PUTNEY — Those of us who have been working for years, and even decades, to clean up our environment and leave a livable planet for the generations after us would do well to support David Zuckerman for governor and Brenda Siegel for lieutenant governor.
David has been an organic farmer for many years, and really understands - in a deep way from his lived experience - the need to reverse course in our destruction of our climate.
We have never had leadership at the national level or the state level that have put creating a sustainable world in the forefront of their policies. If we are able to eliminate Donald Trump and his toxic, destructive policies - as we must - we will have an opportunity to create millions of good-paying jobs in solar installation, insulating homes, replacing windows, creating a transit system, rebuilding crumbling infrastructure with an eye to resilience, and other areas that do not yet exist, with money the Democrats have pledged to spend.
We are in a time of massive transition from the oil-fueled economy - the cause of so many of our climate woes - to a new, sustainable world.
It is essential to elect state officials who understand the potential of carbon-free power-generation systems. Gov. Phil Scott has not considered this issue a priority. But the COVID-19 disaster will not last forever, and we have only postponed and deepened the environmental crisis during these years of Republican rule.
As the current lieutenant governor, David has been left out of the administration intentionally by our current governor, but if both he and Brenda win their respective races, we will have two progressives who are committed to working to help our children and grandchildren survive.
Brenda has a strong commitment to creating a livable Vermont for people who are currently finding it difficult to make it economically at this terrible time. The jobs created by a Green New Deal–type of program will help bring all of those who are hurting into a more secure position. We also have the opportunity to create a more diverse, younger work force if we have the jobs of the future.
Brenda and David both share a desire to govern the entire state of Vermont.
Brenda is a native of southeast Windham County and understands the problems, potential, and needs of Vermonters who do not live in the booming Chittenden County or those other places where second homes bring in lots of income.
David has spent enough time in Windham County to have gotten to know many of the local activists, business leaders, and regular people. We never see Phil Scott in our part of the state, and it is a small state!
It is past time to heed the many warnings from both scientists and our own senses about the extreme and fast-approaching dangers of climate destruction. Our state can be a climate leader, but we need to be governed by those who understand and care about our future.