Montpelier: I went into the Vermont Statehouse
cafeteria at noon on Tuesday, and found an empty seat
at a table with three members of the House Judiciary
Committee, which is where an impeachment resolution is
currently stalled. As they explained all the reasons
why they couldn't bring up the resolution for
discussion, it became clear that, while they are very
interested in following protocol, and very worried
about losing any votes on the floor, they were less
concerned with the immediate Constitutional/military
crisis that we are facing today, and not impressed
with the fact that they may actually be able to do
something about it.
Apparently, the only thing that will move them is a
deafening roar from the populace. The representatives
conceded that they have been hearing from Vermonters,
just not the right ones. They have been hearing from
Vermonters from every corner of the state. If they had
been paying attention, they would have seen Vermonters
in the streets earlier this year, calling for an end
to the war and the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.
They are surely mindful of the pro-impeachment votes
of 40 Vermont towns.
We got a promise from the Judiciary chair that he
would reconsider having a hearing, but that was the
only positive outcome of that conversation. Just
outside the cafeteria, a Burlington TV crew was
waiting to interview me about my reaction to having
Vermont impeachment the subject of Doonesbury this
week - no questions about impeachment, just about the
comic strip.
After lunch, where I got to meet with some of other
wonderful Vemonters who have been working on
impeachment, it was back for another helping of
Legislature Letdown, this time from the Senate side.
Senate President pro-temp Peter Shumlin let us know
right off that an impeachment resolution is not going
to happen in the Senate. He shuts down the committees
in three days and there is no time left. He complained
that he should have heard from us in January or
February so he could have passed it.
Historical note: I asked him to introduce a
resolution in the Senate on March 1. He replied that
he could but he would rather get it from the House.
When pressed a couple of weeks later, he said it HAD
to come from the House. When we showed him that indeed
it didn't, he said that he didn't want to step on
House Speaker Gaye Symington's toes, and now that
Symington says he can do what he wants, he says he's
out of time. (We should have been working earlier on
other Senators, but this is an ad-hoc peoples'
movement that has just started to take shape, not a
well organized lobbying machine.)
My day was capped off by an appearance on Vermont
Public Radio's Switchboard program, which is heard
statewide. I was appearing along with Rob Roper, the
head of the Vermont Republican Party to discuss
impeachment. The listeners who called spoke
overwhelmingly and persuasively in favor of
impeachment. Even though Mr. Roper recited some of the
same old tired Limbaugh litany during the show, he
said afterwards that we probably have more in common
than one would imagine.
It is becoming increasingly untenable for anyone to
defend the actions of this administration any longer.
We must make our representatives in Montpelier and
Washington see that by refusing to take the actions
that are available to them, they are aiding and
abetting the illegal and unconstitutional actions of
the Bush and Cheney administration. If they have to be
hit over the head with floods of correspondence, then
let's contact them. Each one of us who chooses to do
nothing, who doesn't bother to call or email our
representatives, is also aiding and abetting in the
crimes of this administration. George Bush has said
that everyone must choose; are you with us or against
us? But that means with him and his war or against him
and his war. Those who refuse to take action by now,
are casting their choice for George Bush. Please don't
be one of them.
After yesterday's politicking, today was spent cross
country skiing along a Green Mountain watershed,
crossing swamps and ponds crisscrossed with fresh
tracks of snowshoe hare, otters, moose, coyote and
even a beaver toboggan run. When we stop and look at
the mountains surrounding us, we are always deeply
moved and reminded of our incredible good fortune to
live here, and of our responsibility to be active
members of the landscape and community. Let us
recognize the need to see the welfare of the nation
and the sanctity of the Constitution in the same way.