Senator Bernie Sanders often sends out a constituent newsletter to many on his list that includes the Senator’s perspective on many of the issues of the day, particularly those which he is actively addressing in Washington. Like many such pieces, it also includes a fundraising appeal.

Unfortunately, his most recent piece included references to the shooting in Arizona of Representatve Gabrielle Giffords and many others. The total piece, then, left him open to the following from Sarah Palin’s #1 fan Bill Kristol’s Weekly Standard:

Sanders Fundraises Off Arizona Murders

There has been no shortage of individuals and institutions that have sought to capitalize on the shootings in Tucson. Add Vermont senator Bernie Sanders to that list.

This afternoon Sanders sent out a fundraising appeal, seeking to raise money to fight Republicans and other “right-wing reactionaries” responsible for the climate that led to the shooting.

According to HuffPo’s Sam Stein, Bernie’s office responded that it would have been “absurd” to ignore the incident in a political, current-events driven newsletter, and pointed out that “the senator devoted one sentence in a four-page newsletter to thanking his supporters and another sentence indicating that their support in the future would be appreciated.”

I don’t think it’s reasonable to knock Bernie too hard on this given the above, but it was foolish at best not to anticipate this reaction. This will only be the beginning of this line of attack, not simply from the Standard, but from talk radio, Fox News and conservative bloggers, before echoing into the legacy media. Ouch.

Of course, elsewhere, the “Tea Party Express” is explicitly using the tragedy to raise money, casting itself – again – as a victim. We’ll see if we hear as much about that…

Team Palin goes on the defensive with this absurdity:

“We never ever, ever intended it to be gun sights. It was simply cross-hairs like you’d see on maps,” said (Palin aide) Rebecca Mansour on the Tammy Bruce radio show. Moreover, there was “nothing irresponsible” about the image…

Like on a map? What kind of map has crosshairs?

It’s clear this incident isn’t going to quiet the scary fringe of the tea party movement, as embodied by Sarah Palin. Self-examination, reflection, and rational introspection are not qualities this crowd is interested in. Enraged ignorance and extreme, absolutist self-righteousness are considered virtues among that set.

What it will do is crank the battle for the soul of the GOP up to 11, and as partisan a type as I often am, I have to believe that compassion and reason will rule the day. I may seem like a grouch much of the time, but I really do like my fellow human beings. A lot. And I like them because, at the end of the day, I believe in us as a species – even those with whom I viscerally disagree – despite the bad eggs (and yes, there are plenty, but still…).

BTW, Talking Points Memo is really the place for fleshing out this story in more depth. They’ve doing their usual great job.

Here’s the image folks are talking about, that I linked to in a previous diary:

Team Palin goes on the defensive with this absurdity:

“We never ever, ever intended it to be gun sights. It was simply cross-hairs like you’d see on maps,” said (Palin aide) Rebecca Mansour on the Tammy Bruce radio show. Moreover, there was “nothing irresponsible” about the image…

Like on a map? What kind of map has crosshairs? (UPDATE: OK, OK, so surveyors use symbols like these. And I’m sure that’s the message Palin was trying to send… she was surveying… riiiiight. Is the phrase “taking responsibility” even in some of these folks’ lexicon?)

It’s clear this incident isn’t going to quiet the scary fringe of the tea party movement, as embodied by Sarah Palin. Self-examination, reflection, and rational introspection are not qualities this crowd is interested in. Enraged ignorance and extreme, absolutist self-righteousness are considered virtues among that set.

What it will do is crank the battle for the soul of the GOP up to 11, and as partisan a type as I often am, I have to believe that compassion and reason will rule the day. I may seem like a grouch much of the time, but I really do like my fellow human beings. A lot. And I like them because, at the end of the day, I believe in us as a species – even those with whom I viscerally disagree – despite the bad eggs (and yes, there are plenty, but still…).

BTW, Talking Points Memo is really the place for fleshing out this story in more depth. They’ve doing their usual great job.

Here’s the image folks are talking about, that I linked to in a previous diary:

The dramatically changes Senate has its committee assignments posted. Of particular interest are the roles for three unique new Senators who individually stand to change the face and dynamics of the Senate (given that a mere three Senators equate to 10% of the body).

Blogger and novelist Philip Baruth has been assigned to clerk the Agriculture and Education Committees. Newly re-minted Democrat Anthony Pollina serves on the Government Operations Committee and also clerks the Health Committee. Finally, controversial international diplomacy-celebrity Peter Galbraith also serves on Gov Ops, and clerks the Economic Development Committee. Sadly, there will still be no Vermont Senate Foreign Relations Committee for him to Chair…

Full assignments after the flip.

