News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
This week on Right Side Up, Alison and Mike discuss climate science, climate-related legislation, and the adverse effects on the economy. We also talk about a second scientific revolution and an article by Jay Bhattacharya. Watch on the ‘Grok Rumble Channel if the Embedded Video does not load. Authors’ and Speakers’ opinions are their own … Read more
Rural Vermont Rising clearly has the Left spooked. Rightly so. Any organization that goes from zero to nearly 16,000 followers in a matter of a few months and is organizing itself with town-based chapters aimed at rolling back big chunks of the Democratic Socialist (or progressive, or “woke,” or whatever you want to call it) … Read more
Artificial intelligence has arrived in Vermont politics, and whether you laughed at the latest video or found it offensive, it raises questions that aren’t going away. An AI-generated cartoon making fun of Congresswoman Becca Balint is making the rounds online. In the video, an artificial version of Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vermont) says things she never actually said, … Read more
Since 1991, Vermont’s only member of the US House of Representatives has been either a socialist who couldn’t run as one (until now) or a Democrat (same difference). It has one district, the entire State of Vermont. You can’t gerrymander that. And despite its open borders and sanctuary city-like leanings, the state is still 93% … Read more
This week, on Right Side Up, Alison and Mike discuss the Independent school option and “Who owns the Land in Vermont?” Watch on the ‘Grok Rumble ‘ channel if the embedded video does not load. Authors’ and Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, … Read more
In the wake of Act 73/H.955 education “reform” and the emphasis on consolidation, there has been considerable worry in rural Vermont about what this means for their small, local schools. For many, it will mean closure. A recent op-ed by Nina Antin notes, “When Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, presented H.955 on the Vermont Senate floor, … Read more
Both Vermont’s Senate President Pro-Tem Philip Baruth (D/P-Chittenden) and Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington), the top leaders in the state legislature, announced that they will be retiring after sixteen and fourteen years, respectively. And, not to put too fine a point on it, they, and more importantly the entire clown car they’ve been … Read more
The new highly anticipated education reform bill H. 955 is now at the governor’s desk to be signed or vetoed. On Friday the bill passed out of the House chamber via a 125-10 affirmative vote. Highlights include a foundation funding formula that targets reducing the cost per student by about half the current price. One … Read more
This week, on Right Side Up, Mike and Alison discuss the Governor’s veto of H.727, free markets, and a few other bills that passed at the end of the session. Watch on the ‘Grok Rumble Channel if the embedded video does not load. Authors’ and Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those … Read more
A South Burlington woman has been charged following an investigation into her conduct during a March 11 law-enforcement operation and protest on Dorset Street, according to the Vermont State Police. Police said Connie Anania, 53, of South Burlington, was cited Thursday, May 28, on charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct and grossly negligent operation of … Read more
One of Vermont’s beloved local daily newspapers will soon be only offering print newspapers three days per week. The Newport Daily Express, serving Orleans County and the surrounding towns, has announced a series of changes to its news service with the expressed goal of better serving its readers. The changes include a new three editions … Read more
I just read, I think, the most important op-ed to appear anywhere in Vermont this year. It is by Shawn Tester, CEO of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, and it is about school choice. Why is a healthcare guy writing about the importance of school choice? Because access to school choice and a variety of independent … Read more
This week, on Right Side Up, Mike and Alison talk about bills still up for a vote on what we hope is the LAST WEEK of the session. Watch on the ‘Grok Rumble Channel if the embedded video does not load. More Right Side Up Check out all of our other podcasts. Get More Morning … Read more
With the help of dozens of Republicans and the grudging acceptance of progressive Democrats, the House on Thursday removed ICE from the police-masking bill (S.208). Of course, ‘requiring’ ICE to unmask was the point of the whole bill as sponsored by Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky (D/P Chittenden Central) and others. The Senate dedicated repeated hearings and … Read more
A pathetic attempt to look like you’re doing something when actually doing nothing. So, the Vermont House and Senate both approved H.727 – An act relating to sustainable data center deployment, sending it off to the Governor’s desk for a signature or a veto. What this bill does is create a number of logistical hurdles … Read more
Thirteen of seventeen Senate Democrats joined every Republican in repealing Act 18, the Clean Heat Standard, in a significant moral victory for the GOP. (For those wondering, the four colossally out of touch “no” votes came from Andrew Perchlik (D/P- Washington), Ann Cummings (D-Washington), Becca White (D-Windsor), and Tanya Vyhovsky (D/P -Chittenden C.) But it … Read more
This week, on Right Side Up, Mike and Alison give a 2026 biennium recap of bills from the most recent session, as well as possible vetoes by Gov. Phil Scott, complete with commentary and analysis. Watch on the ‘Grok Rumble Channel if the embedded video does not load. Authors’ and Speakers’ opinions are their own … Read more
There is a political spat brewing under the Golden Dome regarding a $700,000 appropriation – or lack thereof – for a childhood literacy program called Read Vermont. In a nutshell, the program funds “literary coaches” who train teachers how to use phonics, phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to teach kids how to read. This … Read more
This is supposed to be an election integrity measure, protecting voters from “…bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means…” by those attempting to influence how — or preventing them entirely — from voting at a polling place. Sounds good. But here’s the problem: two-thirds of Vermonters no longer vote at a polling place. Since the … Read more
This week on Right Side Up, Alison & Mike talk about 2 school bills in the Senate and H.70, a bill that would amend a “bad” land preservation bill. This was accidentally published as private. You should be able to view it now. Watch on the ‘Grok Rumble Channel if the embedded video does not … Read more