Tag Archives: women in politics

“I am incredibly proud of the title Madam Speaker:” Vt. House Speaker Mitzi Johnson

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Vermont House Speaker Mitzi Johnson is 1 of just 8 female Speakers of the House in US legislatures. Johnson was elected to the VT House of Reps in 2002. She rose to be chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee, and was elected Speaker in 2017. She discusses the recent historic veto override of Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on raising the minimum wage — the first such override in the state since 2009. She also discusses the presidential run of Bernie Sanders, a tax and regulate system for marijuana, climate change, sexism, and how women lead. (March 4, 2020 broadcast)

Mitzi Johnson, Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives

Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin, 2/13/2013

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Former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin is our guest for the hour. Kunin was Vermont’s first and only female governor and the first Vt. governor to serve three terms (1985-1991). She went on to become the Deputy Secretary of Education and Ambassador to Switzerland in the Clinton Administration, and is now the Marsh Professor at UVM.  She reflects on what inspired her to run for governor, talks about her latest book, “The New Feminist Agenda,” and offers her insights into the challenges confronting women in work and politics, death with dignity, equal pay for women, how to break the political gridlock in Washington, and her legacy. (Kunin interview starts at 4:00 following a legislative update from VBSR policy manager Dan Barlow)