Dear Editor,
Keith Stern’s letter on “Vermont affordability” is true to form for Mr. Stern. He makes statements on Vermont economics without reference to any factual sources. As far as I know, Mr. Stern is not remotely an economist. In this we are equals. My two semesters of economics back in the – good grief – 1960s do not give you any reason to trust any unsupported statements I may make in that area. It’s the same for Mr. Stern. He must give sources for his supposedly factual statements. For example, referring to “affordability,” he laments that not one Democrat “admits it’s Democrat policies that have caused the problems.” If it is true that some “policies” have caused “problems,” why can’t he state what these things are, give any evidence for his statements, or cite a believable source? As Wolfgang Pauli once said on reviewing a paper, “This isn’t right. It’s not even wrong!”
Of course, Mr. Stern never gives facts or sources for what he says. In the past, he has questioned the fact of climate change and the efficacy of the Covid vaccine. (See my Nov 18, 2024, rebuttal to him in the Chester Telegraph.) He apparently also has no education or working experience in science but thought he could say that “grant money is given to scientists who follow the party line.” As I can personally testify, this was an inane remark, grossly insulting to the thousands of scientists who, unlike Mr. Stern, studied and worked for years in their fields.
Until Mr. Stern demonstrates that he has credentials that make his statements believable, or credits reliable sources, we cannot take him seriously about anything.
Sincerely,
Kem Phillips
Cavendish, Vt.