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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMatt Bai: In 200 years, Vermont has contributed nothing to American Democracy
Last edited Thu May 28, 2015, 01:14 PM - Edit history (1)
It looks like bashing Vermont is the new way to bash Sanders. I understand journalists take sides, and Bernie Sanders deserves criticism on issues and on whether he could accomplish his agenda, etc, but this is just absurd.
And yes, Bai actually makes this claim in a piece entitled Hillary Clinton's not like the rest of us: Good!
After more than 200 years of contributing pretty much nothing to American democracy other than some inspired ice cream and a buffer against Canadian aggression, Vermont has apparently decided that once a decade it should send out some scrappy, leftist presidential candidate who will take it to the elitist Democratic establishment. This time its Bernie Sanderss turn.
<snip>
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/democratic-presidential-candidate-hillary-clinton-120050918741.html
Really, Vermont has contributed nothing but ice cream to American Democracy?
Vermont was the first state to ban slavery
Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys ring a bell?
In the Civil war Vermont sent 35,000 to fight- out of a population of 350,000. Most were volunteers, not conscripted.
It was a Vermont Senator, Ralph Flanders who was the first to step up against McCarthy. He introduced the resolution of censure.
Vermont has led on ensuring the rights of the LGBT community. Not just with civil unions in 1999 but laws protecting LGBT folks from discrimination in housing, adoption, workplace and more. These laws have been in place for 25 years + in a country where many states still haven't ensured the rights of the LGBT community.
Vermont has also been a leader on land use, conservation and the environment.
Wilms
(26,795 posts)Arkansas is fair game now. Right.
cali
(114,904 posts)after a long fight to keep them out, based largely on environmental and land use laws.
StandingInLeftField
(972 posts)I had to Google who Matt Bai was....never on my radar and never will be.
cali
(114,904 posts)and he's actually done some interesting in depth pieces.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)It's what Vermont HAS'NT done.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)odds are you will have more assholes in the public eye
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)Fantastic.
villager
(26,001 posts)BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)I got nothing, sorry.
Signed, Guy from Georgia who resides in Florida.
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)magical thyme
(14,881 posts)hope you don't mind, but I borrowed a few of your words, added a couple of my own, and posted a reply to misssmartpants attempted smear.
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)If I had a choice, I'd live there, but my wife would never appreciate the winters.
peecoolyour
(336 posts)Matt Bai probably knows a thing or two about contributing nothing of value.
Flying Squirrel
(3,041 posts)its electoral votes to Democrats. That's a pretty good contribution.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Who is this guy?
cali
(114,904 posts)for years
Vinca
(50,303 posts)Declare victory and get out.
sendero
(28,552 posts)... has contributed nothing to the overall intelligence of the country.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)...when trying to disinform.
But, yeah, "Matt Bai" adds zero to the national IQ.
Sancho
(9,070 posts)Now that Vermont has stepped forward, every outlier event or strange person will get air time long before a reasonable political discussion.
To hell with the Chamber of Commerce commercial. Vermont stepped in it, so you may as well sit back and enjoy the attention.
At least more people will buy ice cream.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)and will undoubtedly continue to get that until Walker is out of the gop primary field
DUers do much of their painting with broad brushes
cali
(114,904 posts)Usually as a leader on progressive issues. And no, Vermont hasn't stepped in anything. And no offence unlike Florida, it hasn't Whitehall over itself. Also unlike Florida, Vermont will survive climate change.