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…

Dear Editor, Yes, I was a teacher in a former life, but no, I am not talking “Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmatic.” I speak for Rights, Responsibility and Respect. Jim Haff and his (so called) Justice League have been paying for spots in the Mountain Times to put in their “political commentary” cartoons for the last…

Dear Editor, It’s a sad state of affairs when free speech is curtailed and censorship rules the day. I am referring to last week’s policy change at the Mountain Times wherein local political cartoons will no longer be published. I read the article entitled “Local cartoons offend readers who criticize lack of evidence, authorship; policies…

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 Polly Lynn Mikula In last week’s edition, Sept. 21-27, an advertised political cartoon was published that offended many readers. While the cartoon (in addition to all letters and op-eds we publish) does NOT necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper or any of its staff members, many readers and businesses were confused about this…

Dear Editor, Recently, I heard a debate between the two major candidates for Vermont Attorney General, Democratic Chittenden County State’s Attorney T. J. Donovan and Republican private lawyer Deborah Bucknam. Their answers to one question showed that the Republican candidate was out of touch with political morality and reality. The question was whether the candidates agreed…

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…

Dear Editor, This summer we celebrated The Fresh Air Fund’s 140th summer of serving children from New York City’s low-income communities. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to our extraordinary Fresh Air volunteers, hosts and supporters in Central Vermont for their dedication and commitment. Fresh Air host families open their…

Dear Editor, Sue Minter recently said that she will “support Vermont families and businesses” as governor. However, her record suggests otherwise. In 2009, Minter voted for the disastrous budget bill. In the middle of the Great Recession, the bill raised income taxes on Vermonters by $26 million, used one-time funds to plug recurring budget holes…

Dear Editor, When election day arrives in November, I will be casting my vote for Vermont State Senate for Korrine Rodrigue. I’ve had the pleasure to get to know Rodrigue well over the last several years through her leadership in Project VISION, and I can think of no one more competent to serve Rutland County…