In light of yesterday's release of CSAP results, the Post's David Harsanyi gives his diagnosis: The fact that a third of Colorado students can't adequately read and that half can't pass a math test doesn't mean that Colorado school reform is stalling. It means that some schools and students are stalling and many parents aren't taking their children's potential seriously enough. Either Mom and Dad aren't spending adequate time helping to educate their kids, or they're not taking advantage of the (still limited) choices Colorado schools offer, or they're not demanding those in charge to get the job done. Which brings us to the solution. More Coloradans should act rich. I can only add in emphasis that acting rich in this case … [Read more...]
Unraveling Claims of “Bipartisan” Property Tax-Hike Backers
The Dead Governors tout a story about their heroic maverick Republican legislator Al White, who bucked the party line to support a tax increase without a vote of the people (an issue completely ignored in the posting and in the news story linked). White has enabled the Governor to hold forth his property tax hike as a "bipartisan" measure. And the Dead Guvs show no interest in taking a critical look at the piece they so enthusiastically quote. (Nor care to mention the Democrats who voted against it.) The Dead Guvs' silence is consistent with their own faulty usage of the phrase "property tax freeze," which is inaccurate and an abuse of the English language - as I pointed out in a previous post. Unprompted, I am glad to offer my own … [Read more...]
Colorado’s Highways are 29th
Interesting fact for the day: according to a newly-released study from the Reason Foundation, Colorado ranks 29th in the nation for the quality of its state highways - but still considerably higher than the only other two states I've lived in for any length of time (Michigan and Pennsylvania). Follow the link to find more information. … [Read more...]
Big Labor Payback: Democrats’ Idea of Fiscal Responsibility
If you hear Democrats next year on the campaign trail touting Congress for a fiscally conservative record of cutting a government program, keep in mind which program it was: The new Democratic Congress has finally found a government agency whose budget It wants to cut: an obscure Labor Department office that monitors the compliance of unions with federal law. In the past six years, the Office of Labor Management Standards, or OLMS, has helped secure the convictions of 775 corrupt union officials and court-ordered restitution to union members of over $70 million in dues. The House is set to vote Thursday on a proposal to chop 20% from the OLMS budget. Every other Labor Department enforcement agency is due for a budget increase, and … [Read more...]
Discrediting Ritter’s Top-Heavy Health Care Reform Proposals
To its credit, the Rocky Mountain News editorial board utterly discredited one of four health-care reform proposals made by Gov. Bill Ritter's 208 Commission. The Rocky picked off the bad, low-hanging fruit of a single-payer, government-run proposal. But the other three plans are only less bad and more palatable by small degrees. If you wish to learn more about the deficiencies in these proposals, the dangers revealed in other experiences with socialized medicine, and the campaign for a pro-freedom, consumer-friendly reform to our health care system, then you have to bookmark the blog We Stand Firm by Dr. Paul and Diana Hsieh, Lin Zinser, and Ari Armstrong. For compelling visual media that makes the same case, please also visit filmmaker … [Read more...]
Updates
I earlier advertised a new Colorado education blog. Here's a better link to it than the one I provided. I also mentioned my appearance on the Rightalk.com show Labor Pains. The 1-hour show runs on a loop between now and tomorrow (Thursday, 5/17) at noon local time. My segment is on during the last quarter hour, so tune in at 3:45 or 4:45 or 5:45, etc., if you just can't get enough of my opinions and insights. ^^^^^^^ The Cisco 352-001 ADVDESIGN who has been through NS0-163 Network appliance data protection solutions or Microsoft MB2-633 installation and deployment in dynamics CRM is usually great candidates for 1z0-047 Oracle database SQL expert as well as Cisco 642-061 routing and switching solutions for system engineers. Few … [Read more...]
Bennett’s Powerful Message: Bring Back American History
Read William Bennett's impassioned plea to teach kids the soul of American history once more, published today in National Review Online. I share Dr. Bennett's passion: So many young Americans today are truly deprived in this respect. Bennett explains: Many of our history books are either too tendentious — disseminating a one-sided, politically correct view of the history of the greatest nation that ever existed; or, worse, they are boring — providing a watered down, anemic version of a people who have fought wars at home and abroad for the purposes of liberty and equality, conquered deadly diseases, and placed men on the moon. And later: In his farewell address to the nation, the large-minded amateur historian President Ronald … [Read more...]
Remembering Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Former NYC mayor Ed Koch, a staunch 9/11 Democrat, announces in a column today that he has abandoned support for the Iraq War. Without the time to dissect his arguments, I can say his disillusionment is understandable to some extent. However, his conclusion have left out some important pieces of the puzzle. For example, Koch omits mention of al-Qaeda. Yet ironically, we learn today through PajamasMedia: The U.S. command said Wednesday the highest-ranking Iraqi in the leadership of al-Qaida in Iraq has been arrested, adding that information from him indicates the group’s foreign-based leadership wields considerable influence over the Iraqi chapter. Khaled Abdul-Fattah Dawoud Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, also known as Abu Shahid, was … [Read more...]
Ritter Balks at Institute Examining Case for Tax Increase
Good news: the Independence Institute (where I work) unveiled its strategy today to sue the state for imposing a property tax increase without a vote of the people: Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute in Golden, also promised to sue the state, claiming that freezing school districts' tax rates is a tax policy change that requires statewide voter approval. "There will definitely be a lawsuit," Caldara said at a news conference at the Capitol. "No question about it." Caldara brought a stack of letters - more than 170 for school districts and 64 for county clerk and recorders - that he plans to send requesting records related to previous school district votes waiving revenue limits. A press release from House … [Read more...]
Here’s Your Chance to Question Governor Ritter
Tonight (Wednesday), Governor Bill Ritter will be taking questions in a live appearance on the Aaron Harber Show. Call 303-296-1253 starting at 8:00 p.m. to get in. I'm sure you have something you'd like to ask. If not, you can probably find some fodder for questions here, here, here, here, here, and here. How about something along the lines of: - If it's so important to raise property taxes, why not ask the voters first? - The Attorney General makes a strong case that you should ask the voters first. Why have you and your legal representatives not responded directly to any of his arguments? - Should politicians and pundits be touting the tax increase as a boon for public schools, when there is no guarantee a single dime of … [Read more...]
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