Vermont can show America how to heal its divisions – Bennington Banner

Vermonters have spoken and Im so humbled to earn your support once again.

Your faith and trust in me is the greatest honor of my life and I will continue to work every single day to make the lives of Vermonters better, our economy stronger and our state more affordable for families and businesses.

As you know, were facing some of the greatest challenges of our lifetime. This global pandemic has impacted all of us in so many ways. Our way of life has been disrupted, theres a lot of uncertainty and far too many lives and livelihoods have been lost.

Im proud of how Vermonters have stepped up and met the moment. Its because of you your hard work, your compassion for others and your commitment to community that Vermont has led the nation.

But, as Ive said many times, we cannot let our guard down. And as we enter the winter months, we must remain vigilant. If we do, Im confident well continue to lead the nation and more importantly, keep our loved ones safe, our kids in school and emerge from this pandemic faster and stronger than any other state.

As well as thanking you, I want to thank my entire team, who have been instrumental in leading the states response from my staff and cabinet, to our health experts and the dedicated public servants throughout state government. Theyve worked incredibly hard on the front lines of this fight for more than eight months. Each one of them has my deepest respect and appreciation, and Im fortunate to have them by my side as we begin another term.

I ran for governor because I believe Vermont can build a stronger and more diverse economy, be more affordable for families and businesses, and create more opportunities for our kids. And I believe the best way to have the resources to take care of those in need, protect our environment and address climate change is to grow the economy in all 251 communities and all 14 counties in Vermont not just in a few.

On my very first day in office, almost four years ago, I signed an executive order outlining my strategic goals to grow the economy, make Vermont more affordable, and protect the most vulnerable. And while weve made progress, I know there is still so much more to do.

I want to assure you, even as we face and fight this virus, these priorities will be just as important during my next term as they were in my first, and they will continue to guide my team as we rebuild and recover from the pandemic.

But perhaps even more importantly, we must heal our country because we simply cannot go on like this.

Our nation is hurting, not just from COVID-19, but because of another virus that has infected the hearts and minds of too many Americans: That of hate, fear and division.

We must confront this with the same force and energy were putting toward the coronavirus. And heres how: First, lets be better, kinder and more understanding; lets listen to and learn from one another; and lets prioritize our common humanity, our love of family and our concern for their health and welfare.

Right now, were seeing a political system that defines anyone you disagree with as the enemy. The truth is, disagreeing about taxes, fees, regulations and programs, or which candidate to support these things dont make us enemies. A healthy democracy requires passionate debate, but it needs to be civil.

When they become nasty, personal and, even worse, violent, thats when our real enemies those who dont believe in core American values gain ground. Because they use the distraction to fan the embers of hate, fear and division.

Weve got to rise above them to move America forward. All of us moderates, conservatives, and liberals; Republicans, independents, and Democrats can succeed if we work together.

Dont misunderstand me. Im not saying to avoid heated debate because as I said, debate is healthy. But in order to solve problems and help people, we must find common ground and then work from there.

Just as Vermont has been a leader in our response to the pandemic, I believe we can lead the way in this regard as well.

We can be better role models and treat everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve, especially when we disagree. We can prove that our strength is in the diversity of our people and opinions and show that by listening to and learning from each other, we can achieve equal rights, equal justice, equal opportunity and a more perfect union.

So today even though we dont know the outcome of many races as Vermonters and as Americans, lets come together and rise above the hate, fear and division so we can emerge from this difficult time in our history as a stronger, more united, and more compassionate nation than ever before.

Thank you again for your faith and trust in me. Ill continue to do my very best for all Vermonters.

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Vermont can show America how to heal its divisions - Bennington Banner