Archive

I just searched Senator John Campbell’s official State website and typed in “ethics.” The site yielded “no results” and urged me to check my spelling. Campbell has been an outspoken… Read More

The legislature has a four-speed gear box: inaction, study, nibble around the edges, and overdrive. The under-utilized overdrive gear brings forth bold action and initiates substantive change. The perennial re-appearance… Read More

We can’t keep doing things the way we are in education. The costs are unsustainable and results are questionable, especially as connectivity, content distribution, and career options evolve. It’s not… Read More

Sixty years ago, our family drove to Burlington two or three times a year. This was before the interstate, car culture, and paved roads wove Vermont together into a rural… Read More

Don’t look back… except to learn from past mistakes and make change. Look ahead, and welcome new opportunities. In the ‘80s, when cable and satellite opened unlimited channels to the… Read More

Listen Sometimes it seems like the only question I’ve been asking myself recently, besides “how cold is it this morning?” is whether I’m just getting old or whether the world… Read More

We’re supposed to be a nation of laws. Statutes, regulations, and governance conventions codify the continuum of Americans’ ethical beliefs and guide our decisions as we work together to maintain… Read More

Most politicians would rather take refuge in the comfort of big ideas than risk voter retribution by trying to solve specific problems. It’s both easier and more comfortable to stick… Read More

Human Services Secretary Doug Racine recently acknowledged his own agency’s defeat in reducing childhood poverty in Vermont – a concession that frankly astonishes me. The Agency of Human Services is… Read More

As a society, we’ve committed to certain government roles and responsibilities like national defense, tax collection, business regulation, and administration of justice. Our commitments, however, to a postal system, transportation… Read More

Quick. Pop quiz: what’s free, fun for all ages, and brings neighbors and friends together for a half-day of loud, smoky excitement? Answer? The East Charlotte Tractor Parade! After an… Read More

Vermont has committed to meeting the standards imposed by the new federal healthcare law and also to pioneer a single-payer system by 2017. And while few would debate the need… Read More