Dear Editor, I agree wholeheartedly that spending on healthcare is out of control. But when will we address the deeper reasons why this is so?  We could certainly discuss the out-of-control salaries that administrators at many levels of this system receive, including the bureaucracy-heavy insurance companies. Or the out-of-control costs of pharmaceuticals and the other…

Dear Editor, There is a lot to object to in Mr. Thayer’s piece, “What’s wrong with being a Republican,” published last week (March 30-April 5) in the Mountain Times. I’ll address two points. The main problem is that in lauding today’s Republicans, he ignores the, shall we say, elephant in the room: Donald Trump. Note…

Dear Editor, A recent commentary by Justin Salisbury on the “Ongoing eugenics against disabled Vermonters” pointed out that Vermont has no law protecting parents against losing their children simply because they are disabled.  Disability does not automatically mean that a parent can’t safely raise a child. The current situation of disabled people in family law…

Dear Editor, Recently, I read a social media exchange between a mother and her teenage daughter. The mother asked the girl, “What’s wrong?” and the girl responded, “I don’t want people to think I’m a Republican.” That made me stop in my tracks, and I thought, “What is wrong with being a Republican?” Most Republicans…

Dear Editor, Americans now need to look to Ukraine for examples of bravery and heroism. The coverage of multimillionaire oligarchs and mega-yachts are highlighted while children and pregnant women are being bombed out of their homes and rooms and old people and their dogs are facing down the incredibly “brave” Russian soldiers. Then we look…

Dear Editor, Nestle is refusing to join the Russia boycott and defends its decision over Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s blunt criticism. Nestle is based in Switzerland, which has always kept a politically neutral stance. The do-or-die, raw courage and ironclad determination shown by the Ukrainians have arrested the attention of the entire world. CNNBusiness quoted Zelenskyy:…

Dear Editor, In former Vermont secretary of education Rebecca Holcome’s commentary published in the Mountain Times, March 23, titled “Unintended consequences: Vermont Senate Bill 219 on course to hand a weapon to the religious right” is pure sophistry. If anything, school choice is the epitome of educational democracy. And, if anything, Vermont’s public-school monopoly is…

Dear Editor, Please excuse the proud parent quoting a letter of our son Gregory Crowther to state Senators in the Seattle area. He writes about a bill designed to expand and make permanent fluoridation in Washington State. His remarks are worth sharing in fluoridated Rutland, because they focus on fluoride and body function, often overlooked…

Dear Editor, In 1997, when I was eligible to join, I proudly became a member of VSECU (at that time Vermont State Employees Credit Union, now known as VSECU) because I wanted to put my hard-earned money in a Vermont-based financial institution whose mission and values I share. As a member/owner of this cooperative, I…

Dear Editor, In 2021 with the passage of Act 34, Vermont took a small step toward reducing the toxic class of chemicals known as PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) which are allowed to be sold, manufactured, and imported into our state. Act 34 bans select PFAS-containing products like stain-resistant rugs/carpets, food packaging and ski wax.…

Dear Editor, Deceptively labeled with such noble sounding phraseology as “The Reproductive Liberty Amendment,” Prop. 5/Article 22 has nothing to do with reproduction. Its central purpose is all about the liberty to continue to harm women and kill babies at any stage of pregnancy, even up to birth. We must never forget that despite every…

Dear Editor, Regarding Vermont’s decision to recommend going “maskless” statewide, as of March 14, I wish the state had followed the CDC guidelines. Those guidelines clearly state that in areas of high levels of Covid-19, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, should wear a mask indoors in public spaces. Unfortunately, my county (Rutland County) is considered…

Dear Editor, There are times when silence says more than words. But it is words and courage that are now required. The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) has been outspoken in our support of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Because what we say and do matters, we support communities and institutions within…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: Gregory Thayer is a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor. He lives in Rutland. Have you seen the price of gasoline at your local gas station pumps? I paid $3.69 per gallon two days ago. This is happening all across the Green Mountain state to working Vermonters already struggling with inflation at…

Dear Editor, There is an extraordinary exhibit at the Vermont Historical Museum, one that I encourage you to visit. It will be there from now until July 30. It tells the disturbing story of St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Burlington and the children who were abused there. When the documented torture and abuse of children was…