This is what my guv wants passed: Unions for child care workers, physician assisted suicide

[cali]

marijuana decriminalization, legal identification for migrant workers (drivers licenses).

It's good to have a real Progressive as Guv.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20121127/NEWS03/311270017/Shumlin-predicts-last-year-s-sticking-points-will-pass-legislature-leaders-unsure?odyssey=nav|head

[BlueStreak]

1. Awesome. Liberals need to come out in public

We have been in hiding for 30 years. Time to drive the conversation our direction.

[cali]

2. Gotta say that in Vermont liberals never went into hiding

the state just keeps getting more progressive. There have been some pauses, but the trend has been clear for several decades.

[BlueStreak]

3. What is the status of your new health plan?

Last I heard, you were very close to passing universal care for all citizens. How is that coming?

It will be great to have a clear example of that working (in addition to the "Republican version of universal care" in Mass.)

[cali]

4. It passed and it's moving ahead

One of the things that passed is a law which governs how much hospitals are allowed to raise prices. There's a board set up that is actively moving things along.

Info here:

http://hcr.vermont.gov/timeline/gmc

[BlueStreak]

5. Oh, a "death panel", eh? :)

It is great to hear that your system is moving forward.

The way these things work is that progress is slow and painful for years or decades. Then we reach a tipping point and things move quickly.

Gay marriage is like that. We are at the tipping point now. Straight people are asking themselves, "Now why did I waste all that time worrying about other people's choices? Why should I really care if a couple is the same sex?" And BOOM, it all starts to move in a way that cannot be stopped.

As with racial equality, there will still be pockets of resistance for decades to come.

We will get to that same tipping point on health care when the people of Alabama and Mississippi ask themselves "How come we can't get any help for Grandma? In Vermont, you get health care no matter who you are."

And if Vermont can show UNIVERSAL coverage actually SAVES money (and if done correctly, it will save a TON of money while improving care), the big states like California and New York will get on board before too long.

So keep it up. We're counting on Vermont.

And let that be a lesson to Beltway Democrats. It is BIPARTISAN effort in Vermont. If Republicans take the lead on progressive issues, then I'll go with them.