In the healthcare debate, many missed the just how negative the language became where the sparks of divisive language harkening back to 2000 began to reappear.  This past week, Rep. Michel Consejo responded to Rep. Burditt’s language in a powerful speech that was journalized.  I thought it was worth quoting in full.

He is right.  We can not stay silent, no matter how fringe we believe the attacks might be.

House  Journal 3/29/11

“Mr. Speaker:

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend break, I tried to put aside the bad feelings that I had left over from our long and sometimes contentious debates of last week. For the most part, I could, except for one instance. The remarks made on this floor, the floor of the House of Representatives, by the member from

West Rutland, was more than my soul could bare. So much so that I had to respond. My name, my accent, my origins, my upbringing – all those facts compounded, make me wonder when I am going to be targeted. To tell me, here, that I am a communist, a socialist, and to compare my actions to radical

islamists, only precludes the days that I am going to be asked to go back to my own country.

This, mr. Speaker, is my certificate of naturalization – on november 14 of 1986, I became a proud citizen of this country. In 1979, when I filled out my documents to enter the U.S.A. as a permanent resident, I was asked to swear that I was never a member of the communist party in my country of origin.

This was one of the many requirements I had to fulfill in order to be accepted here.

Over the years, I had to brush off many remarks and comments about my name and my accent, my country and my origins, but never one has it been on this floor. This rule has been broken, and I stand today as a pre-emptive measure, telling you that I won’t take this kind of attack lying down.

What makes this body strong and efficient is our diversity, both of ethnic views and background. What makes us strong if the fact that we can differ on many subjects and stay civil and respectful doing so. What makes us strong is the respect we have for each other and the acceptance of different opinions.

Mr. Speaker, let me point at our sheild that stands above us…way above all of us. It reads “freedom.” Freedom to be who we are without fear. Freedom to think, act, and live independently, without fear. Freedom to be different, and to lead without fear.

It reads “unity.” That binds us all, as without it, our small state would not be such a strong leader. That unity that has led us to so many landmark, forward-thinking decisions. Let it be known that without both freedom and unity, we cannot be vermont. Let it be known that those who have lived and died for those two words, are holding us guardians of their integrity.

I cannot – and will not – let anyone drive a wedge in that tradition. I, for one, am proud of this body. I, for one, am scared of what is coming next if we do not respond to these kinds of insidious remarks. The time to do political posturing of this sort is outside of this chamber. And I hope that the members of this body, present and future, will share this feeling.

So, Mr. Speaker, to conclude and for the record, I am half spanish, a quarter Italian and a quarter French. I am a U.S. citizen and I can prove it. But above all, I am a proud vermonter, and I am staying here.  

( – promoted by Sue Prent)

Many in Vermont have been grappling with the suicides of Connor Menning (at MMU) and Leah Short (from Brattleboro HS), but the most moving conversation and reflections I have seen have been from young people themselves and are posted through the Young Writers Project, an amazing on-line organization giving Vermont young people a place to share and become powerful communicators through the written word.

http://youngwritersproject.org/

Really worth your time.  

( – promoted by Sue Prent)

Each year on Dr. King’s birthday, I find myself reflecting on his message of equality and giving back. This year, as Americans grapple with the tragic events of January 8 in Arizona, including the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, my perspective on the holiday has taken a different focus.

I was born the year after the assassinations of MLK and Bobby Kennedy. My parents described the time as incredibly frightening.  There was a sudden sense that anyone who stood up for what was right was at risk of being killed.  My father, a passionate civil rights activist who had been sentenced to two years in prison for civil disobedience, suddenly felt that no one engaged in the politics of change was safe.

I know both Rep. Giffords and her chief of staff personally and I find myself deeply shaken by the Congresswoman’s attempted assassination.

I remember talking to Gabby about the vandalism of her district office last Spring.  She certainly found it disturbing and was very concerned about the rhetoric mostly used by the right to fan the flames of those who believed that somehow Congress’ actions, particularly on healthcare, were leading to an Armageddon for our country or an end to our way of life.  She had no hesitation to head back to her district to run a race based on her record and her passion for the community she loved explicitly for all of its diversity of views.

As we continue to process the shooting, how should we react?  

