Topic: Vermont

David R. Francis Fed basher Ron Paul should focus on outcome, not process

Rep. Ron Paul wants to reform how monetary policy is made. Other reformers suggest looking at policy outcomes.
02/10/2011 10:32 am

Illinois governor signs civil-unions bill – is gay marriage next?

Illinois will be the sixth state to recognize civil unions for gay couples. Three states have seen civil unions act as a springboard toward the legalization of gay marriage.
01/31/2011 07:10 pm

Key omission from Obama's State of the Union address: gun control

President Obama did not mention several hot-button topics during the State of the Union, such as abortion. But given the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson, Ariz., gun control was notable in its absence.
01/26/2011 07:07 pm

Facebook is fine, says Pope Benedict, but real faces are better

Social networking sites such as Facebook offer Christians a 'great opportunity' to connect, Pope Benedict said Monday, but it should 'not take the place of direct human contact.'
01/25/2011 04:31 pm

Monitor Breakfast Q&A with former DNC Chairman Howard Dean

Former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean discussed President Obama's choice for his new chief of staff, the Tea Party's likely impact in the 2012 presidential election, and his current role in the Democratic party at a Jan. 5 Monitor breakfast.
01/20/2011 03:18 pm

Opinion After Arizona shooting, how can Congress heal the division? Break bread together.

The shooting of Gabrielle Giffords (D) and bystanders in Arizona seems to be the worst symptom of the division and disdain that dominate politics. There was a time when members of Congress not only reached across the aisle, but shared meals together. They must commit to break bread together again – to heal the wounds in DC, and set an example for a grieving nation.
01/11/2011 01:22 pm

Opinion Rogue websites are stealing American jobs and property. Will Congress act?

The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act goes after rogue websites that target intellectual property and threaten security of information. This isn't Internet censorship. It's a protection of rights and freedoms.
01/10/2011 01:09 pm

Redistricting 101: Eight facts about redrawing the US political map

Every 10 years, everyone in the United States gets counted – all 308,745,538 of them, according to the 2010 Census. The number of representatives in Congress, however, stays at 435. Dividing the larger number by the smaller gives the average number of people in each congressional district (now 709,760). But Americans move around a lot – for new jobs or better weather, to be closer to family, or just for the adventure. As a result, the boundaries of those congressional districts have to shift to make sure that each district has as close to the same number of people as possible. And that shifting can have important political, economic, and social consequences. That’s what ‘redistricting’ is all about.
01/08/2011 09:54 am

Five House controversies from Week 1: Did Republicans break promises?

House Republicans swept back into power this week promising to fix how the institution functions. Speaker John Boehner called for a renewed focus on the Constitution, more openness and accountability, and resolving 'honest differences through a fair debate and vote.' Here’s a look at the Republicans' first week back in charge.
01/07/2011 06:11 pm

Health-care reform in cross hairs: Could it survive without individual mandate?

Both Republicans and some judges say the health-care reform individual mandate – that all Americans must buy health insurance – is unconstitutional. If they are right, is President Obama's signature achievement doomed?
01/06/2011 08:28 am

Monitor Breakfast Howard Dean says Ronald Reagan had no accomplishments 'for the ages'

Ronald Reagan, said Howard Dean, 'was a great leader, had leadership attributes.' But Dean credited Gorbachev more than the late president, for example, for the collapse of the Soviet Union.
01/05/2011 06:45 pm

Monitor Breakfast Howard Dean: tea party is 'last gasp' of generation that fears diversity

Former Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean characterizes the tea party as 'almost entirely over 55 and white.' He says tea partyers are driven by the economy but also discomfort about the nation's demographic changes.
01/05/2011 02:17 pm

Opinion Where are all the federal judges? Why 90 empty seats threaten American justice

Partisan play – especially Republican obstinacy – has blocked judicial nominations at a record rate. President Obama and the 112th Senate must now quickly nominate and confirm judges for more than 90 lower court vacancies. The swift and fair delivery of justice hangs in the balance.
01/05/2011 02:01 pm

Monitor Breakfast Howard Dean blasts White House for treating liberals with 'contempt'

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean criticized departing White House aides for acting like 'they knew everything and we knew nothing.'
01/05/2011 12:26 pm

Diggin' It Garden catalog season: New isn't necessarily better

The 2011 garden catalogs are here, offering tempting new plants. But are the new plants really better than the older ones?
01/03/2011 04:17 pm

Opinion What Germany could teach America about health-care reform and government's role

Like Americans, Germans get frustrated by big government, but they share a conviction that it has a mandate to provide security and help citizens help themselves. America's ideological standoff over government's role, meanwhile, is paralyzing its politics and thwarting economic progress.
12/29/2010 09:45 am

Blizzard 2010: What are Top 5 snow storms of the decade?

The Christmas storm of 2010, which dropped 31 inches of snow on some parts of New England and crippled New York City, will likely stand out as a memory-maker, something to tell the grandkids about – especially if you got stuck in the national air traffic snarl or localized mayhem in New York, where police cars got stuck in drifts and New Yorkers yelled at the mayor for failing to keep the streets clear. But the past decade – the snowiest since the 1970s – had several other memorable winter storms. Here's the five that got the most attention – and did the most damage.
12/28/2010 12:24 pm

US News 2010: Are you a real newshound? Take our quiz.

The end of 2010 is here, a year remembered for the WikiLeaks drama, GOP and tea party gains in the midterm elections, and BP’s Gulf oil spill marking the worst environmental disaster in US history. But also Christine O’Donnell’s “I am not a witch,” campaign ad, Apple’s releasing of the iPad, and entertainment stars rallying on Washington’s National Mall. So, what else happened in 2010? Test your memory for those less obvious news stories.
12/28/2010 09:52 am

Robert Reich American education under attack

Budget pressures at the state and federal level have led to slashed education programs and rising tuition at state universities.
12/23/2010 09:30 am

In Pictures Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal

Lunar eclipse tonight will likely be totally eclipsed by clouds

Lunar eclipse: For some cities, the local weather will unfortunately not cooperate for a view of tonight's big moon show.
12/20/2010 05:42 pm

Diggin' It Cyclamen is a great holiday plant

Red and white cyclamen plants provide great holiday color for this Vermont gardener.
12/20/2010 01:47 pm

Obama tax deal gets nod from Senate. Will House risk making changes?

Senators vote to end debate on GOP-Obama tax deal, clearing the way for its passage. Attention now shifts to the House, where liberal Democrats are expected to discuss revisions.
12/13/2010 09:15 pm

Michael Steele: On his way out as Republican Party chair?

From the start, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele was not only a historical figure in the GOP but a controversial one as well. Now he may be on the way out.
12/12/2010 04:49 pm

The Vote Lesson for Obama: Don’t give the microphone to Bill Clinton

Obama may be having second thoughts about Bill Clinton's joining him for an impromptu press conference about the tax cut deal with Republicans. The former president talked on ... and on.
12/11/2010 01:28 pm