first step. Partial legal recognitation is not the same as equality just like being 3/5 a constitutional human is not the same as equal rights for all. 

It is time we recognized the fact that marriage equality is a measure of how civil society respects marriage, it is how our Government respects our rights as Vermonters. And, as advocates, it is how we respect ourselves as members of a healthy community.  

Friday's details after the flip . . . 

Please consider coming to Montpelier on Friday to meet with your elected representatives.

Here is the schedule of events (complinments of DFA)

SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY
(Welcome all day! Most important part is 11am-1pm):

8am Organizational Displays in the Card Room

9am Legislative Update and Advocacy Training in Room 10

10am Introductions of on the House Floor

11am Community Meeting with the Governor in the Ceremonial Office

Noon Meetings with House and Senate legislators

1pm Organizational Updates/Luncheon

2pm Wrap-up and close

If you are not sure who you want to meet when you arrive, the list of legislators is here.

Also, the good folks at the Vermont Freedom to Marry can help direct your citizen’s voice to the right person in Montpelier.

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(Compiled from various eyewitness reports.)

 While Douglas was down in Washington pleading for stimulus payments from the federal government, activists across Vermont were rallying to protest Douglas's proposed cuts in public benefits and programs. From one end of the state to the other, hundreds of people turned out  to challenge Douglas's plans. Here are some reports from across the state:

Activities got rolling at noon. 65 people turned out in Middlebury, with coverage from WPTZ, Channel 5 news.

In Randolph therre were 40 people, representing the local bookshop owner, senior center director, human services, youth, and disability rights advocates, six VSEA guys from the state garage, doctors from Gifford Hospital, members of the local peace coalition, Vermont Law School staff, one of the Randolph reps (Patsy French).

 At the 5:00 rallies, there were some notable apperances. For instance, at the Northfield rally Republican Representative Anne Donahue joined 25 hardy souls, saying that all options, including increased revenues, must be on the table.

About 125 people turned up at the Burlington rally, 120 in Montpelier,  100+ in Brattleboro, and about 70 in Rutland. Smaller, but still significant, crowds assembled in Bennington, St. Johnsbury, and St. Albans.

 Were you there? Do you have rally experiences to share? Please post a comment and share your experiences.