My anger at talk show hosts and political leaders who have used violent and sometimes explicit “shooting” metaphors towards those who simply disagreed on an issue was overwhelming that first day.  Before learning the background of the killer, I had to restrain myself before posting equally extreme statements about who bore responsibility for his actions that afternoon.  The language I was tempted to use would have been no better than that utilized by others, further escalating the divisive debate.

But in the words of Dr. King, “Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.”

Those in leadership at this difficult time must not ignore the Arizona tragedy or be intimidated into believing all we need to do is give a secret service detail to every member of Congress. We must step forward together to build from this tragedy to become a better people, return our discourse to one of wide-ranging ideas, not ugly attacks. We need to recognize that we want the best for the next generation and not participate in the divisive destruction of those who disagree.  

The approach to MLK day over the past 15 years provides a powerful way to strengthen our collective soul.  In 1994, the family of Dr. Martin Luther King asked us to make it “a day on and not a day off” and to spend the holiday engaging in service to others.  When I was the head of AmeriCorps*VISTA, I was inspired by the response across the country to 9/11, when people were inspired to strengthen our homeland through giving back to others.  On Monday, we have the same opportunity to create a powerful “soul force” to respond to this tragedy and stand up against the language of violence by making a difference in our local communities.  I hope you will join us in that cause.

Service opportunities can be found here: https://sites.google.com/site/…

and here: http://mlkday.gov/

(Thanks for the update, Matt. – promoted by JulieWaters)

As many of you have already heard, my younger brother Josh suffered a stroke yesterday. He was operated on quickly and as of this morning appears to be recovering well, although he will be in intensive care for the next three days. Our family is incredibly thankful for the extraordinary care Josh has received at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

Josh has been an enthusiastic part of this campaign from before it began. Half of the young volunteers in our White River office were recruited by him and he was looking forward to being the “big man with the big shirt” at the polls in Hartford on Tuesday.

While I’m passionate about the potential for our state and this campaign, family will always come first. Since we lost our parents at a young age, during these difficult times what we have is one another. I will be taking each day as it comes, and will participate in campaign activities as time away from Josh allows.

Fortunately, at this point in a campaign, it is no longer about a candidate. Together we have built an incredible grassroots community ready to share a message of delivering an economy that works for all Vermonters and bringing the fresh new ideas necessary to move our state into a new era. I am honored to have such an amazing group of people to sustain our momentum through Election Day and beyond, and encourage everyone to come together in these last few days to bring the kind of irrepressible enthusiasm Josh would be bringing if he was able.

I am once again reminded how lucky we are to live in the community that we do.

(Promoted for the usual reasons – promoted by JulieWaters)

In order to beat Brian Dubie this November, we need a candidate who has the trust of Vermonters and can bring people from all backgrounds together to move the state forward.

Over the past few weeks our campaign has been gaining support from a wide range of Vermonters and every day new people from unlikely places have been stepping forward to explain why they are backing our movement.

Our grassroots volunteers released a video today highlighting one supporter in particular who has a unique background. Watch it below or by clicking here.

Throughout my career I have been focused on delivering results to Vermonters. Whether it's my work with Vermont's Veterans or my focus on economic development, I know what it takes to bring people together regardless of their background.

As Governor, my focus will always be on the people of Vermont. I'm excited to use this broad range of support to beat Brian Dubie in November and to join people together to move our state into a new era.

(Promoted for the usual reasons – promoted by JulieWaters)

Today Brian Dubie’s campaign put out a joking press release about the upcoming forum in Bennington County.

Dubie’s campaign called it “a game of ‘let’s pretend’” and their campaign manger, Cory Bliss said, “It’s no surprise Brian’s opponents would rather debate an empty chair than talk about their own agenda for higher taxes and dozens of new government programs.”

The irony here is that someone must stand in for him because Brian won’t stand up for himself. Instead of making jokes about not showing up to debates, Brian Dubie’s campaign should explain to Vermonters why their candidate has declined every forum he’s been invited to and is too afraid to have an open and honest discussion on the issues.

The metaphor of an empty chair in the release is an appropriate symbol not only for Brian Dubie’s absence during this campaign but also for his tenure as Lt. Governor.

Every two weeks Brian Dubie is paid by the people of Vermont, yet he puts nothing on his public calendar and declines to show up at public forums to face voters. It is insulting to Vermonters that Dubie refuses to participate in the forums he is invited to, and then turns around and mocks the Democrats for having someone stand in for him.

