Local Analysis

By Dr. Michael Shank Published: September 20, 2020 Protecting our infrastructure – physical, economic and social – from shocks to the system should be everyone’s priority. It’s compromised by increasingly extreme weather, extreme economic hardship and extreme ideologies. Committing to a repair and reinvestment strategy, then, should be on everyone’s […]

RUTLAND HERALD 09/19/20 By Michael Shank As a university professor who has worked for educators in the U.S. Congress and was raised by high school teachers, I’m constantly thinking about the education system and how best to equip the next generation of leaders. I’ve also been interviewing educators throughout Vermont, […]

MOUNTAIN TIMES 09/16/20 By Dr. Michael Shank Storytelling. It’s the one thing that has the potential to cut through the political noise and allow us to see each other in a new way. It’s why we love films, books, and television series so much. We’re drawn to stories. And as […]

By Dr. Michael Shank On the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, where I serve as the Vice-Chair of the Regional Board of Commissioners, the issue of broadband service throughout Rutland County is front and center. It’s an urgent priority for us, especially as COVID-19 has moved even more work, communication and […]

By Dr. Michael Shank The Rutland Herald is publishing a General Election Guide later this month. This questionnaire below is what was distributed to candidates. The answers, written by Michael Shank, will appear in the Rutland Herald’s guide.  Why are you running this year? I love this community and I […]

VTDIGGER 09/10/20 By Michael Shank Editor’s note: This commentary is by Michael Shank, a resident of Brandon who teaches at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs and George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. He is an independent candidate for a Rutland District seat in the […]

MOUNTAIN TIMES 09/02/20 By Michael Shank I’d like to tell a story that I’ve never told in print before. I’ve written hundreds of policy-oriented pieces for local and national newspapers, but I’ve never told this story because it’s very personal. I’m telling it now because I want everyone to know […]

RUTLAND HERALD 09/05/20 By Michael Shank Storytelling: it’s the one thing that has the potential to cut through the political noise and allow us to see each other in a new way. It’s why we love films, books and television series so much. We’re drawn to stories. And as our […]

RUTLAND HERALD 08/25/20 By Michael Shank I’d like to tell a story I’ve never told in print before. I’ve written hundreds of policy-oriented pieces for local and national newspapers — including the Rutland Herald, regarding Vermont-specific policy — but I’ve never told this story because it’s very personal. I’m telling […]

My Lens on Life I think about everything through the lens of sustainability. Meaning, can we sustain these policies for the next 5 decades and the next 5 generations? Since policy decisions require financial, human and natural resources, we need to ask: Do we have enough resources to last? Are […]