12/10/07

 

Vermont House Speaker, Gaye Symington’s plan to accentuate the positive about Vermont,especially our businesses,is the way to recognize, affirm,nurture and grow what -and who- we are as Vermonters. It's how to move Vermont forward in a  way  that looks takes care of today -and leaves a better  world for our children-and our  children's children-and generations to come.

With all the positive aspects of Vermont-and the reasons so many of use choose to live here, it’s amazing that our own governor and his “nattering nabobs of negativity” choose to ignore the positive and continue to bash Vermont-and Vermonters.
The steady rail from the governor that Vermont is bad for business ignores the reality of all the innovative businesses that choose Vermont or start in Vermont because of the climate being fostered from the grassroots on up. Vermont is a great place to live-and do business because of the “new bottom line” way of thinking-and feeling. I feel good about living in Vermont. I can list any number of reasons why but it starts and ends with -this is home, and it feels good to be here.
There is a grassroots the governor chooses to ignore , who see it’s possible to foster a “new bottom line”, to “do well and do good” at the same time. This is testament to the Vermont Spirit. It’s the time-tested attribute that’s in our soil and atmosphere to combine perseverance, ingenuity and the magic of sweat alongside the value of looking out for others.
As Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility states in its mission, the need to make a profit and the need to make a difference are not in conflict. And, as Barak Obama writes in his book, The Audacity of Hope, the power of the market is essential to finding the resources to provide the human services and community connections necessary for broad social change. In all of this, a balance that sees our challenges and difficulties alongside our assets and opportunities is how we can move into the future with a broad perspective of awareness and intention that bodes well for all of us. The concept of a "new bottom line” based on value that incorporates values with profit, is a sustainable business practice that will serve us well as individuals, as a state, nation and globally.
We can only hope that the elected leader of our state will jump on this bandwagon that recognizes a new bottom line. Such blinders are not the way forward and do Vermonters a disservice. Vermonters deserve better.
especially our businesses.