Appropriations

Sen. Jane Kitchel (D-Caledonia), Chair

Sen. Dick Sears (D-Bennington), Vice Chair

Sen. Bobby Starr (D-Essex-Orleans), Clerk

Sen. Diane Snelling (R-Chittenden)

Sen. Vincent Illuzzi (R-Essex-Orleans)

Sen. Alice Nitka (D-Windsor)

Sen. Hinda Miller (D-Chittenden)

Agriculture

Sen. Sara Kittell (D-Franklin), Chair

Sen. Harold Giard (D-Addison), Vice Chair

Sen. Philip Baruth (D-Chittenden), Clerk

Sen. Bobby Starr (D-Essex-Orleans)

Sen. John Campbell (D-Windsor)

Education

Sen. Kevin Mullin (R-Rutland), Chair

Sen. Ginny Lyons (D-Chittenden), Vice Chair

Sen. Philip Baruth (D-Chittenden), Clerk

Sen. Bill Doyle (R-Washington)

Sen. Sara Kittell (D-Franklin)

Economic Development

Sen. Vincent Illuzzi (R-Essex-Orleans), Chair

Sen. Timothy Ashe (D/P-Chittenden), Vice Chair

Sen. Peter Galbraith (D-Windham), Clerk

Sen. Bill Carris (D-Rutland)

Sen. Bill Doyle (R-Washington)

Finance

Sen. Ann Cummings (D-Washington), Chair

Sen. Mark MacDonald (D-Orange), Vice Chair

Sen. Sally Fox (D-Chittenden), Clerk

Sen. Dick McCormack (D-Windsor)

Sen. Timothy Ashe (D/P-Chittenden)

Sen. Rich Westman (R-Lamoille)

Sen. Randy Brock (R-Franklin)

Government Operations

Sen. Jeanette White (D-Windham), Chair

Sen. Claire Ayer (D-Addison), Vice Chair

Sen. Peg Flory (R-Rutland), Clerk

Sen. Anthony Pollina (D-Washington)

Sen. Peter Galbraith (D-Windham)

Health

Sen. Claire Ayer (D-Addison), Chair

Sen. Kevin Mullin (R-Rutland), Vice Chair

Sen. Anthony Pollina (D-Washington), Clerk

Sen. Hinda Miller (D-Chittenden)

Sen. Sally Fox (D-Chittenden)

Institutions

Sen. Bob Hartwell (D-Bennington), Chair

Sen. Dick Mazza (D-Grand Isle), Vice Chair

Sen. Joe Benning (R-Caledonia), Clerk

Sen. Bill Carris (D-Rutland)

Sen. Harold Giard (D-Addison)

Judiciary

Sen. Dick Sears (D-Bennington), Chair

Sen. Alice Nitka (D-Windsor), Vice Chair

Sen. Diane Snelling (R-Chittenden), Clerk

Sen. Jeanette White (D-Windham)

Sen. Ann Cummings (D-Washington)

Natural Resources

Sen. Ginny Lyons (D-Chittenden), Chair

Sen. Mark MacDonald (D-Orange), Vice Chair

Sen, Joe Benning (R-Caledonia), Clerk

Sen. Dick McCormack (D-Windsor)

Sen. Randy Brock (R-Franklin)

Transportation

Sen. Dick Mazza (D-Grand Isle), Chair

Sen. Jane Kitchel (D-Caledonia), Vice Chair

Sen. Peg Flory (R-Rutland), Clerk

Sen. Rich Westman (R-Lamoille)

Sen. Bob Hartwell (D-Bennington)

Good, clear-headed stuff. Maddow’s postscript: “Democratic Congressman Peter Welch of Vermont. We’ve seen his national profile rise recently with his strong criticisms of the Republicans and, at times, of his own party.”

“I have never felt so  proud as I did today. Being at Peter Shumlin’s inauguration was just awesome. I felt in my heart back in June at the Brattleboro Forum he was going to be the our next governor, but today as he took the oath of office for Governor my heart was so full of pride and joy I felt like it would burst.  He gave a wonderful speech and when he spoke on early education he looked directly at Amy and me, giving us the feeling that we had really made a difference in his eyes. I, in turn gave him a thumbs up and he smiled back at us.

This has been an opportunity I will hold in my heart forever. I sincerely believe we have made a great impression on the political world.  In turn this is going to bring forth our professionalism with Our Union. Our Union is where we can bring all the best of each and everyone of us to the forefront and set Early Educators on a path to quality care and financial success.” – Joyce Wheeler, pictured on right.

A lot of people in Vermont have a lot of different reasons to celebrate the commencement of the Shumlin era in Montpelier. So what’s this particular Vermonter referring to?

Regular readers will remember Julie’s reports from 2009 about UPV-AFT’s efforts to organize early childhood educators and child care workers across the state. With the inauguration of Peter Shumlin, the work to secure basic collective bargaining rights with the state for this historically vulnerable, yet absolutely critical sector of the workforce is much closer to fruition.

I say “critical” because children are critical, and their care and early education has to be a front-and-center priority, rather than one we simply take for granted. Critical because this early education and care industry is a foundation that most other industries are balanced on (whether they realize it or not) – and without basic protections for those working in this sector (even the confidence in the ability to make a basic living in the field), it can never be the stable foundation our families and our economy need it to be.

And now? Enabling legislation is being drafted to create a regime for this uniquely modern model of workforce organizing and bargaining. Hubbub in the statehouse is already circulating among those that may be inclined (for whatever reason) to oppose this legislation that they might as well save their energy, as support for the bill is strong and wide enough to make passage look all but inevitable.

