Vermont, Pies, and Politics

Maybe it's the New England air, the green mountains, or just something in the water, but the state of Vermont seems to me like a progressive place. A state that elected people like Jim Jeffords and Howard Dean, and legalized same-sex civil unions back in 2000, is certainly not a red state.

The progressive attitude goes beyond pure politics, as it overlaps into the way Vermonters do business. Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's has started True Majority at www.truemajority.com, to promote progressive causes at a grassroots level. His animated short showing how to fund a better society is at http://www.truemajority.org/oreos/.

Another Vermont venture has a similar comparison on its website and on its product packaging. Vermont Mystic Pie Company (www.vermontmysticpie.com) not only makes a wonderful product, but has a pie chart on its boxes showing how the Pentagon takes about half of the budget of the United States. By reclaiming just 15% of the defense budget, we could do ALL of the following:

• Rebuild our public schools
• Retrain laid-off workers
• Begin to reduce the national debt
• Provide both health care and Head Start for every child in the U.S. that needs it
• Feed every starving child in the world's poorest nations
• Decrease our dependence on foreign oil

The company gives 10% of its profits to causes that support these goals. The Ben Cohen feature at the link higher up in this article, lays it out very clearly. I recommend you take a look.

All politics aside, the Vermont Mystic Pie Company makes a fantastic pie. Their products are Apple Pie, Blueberry with Apples Pie, and pie crusts. Their pies use wild Maine blueberries, apples from an ecologically-friendly orchard on Lake Champlain, and their wonderful flaky crust uses Grade AA butter from a farmer-owned cooperative. Best of all, not only are these the tastiest pre-made pies I have ever had, they are free of heart-clogging trans fats.

Let me add that I am in no way affiliated with Vermont Mystic Pie, but am pleased to recommend them, both for their pies and their activism. Check their website for a store that sells them near you. I got mine at Whole Foods.