During this campaign I’ve often asked one simple question: Brian Dubie, where have you been?

Where have you been when you declined every forum invitation you have received? Where have you been when you criticize other candidates’ jobs plans without putting out a plan of your own? Where have you been when you deride Vermont as a bad place to do business while, under your watch, the economy suffered and the number of new businesses dropped?

Brian Dubie would rather make a joke than join a debate. But the state of our economy is not a joke and the number of out of work Vermonters is no laughing matter. Brian Dubie, let’s put an end to the games and talk about the real issues facing Vermonters.

(Promoted for the usual reasons. – promoted by JulieWaters)

Last week, when we released our vision for Vermont’s economic future,  there was one element that received the most questions and feedback: our proposal for transforming the culture in Montpelier.
 
Because of Vermont’s, size, scale, and deep-rooted tradition of community, a culture of openness and transparency is a natural fit for our state. However, right now our state continues to rank among the worst in the nation in government transparency.

This not only reflects poorly for our state, but is detrimental to our future economic stability. Without an open and transparent government, Vermonters don’t know where their tax dollars are being spent, we are unable to discover opportunities for improving efficiency, and there is a lack of accountability in campaign finance.

In order to have a government that outlines clear goals and objectives for its workforce and promotes trust from its citizens, Vermont needs a new generation of leadership committed to changing the closed-door culture in Montpelier.

Today, during a presentation at the State House in Montpelier, I detailed my plan for making Vermont more transparent and changing the culture in Montpelier. Some of the points in this plan include:

• Providing clear access to government information: Vermonters should be able to access basic state data quickly through an easy to use, searchable online database.
• Building a culture of transparency internally: We can increase productivity and better engage our state workforce simply by encouraging a culture of transparency and clarity within the government through public goals and easy access to leaders.
• Setting an example with transparent leadership: A critical part of establishing a culture of transparency is to lead by example, and as Governor I would not only post my 9-5 schedule publicly for all Vermonters to see, but would also make sure all candidates submit personal financial disclosures.

From my time leading the AmeriCorps*VISTA program, I know that creating a culture of transparency has immediate tangible benefits on an organization. And while better transparency will help improve state operations, eliminate waste and increase the efficiency of government services, it has become clear that transparency is not a priority for any of the other candidates.

I encourage you to download the slide deck, read our announcement or watch a video of the presentation to learn more about my plan for creating more transparency in Vermont.

(It is our ongoing policy to promote serious pieces from major candidates for Vermont’s statewide offices. – promoted by JulieWaters)

Vermont is currently at a crossroads and this election will have a lasting impact on our economic future.

In order to revitalize our economy and create jobs, Vermont needs a new generation of leadership – a Governor who not only has a vision for where we can go, but also has the experience to actually deliver on the promise of creating 21st century jobs.

Yesterday, I outlined a vision for Vermont’s future that is based on lessons I have learned from my background in the public and private sectors: serving in the legislature, leading a Vermont-based technology company, transforming a 6,000 person federal enterprise, and working at a multi-national corporation.

The plan (PDF) starts by capitalizing on three of Vermont’s key assets: our authentic communities, strategic location, and unique brand. While these these factors provide a strong foundation for moving moving Vermont forward, they are not enough on their own. That’s why I introduce four concrete approaches in my plan  to make Vermont a leader in the innovation economy. These include:

• Building the infrastructure for 21st century jobs and innovation through investments in broadband Internet, cell service, and transportation networks.
• Providing the capital to allow businesses to grow through tax incentives, micro-finance programs and expanding the seed capital fund.
• Investing in education, universities and tech transfer programs to bring ideas from the classroom to the global marketplace.
• Changing the culture in Montpelier to stimulate entrepreneurship by making state government more efficient, responsive and transparent.

By combining our existing assets with the infrastructure, capital and state leadership necessary for innovation, we can make Vermont a place where entrepreneurs come to build their companies, the center of a thriving four-season tourism industry, the home to strong communities with vibrant downtowns, and a leader in next-generation jobs in industries like renewable energy and software platforms.

However, putting together a vision for economic development and job creation is not something done by one person. I presented this plan to business leaders yesterday, not only to to share my ideas but also to get their thoughts and feedback about my proposals. Over the coming days I will be holding meetings with other business leaders around the state to introduce my ideas in person and to hear their suggestions.

