Brattleboro digs in
This just keeps getting better, folks. This link to the Tehran Times is being proudly promoted on what is apparently some commercial/tourist site for the town. Unsuprisingly, the TT story is much better written and with a great deal more detail than the local NBC affiliate blurb I linked. It’s clear that BDS is pandemic in quaint little Brattleboro, and Kurt Daims (the organizer of the petition drive) is a virulent carrier. Yes, the bogus Lancet study and Hitler comparisons feature prominently in his ravings.
Bill Whittle asked for the town’s number, it’s (802) 254-4541. Here are the phone numbers and e-mail of the Selectmen who voted 3/2 to dignify this farce by placing it on a ballot. Don’t make me go all Bluto on you.
Update! Thanks again, Glenn!
Updated Update! Otter weighs in with appropriate sentiments.
- Entries
And if they try to run the line that "this is a local issue, none of your business," kindly remind them that you are having this discussion precisely because a local government has tried to play international politics.
Be absolutely certain that these are the addresses, emails and telephones that are PUBLICLY LISTED for the CITY and NOT -- NOT! -- private contact info for the individuals.
People have the right to their own political opinions. It is only when they hijack their own civic responsibilities to make a political statement ON THE CITY DIME that they deserve some... feedback.
Comedy Gold!
Well, they obviously wanted attention. Now they're getting it.
Why shouldn't the Brattleboro initiative constitute an illegal conspiracy to kidnap the president?
For all their talk about the Constitution, doesn't the Brattleboro iniitative call for the passage of an illegal Bill of Attainder?
And then, along with the TT link, there's a link to an essay described as "60 reasons to not admire our president." The essay is actually titled "59 reasons why Bush sucks: why you'd have to be an idiot to vote for this guy" and is dated October 2004. Also a link to the "imperium watch" with the comment "Remember it is not just Bush / Cheney but the entire legacy they have created!"
So which is it? Are we nonjudgmentally allowing the people to vote on a resolution? Or are we just engaging in some Bush-hating fun? Are these various and varied thoughts those of the board or just of the writer? I think I'll send a copy of this to them and ask.
Thanks for the tip!
Bill of Attainder
Definition: A legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without a trial.
The Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 9, paragraph 3 provides that: "No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law will be passed."
"The Bill of Attainder Clause was intended not as a narrow, technical (and therefore soon to be outmoded) prohibition, but rather as an implementation of the separation of powers, a general safeguard against legislative exercise of the judicial function or more simply - trial by legislature." U.S. v. Brown, 381 U.S. 437, 440 (1965).
These clauses of the Constitution are not of the broad, general nature of the Due Process Clause, but refer to rather precise legal terms which had a meaning under English law at the time the Constitution was adopted. A bill of attainder was a legislative act that singled out one or more persons and imposed punishment on them, without benefit of trial. Such actions were regarded as odious by the framers of the Constitution because it was the traditional role of a court, judging an individual case, to impose punishment." William H. Rehnquist, The Supreme Court, page 166.
Yup, the town council voted to put on the ballot a bill of attainder, which would be a violation of Bush's and Cheney's civil rights. I cannot believe that the town's attorney told them that it was ok to do so. While the process of correctly obtaining a petition was vaild, the petition itself is for an illegal, unconstitutional act. Thus the selectman have a legal duty to dismiss the petition as invalid.
tao9 is right in feeling sorry for the town attorney. Me too. And also feeling sorry for the Police Chief, cause he knows that its illegal if it passes. And I am sure he is cursing them for uping his work load trying to deal with all the over the top calls the town is getting. I can just imagine the both of them going to church on Sunday and praying that it does not pass.
Could you identify the names of the selectmen who voted to put it on? It is not fair to the two who said no to get any of the arrows of ridicule the other three deserve. After all, they are the good guys.
The answer is in the Tehran Times article:
The real losers in this farrago are the ordinary citizens of the Vermont Republic, who must be sick to death of the loonies who have taken over; further discussed here.
Reasons given by Board members voting on the dissent centered on the belief that articles outside the scope and authority of the Town should not go before the voters of the Town. The Brattleboro Town Attorney has stated that the petition has no legal standing, as the Town Attorney has no authority to write an indictment and the Town Police Department has no authority to attempt an arrest of the President of the United States.
Still, it is an attempt to violate the constitution with the wording it contains.
The citizens of the Peoples Republic of Vermont are the real losers. They are the ones who voted these dingbats into office.
You get what you vote for. I don't feel sorry for them as a whole. Only the ones that are disgusted by their comrades' behavior.
http://www.brattleborochamber.org/
What is clear is this is a hot button issue, one that causes some people to get hot and bothered and others to rejoice. I find it amusing that despite the range of responses there is only two kinds of messages sent in; supportive and denigrating. Lets say that you disagree with the actions taken by some group, do you think that sending death threats or calling names, or even promising to never shop in that state will have any effect?
Of all the negative comments I have had the pleasure of reading not one of them actually has a good argument for not allowing Brattleboro citizens to vote. All of the negative comments seem to include slurs, curses, slang and are generaly not pleasant to read. As if this action would change anything, as if Brattleboro and all of Vermont had actually made a decision by a vote.
Of all of the people that wrote in to support this action, not one used any foul language, slurs, or threats, just praise. The for thought that the supporters put into their messages far out balances the horrible thoughtless comments that keep pouring in from the rabid right.
You and this blog do NO good to fan the flames of this issue. Three people do not speak for the rest of Vermont. 500 people do not speak for the rest of Vermonters, you might try exercising some restraint on your attack until after the vote.
-Daniel - WebMaster
some commercial/tourist site for the town.
Of course the right used unpleasant language to address a pissant little town's attempt to issue an illegal Bill of Attainder against the duly elected President of The United States of America. They're mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore.
Of course the Commies writing in to support this hideously un-Constitutional miscarriage of Justice didn't use that language, you don't swear at people you support, even if you're a fucking brain dead drooling leftist zombie.
You're just damned lucky not to have been occupied by Federal troops, placed under martial law, and your elected representatives put on trial for treason.
Now piss off, the adults are discussing the matter. Your contribution is most definitely not needed.