Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George Will is America’s most widely read political columnist, and its foremost conservative voice.

Hear George Will discuss "Why the Conservative Movement Is Important In A Place Like Vermont".

Wednesday, May 31 · 6pm EDT @ DoubleTree by Hilton, Burlington, Vermont.

870 Williston Road South Burlington, VT 05403 United States

Click here for reservations

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.” 

Earlier this month the US Supreme Court dealt the administrative state another blow,  holding that individuals and businesses harpooned by an independent agency don’t have to suffer a torturous government adjudication to challenge its constitutionality in federal court. Unlike many controversial decisions, this one was a unanimous 9 to zero. 

My friend Tom Koch, who served ably for many years in the Vermont house, noted last week that “the Vermont Senate has voted 19-10 to pass S.39, “An act relating to compensation and benefits for members of the Vermont General Assembly.” 

Renewable Energy Vermont, the solar energy industry lobby group, is out with a press release urging the legislature to pass a bill, H.320, to require the utilities to buy more of their product.