Money manage cash paycheck

Roper: NH Eliminates Vehicle Inspections – What Other Useless Programs Can We scrap?

There is an overwhelming psychology on the Left that if the government isn’t doing something, nothing is being done. It’s an expensive, inefficient, and often counterproductive mindset. However, sometimes reality and common sense prevail, as recently demonstrated in neighboring New Hampshire, where the state has eliminated its vehicle inspection mandate. According to the Josiah Bartlett … Read more

Right Side Up Splash with Mike T

Right Side Up: Inconvenient Facts about CO2

This week, we discuss some “inconvenient” facts about CO2 from Gregory Wrightstone’s book, “Inconvenient Facts.” Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers. Got Something to Say, We Want to Hear It. Comment or submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com Follow these links for additional content … Read more

MacDonald: Vermont Faceplants With Woke Anniversary Logo

America isn’t the only one celebrating its 250th anniversary. It’s Vermont’s birthday, and to properly mark and market the occasion, they made a series of mistakes that ended with the uninspiring crap featured above. “Governor Phil Scott created the Vermont 250th Anniversary Commission through Executive Order in December 2020.” From a press release following the Executive order. … Read more

typewriter fake news

Roper: How to Spot “Fake News” in Local Journalism

This week the online news outlet VT Digger hosted an event in Brookfield titled, “In Facts We Trust: Local Journalism in the ‘Fake News’ Era.” They described it thus, “In an era of misinformation, how do we know the news we’re seeing is accurate? Let’s talk about it together.” Uh huh. And, yes, let’s! Full … Read more

empty chairs classroom

Roper: The Coming Politics of Mega-School Districts

The so-described education reform law, Act 73, is in effect. Its first order of business, creating a Vermont Redistricting Task Force, is done, and now said Task Force is getting down to its task of drawing up at least three maps of new mega-school districts for the legislature to consider next year, scrapping our current … Read more

Right Side Up Splash with Mike T

Right Side Up: 7-10-2025

This week we tap into some inspiration from Victor Davis Hanson’s commencement address, and … How VT Saves without asking first???” Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers. Got Something to Say, We Want to Hear It. Comment or submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com … Read more

Laundromat Laundty laundering

Roper: How to Fund Your Donors With Tax Dollars

State Sen. wants constituents to pay for her policy failures In a recent VT Digger article with the misleading headline, “Clean Heat Standard is Dead. What comes next?” (It’s not, it’s just temporarily dormant until it can be fully implemented), Senator Anne Watson (D/P -Washington) expressed her hope and desire that the state be sued … Read more

Vermont Saves

Roper: Opt-Out or Else!

The state will start deducting 5% of some workers’ wages unless they actively opt out of VT Saves In 2023, the Vermont legislature passed a law spearheaded by Vermont State Treasurer Mike Piecack (D-VT), Act 43 – An act relating to the establishment of VT Saves. What it does is mandate that employers with more … Read more

Flushing-Money-down-the-toilet

Roper: Climate Action Plan Demands Spend, Spend, Spend!

I’ve spent a lot of time discussing the Clean Heat Standard and Cap & Invest proposals to meet the mandates of the Global Warming Solutions Act, and have noted often but perhaps too obscurely in passing that even these monumentally expensive and disruptive programs won’t, on their own, do the job. Other programs, each with … Read more

Right Side Up Splash with Mike T

Right Side Up: The Cost of Illegal Immigration on School Funding

This week, the topics include the massive cost of Illegal immigration on school funding, the northern border, and the Hunga Tonga Volcano. Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers. Got Something to Say, We Want to Hear It. Comment or submit Op-Eds … Read more

Flag canada Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Klar: Burlington’s Anti-Trump Snub

In a virtue-signaling display of institutional Trump Derangement Syndrome, the city of Burlington, Vermont, passed a resolution to spend $3,000 to rename its main shopping corridor from Church Street to Canada Street. The silly effort is premised on the goal of attracting more shoppers to the progressive Gotham’s dying commercial sector in a spiteful swipe … Read more

Right Side Up Splash with Mike T

Right Side Up: 6-23-2025

This week we discuss the Climate Scam, including solar and the looming wave of bankruptcies.” Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers. Got Something to Say, We Want to Hear It. Comment or submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com Celebrate Independence Day by Supporting Independent … Read more

Poker playing cards image credit Pixaby

Roper: Did Republicans Get Played on Education Reform?

When the legislature was voting on H.454, I was, while painting my house (fun!), listening to an audiobook on the battle of Gettysburg. And I can’t help but notice some unfortunate parallels for Republicans with their vote on that bill and Pickett’s Charge, the infamous suicidal attack by the Army of Northern Virginia over a … Read more

The Vermont Podcast

Vermont Podcast: Property Tax Relief? Not So Soon!

Guy, Paul, and Tim take a deep dive into a bill, soon to be signed into law, that will transform how Vermont runs and pays for public education. Alos, the No King’s Rally and more. Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or … Read more

Marxist Sam Bliss in Burlington

Klar: Free Food Fracas Exposes Progressive Folly

A controversial Burlington, Vermont, food distribution center run by self-avowed Marxist anarchists is set to be relocated due to business complaints of increasing crime and declining commerce. The City Council voted to relocate the free meal facility, sparking outrage and pushback from the same progressive voices that have been criticized for their role in the destruction … Read more

Right Side Up Splash with Mike T

Right Side Up: 6-16-2025

This week, we discuss the Parental Bill of Rights, school choice, EPA power plant regulations repeal, and hurdles to the Global Warming Solutions Act. Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers. Agree? Disagree? Submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com – We want to … Read more

The Vermont Podcast

Vermont Podcast: Did the VTGOP Really Compare the LA riots to 9/11?

Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers. Agree? Disagree? Submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com – We want to hear from you, too! Please like, follow, or subscribe to The ‘Grok on Rumble and YouTube for new episodes of GrokTALK!, Right Side Up, The Blue Collar Intellectual, … Read more

Stop sign

Roper: “There is No Affordable, Equitable Way”

As the Vermont Climate Council punches away at a document that will, I assume, be heralded as “The Plan” (cue heavenly chorus) to meet the greenhouse gas reduction mandates of the Global Warming Solutions Act, I’m happy to say a few honest, semi-sane voices have emerged in their debate. Will the majority on the Council … Read more

Klar: The University of Vermont Quietly Bends the DEI Knee to Trump

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order (EO) titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.” Numerous American colleges promptly began reassessing their DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies to ensure they did not jeopardize their federal funding. Some universities that embraced race-based admissions or benefits policies concurrently turned … Read more

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