Commentary
Business & Economics
One big lie says the U.S. is riding a reckless wave of capitalism
Don’t tell The Times, but America has long had a mixed economy with substantial regulations The theory of the big (but good) lie goes back to a certain reading of Plato’s most famous dialogue, the Republic. There are more or less crude versions of it, but the gist of the ...
Commentary
Race to the Top Finalists Announced, Some Reforms Ignored
School Reform News, March 15, 2010 The nation’s largest state was not among the 15 states and the District of Columbia chosen to advance in the competition for a share of Race to the Top funds, the Obama administration’s $4.35 billion pot of education-stimulus gold. School reformers in California said ...
Business & Economics
Sunshine Week 2010: Sunshine is the Best Disinfectant
KansasWatchdog will mark Sunshine Week with daily articles on government transparency: The Sunny Awards for the best in open government A Kansas transparency report card, why Kansas isnt the Sunshine state How to: The basics and beyond of Kansas Open Meetings and Open Records law A look back at important ...
Business & Economics
Taxes pay government to lobby itself
The Sacramento Bee , March 13, 2010 California has the largest state economy, and the state Capitol jostles with players seeking a piece of the action. The biggest single lobbyist, however, is not Wal-Mart, Apple, Toyota, the entertainment industry or some fat-cat Jack Abramoff figure. The biggest lobbyist is government ...
Commentary
Health Care Subject Matter Experts Part 2 Sally C. Pipes
A few weeks ago, my Leadership Program of the Rockies class heard Sally C. Pipes speak on the American health care system. Who is Sally Pipes, you ask? (It’s okay, I didn’t know either!) She is author of The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen’s Guide, and ...
Business & Economics
No roads to recovery in sight
With California teetering on insolvency, government union activists and liberal legislators are trying to whip the public into a “please tax us more” frenzy by scaring people about the consequences of spending cuts. At a union rally in Sacramento recently, one protester hoisted a “Raise Our Taxes” sign, which typifies ...
Business & Economics
No easy solutions for U.S., Japan to revive economies
Effective policy approaches should be similar for both the U.S. and Japan even though their economies differ in important respects, said Benjamin Zycher, a senior fellow of the Pacific Research Institute.
Business & Economics
California’s tax tactics undermine prosperity
California’s bond rating is the country’s lowest. The state faces near unprecedented unemployment and underemployment. State government and most counties face deficits for the foreseeable future. The solution to this predicament, some Sacramento politicians believe, is more taxes. The underlying assumption of such an approach is that taxes don’t have ...
Commentary
Federal Money Should Empower Parents, Not Failing Public Schools
Last week, in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama laid out plans for improving Americas dropout rate. Some of the ideas are worthy of praise, but a pattern is becoming increasingly predictable. The president promised federal money in exchange for reform. Specifically, Obama promised $900 million ...
Commentary
Obama wants to lower the bar at schools
Orange County Register, March 9, 2010 Despite the recent news that California wasn’t chosen by the Obama administration as a finalist state for the $4 billion Race to the Top education-funding program, with its required adherence to new national standards in English and math, the state will still be forced ...
One big lie says the U.S. is riding a reckless wave of capitalism
Don’t tell The Times, but America has long had a mixed economy with substantial regulations The theory of the big (but good) lie goes back to a certain reading of Plato’s most famous dialogue, the Republic. There are more or less crude versions of it, but the gist of the ...
Race to the Top Finalists Announced, Some Reforms Ignored
School Reform News, March 15, 2010 The nation’s largest state was not among the 15 states and the District of Columbia chosen to advance in the competition for a share of Race to the Top funds, the Obama administration’s $4.35 billion pot of education-stimulus gold. School reformers in California said ...
Sunshine Week 2010: Sunshine is the Best Disinfectant
KansasWatchdog will mark Sunshine Week with daily articles on government transparency: The Sunny Awards for the best in open government A Kansas transparency report card, why Kansas isnt the Sunshine state How to: The basics and beyond of Kansas Open Meetings and Open Records law A look back at important ...
Taxes pay government to lobby itself
The Sacramento Bee , March 13, 2010 California has the largest state economy, and the state Capitol jostles with players seeking a piece of the action. The biggest single lobbyist, however, is not Wal-Mart, Apple, Toyota, the entertainment industry or some fat-cat Jack Abramoff figure. The biggest lobbyist is government ...
Health Care Subject Matter Experts Part 2 Sally C. Pipes
A few weeks ago, my Leadership Program of the Rockies class heard Sally C. Pipes speak on the American health care system. Who is Sally Pipes, you ask? (It’s okay, I didn’t know either!) She is author of The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen’s Guide, and ...
No roads to recovery in sight
With California teetering on insolvency, government union activists and liberal legislators are trying to whip the public into a “please tax us more” frenzy by scaring people about the consequences of spending cuts. At a union rally in Sacramento recently, one protester hoisted a “Raise Our Taxes” sign, which typifies ...
No easy solutions for U.S., Japan to revive economies
Effective policy approaches should be similar for both the U.S. and Japan even though their economies differ in important respects, said Benjamin Zycher, a senior fellow of the Pacific Research Institute.
California’s tax tactics undermine prosperity
California’s bond rating is the country’s lowest. The state faces near unprecedented unemployment and underemployment. State government and most counties face deficits for the foreseeable future. The solution to this predicament, some Sacramento politicians believe, is more taxes. The underlying assumption of such an approach is that taxes don’t have ...
Federal Money Should Empower Parents, Not Failing Public Schools
Last week, in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama laid out plans for improving Americas dropout rate. Some of the ideas are worthy of praise, but a pattern is becoming increasingly predictable. The president promised federal money in exchange for reform. Specifically, Obama promised $900 million ...
Obama wants to lower the bar at schools
Orange County Register, March 9, 2010 Despite the recent news that California wasn’t chosen by the Obama administration as a finalist state for the $4 billion Race to the Top education-funding program, with its required adherence to new national standards in English and math, the state will still be forced ...
