<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Thomas West for State House]]></title><description><![CDATA[Empowering Change with Thomas West]]></description><link>https://www.westforvermont.com/news</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:11:12 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.westforvermont.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Press Release: Campaign Announcement]]></title><description><![CDATA[Thomas West, an elected member of the Southwest Vermont Regional Technical School District Board, Vice Chair of the Manchester Planning Commission, Justice of the Peace, Army veteran, and father of four, announced today that he is running 
Vermont Regional Technical School District Board, Vice Chair of the Manchester Planning

Commission, Justice of the Peace, Army veteran, and father of four, announced today that he is

running for the Vermont State House representing the Bennington-4 district.]]></description><link>https://www.westforvermont.com/post/press-release-campaign-announcement</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c9b282495b61304354a2f9</guid><pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/26157d_69375090ad644589975cbeaa6ca305f4~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Thomas West</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Commentary: Protect school choice in rural Vermont]]></title><description><![CDATA[Rural schools operate under different realities than schools in larger cities or suburban areas. In small towns, geography and population size shape what is possible in ways that policy discussions in Montpelier sometimes overlook.]]></description><link>https://www.westforvermont.com/post/protect-school-choice-in-rural-vermont</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b0611e00ff578fc8e9be7c</guid><pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:21:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/26157d_bd2c72b2b10f42a39f0826cb24bc21f9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Thomas West</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Commentary: I Believe in American Exceptionalism. Here's why.]]></title><description><![CDATA[I graduated from high school in 2000. Like many young people, I thought about serving my country, but “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," the policy that banned openly queer people from serving, closed that door. Because of who I was, military service remained off-limits.]]></description><link>https://www.westforvermont.com/post/commentary-i-believe-in-american-exceptionalism-here-s-why</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69cd9ae9011a766e716bba0c</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/26157d_9080e092dedc459f8d08dc46188b0b86~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Thomas West</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Commentary: Who gets to belong here?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every conversation about affordable housing in Manchester comes down to one question: Who is this community for?]]></description><link>https://www.westforvermont.com/post/commentary-who-gets-to-belong</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69caef94138134f81728cb51</guid><pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/26157d_bd2c72b2b10f42a39f0826cb24bc21f9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Thomas West</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Commentary: Gov. Phil Scott is Wrong on Universal School Meals]]></title><description><![CDATA[I know the stigma firsthand. I remember having to enter a PIN on the days I was hungry enough to ask for food in high school. That is one of the few numbers I still have memorized, 050565. I remember the sideways glances and the quiet embarrassment of standing in line, knowing that not everyone had to do the same.]]></description><link>https://www.westforvermont.com/post/commentary-gov-phil-scott-is-wrong-on-universal-school-meals</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69cd9361535e7bcd2695fc20</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/26157d_03e6b8391d864c5db0969476f89ec359~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Thomas West</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>