By Lee Kahrs I stood in front of the Pittsford town offices on Veterans Day with almost 100 other people at the dedication of the new veterans’ memorial. A fierce cold wind whipped dead leaves in all directions, the temperature dropping by the minute. Flags were lowered and then raised above the new slab of…

By Lee H. Hamilton One of the more intriguing aspects of this unusual election year is the extent to which the underpinning of the election itself — voting — has become an issue in its own right. An act that we used to take for granted is increasingly being called into question. Just look at…

By Tad Montgomery So, we have a petulant progressive farmer who is purportedly trying to plant himself firmly into the position of lieutenant governor in Vermont. One might say this is going a bit against the grain of politics as usual in our fair state, but anyone who has ever felt their oats in the…

By Lee H. Hamilton This campaign year has been full of twists and turns. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone on Nov. 8. So talking about what comes afterward seems premature. But it’s been on my mind a lot, because I’m worried. This specific worry is not about who wins the…

By Angelo S. Lynn The political bomb that dropped over the weekend did not, as many expected, explode at Sunday night’s second debate between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Rather, it hit Friday night with the release of a video in which Trump speaks lewdly and openly about his boorish…

By Angelo S. Lynn Of the many alarming things about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, his sense of entitlement and infallibility and his embrace of totalitarian authority should worry all Americans, and particularly those who are quick to say they cherish their freedom from big government. There is, after all, no more oppressive form of…

By Angelo S. Lynn In Rutland, the struggles that town and city have gone through in its reckoning to become a refugee resettlement site provide important lessons other Vermont communities seeking similar refugee status should consider. For starters, Vermont residents should know the national refugee resettlement program is operated under an arm of the U.S.…

By Emerson Lynn If we had to come up with the lyrics to summarize Republican Scott Milne’s campaign against incumbent Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, they would be contained in the late 1960s song by Peggy Lee, “Is That All There Is.” The song is a soulful lament drawn from a long-ago writer who, staring at…

By Lee H. Hamilton I’ve been a Democrat all my life. But that doesn’t mean I favor a weak Republican Party. Indeed, just the opposite. Before my Democratic friends drum me out of the party, let me explain why. Our nation is stronger and our representative democracy healthier when we have two strong parties. A…

By Doug Hoffer Voters receive a lot of information during campaigns and it’s important to check the facts. For example, Lt. Governor Scott recently said “We’ve lost nearly 2,500 workers per year since 2010” (Aug. 31, Burlington Free Press). This is true, but misleading. Workers are part of the labor force, which consists of those…

By Roger Allbee The Vermont dairy industry is again reeling from low commodity prices, caused by overproduction, a glut of imports, challenges in our export markets, and poor economic growth. The stark reality is that the current pricing mechanism for non-organic milk, in place since the 1930s, and other constraints results in an unfavorable longer…

By Lee H. Hamilton I’ve been involved in politics for the better part of a lifetime and have spoken at a lot of public meetings over the years. There’s one question, I think, that I’ve heard more than any other: “If I want to be an informed citizen, which sources of information should I consult?”…

By Lee H. Hamilton Politicians spend a good bit of their time complaining about the media. But why should they have all the fun? I’m going to join in, though I tend to get upset about different things than most sitting politicians do. You see, I don’t actually mind when journalists—whether in print, on television…

By Angelo S. Lynn In a rare development, members of a major political party are rising up against its presidential nominee in growing numbers. Among these is a well-known grass-roots group of Republicans, called R4C16.org, which has posted its endorsement for Democrat Hillary Clinton. It is signed by “a raft of Republicans who have served in GOP…

By Jon Margolis, VTDigger.org OK, Vermont. You’re still special. At least for now, at least when it comes to politics. “Attack ads don’t work here” is the oft-repeated Vermont boast. In other states, Vermonters like to say, candidates can get elected by tearing down their opponents. Not here, where folks demand civility of their politicians.…