March, 2011 - Independence Institute

Newly-Adopted Idaho Laws Kind of Like the Yummy Tater Tots of Education Reform 0
- March 22, 2011
Mashed. Baked. Au gratin. French fries. Hash browns. Tater tots…. Other than the fact it’s almost lunchtime, why am I talking about potatoes? In honor of my Education Policy Center friend Ben DeGrow’s newly-published School Reform News article “Idaho Gov. Signs Two Sweeping Reform Bills”:

Amid a rancorous atmosphere that included vandalism against Idaho’s top public […]
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Why Does the Office of Consumer Counsel Exist?0
- March 22, 2011
As I explain here, two thirds of the Public Utilities Commission care more about advancing “green” energy, than they do about ratepayer protection. I’m sad to say that the same holds true for the Office of Consumer Counsel. Evidently, in Colorado, ratepayers don’t have a public sector advocate. By any rational calculation, Xcel’s Solar*Rewards program
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Why ObamaCare is wrong for America 0
- March 22, 2011
The first in-depth examination of the impact of the new national health care law on American individuals, families, and businesses. Written by an esteemed quartet of health policy experts, Why ObamaCare Is Wrong for America demystifies the convoluted plan that the Obama administration and a Democratic Congress pushed through, exploring its effect on real people.
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Is LaHood Admitting Defeat?0
- March 22, 2011
Last week, Secretary of Immobility Ray LaHood designated the Boston-to-Washington corridor as an eleventh high-speed rail corridor. This makes Amtrak eligible for some of the $2.4 billion in high-speed rail funds released when Florida rejected federal funds for the Tampa-Orlando route. Of course, $2.4 billion won’t even scratch the surface of Amtrak’s $117 billion plan […]
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Want a Glimpse of the Education Future? Time to Get to Know Khan Academy 0
- March 21, 2011
A random Monday posting… First of all, let me clarify that this post has nothing to do with old Star Trek movies or even older Mongol hordes. If you are interested at all in the future of education but haven’t heard of Khan Academy yet, now is the time to start getting up to speed. […]
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The Constitution and Property Rights 0
- March 21, 2011
It is sometimes suggested that the Founders did not consider property rights important because the term “property” was mentioned only once in the Constitution. The truth is that the Founders were concerned about a range of human values, but property rights were high on their list. Their Constitution and Bill of Rights protected property in
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