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…

By Anne Sosin Editor's note: This commentary is by Anne N. Sosin, a public health researcher and Policy Fellow at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College and the co-lead on research on Covid-19 and rural health equity in northern New England. This opinion piece was written with the encouragement of Deborah Lisi-Baker and is dedicated to…

By Steve Pappas Editor's note: Steven Pappas is the executive editor of The Times Argus and Rutland Herald. This opinion piece was printed with permissions.  Around Vermont, as municipal boards reorganize, set goals and undertake housekeeping for the term ahead, one of the things every town and city has to do is decide its “Newspaper…

Editor's note: The following commentary was submitted by Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (PCAVT), the Vermont Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America and the National Circle of Parents, whose mission is to promote and support healthy relationships within families, schools and communities to eliminate child abuse. Visit pcavt.org The child advocates from Prevent Child Abuse Vermont…

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:…

By Angelo Lynn With the world’s problems at everyone’s doorstep each morning, or at their fingertips any time of the day, it’s little wonder that news about the cost of healthcare has dropped out of sight. Pre-pandemic it was one of the nation’s top concerns, but since then it’s now somewhere below several world-grabbing stories,…

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…

By Rebecca Holcombe Vermont has a proud history of providing high quality, equitable public education for children in our communities. It’s why our equity gaps are narrower than in many states. It’s why many communities fight hard to keep their public schools. Recently, conservative national litigation groups have targeted Vermont. One of these groups is…

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.…