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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


4.24.2007

 

For and against impeachment

House Democrats heard two sides of the impeachment question during their caucus this afternoon.

Rep. David Zuckerman, P-Burlington, has been gathering sponsors for the resolution and explained his reasoning to the Democrats. He argued, "If we don't take this action and say it is not worth it, that it is too political," it tells future presidents "you can get away with it." By it, Zuckerman means acts of questionable legality.

Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington then stood before the packed caucus to explain why she would vote 'no' if she had the chance to vote. (As speaker, she won't vote unless there is a tie. Not likely) Last Friday, Symington said she would send the resolution to committee, but changed her mind, she explained. "It's clear to me we should bring up the resolution for a vote in order to get back to our work."

Things got emotional when Symington explained that she "deplores the values and actions of this president and vice president." Choking on her words, she said she's horrified at the"damage that has been done."

She said the last election brought political change and led to investigations that have caught the attention of all Americans, regardless of what color state they come from. "We're coming back together as a country again," she said. "I want to keep the country on track, moving forward." She worries that impeachment proceedings would fracture the country -- again.

Zuckerman also spoke to the House Republican caucus. Rep. David Sunderland, R-Rutland, criticized the time that will likely be spent debating the resolution. Lawmakers ought to focus on the important bills still pending during these final weeks before adjournment, he said.

Zuckerman countered that even if the House spent several hours on the impeachment debate, it wouldn't make any difference on how soon work wraps up on major legislation. He said there are plenty of other reasons that bills are currently stuck.

The word in the building is, the resolution will fail by a significant margin.

-- Nancy Remsen

Comments:
Look -- Bush and Cheney deserve to be put in a very dark prison cell for a very long time. But I'm not sure that the Vt Legislature can have a big impact on making that happen.

So, I don't care if they vote for this thing or not.

But as a Democrat, I've gotta say that Symington and Shumlin have handled this very very badly.

Shumlin flat out lied to the impeachment people. He stalled forever on the thing and then rushed a vote through without debate.

Gaye is now flip flopping. She said she won't alow a vote, now she's alowing a vote ... but lobbying against it. It hands Impeachment people a club to beat her with. It hands the Governor a club to beat her with ... and it makes her look weak.

I've carried some water for Democrats in the past. Perhaps it's time to start supporting Progressives.
 
The democrats and the progressives need to divert attention away from the obvious - that they haven't got anything done. I'm a democrat
but I don't know if I can stay one.
 
Shumlin has almost destroyed the Democratic party overnight.

In a selfish attempt to save his own ass (from his own lies), he has driven a stake through the Democratic party.

I trully feel for Gaye Symington. She has been thrown under a freight train with no way out. But to be treated like this by her own party is just deplorable.

Mark my words - the Democrats are sinking fast.
 
I think it's kind of cool that Vermont is making a statement in a day and age when the press won't ask the tough questions of elected leaders, leading to the people rising up. I could give a crap how we got to this point. I'm proud to be a Vermonter. The rest of you can wrestle with the politics of the move (Shumlin this and Symington that). Who cares? Many across the nation are applauding Vermont's action. If you care so much about the politics, run for office yourself and shutup.
 
You're ignoring the fact that the resolution is going to FAIL in the house. The vast majority of House members oppose your opinions. You are proud of that?

You think that it's okay to criticize the President but if Democrats screw up, we should "shutup" and ignore it.


(btw, we don’t need to run for office to participate in the process.)
 
The art of politics is what gets people elected (and re-elected) to office. If your horse can't figure out how to navigate the maze, he/she will quickly find him/herself on the street.

And guess what?

The person you DON'T WANT will get elected.

So - as pointed out before, the Dem's have a real problem on their hands (courtesy of Shumlin). The folks on the left may be overjoyed, but the mainstream of Vermont won't be kind to those elected leaders who have failed to address real problems.

Oh... and when the House fails to pass the resolution tomorrow (as widely expected), the left will split from the core of the party, go over to the Progressives, and cost the Dems a lot of seats in the next election.

Oh - you don't believe me? Just remember what happened to Shumlin last time he attempted to run for higher office and moderated his rhetoric... (hint - Progressive candidate Polina, Republican candidate Dubie).

And who's STILL the Lt. Gov?

Shumlin f'd himself and his party. If he and Gaye had stuck together and resisted the vocal minority of their party, they would have come out as much stronger in the eyes of moderate Democrats and independents.

They no longer have any credibility.
 
The anti-war, anti-Bush forces couldn't even unseat Wimpy Jim Douglas, who ran Bush's campaign, hence giving his silent blessing to the war. This won't divide the left any more than it already is. Keep dreaming you handful of diehard Vermont Republicans. This will be a blip on the radar screen come November 2008. Your boy Douglas only wins because he presses the flesh better than other candidates--so far.
 
The impeachment movement dies today.
 
It is ashame that the House is now continuing this waste of time and energy. It is about time they get focused at the real issues facing the state.

From my point of view, it is just one more clear example that the majority of the legislature is unqualified to hold responsible positions that will affect all of our futures in the state.

How much longer before the session ends and they will go home?
 
The impeachment resolution will not delay any other legislation or the adjournment date.

If you are worried about unqualified people in positions of power, look in the Bush administration. They've given us Gonzales, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Michael Brown, John Ashcroft, Bremer ... and for that matter, GW Bush himself -- not a single one of them is qualified for the jobs they tried to do.
 
Heck, if you're worried about unqualified people in positions of power, look at the Douglas Administration ... Neil Lunderville is the least qualified person in state government.
 
If he was so unqualified, then why did the Democratically-controlled senate vote to confirm his appointment UNANIMOUSLY?
 
Live from Montpelier - unrully, unemployed, smelly people are holding Gaye Symington hostage. This is hysterical.
 
Lunderville was only confirmed unanaimously because he was in front of Dickless Mazza's (R) Transportation Committee. That defense of Lunderville is weak.
 
Lunderville is not the problem.
 
Is Zuckerman going to run for Governor?
 
What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Shumlin and Symington have completely abandoned the moderate Democrats because they didn't have the f'ing guts to stand up to a very small but very vocal group of fanatics who do not represent the opinion of the majority of Democrats -- not to mention the vast majority of Vermonters. All they had to do was say "no" and tell the brats to go back home and get back to their jobs (if they have one). But no, they pandered to a crowd of nuts who couldn't recite a line of the Constitution if they had to. Shumlin's the worse of the two. He put Symington is a untenable position for what he saw as his own personal benefit. The whole thing was shameful.
 
Shumlin is a "Ho"!
 
That "Ho" may be the next Governor.
 
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