The lunatics are in charge of the asylum here--leftist ideology trumps application of common sense to find practical approaches to difficult problems: we are in ecomonic and demographic crash mode, but the lefties don't seem concerned; too busy impeaching the president, encouraging sexual deviance, etc.

Flatlanders.

Roads, sewers, water treatment, energy resources. How do we respect freedom of religion when some people's religion deny others freedom If IBM can self insure, why not Vermont. If we taxed fairly, would rich folks leave? What effect? Small businesses benefit all.

Challenges for Vermont include the everpresent loom of sprawl, and the increasing environmental and energy demands it represents. A central challenge this state faces is that our young people graduate and move elsewhere, while people moving into Vermont tend to be past the age of entering the workforce in an entrylevel or journeyman level, creating workforce issues.

The rapidly rising cost of health care is driving the costs of government services which is putting pressure on both individuals and local busineses. The lack of gubernatoral leadership in addressing the problems of the state out of a false sense of 'affordability' is imperiling the enviroment, the infrastructure, the economy and responsible development in the State.

Challenge: rising fuel costs, plus low tax base, make Vermont one of the most expensive states as far as basic living costs. Fewer tourists, second homes, retirees. Opportunities: got to realize potential income sources of the landscape and geography.

We have a huge problem with the separation between the haves and the have nots, even in Vermont. Similarly, we have not figured out how to build community among native Vermonters and newcomers, with both groups largely suspicious of each other.

If the basic creativity of our own people could be unleashed and set free from the dead hand of the past which so many people among "the brightest and the best" now support; if the genius of Vermonters could be released, I think Vermont has a very bright future.

Keeping younger people here due to lack of competitive jobs. Integrating people of color into communities. Making Gay marriage legal

aging population, taxes too high for size of economic population, not enough rental properties everyone forced to own a home so that property taxes are too high and a prebate rebate system is required