Opinion

For opinion pieces on any topic.

It’s Murder

by RDavis | Op/Ed

The outrage never ends. Just when you hope Trump will be reined in and not be allowed to bolster his cred as dictator, he tells the world to go **** themselves. It seems like the worst possible situation is now unfolding in the Caribbean and Pacific as the U.S. military kills people wantonly.

The U.S. is killing what they believe are drug dealers, without proof. They are targeting boats that they think are carrying drugs. Why is no one in the international community outraged about this illegal activity? Where are the international organizations such as the International Criminal Court? Why is no one trying to stop Trump’s murderous rampage as he pushes the U.S. closer to a war with Venezuela? The whole situation makes me physically sick because I feel so helpless to stop the killing.

Snow Job Congress Is Pulling On Us – 501(c)(4)

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

CRIS ERICSON’s TAX REVOLT
alternate title: VERMONT TAX REVOLUTIONARY SNOW JOB CONGRESS IS PULLING ON US

I finally found the specific statute that I believe is the cause of the rich getting richer, and Bernie Sanders claiming he doesn’t take corporate donations!

How many times has U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, and other politicians,said that they do not take political campaign contributions from corporations?

Brattleboro 2026 Annual Town Meeting Election Calendar

by Not Signed In | Politics

Thursday, January 15 Last day (5:00 P. M.) to file petition requesting that an article be placed on the Warning for Annual Town Meeting and Unified School District (47 days preceding election).  Approx. 469 (5%) signatures of registered Brattleboro voters required.  17 VSA 2642 

Thursday, January 22 First day to post Warning for Annual Town Meeting and Unified School District (not more than 40 days preceding election)  17 VSA 2641 (a) 

Brattleboro Petitions and Consent of Candidate form for March Elections Now Available

by Not Signed In | Politics

Petitions for Brattleboro Town Officers, Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Board Members, and Town Meeting Members are now available at the Town Clerk’s Office. Petitions are available in the Town Clerk’s Office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please note the following exception: From Friday, Dec. 5 through Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, petitions will only be available between the hours of 9 a.m. through 12 p.m.

Town elections will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at the American Legion, located at 32 Linden St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.

From Metaphor to Manifestation, Our World Renews Itself Co-creatively

by PeytonE | Economics

Dear FOF (Friend or Family), Co-Creator of our future,

As I write, the world of politics is falling apart. We (will) see our country at 250 years, torn apart at the seams and then restitched. As if all the seams of a tailored suit, tailored around the Constitution began to undeniably fail over a hundred years ago. In 1913 the zipper stuck on the fly of the pants, and to keep going a belt was fashioned that hid behind the jacket and the coat, that belt was the Federal Reserve.

The Homeless Need Our Help

by kendall | Op/Ed

An eye opener for me

My name is kendall lucy i work for brattleboro common sense (bcs)

I recently attended an announcement at  69a i found that there is more people that have a voice and are willing to use it to shine light on the emergency need for safe shelter from the freezing temps for the homeless i would like to say i am making a difference out here but i cant do it alone i need the help of other homeless and supporters of the cause to rally together and speak at the next select board meeting this coming tuesday 11/18/25 please contact me via email at lucy3robert@gmail.com to voice your thoughts and opinions on the homelessness emergency

2:25 PM Bank Says My Senior Citizen Food Stamps Have Not Been Deposited

by CrisEricson2016 | Politics

I’m a below poverty level living senior citizen, age 73, and the bank says my food stamps SNAP program benefits have not been depoisited today as of 2:25 PM and the bank manager is aware that other people are calling and have not received the SNAP program food stamp benefits that they expected to be deposited into their accounts. Apparently there are senior citizens and disabled persons, like me,who do not use EBT cards. Benefits are deposited directly. I shop online and have groceries delivered. Potatoes are tasting better and better every day now, even without butter.

A Deadly Game

by RDavis | Politics

October 1, 2025 may go down in history as the date that the United States form of government officially collapsed. As I write this, we are almost six weeks into the government shutdown. People are already beginning to suffer and things will only get worse if this does not end soon.

The Republicans (Trump) are saying that there is nothing to negotiate. House Speaker Mike Johnson has shut down the House and he shows no sign of being eager to do anything to help the American people. The Democrats are holding fast until the Republicans are willing to talk about health insurance and Medicaid cuts.

SNAP Benefits, Astrology, and Politics

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

I am guessing the government shutdown will continue all day on Wednesday Nov. 5, 2025. The problem is that news sources say some people will not get food stamps SNAP program benefits until Nov. 7th, and they will only get half their usual amount.

