As I write, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in the monumental First Amendment case Washington v Washington Education Association & Davenport v Washington Education Association. The 9 justices will determine whether the free speech rights of union bosses or individual workers take precedence, and much more. The Colorado Attorney General submitted an amicus brief in favor of the rights of states to set policies that require organizations to obtain members' permission before using their money for political campaigns. As I wrote in the Rocky Mountain News a few months ago, this case indeed could have a bearing on Colorado. I have blogged about this case before here and here. At the forefront of the cause of freedom in this … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2007
A National Education Idea We Can Support
Five years of a love-hate relationship with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have passed now. The President's number one domestic policy initiative that started out with such great intentions, when it came to fruition looked little like the original. Most of the school choice and flexibility in the bill disappeared. Now, a sensible way to keep the beneficial accountability piece of NCLB without all the federal red tape, a way that empowers states, has emerged. Senators John Cornyn (R - TX) and Jim DeMint (R - SC) are sponsoring the A-Plus (Academic Partnerships Lead to Success) Act. What the bill essentially would do is give each state the choice to opt out of the NCLB regulations, and develop its own system to achieve educational success. … [Read more...]
I’m Back … Ritter, Wadhams, a Crazy 2007 Comes
First of all, the break is over. I come back to blogging older (literally) and wiser (my wife may disagree), and ready for the trench warfare of Colorado politics that commences today - fully aware that our side is outnumbered in the local blogosphere but undaunted by the challenge. Kudos to our new governor Bill Ritter. I wish him good health and personal happiness, though not so much political success. This blog will do its part to hold him to account and to make sure he and the legislature are doing what's best for the people of Colorado, not special interest groups. On Ritter's big day, the Denver Post gives a little space to report that earlier rumors indeed were true: Dick Wadhams has his eyes on the state party … [Read more...]