Meet the (possible) Democratic candidate for governor

Peter Galbraith will be making the rounds next week as he continues to think about running for Vermont governor.

Party faithful can hear him speak at the following times and locations:

Franklin County, BFA St. Albans Cafeteria, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.;

Orleans County, Glover Town Hall, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.;

Orange County, Bradford Academy, Feb. 13.

-Dan Barlow

Rutland, pot and crime

One of the first things I wondered to myself early this week was how the fatal shooting in Rutland - which allegedly occurred during a deal for a small amount of marijuana - would affect the conversations in Montpelier over decriminalization of the plant.

And after sitting through the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on pot Thursday, it's clear that it probably won't be much.

Sen. Kevin Mullin, a Republican from Rutland County, voted for the bill that came out of the committee yesterday. Interestingly, the lawmaker that voted against the bill is a Democrat from Windsor County, the same place that prosecutor Robert Sand (who kicked off these debates with his calls for new drug policies) hails from.

Mullin did raise the Rutland criminal case during talks Thursday, but only in his arguments to lower from two ounces to one ounce of marijuana for the proposed new regulation to kick in. The chair of the body, Bennington County Sen. Richard Sears, had suggested two ounces in his original rewrite of the bill, but clearly walked into Thursday's meeting willing to compromise.

But the shooting clearly gave ammo to both sides of the debate this week. Opponents of decriminalization can point to the tragic situation as evidence that the plant is dangerous. Supporters can point out that it marijuana was decriminalized, folks might not have to interact with dealers who also carry guns and crack cocaine to get their dime bags.

-Dan Barlow

Dunne makes it official: He is NOT running

As each day passes, it looks more and more like Peter Galbraith will be the Vermont Democratic Party's pick for governor this year.

Today, Matt Dunne announced that he will not seek out that office this year. Chittenden County Sen. Doug Racine has said he won't run either with Progressive Anthony Pollina in the race. I haven't checked in on Windsor County Sen. John Campbell recently on his plans, but there have been few whisphers about his candidacy in recent weeks.

Anyway, here's the letter that Dunne sent to supporters.

Dear Friends,

Over the last six months, I’ve been honored to receive your thoughts and encouragement as I contemplated the possibility of running for office in 2008.  My run for Lt. Governor was one of the most inspiring experiences of my life. I met thousands of incredible people across the state of Vermont who shared a new vision for our state. Through our service approach to campaigning, together we found a new way of doing politics that spoke directly to the overwhelming cynicism of our time. Despite the loss, I came away from the election with a stronger belief in the potential of politics than when I started the campaign.

However, for reasons that will become clear in the near future, I have decided not to run for office in 2008.

In this year away from the golden dome, I have enjoyed reentering the private sector as a consultant, spending time with my family and helping others who are passionate about the need for change in our state and country.

My most fulfilling work has been helping to build the Service Politics Institute, a non-partisan organization committed to building a bridge between people committed to change through service and those who pursue change through politics. Over the years ahead, I will devote my volunteer time to building this organization in the hopes of bringing this powerful approach to people of all political persuasions and to all parts of the country. 

I firmly believe that giving a voice to the millions who serve in our community nonprofits, particularly younger people who serve much more than they vote, can help change public priorities and create innovative new approaches to solving the challenges facing our society.

I encourage anyone who is interested in this new approach to check out www.servicepolitics.org, make a contribution, and join our efforts.

Despite my decision to not run for office this year, I am excited about possibility of another Vermonter entering the race for Governor.  Like me, Peter Galbraith found his political inspiration as a young person growing up in our state.  His distinguished career allowed him to take the spirit of our communities to the international front, taking on, with extraordinary success, some of the most difficult international challenges of our time. 

Now Peter wants to bring his leadership and experience home to help restore civility and progress in the state that he loves. I am delighted he is considering this race and look forward to helping him in any way I can.

Those of you who have known me for a long time know that I am not leaving politics forever.  I am excited about new adventures on the horizon this year and beyond. But public service, particularly on behalf of Vermonters, is the greatest honor one can ever experience. The path of life is never certain, but I am confident my work for our state has only just begun.

Thank you for your support and inspiration. 

Sincerely,


Matt

-Dan Barlow