Senator
Bernie Sanders has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate why gas
prices in northwestern Vermont have been notably higher than elsewhere in the
region. He has also been advocating for a constitutional amendment to undo the
Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. We talk to Sanders about these and
other issues, including FEMA Irene reimbursements, the recently passed
Transportation Bill, which provides about $464 million to Vermont, and gun
control, in the wake of the shooting in Aurora, Colorado.
Plus, credit card swipe fees
are back in the news. A lawsuit filed by 7 million U.S. retailers against Visa and MasterCard has led to a
proposed settlement that would return more than $6 billion to merchants and
lower swipe fees for 8 months. But this solution does not sit well with all
business owners. WalMart, Target, and the National Association of Convenience
Stores all oppose the settlement. And in Vermont, some retailers are also frustrated. We talk with
Tasha Wallis, Executive Director of the Vermont Retail Association, which has
concerns about the proposed settlement.