Megan Buerger's blog

Anthony Polina's gubernatorial campaign is proposing a VermontCard, a credit card designed to improve the state's economy.

"The VermontCard helps invest in Vermont and lower our cost of doing business. It brings us together, keeps dollars in Vermont, saves our businesses money, and raises needed revenue without new taxes," Pollina said in a statement released Monday.

So what exactly is a VermontCard? The state-sponsored card would invest a percentage of every purchase in a fund used to support local agricultural and renewable energy projects, Pollina said. The Progressive Party candidate said the card would be available to out-of-state residents as well as Vermonters.

State House Speaker Gaye Symington: Campaign photoGov. Jim Douglas' (R-Middlebury) camp attacked House Speaker and gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington (D-Jericho) for her firm opposition to what turned out to be a successful tax holiday, calling her "wrong and out of touch" with the state of Vermont.

Douglas' campaign manager Denise Casey called Symington's opposition arrogant.

"When Speaker Symington says that government knows better than families how to spend their hard earned dollars, it reveals an arrogance that permeates her approach to governance. Whenever there is a choice between trusting the people and trusting the government, Symington chooses the government while Jim Douglas chooses the people. The sales tax holiday that Symington opposed showed just how wrong and out of touch she is with Vermont."

Sen. Bernard Sanders will be a guest on “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central this evening, the Times Argus reports.

"Network news viewing is down. People reading newspapers is down and a lot of people, especially young people, are somewhat skeptical, I think, of corporate media, and mainstream media and are going to Comedy Central to get a perception of life that fits their reality," Sanders tells the paper.

WASHINGTON -- When Arizonans opened the pages of the Arizona Republic on Veterans Day in November, there was a good chance they saw a full page advertisement taking aim at Democratic U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell for his vote in support of a bill that included a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. The advertisement featured a letter from injured Iraq veteran Andrew Robinson, pictured seated in a wheelchair.

The Times Argus reported today that three women of the Green Mountain State are supporting Presidential candidate Barack Obama in full force by heading up the Vermont Women for Barack Obama Leadership Committee. Kathy Hoyt, Martha O’Connor, and Sarah Muyskens say they represent several hundred VT women.  read more »

The Vermont Democratic Party is hitting Republican Governor Jim Douglas today over public safety. “Public safety is one of our top concerns,” said Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin.

The Hillary Clinton for President today announced a seasoned team of Vermonters and campaign veterans to lead its efforts in the state leading up to the March 4 presidential primary. Nancy Richardson joins the campaign as Vermont’s State Director and will work closely with senior advisor Dana Singiser and Deputy State Director Brad Cheney, both from Vermont.  read more »

The Clinton campaign announced today the opening of its Vermont headquarters in South Burlington. Rep. Kathy Keenan and DNC member Billi Gosh will join Clinton staff and supporters to open the office and kick-off a phone bank. Staff and supporters will dial for change, making calls to voters across the state.

The Executive Director of the Vermont Democractic Party Jill Krowinski announced three trainings on “How to Become a Delegate to the Democractic National Convention.” Democrats in Vermont will vote for their Democratic Presidential nominee on March 4. "The energy around the Presidential Primary has been tremendous and we want to make sure every Vermont Democrat interested in supporting his or her candidate at the National Convention in Denver this summer knows how to become a delegate," Krowinski said.