Find another way to calculate emissions

I disagree that climate emissions should be viewed on a per capita basis, rather than by total emissions (“Emissions Report: Vermont Lags Behind,” Nov. 19). It seems to me that looking at it that way assumes that all emissions from the state are produced by the state’s residents, which it’s not.

Vermont is a vacation state, so we have a lot of vacation property with out-of-state owners. While they may occupy the property for weeks or months of the year, they are not Vermont residents. And many of these places are rental properties, so they may well be occupied full time. The same applies to businesses which may be operating in the state, but are owned by out of state entities.

Also, what about emissions from what I might term “transient” visitors? Just look at the number of cars and trucks traveling the interstate highways in our state. From what I’ve viewed while driving, most of them are from out of state, and all are emitting greenhouse gases. And many are likely bound for other states or Canada.

What about emissions caused by out-of-state residents who work in Vermont or attend our colleges?

All of these emissions are not being produced by Vermont residents. I tend to believe that the idea of viewing the state’s emissions on a per capita basis is simply a ploy to produce results with the highest numbers, to grab the most attention.

Stephen D. Raymond

Sharon

The dangers of
another Trump term

America is on the brink of tyranny. Trump’s plan if elected in 2024 should frighten us all. Larry Diamond, at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution states, “One thing we’ve learned about Trump and authoritarian populists like him is not to dismiss what they’re saying as just idle language and toothless roar.” We need to take it very seriously.

Assuming Biden and Trump face-off again, voters will have a clear choice. Looking ahead, we might speculate about the following either-or choices between Trump and Biden administrations:

■Exert vengeance toward enemies (“If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”), or mutual tolerance and forbearance toward others

■Demand loyalty to Trump (neutralize the power of the media) or loyalty to the Constitution

■Install an authoritarian state and centralization of power (“banish the tyrants and Marxists into political exile forever”), or sustain a constitutional republic

■Institute government-imposed constraints on social freedoms (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is doing “a tremendous job…”) or respect the Bill of Rights

■ Support white nationalism (end citizenship rights for children born on U.S. soil to undocumented parents) or support of racial/ethnic diversity

■Elect a President who feels he has a right to do what he wants, who has called for the “termination of ... the Constitution” or elect a President who accepts Constitutional constraints

■Undermine the independence of the civil service by executive order (allow mass purges of bureaucrats) or enhance federal employees’ competence and commitment to governance by law

■Deploy federal force against crime and protests (“weaponize the FBI & DOJ against political rivals”) or support local authorities in efforts to control unrest.

The choice is ours: autocracy or democracy. We need to bring together cross-sections of America to achieve the overarching vision for the country embedded in the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming that all Americans are equal in rights and in dignity.

Bob Scobie

West Lebanon