VTDIGGER 12/06/22 RUTLAND HERALD 12/08/22 TIMES ARGUS 12/08/22 CALEDONIAN RECORD 12/15/22 BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 12/20/22 By Michael Shank This commentary is by Michael Shank, a resident of Montpelier. Here’s the only time I’ll ever utter the following phrase: Vermont should be more like Alabama and Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas, and Missouri […]
Local Analysis
It’s Time for a Governor That Cares About Working Vermonters
BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 11/03/22 VTDIGGER 11/09/22 By Michael Shank This month, I was asked to investigate “Why this governor doesn’t care about working aged people?” And by governor, they meant Vermont Gov. Phil Scott. That was the question posed to me, verbatim. And while I had some initial thoughts in response […]
Bias Shows Up in Coverage of Vermont’s Political Campaigns
VTDIGGER 10/17/22 By Michael Shank This commentary is by Michael Shank of Montpelier, who teaches in the graduate schools at New York University and George Mason University. Critiquing a political campaign without getting sidelined as sour grapes isn’t easy. There have been many drafts of this article, attempting to get […]
Behavior Change is Critical to Reap Climate Benefits of Inflation Reduction Act
BENNINGTON BANNER 09/15/22 BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 09/15/22 RUTLAND HERALD 09/17/22 TIMES ARGUS 09/17/22 By Michael Shank The environmental community scored a much-needed win recently in the Inflation Reduction Act, which became law last month. And, taken in context, much of that fanfare is warranted given the U.S. Congress was at a […]
A Victim’s Plea for Criminal Justice Reform
VTDIGGER 08/24/22 BENNINGTON BANNER 08/29/22 TIMES ARGUS 09/03/22 RUTLAND HERALD 09/03/22 BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 09//09/22 By Michael Shank When you’re a victim of gun-related violence, there’s never really an end to it. It keeps re-emerging, reminding you of the initial trauma it caused. It can live with you forever. The 300-plus […]
Examining the Environmental Impacts of Buildings in Vermont
BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 08/10/22 TIMES ARGUS 08/13/22 RUTLAND HERALD 08/13/22 By Michael Shank With Indonesian islanders suing cement producers for climate damages recently, buildings are getting much-needed attention for their carbon-heavy footprint. The built environment generates nearly 50 percent of annual global emissions, which is why efforts in Vermont to weatherize […]
Scott’s ‘Symbolic Bipartisanship’ Helps No One
BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 07/12/22 By Michael Shank Over the July 4th weekend, a resident of a town in Vermont posted a picture on social media of Governor Phil Scott walking in a parade and said that Vermont has a great governor, and that Scott is one of the good Republicans and […]
Bipartisanship in Name Only Helps No One
VTDIGGER 07/13/22 By Michael Shank This commentary is by Michael Shank, a resident of Montpelier who is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs and George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Over the July 4 weekend, a resident of a town in […]
Phil Scott, Dems and Bipartisanship
Rutland Herald 07/09/2022 Times Argus 07/09/2022 By Michael Shank Over the Fourth of July weekend, a resident of a town in Vermont posted a picture on social media of Gov. Phil Scott walking in a parade and said Vermont has a great governor, Scott is one of the good Republicans […]
Would Vermont Be a Good Place to Ride Out an Apocalypse?
VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO 03/30/22 By Brave Little State It’s a scary thought, to be sure. Brave Little State considers a few apocalyptic scenarios, including some that have already begun. And: Just how neighborly would we be, really, if the world were ending? Note: Our show is made for the ear. […]