Political Disease

I'm always puzzled by the lack of foresight that political parties tend to exhibit. Case in point, the Vermont Progressive Party recently stated: ‘We refuse alternatives to single payer health care’

Now that type of blanket statement is dangerous. How can we possibly consider a statement like that even reasonable. I actually think the Vermont Progressive Party's platform has some interesting, even admirable statements...

Unfortunately, government is increasingly becoming unresponsive and irresponsible. The two brand-name parties frequently act in concert, because they serve the same corporate interests. They agree to take issues “off the table”, preventing discussion of issues important to most Vermonters: health care for all, property tax reform, energy independence.

We put the interests of the farmers, laborers, students, small business owners and seniors ahead of the interests of the large corporations that influence the other major parties.

Now if a proposal was offered that met the shared goals of Vermonters, and also reduced costs were offered, the Progressive Party would refuse to address that proposal simply because it wasn't single payer? That's an incredibly narrow view of the state. It's also the symptom of a much larger disease in American politics. Intolerance can be quite ugly in any form; especially when it is an intolerance of ideas.

The 10th Amendment

It is important for all Vermonters to take a careful look at a nationwide movement that seeks to reaffirm a states right to sovereignty from federal actions. This is not a crazy secession idea; it’s a core tenet of the United States Constitution.

The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States. The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves. The tenth amendment basically states that all powers not granted to the federal government under the constitution are left to the individual states to figure out.

This is not a liberal vs. conservative debate. Vermont is a very progressive state with a strong foundation in conservatism. In thinking about this topic, remember to cast aside politics for a moment. Vermont is on the frontline in the battle for many fundamental civil rights. With everything from medicinal marijuana to gun laws: Do we want the federal government dictating matters of local concern to us?

There is legislation pending in 37 states seeking to reaffirm this important concept. Remember that Vermont is a very small fish in a very big federal pond. Our leaders are best held accountable when government is local; the people of this state know what is best for them. It’s time to hold the federal government accountable to its own laws.