weekly political column. Tim Newcomb We Vermonters have been telling ourselves an unhappy story that nevertheless delivers a twinge of satisfaction: If the rest of the nation had Vermont's per capita coronavirus death rate, only about 86,000 Americans would have died since the pandemic's onset. Instead, the national toll stood at more than 400,000 deaths as of Tuesday. What accounts for the excess deaths? There are several explanations, including relative population densities, but the first thing many people will point to is the difference in basic governmental competence and leadership. We've had Gov. Phil Scott and Health Commissioner Mark Levine. The federal government has had Bozo in Chief