Hmmm, that means some children will be whining and some babies will be crying and some adults will have reached their personal frustration limit. This is not a good time for a big ol’ full moon, but we have no control over our solar system.

The American Death Squad

by RDavis | Op/Ed

The last time I checked U.S. military murderers had killed about 40 or so presumed Venezuelan drug dealers. It is not only a shocking escalation of Trump’s mania for power, but it is also one of the more immoral and illegal actions he has taken so far.

No proof has been provided by the U.S. government of what has been in these boats they have blown up. Trump wants to play with his military toys and his lust for power knows no end. Never mind the rule of any law. Never mind due process. Who needs evidence when you are building a dictatorship and flaunting domestic and international law with abandon?

How Many Grocery Stores Will Lay-Off Employees Due To Food Stamps SNAP Cut-Off Nov. 1st?

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

How many hard working people in Vermont will be laid off from their jobs November 1st because the Democrats won’t vote in favor of a Bill in the U.S. Congress that continues food stamps SNAP program benefits for the poor, but raises insurance premiums for middle class people? It’s not just people who work inside grocery stores and big box stores, truck drivers are also at risk.

What is Going On at the VT Dept. of Motor Vehicles?

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

I received a letter in the mail from the VT Department of Motor Vehicles, “Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice”.

“The registration for your 1999 CHEV SUB expires on November 30, 2025. So, I filled out all the online forms and paid for two years, $167.00 Then it instructed me to download a temporary registration.

The temporary registration cheats me out of 2 years and 3 weeks because the temporary registration says I paid up until Nov. 6, 2025.

What is the Risk of Politicians Catering to the “Middle Class”?

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

What is the risk of our Vermont Congressional politicians and all of those across the United States of American voting in the United States Congress to protect the rights of the “middle class”?

The risk is that the poor could revolt.

After being a student at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont and University of Massachusetts, I wandered westward and experienced some formative years in Los Angeles.

Fiscal Shock

by RDavis | Op/Ed

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH), our small community non-profit hospital, is facing what looks like its most challenging financial situation in its 121 year history. It is frightening for the 807 employees (as of 2023 according to an August 2025 IRS 990 filing) who depend on the institution for their livelihood. The prospect of having to lose access to a local hospital would also change the lives of 40,000 people who live in Windham County.

Sadly, it is not clear what is going on at the hospital because the board of directors has not said much other than putting the CEO on leave. Hospitals are notorious for hiding their dirty laundry and BMH is no exception. I worked there on and off for about 14 years and I was always at odds with many of the higher level management team.

It Is Below Freezing Oct. 10, 2025 Where Are Homeless VT Babies Tonight?

by CrisEricson2016 | Opinion

A homeless unsheltered Vermont baby left outside in the cruel cold of 31°F or colder weather can die from hypothermia in as little as 15 to 45 minutes. Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia because they lose heat more quickly than adults and have less body mass.

Couldn’t we charge Governor Phil Scott and the entire Vermont legislature with negligent homicide or something?

Full Moon Oct. 6, 2025!

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

I think the biggest stories in the United States right now are the protests against National Guard Troops which President Donald Trump wants to send to various cities, all of which have filed lawsuits to stop deployments.

The problem, as I see it, is there is a full moon tonight, and that can get people going. How excited will protesters be during a full moon?

Who Will Be Born On The City Streets Of Vermont Homeless This Christmas?

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

What are the best baby names for babies born to a homeless mother sleeping on the streets in the freezing cold in Vermont on Christmas?

According to WCAX https://www.wcax.com/2025/09/26/auditor-vermont-homeless-situation-worsening-despite-millions-invested/ Vermont taxpayers spent an average of $80 MILLION a year for the past TEN years, totalling $800 MILLION dollars, and there are still homeless people in VT.

Genocide in Gaza: Vermont’s Members of Congress Can Help Change Course

by IsaacEF | Op/Ed

On September 16 the United Nations said that the State of Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. During the past two years, this violence has directly struck the Green Mountain State. Dylan Collins, a journalist, was shot by the Israeli military on October 13, 2023, with no ensuing accountability. The following month a gunman shot three Palestinian students in Burlington. And on April 14, 2025, masked U.S. federal agents kidnapped another Vermonter, Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian lawful U.S. resident. 

Many Vermonters are left asking: How can we stop our tax dollars from fueling abuse and devastation around the world, which is making us less safe and robbing our own communities of housing, food, and healthcare?