And that should be good news for everyone in the state.

(Full disclosure moment: I’m currently doing some communications consulting for UPV-AFT through PowerThru Consulting)

Teachers in the Addison Northeast school district have had the threat of a potential $4000 a year pay cut hanging over their heads for some time – a major hit to household income by any standard. After actions such as a November 18th informational picket and an unambiguous, continuing willingness to negotiate for a fair solution, The boards of the Supervisory Union tonight voted to walk away from negotiations entirely, opting instead to simply impose their conditions unilaterally.

From the Addison Northeast Teachers’ Union:

“The teachers don’t want the year disrupted, but the boards, by using the imposition weapon and walking away from negotiations, leaves the union with little choice,” (Mt. Abraham Union High School Advanced Placement calculus teacher Heather) Parkhurst said.

“It’s not too late for the boards to reconsider their vote today,” she said. “We urge them to return to the table.”

Seriously, when does this teachers-as-public-utilities (as opposed to valued community members with families and livelihoods serving a critical need) mentality peter out? Yes, times are financially tight, but that’s never an excuse for this kind of bad faith from the boards. If a strike becomes necessary simply to ensure this basic degree of fairness, what kind of a waste of everybody’s time is that?

Teachers will do what they have to do to protect their own families. It should go without saying that the boards should do the honorable thing and return to the bargaining table. Period.

From the Shumlin operation:

Gov. Elect Peter Shumlin announced today the appointment of Dr. Harold (Hal) Colston as Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on National and Community Service. The Commission, with a state-administered $2 million grant from the federal government, coordinates Americorps National service programs and other volunteer and community services across Vermont.

Colston is currently executive director of the nonprofit organization NeighborKeepers, and is an adjunct professor at Champlain College, where he lectures about building community through volunteerism. He previously serviced as diversity coordinator at the Howard Center in Burlington, and is the founder of the Good News Garage in Burlington, which has been featured in several national media outlets.

This is a terrific appointment. Colston has received national recognition for his work (see his feature on Oprah).

The following video is worth a review to get a sense of what Colston brings to the table:

Few things in the state are pure politics. It’s all too small-scale and personal to be that simple. That’s why it could be reductive to look at the surprising invitation from Almost-Governor Shumlin to Almost-Lieutenant-Governor Phil Scott to join his administration’s cabinet. But for purposes of analysis, let’s look at the politics of the offer.

Shumlin knows that he has to move into his first term expecting and planning for a re-election run against Scott as his challenger (who is no doubt feeling the squeeze from local and national Republicans to pit his popularity and appeal against the new Democratic chief executive while he still may be vulnerable, before the full power of incumbency settles in). Reaching out to Scott in this way is a savvy move to set the tone of the relationship, and is a political win-win for Shumlin, whether Scott accepts the offer or not. If Scott accepts, it’s going to be that much harder to run against Shumlin if he had his hand in the decision making. If Scott rejects the offer, he looks to be more interested in partisan obstruction than cooperation. Either way, he’s writing Shumlin’s campaign themes for him.

And even if Scott is not the challenger, Shumlin is still invoking the same electoral dynamic with his invitation, given that Scott is now the top dog of the Republican Party regardless.

On the other hand, Shumlin just made life a lot harder for the Democratic Party’s effort to take the office. It was already hard to imagine which Dem would step up to run against Scott in 2012 without Shumlin commenting that he is “incredibly bright, capable, dedicated, we’ve worked together well in the past and I need him on the team”. If it’s to be Shumlin’s modus operandi to kill a Scott challenge to his re-election with kindness in this way, he may well end up functionally campaigning for Scott’s re-election as Lieutenant Governor.

One of the main reasons why there are such strong Democratic legislative majorities in this state is that, during the last decade, Jim Douglas largely steered the Vermont Republican Party to focus on his re-election at the expense of focusing on local elections. In this way, the current Democratic Statehouse dominance is part of his legacy.

As the functional head of the Vermont Democratic Party, Shumlin is going to face the same decisions on how to manage his Party and what the greater, long-term implications of those decisions will be.

UPDATE: The big site changes are still afoot, but have been more challenging than I expected, so they’ll have to trickle in over the week.

As you’ll infer from what’s been done so far, I’m rearranging the ad structure. Yes, they’ll be a bit more intrusive, but to keep this up, it’s going to have to start paying for some of the time I’ve put into it over the past 5 years, so I’m afraid the ads will get a bit more prominent – or at least, I’m going to start selling banner ads.

Again, I appreciate your patience in all this especially if your viewing this using Internet Explorer… I have no idea why the big white spaces – wish I had a $%#%@&# test server). Stay tuned…

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Big changes afoot for GMD in 2011, and they start this weekend. Expect the site to be largely down (or crazy-messed-up looking) tomorrow (Sunday the 2nd).

Monday the third, it’ll look prettier than ever – with a couple big announcements (Not quite yet).

Thanks for your patience, everybody.