Sotomayor Nomination President
Obama chose Judge Sonia Sotomayor to succeed Justice David Souter on
the Supreme Court. Senator Patrick Leahy praised the choice. Senator
Bernie Sanders said, “I very much appreciate that President Obama is
attempting to address the gender and ethnic imbalance that currently
exists in the highest court in our land," WPTZ reported. Sanders wants to know more about Sotomayor's views on privacy
rights and the rights of workers and consumers, according to Vermont Public Radio, WCAX, The Burlington Free Press , the Vermont Press Bureau and The Associated Press and Politico. LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, VIDEO and VIDEO
War Funding Sanders was one of only three votes against war funds for Iraq and Afghanistan. Leahy voted in favor, Seven Days reported. The Senate denied Obama’s $80 million request to close the GuantanamoBay detention center.” Leahy said our criminal justice system can handle
the detainees. Sanders wasn’t so sure. “Are there some who should be
released, are there others who should be returned to their home
countries, are we confident that under Bush the correct determinations
were made with respect to these prisoners’ status as ‘enemy
combatants’?” he asked. “Good points,” Shay Totten wrote. LINK
Sanders’ Solar Schools Initiative The
Vermont Department of Education wants to start training the next
generation of solar power consumers and technicians. The department
this week announced its Solar in Schools Initiative, which will pay for
low-power solar photovoltaic systems for up to 10 schools around the
state. Sen. Bernard Sanders secured the funding through the Department
of Energy and the grants should pay for most of the equipment and labor
to get the solar cells up and running on school rooftops, the Brattleboro Reformer reported. LINK
Vermont Budget Democratic
lawmakers convene hearings this week to gauge citizens' reactions to
Gov. Douglas' latest budget proposal. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
weighed in on the budget debate, saying he hopes that a common ground
can be reached and layoffs avoided. "My hope is that we do not have to
lay off workers at the state level - we are bringing money with the
stimulus money at the state level to create jobs, so I don't want to
see jobs being losst - and many of the state employees are providing
very important services to the people of the state," Sanders told WCAX. LINK and VIDEO
Digital TV The digital television conversion has caused a veritable blackout in parts of northeastern Vermont.
Jim Condon of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters said he'd
received "very few" notifications from people shut out by the digital
conversion. "Low cost, level-entry cable or satellite access is an
option," he added. Legislation by Sen. Bernie Sanders to formalize a
similar "life-line" service to Americans "has not moved forward" in the
Senate, The Burlington Free Press reported. LINK
International
Pelosi in ChinaChinese
protesters gave a raucous welcome for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on
Wednesday, painting red slogans and crying out for the lawmaker to live
up to her reputation as a foe of human rights abuses. Police quickly
dragged away the small group demonstrating in front of a central
government office, The Associated Press reported. LINK
National
G.M. Nears Bankruptcy The
latest plan for the troubled automaker, which is expected to file for
bankruptcy by Monday, calls for the Treasury Department to receive
about 70 percent of a restructured G.M. Including the more than $20
billion that has already been spent to prop up G.M., the government
will provide G.M. at least $50 billion to get the company through
Chapter 11, The New York Times reported. By some estimates in Detroit, tens of billions beyond that amount may be required. LINK
Burris and Blago Sen.
Roland Burris promised to "personally do something" for Rod
Blagojevich's campaign fund while pressing for the then-Illinois
governor to appoint him to President Barack Obama's former Senate seat,
according to a wiretap transcript released Tuesday. The transcript was
released after a federal judge pproved making it available to the U.S.
Senate ethics committee for its preliminary investigation of Burris's
appointment, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. LINK
Vermont
Vermont Rulings Judge Sotomayor ruled against passengers on a Lake Champlain ferry who objected to a post-Sept. 11 policy that allowed random
searches of luggage. “The government ... need not show that every
airport or every ferry terminal is threatened by terrorism in order to
implement a nationwide security policy that includes suspicionless
searches,” she wrote. In a criminal case, she upheld the conviction of
Andrew Capoccia for his role in the Bennington-based Law Centers for
Consumer Protection scandal, The Burlington Free Press reported. LINK
Smoking Prevention Cash-strapped
state governments are slashing funding for tobacco prevention and
cessation programs in a move anti-tobacco groups say could backfire,
costing taxpayers later for treatment of tobacco-related illnesses
among people who might've quit. In Vermont, a recently adopted state budget reduced funding for anti-tobacco efforts by $1.9 million from the previous year, The Associated Press reported. LINK
