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Wednesday, July 25, 2007
No Joke
Posted
By Peter Freyne
on Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 12:00 PM
After losing out to Republican Gov. Jim Douglas on two of their bedrock, core issues - global warming and campaign finance reform - Democratic Legislative Leaders Sen. Peter Shumlin of Putney and Gaye Symington of Jericho [at left] chose Burlington City Hall as the back-drop to announce their appointment of a "Blue-Ribbon" Commission to study - ready for this - gay marriage!
A hot burning issue in Vermont, eh?
Not making this up, folks. But jaws have dropped among other Dems and Progs when I told them.
In fact. Speaker Gaye and Sen. Shummy didn't even have the decency to let Burlington Progressive Mayor Bob Kiss - who as a legislator back in 2000 supported civil unions and gay marriage, too - know they were using his Progressive Castle as the setting for their big media event.
But they did show their bipartisan spirit by appointing the former GOP Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee that wrote the civil unions bill as the chair of their "Blue-Ribbon" Commission - Tom Little of Shelburne.
Wow!
Hot burning issue in Vermont, eh?
Or are they just trying to change the subject and appeal to their base after the embarrassing Statehouse loses to Gov. Jimmy D. - who has a 1 o'clock presser at which he should have some interesting remarks about the Democrats' focus and priorities, eh?
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About The Author
Peter Freyne
Bio:
Peter Freyne, 1949-2009, wrote the weekly political column "Inside Track," which originated in the Vanguard Press in the mid 1980s; he brought it to Seven Days in 1995. He retired it shortly before his death in January, 2009. We all miss him.
Peter Freyne, 1949-2009, wrote the weekly political column "Inside Track," which originated in the Vanguard Press in the mid 1980s; he brought it to Seven Days in 1995. He retired it shortly before his death in January, 2009. We all miss him.
