Secessionists Stage State House Sideshow

This past Monday a letter appeared in the Burlington Free Press from Peter Moss who in June of last year became head of the Second Vermont Republic Legislative Team, and who was tasked with "recruiting candidates for the Vermont Legislature who are committed to Vermont independence."   Moss touched on a number of issues in his letter to the Free Press.   Unfortunately, while doing so, he chose to use the language of intolerance by announcing that he'd "formed a temporary coalition of independents to "take back" the state government."   A controversy over similar usage erupted two weeks ago over at Green Mountain Daily when someone attempting to "reinvigorate" the discussion on health care used similar "hot button" terminology that hearkens back to a time Moss certainly must remember, when intolerant Vermonters sought to marginalize and oppress many of their neighbors in the gay and lesbian community.   Given SVR's continuing perception problem over alliances with other champions of intolerance, such as the League of the South, I would think SVR's Legislative Team leader might have been better advised than to use code words for intolerance that have been directed in the past at his fellow Vermonters.   Most reasonable people cringe when they hear those words "Take Back" used in any political discussion, and rightfully so considering its awful usage in the past.  

Moss' letter in the Free Press was also an announcement of a publicity stunt scheduled for the same day in the House chamber of the State House, where he appeared with "Vermont Commons" contributing editor Jim Hogue.   During the event, Moss announced to a nearly empty chamber:

"This coalition has two positions. To uphold the Constitution, and to replace the criminals that masquerade in these hallowed halls."

Hogue, who has previously run for governor in 2004, stopped short of announcing a candidacy for statewide office, although the purpose of that day's event was to do exactly that.   Hogue said,

"Last time, I ran on a platform of 9/11 fact-finding, paper ballots and bringing soldiers back from Iraq. If I ran again, I don't see why those three items wouldn't remain, in addition to impeachment."

Impeachment?   Given that the inauguration for Vermont's statewide offices occur only a week or two prior to the inaugurations at the Federal level, and given that George Bush and Dick Cheney, the present targets of the Vermont impeachment efforts will leave office within weeks of Hogue's potential ascension to a statewide position, just how could he possibly achieve such a result even were he to, say, unseat Peter Welch, not to mention his embroiling our already financially strained state government into such obsessions as 9/11 conspiracism?

Like the SVR North-South Secession Summit dinner held the following night across the street from the State House, the Moss/Hogue stunt was poorly attended.   And while Moss attributed the low turnout due to the snowy conditions that day, I would note for my Southern readers that the amount of snow that day in the capitol area, though of a depth that in the southern region of our country causes massive disruption, here in Vermont people just go about their daily business when such minor amounts fall.

Maybe the SVR/VTCommons legislative team will rely on a convergence of what their fellow bloggers at VTCommons have said about "creation beams" and sunspot activity [1] [2] [3] to fill out their ticket and develop their upcoming election strategy.

We should all hope so, if only for the entertainment value.