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In Speech, Governor Dean Urges Vermont Lawmakers To Pass Marriage Bill

Governor Howard Dean, noted for being the architect of the Fifty-State Strategy which propelled the Democrats to majorities in the House and Senate as well as President Obama to the White House, has urged lawmakers in Montpelier to vote their conscience and not their districts and pass the marriage equality bill now before the Vermont House. The bill, which passed the Senate 26-4, has not been the source of huge controversy in this state, but rather current Governor’s decision to announce his intention to veto the bill based upon his rather absent, and largely non-existent, “majority”.

Dean was in Burlington to receive the tenth annual David W. Curtis award. The award was being given to Governor Dean in recognition for his revitalization of the Democratic Party during his tenure as Chair of the Democratic National Committee. While not completely fulfilled, the Fifty-State Strategy was able to revitalize the Democratic Party in nearly every state, and caused the Republican Party apparatus to spend resources in covering their own behind. The award is named for David W. Curtis, former chair of the Vermont Democratic Party who died in office on 7 August 1999. Curtis was openly gay and a major civil rights activist in the state before his death.

The Burlington Free Press quotes Governor Dean as saying “Vote your conscience, not your district. Stand up for doing the right thing; for being a human being. Put human rights above politics — because if you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your political career.” Indeed, Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin has stated during televised debate over the passage of S.115, the Freedom to Marry bill, that he regrets not pushing for full marriage rights in 2000. A total of twenty-four state legislators lost their seats in 2000. That election cycle also saw Governor Dean’s reelection margin drop to its lowest in his career. He won reelection with just over fifty percent of the vote. However, that may have been due to factors other than just the passage of civil unions.

Howard Dean became governor of Vermont in 1991 upon the death of his predecessor Richard Snelling. In 2000, Governor Dean faced the most controversial of all of his decisions after the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that the state had to extend the same benefits that marriage conveyed to same-sex couples. After a long and contentious battle, the first law enacting civil unions was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Dean. In 2002, Governor Dean stepped down after serving the second longest term in office. Vermont Governor Thomas Chittenden holds the distinction of being not only the first governor of the state of Vermont, but the first governor of the Republic of Vermont. All together, Governor Chittenden served a total of twenty years. Governor Dean served a total of eleven.

Governor Dean’s comments came after a contentious week of back and forth between the supporters of marriage equality and the opponents, which include Governor Jim Douglas. According to one source close to the legislature, they are certain of having at least seventy-five votes in the House. One lobbyist for the opposition believes that the bill has much more than that, and may be less than ten votes from being veto-proof.

Governor Dean also spoke about his true passion which is health care reform. During his tenure, Governor Dean helped to create the current Catamount healthcare program which brings state funded health insurance to those in need. While the system is not perfect, a large portion of the uninsured are covered through the Catamount, VHAP and Dr. Dynasaur programs. Governor Dean spoke about the need for the passage of public-option statues. Governor Dean made it clear that these were needed in addition to health insurance reform.

Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri was there as well. In 2006, she became Missouri’s first woman elected Senator. She currently holds the seat once held by Harry Truman. In the 2008 election cycle, McCaskill endorsed then Senator Barack Obama. In her speech before the Vermont Democratic Party reception, she called for greater political courage in the upcoming year, and lambasted the Republicans for criticizing President Obama’s economic policies. “They drove the car in the ditch and now they want us to take driving lessons from them. The nerve,” she stated.

The Vermont Democratic Party is one of the strongest in the country. Currently, the Democrats hold a super majority in the Vermont Senate, and nearly have that in the Vermont House.

For Further Reading

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090329/NEWS03/90329004

Photo Thanks To Paula Dean