One interest group fared extraordinarily well during the just-completed legislative session. That’s the interest group comprised of Representatives and Senators. Unlike other interest groups, who have to lobby legislators for the benefits they want, the legislators themselves get to vote on their own benefits. This was an opportunity not to be missed.

The Ethan Allen Institute has been following the progress of S.5, the Affordable Heat Act, through the legislative process this year and up to its recent veto by Governor Scott. Since the beginning of the lawmaker’s session, we have been heavily involved in researching the costs, quantifying the impact on consumers, identifying obstacles to implementation, and testifying to the consequences of the proposed law.

The American Church lost a great leader and innovator earlier this month. Dr. Charles Stanley passed away on April 18, 2023. Dr. Stanley was the founder of In Touch Ministries, the author of over 70 New York Times best-selling books, and the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta for 49 years.

On Friday April 21^st, we saw a softening of relations between Governor Phil Scott and Republican legislators. To honor the vigorous debate held by Republicans on S. 5, the Affordable Heat Act, Governor Scott invited a number of Republican lawmakers to meet with him in his ceremonial office in the State House.

Up to now criticism of the Clean Heat Standard bill (S.5) has focused on its intended result of driving up prices of heating oil, propane, kerosene and natural gas somewhere from seventy cents to four dollars a gallon, in order to finance $2 billion worth of subsidies to people to quit using those fuels and install “cold climate heat pumps”, “advanced wood heat”, and home weatherization. 

Every time a disturbed or hate-filled individual embarks on a murderous shooting spree, as at the Covenant School in Nashville last month, politicians rush to the media to urgently announce “we’ve got to do something” to stop “gun violence.” 

How well does AI predict George Will's upcoming Gala speech? 

The latest in half a century of land use control measures promises some needed deregulation of new housing - at the price of limiting it to “compact settlements” (March 2023)