Yaël Ossowski

Watchdog.org

  • ‘Nation of random enforcement’: Is America’s chief executive too powerful?

    By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org When President Barack Obama chooses to enforce select portions of federal law, is he playing the part of chief executive or skirting around Congress and, by extension, the U.S. Constitution? That’s the question House Republicans put forth in a House Judiciary Committee meeting Wednesday, stacking the witness panel with four fellow House GOP members and three law professors all too…

  • The Vermont paradox: The taxpayer advocate is a state employee

    By Yaël Ossowski | Vermont Watchdog With an office and desk housed within the Vermont Department of Taxes, Gloria Hobson is not your average salaried government employee. In fact, based upon her job description and title, one would argue her work serves as the ultimate paradox: a “taxpayer advocate” with a state government paycheck. Since 2001, Hobson has acted…

  • Vermont wants to be first state to ban ‘predatory loans’ for pensioners

    By Yaël Ossowski | Vermont Watchdog On the trail of scammers, Vermont aims to set up financial guard dogs to sniff out companies offering high-interest predatory loans to elderly pensioners. A proposed state law would put a stop to companies offering seniors quick cash for their monthly pension checks. “I was approached by AARP over the off-season talking about…

  • The 10 state jobs you didn’t know your Vermont taxes covered

    By Yaël Ossowski | Vermont Watchdog In keeping with Vermont Watchdog‘s mission of keeping state government accountable, a quick peek at the state payroll is always important. The state of Vermont has 7,805 public employees, according to the Department of Human Resources, a number that has stayed relatively stable for a decade. The average state employee in Vermont is 47…

  • In VT, state psychiatrist makes $40,000 more than governor

    By Yaël Ossowski | Vermont Watchdog All of the problems in Vermont seem bad enough to warrant paying big for mental health professionals. A recent examination of the employee state compensation database in Vermont shows the highest-paid public employee in the state is a “private secretary” for the Department of Mental Health. While he’s not actually a secretary, his job…

  • Mad about government spying and snooping? Blame Reagan

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    By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org American uproar over revelations of mass government spying has provoked a significant revision of the actions of U.S. spy agencies across the board. While ire has been focused at the Obama and Bush administrations, such snooping was given the green light by none other than former President Ronald Reagan over 30 years ago. As revealed in testimony during…

  • New Hampshire marijuana vote pushes Vermont to New England ‘domino effect’

    By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org The dominoes are falling all across New England. The New Hampshire House of Representatives made history last week when it became the first state Legislature to vote in favor of a bill to legalize the sale and possession of recreational marijuana. “Polls show 60 percent of voters in the state support (the bill), and…

  • One Million Canadians to Cuba Every Year. Why Not US Citizens?

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    American Embargo Impedes the Means for Bottom-Up Change By Yaël Ossowski | PanAm Post      (En Español) In the freezing slush and rain of winter, the vacation posters represent total serenity and warmth. “Check out Cuba’s glamorous vacations deals,” reads one. “Glorious beaches, ocean, and relaxation,” reads another. In the frigid arctic shelf nation of Canada,…

  • Vermont’s ‘welfare-to-work’ limits show early success

    By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org Vermont last year began limiting how long its residents could receive welfare benefits. Six months later, the move appears successful. The ‘Reach Up’ initiative has already received fewer requests to join the program than in months’ past, according to the Vermont Department of Finance and Management. The new time-limit on the program, now…

  • Vermont governor declares new ‘War on Drugs,’ but pumps up old bureaucracy

    By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org Vermont is knee-deep in a crisis of epic proportions, Gov. Peter Shumlin declared in his State of the State speech Wednesday. He’s determined to end it. “The crisis I am talking about is the rising tide of drug addiction and drug-related crime spreading across Vermont,” pronounced Shumlin. “In every corner of our state, heroin…