The Vermont Way: Are we really that out of touch with the rest of the country?

The following was penned by a dem legislator.

A legislative session that Vermonters can be proud of

Putney

Jobs, a balanced budget, health care for all, improved telecommunications, cleaner water, green energy investments, open government, safer roads, agriculture investments, our first two-year capital bill, improvements in prisons/corrections, consumer protections, and workers rights all highlight the just-concluded 2011 session of your Vermont Legislature.

Your citizen legislators took on the challenges that the Great Recession continues to visit on Vermonters and helped move us forward into the future. In our short 16-week session, we accomplished more in this session than in any other in recent history.

Back in January, a lot of questions were put before us. Would health care reform be possible? Would our state be able withstand the pressure from out-of-state interests looking to boost profits by taking advantage of Vermonters? Would Vermont finally be able to make progress on wireless and broadband access and lose our reputation as the “Can-You-Hear-Me-Now State”? Would we be effective with the same party controlling both chambers of the Legislature and the Governor’s office?

The answer to all is a resounding yes!

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Mike Mrowicki, D-Putney, represents the towns of Westminster, Putney, and Dummerston in the state House of Representatives. He may be contacted at 802-387-8787 or through his website at www.windham5.net.

http://www.commonsnews.org/site/site02/story.php?articleno=3512&page=1

Progressive/liberal policies have dominated the state for some years (although we had a repub guv until recently). Vermont has a pretty low unemployment rate (around 5.3%), the lowest home foreclosure rate in the country, sound environmental policies and practices, no balanced budget amendment (and we manage to balance the budget), high rates of kids graduating from high school, etc. Which isn't to say we don't have a long way to go, but Vermont stands as testament to the benefits of progressive government.

It's clearly a good thing...Keep on keepin' on, Vermont.

You're a great example to the rest of the country.

I know some of it doesn't translate easily- such as the accessibility of government. In a small state, legislators expect to deal up close and personal with their constituents, not only at home but in the halls of the statehouse. And we're not exactly a diverse population.

Passed out of Health Committee May 4, 2011:

http://www.healthcareforall.org/

Seriously...I spend most of my income there. I live in CT, and we ski/snowboard in VT all winter, and then head back in the summer time for hiking, quarry-diving, mountain climbing. I'm always impressed by the number of houses I see with solar panels and windmills. It's hard to believe it's the United States. Vermont is some of the most beautiful country you'll ever see. And their politics is as progressive as it gets.

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Of even slightly out of touch like VT?