While Congress passes legislation raising the vain hope of bringing down oil prices by suing OPEC, OPEC dwindles in numbers. Indonesia has been the only Asian member of OPEC, and the country has increased its own use of oil at the same time that its oil production has dwindled. Since 2005, Indonesia has been an oil importing country, and its projected 2008 production is well under its quota allocated by OPEC of 1.3 million barrels per day. Recognizing that it makes no sense to belong to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries as an importer, Indonesia has officially quit OPEC. It's possible that they're just trying to evade the long arm of US law, which our representatives in Washington seem to think can force Indonesia to squeeze more oil from its rocks and then sell it to us. But I doubt it.

Meanwhile, back in Montpelier, many in the city are serious about the only real leverage we have over how much we pay for energy: Not trying to force rocks or their owners to yield more oil, but reducing our demand for energy.

Last night, the Montpelier Energy Team hosted an energy town meeting at the high school, and over a hundred people showed up to learn what's being done and how they can help. And there are lots of ways to plug in, because so much is happening.

Anthony Pollina of Middlesex is the Progressive candidate for governor of Vermont.

Vermont Commons: Let’s start with a very broad question. As
you’re considering becoming governor of Vermont, what is your vision
for our future? What direction would you like to see our state take?

 The Peak Oil conundrum is perhaps the single best 21st century
trend for making the case for relocalization, and ultimately, secession.

 Rather than elaborate here, I suggest you read more from Richard Heinberg, who was in Vermont late last week to share his 8 books of wisdom with listeners.

Valley towns pass carbon initiative

By Peter Hirschfeld
Vermont Press Bureau

Read the full story at the Times Argus.

I am unsure of the exact date but the fall of 1957 will do. Forces
in Montpelier were (and had been for some time) making war on the small
schools of Vermont. I was a sophomore at Newbury High School which, on
a good year, graduated about a dozen students. I was to graduate in
1959, a very good year indeed. My class had seven students.

Thanks to AP Vermont Bureau chief John Curran for this Valentine's
Day story on our 2008 "Free Vermont" town meeting resolution efforts.

We're taking the long view.

And we are patient.

The non-violent dissolution of the U.S. Empire
is an idea whose time has come.

We're already organizing for our March 2009 town meetings.

Read the Times-Argus story here.

The Vermont Independence effort has launched FreeVermont.Net,
aself-organizing network of Vermont citizens interested in
usingVermont's annual town meeting day as a vehicle for advocating
forVermont's peaceable secession from the United States.To find out
more, download FreeVermont.Net's town meeting guide andpetition, order
FreeVermont.Net bumper stickers, or get involved, visit www.FreeVermont.Net.

State of Emergency:
The Forced Federal Conscription of the National Guard

By John Dowlin

Historically, during a homeland emergency, the first responders have been the National Guard. Recall the Blizzard of 1888, the Johnstown Flood, Hurricanes Andrew & Floyd…. Following 9/11, two fighter jets scrambled within minutes from an Air National Guard base in Falmouth, Mass., while units from the D.C. National Guard were first to respond in Washington. But who'll be there for us in the next emergency? Following Hurricane Katrina, where was the help? With 30,000 National Guard troops now deployed abroad — 35 to 40% of our troops in Iraq are Guard members — who'll be the quick responders for the next local disaster, be it a tornado, a forest fire, a hurricane or terrorist threat?

As a loyal and patriotic Vermonter, it is always good to hear from one of my sitting Senators working for IOTA (Imperial Oil Tanker America).

Just checking e-mail yesterday in between work and chores, and this letter from Mr. Leahy popped up.

So yes, let's "level with the American people."

Maul Man is not a deep thinker.

But if he were, he might suggest that the war in Iraq has been a bipartisan effort to engage in a global sequential war to control 60% of the world's remaining recoverable fossil fuel energy reserves, as well as to generate stupendous wealth for the MI(2)ME (That'd be Military/Industrial/Intelligence Media/Energy) Complex.

Vermont Vox Populi: An Interview with Marion Leonard

Editor's Note: I have been corresponding with Rochester, Vermont's Marion Leonard for several years. The 98-year-old citizen activist and educator, who founded an environmental nonprofit called “Save Our World,” is the oldest supporter of Vermont independence anywhere (to our knowledge). When we learned that she was celebrating her 98th birthday this past May, we felt she'd be the perfect candidate for this issue's “Vermont Vox Populi” column. Happy birthday, Marion, and thanks for sharing your experience and wisdom with us.