From the Rutland Herald by Susan Smallheer.
BRATTLEBORO -— Brattleboro has a chance to set an example for the rest of the country Tuesday, when voters go to the town meeting polls to decide whether they favor indicting President Bush for violating his oath of office, organizers of the Brattleboro Initiative said Sunday.
First, YAY Vermont for their town meetings! What a great way to have the blessings of Democracy directly.
Second, go Brattaleboro! Here's a chance for individual citizens to decide if Dick and W are lawbreakers. How will the Congress look if average citizens in a town like Brattleboro decide that the President and Vice-President are breaking their oaths of office?
But there's one snafu. The article calling for Bush's indictment is on the back of the paper ballot, and many people who have already cast absentee votes have reported that the issue wasn't on the ballot after all.
This is important to state again. The article is on the back of your paper ballot. Turn the page over and vote on the indictment.
Daims urged the crowd to spread the word that the ballot must be turned over.
This is a good idea for any paper ballot, anywhere. Turn the page over and see what's there. You never know what you may find.
While organizers concede the vote is essentially symbolic, they said it is an important, common law act which would demonstrate that people are disgusted with the policies of Bush and the War in Iraq.
It would be interesting to see, should the article pass, either Dick or W show up in Brattleboro to see what would happen. Would the Vermont courts or the Supreme Court stand up for common law? Would the people in the rest of the country?
Vermont is one state Bush hasn't visited during his presidency.
This will be even more reason for them to stay away! Another good reason to vote for the article.
He (David Swanson, ed.) said he hoped that Brattleboro might inspire U.S. Congress, which so far has resisted any movement toward impeaching Bush and Cheney.
"Congress has no better friend than the people of Brattleboro, Vt.," he said.
The more citizens who support naming Dick and W as criminals, the more spine the Democrats in Congress might grow.
Laurie Dobson, a Kennebunkport, Maine, woman who is running as an independent against U.S. Senate Susan Collins, R-Maine, told the gathering she had asked town officials in her hometown to adopt an ordinance based on the Brattleboro Initiative.
"I want to give the president the proverbial boot out of town," said Dobson. "They broke international laws and treaties by invading Iraq," she said.
"I want him fired and make him pay for his crimes against humanity," she said.
Even though she's an independent, I think we all can agree with Laurie Dobson!
The election is tomorrow, March 4, from 9AM to 7PM at Brattleboro Union High School. If you live in Brattleboro, you have the chance to change the debate in the United States and in Congress. You can pave the way to the impeachment of Dick and W!
Go Brattleboro!