And that is why I want your input as well. You can read the plan and leave a comment with your thoughts, feedback or other ways in which we can move Vermont into a new era.

Vermont needs a new generation of leadership with the ideas, energy and experience to actually deliver on job creation and making Vermont a vibrant, innovative, 21st century state. I encourage you to read our plan and join our campaign to move Vermont forward.

(Promoted as part of our ongoing policy of promoting serious candidates for statewide office in Vermont. – promoted by JulieWaters)

Yesterday morning, I once again stood up for Vermont values when confronted by criticisms from Vermont’s right-wing community. This is the type of strong leadership we need when facing Brian Dubie’s conservative base this November.

During an interview on the Mark Johnson radio show yesterday, I took on a barrage of questions from conservative Vermonters attacking my position on a woman’s right to choose.

These questions came shortly after a discussion about Facebook where I argued that candidates such as Brian Dubie who have radically conservative social views – like opposing a woman’s right to choose – will frequently attract like-minded people to social media platforms. We’ve already seen conservative politicians like Sarah Palin gain significant net-roots support from these groups and it’s clear that Dubie is starting to benefit from the same “tea party” community.

While I reaffirmed my long-held and unwavering position on trusting women to make the best decision about their bodies, I also called out Brian Dubie during the broadcast for holding the opinion that women should not be able to choose even in the case of rape or incest.

It’s clear that Dubie’s social views are too conservative for Vermont and that his positions on women’s rights run contrary to the values of most Vermonters. A Governor can have great influence over access to health services despite what might be in legislation and given the efforts to undermine Roe v. Wade in other parts of the country, we cannot afford to have Dubie take Vermont backwards.

While Dubie thinks he and the state know better than women and their doctors, I will ensure Vermont does not slip backwards into his conservative social agenda. The small radically conservative community in Vermont has clearly been activated and motivated by Dubie’s campaign but we cannot let them be the voice of our state. To win in November we will need a candidate who will not shy away from such attacks and will fight for the values that are core to our tradition as Vermonters.

I am eager to continue standing toe to toe with Brian Dubie on these important issues this fall and to ensure Vermont’s values are upheld, not erased by the opinions of a vocal minority.

(I would have promoted this even if it didn’t come from someone running for statewide office.  This is fascinating. – promoted by JulieWaters)

Understanding the needs of our state and bringing more Vermonters into the political process are two important ways we can help move our state forward. That’s why yesterday we launched a new interactive application for Facebook that allows people to share, discuss and vote on questions and answers posed by our campaign. We’re also excited to be beta-testing this application with an innovative company that is based right here in Vermont.

Brick Oven Media is a Colchester-based startup that specializes in cutting edge social media technology. When CEO Thomas Bacon asked us to help test and launch their flagship product, Gooroo, I saw it as a fantastic opportunity not only to encourage and support a local Vermont innovator, but also to utilize a new online platform for communicating with Vermonters.

The Gooroo application is available in the “Q&A Game” tab of our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mattdu… or directly at http://apps.facebook.com/mattd… .  

Gooroo is specifically designed to encourage open and transparent conversation. The application allows Vermonters to answer questions about a range of topics, including policy ideas, news events, and problems faced by our state. While we’re constantly meeting with Vermonters around the state at events such as service politics projects, house parties, meetings and forums, Gooroo provides a great new platform through which we can engage with people online. By allowing voters to actively interact with their political leaders and with each other, Gooroo helps facilitate the type of open, democratic and accessible political process that is part of Vermont’s history.

Additionally, it’s exciting to see this type of cutting edge software being developed right here in Vermont. As a state, we need to continue encouraging exactly this kind of ingenuity.  The ability for inventive people like Tom Bacon to freely implement their technology and business ideas is absolutely critical for the future of Vermont’s economy.  As a former employee at a small Vermont software company myself, I not only understand the need to build the environment and infrastructure necessary to allow innovators like Gooroo to flourish– I also have the experience to make it happen.

I encourage you to try out  the Gooroo application today. You can visit it through the “Q&A Game” tab on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mattdu… or by accessing it directly at: http://apps.facebook.com/mattd… . Check out the application and join us in a conversation about how to move our state forward.