Commentary

Commentary

A Healthcare Fix for the Green Mountain State

As Vermont grapples with a projected $32-million budget shortfall, Gov. James Douglas and state lawmakers have been forced to consider cuts in several government health programs. Such cuts are critical, given that Vermont spends more per capita on health care than almost any other state. But yet another round of ...
Business & Economics

Wall Street plan won’t aid recovery

Last week the government took extraordinary measures to restore calm to the financial markets. Besides the takeover of insurer American International Group, the government banned short-selling of 799 financial stocks and floated a plan to buy up risky mortgage-backed assets. These actions, unfortunately, may prove incredibly costly to the taxpayer, ...
Business & Economics

My View: State budget mess: We can learn from Canada

California’s new budget deal is a short-term fix that leaves the Golden State without a long-term solution to its financial woes. More often than not, lessons from our neighbors to the north concern what not to do. However, in the case of budgets, there is much to gain by replicating ...
Commentary

Celebs, stop taking poisonous shots at vaccines

Earlier this month, researchers at Columbia University concluded that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine doesn’t raise a child’s risk for autism. It was the most rigorous look at the issue to date. Since 1998, more than 20 scientific studies have reached the same conclusion. With all that data, one might consider the ...
Business & Economics

Upper Midwest seeing ‘freedom renaissance’

If you’re a Minnesotan, you might want to take a moment to face west and raise a salute to South Dakota. That state is helping you live a better life. How? According to the Pacific Research Institute (www.pacificresearch.org), which ranks economic freedom in all 50 states, South Dakota ranks No. ...
California

Despite Budget Resolution, Medi-Cal Crisis Endures

Three months late, governor Schwarzenegger has finally signed a budget. Unfortunately, the governor and legislators missed the chance to wrangle Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, under control. The budget agreement held the line pretty well on this gargantuan program for the short term appropriating 14.5 billion for 2008-2009 versus $14.2 ...
Business & Economics

North Carolina Plummets in Economic Freedom Ranking

The Pacific Research Institute released their 2008 Economic Freedom Index rankings and for North Carolina the results are ghastly. In 1999 North Carolina ranked 17th in terms of economic freedom and business friendliness. By 2004 that ranking had dropped to 24th and now today in 2008 the state has sunk ...
Business & Economics

News-Talk 1110 WBT (NC): Economic Freedom Index Radio Interview with Tara Servatius

Lawrence J. McQuillan was interviewed by radio talk show host Tara Servatius on News-Talk 1110 WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina. He discussed North Carolina’s rankings in the Economic Freedom Index: 2008 Report.
Commentary

COD: Students unprepared for workload

Christopher Villalta was not the best student to graduate from La Quinta High School in June, but the soft-spoken 18-year-old earned his diploma and passed the state exit exam required for all students. He started classes at College of the Desert in Palm Desert this month in hopes of becoming ...
Business & Economics

Not bad NH, but can the current leaders stop the slide (I doubt it)?

There is a group that does study for almost anything that you could dream of – our fascination with numbers and rankings is just incredible. In this case, a ranking of how economically free each State in the US. The group that produced this report “U.S. Economic Freedom Index 2008” ...
Commentary

A Healthcare Fix for the Green Mountain State

As Vermont grapples with a projected $32-million budget shortfall, Gov. James Douglas and state lawmakers have been forced to consider cuts in several government health programs. Such cuts are critical, given that Vermont spends more per capita on health care than almost any other state. But yet another round of ...
Business & Economics

Wall Street plan won’t aid recovery

Last week the government took extraordinary measures to restore calm to the financial markets. Besides the takeover of insurer American International Group, the government banned short-selling of 799 financial stocks and floated a plan to buy up risky mortgage-backed assets. These actions, unfortunately, may prove incredibly costly to the taxpayer, ...
Business & Economics

My View: State budget mess: We can learn from Canada

California’s new budget deal is a short-term fix that leaves the Golden State without a long-term solution to its financial woes. More often than not, lessons from our neighbors to the north concern what not to do. However, in the case of budgets, there is much to gain by replicating ...
Commentary

Celebs, stop taking poisonous shots at vaccines

Earlier this month, researchers at Columbia University concluded that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine doesn’t raise a child’s risk for autism. It was the most rigorous look at the issue to date. Since 1998, more than 20 scientific studies have reached the same conclusion. With all that data, one might consider the ...
Business & Economics

Upper Midwest seeing ‘freedom renaissance’

If you’re a Minnesotan, you might want to take a moment to face west and raise a salute to South Dakota. That state is helping you live a better life. How? According to the Pacific Research Institute (www.pacificresearch.org), which ranks economic freedom in all 50 states, South Dakota ranks No. ...
California

Despite Budget Resolution, Medi-Cal Crisis Endures

Three months late, governor Schwarzenegger has finally signed a budget. Unfortunately, the governor and legislators missed the chance to wrangle Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, under control. The budget agreement held the line pretty well on this gargantuan program for the short term appropriating 14.5 billion for 2008-2009 versus $14.2 ...
Business & Economics

North Carolina Plummets in Economic Freedom Ranking

The Pacific Research Institute released their 2008 Economic Freedom Index rankings and for North Carolina the results are ghastly. In 1999 North Carolina ranked 17th in terms of economic freedom and business friendliness. By 2004 that ranking had dropped to 24th and now today in 2008 the state has sunk ...
Business & Economics

News-Talk 1110 WBT (NC): Economic Freedom Index Radio Interview with Tara Servatius

Lawrence J. McQuillan was interviewed by radio talk show host Tara Servatius on News-Talk 1110 WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina. He discussed North Carolina’s rankings in the Economic Freedom Index: 2008 Report.
Commentary

COD: Students unprepared for workload

Christopher Villalta was not the best student to graduate from La Quinta High School in June, but the soft-spoken 18-year-old earned his diploma and passed the state exit exam required for all students. He started classes at College of the Desert in Palm Desert this month in hopes of becoming ...
Business & Economics

Not bad NH, but can the current leaders stop the slide (I doubt it)?

There is a group that does study for almost anything that you could dream of – our fascination with numbers and rankings is just incredible. In this case, a ranking of how economically free each State in the US. The group that produced this report “U.S. Economic Freedom Index 2008” ...
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