Dear Readers, Dear Friends, This week’s column will be a short one. (I know, some of you are breathing a sigh of relief with that news.) Sometimes I try to make you laugh in this space; sometimes I just want to make us all think. Today I would like us to think. I would also like us to feel. Our nation has just finished another very contentious political season and has landed now in what I would consider to be the opposite of a political season. We are in the Thanksgiving Season. In the years that I taught English I would usually remember, in November, to ask one of the younger classes exactly what the word thanksgiving means. It seems that the first hand to go up to answer the question…

Friend, There are few higher honors than being elected by your neighbors; for them to have enough faith and trust in you to represent them and their interests; and be the person they are counting on to work on the issues that are most important to them. And there’s no greater responsibility than working – every day – to understand and solve the problems facing our state. It is the greatest honor of my life to have the trust of Vermonters to carry out this work on their behalf as Governor, and I humbly accept that challenge once again. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Let’s continue to build a more affordable and prosperous Vermont, together. Sincerely,

Queen is the greatest rock band of all time. Everybody knows Freddie Mercury. But Queen had four guys, each with a knack for writing songs that are immediately catchy and magically timeless. Another One Bites the Dust (1980) is a disco song. Bassist John Deacon had just discovered American black music and you can hear it in his funk-inspired bass riff. Legend has it that the band didn’t know they even had a hit on their hands until Michael Jackson urged them to release it as a single. Two generations later, Dust doesn’t seem like a disco song anymore; it is a timeless rock masterpiece. We Will Rock You (1977) is an anti-rock song. Brian May was an immensely talented guitarist. But f…

I Will Continue to Stand up for Working People “Let me think the people of Vermont for the strong victory they gave me last night. Representing our beautiful state in the U.S. Senate has been the honor of my life and, in my third term, I will continue to do all that I can to stand up for the rights of working people. The values of Vermont – economic justice, social justice, racial justice and respect for the environment – will continue to guide my every decision.”

To The Editor, We want to take this opportunity to thank our fellow residents, local business owners, our Mayor, City Councilors, and City government staff for their support for the recently approved Parking Garage. The new hotel cannot be built without the City parking garage, and the parking garage cannot be built and paid for without the new hotel. This is a true public-private partnership. We are grateful for the positive vote and excited about the opportunities this project will create for our hometown. We are invested in our community which is why we are excited to build a new downtown hotel. We want to make this project something about which all Montpelier residents can be proud…

To The Editor, It is an honor to serve as your representative in the legislature. I thank you for having the confidence in me to send me back as your voice in the House of Representatives. I want to thank all the volunteers who worked to make this campaign a success. I want to thank Town Clerk Donna Kelty and her team of poll workers for running a very smooth election I want to thank my wife Mary Ann for her tireless work and especially for her moral support when the going seemed to get rough. Congratulations to Rob LaClair on his successful campaign. I look forward to working with him in the legislature. I also want to recognize J. Guy Isabelle for his efforts on the campaign trail. As I…

To The Editor, Just a short response to Tim Ashe’s “Guest Opinion.” Those who favor abortion sell it in terms of a woman’s right to choose, or her right to make decisions about her own body. Who can be against that? What is missing from this sales pitch is the innocent human life that is terminated by violence usually for selfish reasons. This human life did not get a vote to be created and does not get a vote to be terminated. I think his sounding the alarm bells is a little too early. He is correct in his assumption that states may get more authority over abortions in their states. It is highly unlikely that it will happen in Vermont during our life time Thomas Prindiville Barr…

Tariffs are our Future. And our Past. “The media are a corporate monopoly. They have the same point of view. The two parties are two factions of the business party.”-Noam Chomsky Republicans and Democrats, Fox Business and CNN – they are all in agreement that Free Trade is good for the country. They are all wrong. They know they are wrong. They are all being paid by the same billionaires to defend Free Trade and scare you about Tariffs. The truth is transparently clear: Tariffs are good for the American worker. They have been since Day 1. The Revolution was fought in part so Americans could control their own trade policy. Great Britain was dumping manufactured goods on the col…

To The Editor, As a long time Central Vermont elder who occasionally suffers from the doom and gloom of the current political divisions in our state, nation and world, I like to grab hold of any shards of light that penetrate this darkness. For me, one of these light giving institutions is our Montpelier Senior Activity Center (MSAC) located at 58 Barre Street in Montpelier, the former Saint Michael’s High School building, which together with its staff, volunteers and dedicated members provides a haven from the dark and the cold which soon will surround all of Central Vermont. And there is an even better reason to celebrate MSAC’s existence! On what I used to call Armistice Day, now Ve…

By Joe Benning, State Senator, Caledonia District In the late 1960’s our country was torn apart. Protesters marching for basic civil rights met brutal resistance from police. Rioters looted and burned inner city businesses. Young people speaking out for change rebelled against traditions that comforted their elders. The White House called for law and order while students were gunned down by National Guard troops at Kent State. Good leaders were assassinated and cult followers murdered Hollywood elite. Crowds ran from tear gas canisters here in America while American soldiers piled up in body bags in Vietnam. All this mayhem was a daily feature on a still-relatively-new social medium calle…