Abraham Lincoln and many others in his time were against slavery. Yet they opposed its abrupt end. To push for the abolition of an institution too entrenched to fail, they feared they would destroy the economy and cause civil conflict. Thus, permitting the existing evil was necessary to avoid what they considered a greater evil, the collapse of the Union.
This claim betrayed millions of our fellow Americans, condemning them to shackles, suffering, and death. And it did not prevent the loss of more than 600,000 lives in the very war that was feared.
At Munich in 1938, Neville Chamberlain and some Western leaders reasoned it was necessary for European stability to appease the Nazis in their territorial demands. This claim of necessity for “peace in our time” betrayed the people of Czechoslovakia and gave Hitler more time to build a military that led to a world war, costing millions of lives.
Today, necessity argues in defense of an economic system that has turned against the people. Workers are paid poverty wages, go without health coverage, and struggle to take care of their families, while opponents of a living wage, universal health care and paid family leave say these policies are too costly - that business will go bankrupt.
As we honor the birth of Abraham Lincoln - our first Republican president - ten-score and nine years ago, and his struggle to keep us united, we wonder what his reaction would be to today's greatest threat to our union: a divisive monetary gap between those who create our...
According to the governor in a recent letter, “putting together a budget is never an easy task,” he says, as he likens the state to families deciding between “groceries and medicine” as the way to “live within their means.” The Vermont Constitution requires that the state budget should “be...
A 90-year-old Florida man risks 60 days in jail and a $500 fine for feeding the homeless. “Drop that plate right now,” the arresting police officer orders Arnold Abbott of Love Thy Neighbor as he hands food to a hungry person. “Wherever this flag is flown,” sings Bruce Springsteen, “we take care of our own.” The purpose of government, whether state or national, is to protect and empower. In Vermont, we protect and empower through our motto, “Freedom and Unity.”
My wife Cherie and I thank all who supported me during the campaign and voted for me on Nov. 4. We appreciate the focus on economic development from Philip Gilpin Jr., and we wish Laura Sibilia success as the new Windham-Bennington representative. I will continue my advocacy for affordable, universal health care, for local education decision-making with reduced property taxes, and a worker- and business-friendly Vermont, combining economic development with a livable wage for all. Thank you again.
Thank you to all who supported me in my reelection, and I look forward to representing everyone in the Windham-Bennington district. As we approach the new biennium in January, we face three major challenges: • Irene long-term recovery. Following our initial handling of the crisis, that gave us good reason to be proud as Vermonters, we need to continue working with FEMA for the funding that we in good faith have planned upon. • Economic development with livable-wage jobs. We...
Thank you to all who supported me in the recent primary. Three major challenges face us as we approach the new biennium in January: • Irene long-term recovery. Following our initial handling of the crisis, a response that gave all of us as Vermonters good reason to be proud, we need to revisit some of the original repairs to prepare for future challenges and work with FEMA for the funding that we in good faith have planned upon. • Economic...
Good news to report from Montpelier as our legislative session progresses. We are supporting towns affected by flooding by reimbursing educational property tax abatements, by postponing payment into the education fund, by picking up the 25 percent FEMA match for flood mitigation and buyouts of destroyed homes, by increasing the state match for town highways, and by paying the entire FEMA match for towns overwhelmed in their ability to pay. Our actions have been spontaneous and unanimous for all towns...