Author: Michael Shank

It’s Long Past Time Vermont Sent a Woman to Congress

VTDIGGER 07/01/21 By Michael Shank This commentary is by Michael Shank of Brandon, an adjunct faculty member at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. To all the older white men potentially queuing for the 2022 election for U.S. Senate to represent Vermont, please step aside. Speaking as a white […]

Biden’s not coming after beef. But should he?

YAHOO NEWS! 06/22/21 By Mike Bebernes What’s happening Not too long ago, a number of Republican lawmakers and conservative media figures railed against President Biden over the claim that he was going to greatly restrict the amount of beef Americans are allowed to eat. There is no truth to the […]

With Time Running Out, Radical Action Needed on Climate

VTDIGGER 06/13/21 By Michael Shank This commentary is by Michael Shank of Brandon, communications director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and an adjunct faculty member at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. There’s been a lot of postponing on the climate front of late. Some postponing has been […]

Climate Repairs Now Urgent

RUTLAND HERALD 06/12/21 TIMES ARGUS 06/12/21 By Michael Shank There’s been a lot of postponing on the climate front of late. Some postponing has been understandable: The annual United Nations-facilitated climate talks, for example — known as the Conference of Parties, or COPs — were postponed because of COVID travel […]

2050 Is Too Late – We Need Carbon Neutrality by 2030

REUTERS 06/09/21 By Michael Shank After years of delays in acting, it’s now time for a radical ramp-up in emissions reductions goals There’s been a lot of postponing on the climate front of late. Some postponing has been understandable: The annual United Nations-facilitated climate talks, for example – known as […]

Neighborly Talk Useless

RUTLAND HERALD 04/21/21 TIMES ARGUS 04/21/21 By Michael Shank I want to critique an oft-repeated proposition in Brandon — and throughout Vermont — that you can deal with a grievance by simply “talking with your neighbor.” To be clear, I support sitting down with anyone and, in diplomacy work, believe […]

No Noise Ordinance to be Pursued in Brandon

RUTLAND HERALD 04/13/21 By Keith Whitcomb Jr.  BRANDON — There won’t be a noise ordinance in town, at least not anytime soon, after a 4-1 rejection voted by the Select Board on Monday. For the past several months, the town has debated whether to draft a noise ordinance. Two public […]

Equity-Based Planning

RUTLAND HERALD 04/13/21 TIMES ARGUS 04/13/21 By Michael Shank and US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke President Joe Biden’s long-awaited American Jobs Plan has finally arrived, weighing in at $2.3 trillion in spending over 8 years. In today’s dollars, this is almost five times the new funding provided in President Obama’s 2009 […]

Our Infrastructure Is Racist. Biden’s Plan Seeks Justice | Opinion

NEWSWEEK 4/12/21 By Michael Shank and US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke President Joe Biden’s long-awaited American Jobs Plan has finally arrived, clocking in at $2.3 trillion in spending over eight years. In today’s dollars, this is almost 5 times the new funding provided in President Obama’s 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment […]

Political Disenfranchisement is Fueling Environmental Injustice

THE HILL 04/09/21 By Michael Shank Everyone in America deserves the right to clean air, clean water and clean environments in which to live. Achieving these basic human rights for all of us would be a major milestone in building an environmentally just and equitable society — and unfortunately, we’re […]