Pot is banned... so let's ban alcohol!

State Representative Chris Pearson of the Vermont Progressive Party is floating a bill to ban alcohol.  He told Erin Mansfield in the Bennington Banner the move is symbolic to protest "stalled efforts" to legalize marijuana.
Penalties would be up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.  Pearson told Mansfield, "Prohibiting the sale and possession of alcohol is a laughable... [use the] same logic we use to consider the continued prohibition of marijuana."

Source:
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/localnews/ci_27926129/vermont-lawmakers-propose-ban-alcohol-make-pot-point

Progressive Party of Vermont comes out with it’s own loyalty-ish pledge…

The Vermont’s Progressive Party comes out with it’s own loyalty-ish pledge. Martha Abbott, the Chairwoman of the Vermont Progressive Party, explains on the party blog what it will take to keep a Progressive candidate out of the 2010 Governor’s race.

Abbott says these the key issues are:

*Enacting a Single Payer Health Insurance System

*Closing (or not extending the license of) Entergy Nuclear (formerly known as VT Yankee)

*Fixing the insolvency of Vermont’s Unemployment Insurance fund without doing it on the backs of the workers who are unemployed.

*Fixing the state employees retirement fund (where retired teachers currently receive an average of slightly more than $10,000 per year and retired state employees currently receive an average of slightly more than $14,000 per year) without gouging current and future retirees.

Abbott wrote, “…it is not about what candidates say, but about what they do… We are looking for someone who will be proactive at trying to rally people behind the needed changes.” So it appears the Progressive Party is willing to let the Democrats have the only major candidate on the left, but only it the Progressives are happy with the choice.

Abbott suggested a number of possible Progressive candidates. Interestingly Anthony Pollina, former Progressive candidate for Governor, was not mentioned in the list. Is that because Abbott felt people knew enough about Pollina, is this a sign that Pollina will not be for Governor again, or could this mean Pollina will look for the Democratic nod?

SOURCE:

http://www.progressiveparty.org/blog/?p=1038

Vermont Progressive Party Chair is safe…

Vermont Progressive Party Chair is safe for another term.

That is the word from Daniel Barlow writing on TimesArgus.com. Barlow writes, “Vermont Progressive Party Chairwoman Martha Abbott is not expected to face any opposition for another term.”

SOURCE:

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20091110/NEWS02/911100349/1003/NEWS02

Pollina inching closer to Gubernatorial run…

Anthony Pollina is apparently inching closer to running for Governor of Vermont. Kristin Carlson writes on WCAX.com, “Pollina says he's considering several options including running for governor in the Democratic primary. It would avoid a split of the liberal vote and he says he's in a good position coming off the last election.”

In the last election Pollina came in second place in the race for Governor besting the Democratic candidate.

Pollina was quoted saying, “Without a doubt it would be difficult to run in the Democratic primary, but as you know over the years one of the things I've tried to do more than anything else is find ways to bring Democrats and Progressives and independents together.”

Carlson ender her story writing, “…officials at the Vermont Democratic party say… if (Pollina) wants to run in their primary it will be up to Democratic voters to decide if they can support someone who has been critical of the Democratic Party.”

SOURCE:

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=11446250