Is Momentum Growing for Open School Union Negotiations in Colorado?
Transparency. Good government. Conducting public business in the light of day. I happen to think these are more than trite phrases and ideas. If you’ve been following my coverage of the dispute over opening union bargaining sessions in Colorado Springs School District 11, you have an idea of what I mean.
Yesterday my Education Policy Center […]
HB 1291 second reading: snuggies, moderates and the gavel
Great quotes from today’s Senate floor debate on HB 1291, which saw republicans Scott Renfroe, Kevin Lundberg and Shawn Mitchell collaborate with democrat Lois Tochtrop to save money for Xcel ratepayers. Two pro-consumer amendments that closely mirror SB 236 and SB 237 were defeated. Senator Lois Tochtrop: “I’m buying stock in snuggies because that’s all […]
Lawmakers continue to oblige Xcel Energy
Same story. Different day. Yesterday in Senate State Affairs, democrats Rollie Heath, Bob Bacon and Betty Boyd voted with Xcel Energy and killed two pro-consumer pieces of legislation. Republican members Bill Cadman and Kevin Grantham sided with ratepayers. Most interesting, Senator Lois Tochtrop (D-Adams County) couldn’t get any support from her own party for SB 236 […]
Life-Cycle Budgeting? No, Thanks
Life-cycle budgeting is suddenly the latest transportation-planning fad. Even some free-market groups are promoting it as a way to save tax dollars. The theory is that a life-cycle analysis will look ahead at all future costs, not just the initial cost, of transportation projects. At first glance, this sounds great. Most transportation fixed infrastructure needs […]
Successful Arizona Blended Learning Charter Shows Colo. Can “Seize the Day”
Check out a new School Reform News feature story by Ben DeGrow about Arizona’s cutting-edge Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School, a public charter that has pioneered a unique blended learning model and has achieved some remarkable results with students. The school’s innovations may hold great promise for reformers in Colorado. Perhaps the article will inspire education transformers to Seize the Day and make a difference for current and future learners in our great state.
Concierge medicine: doctors tire of dealing with politically-controlled insurance
Concierge medicine “potentially poses a big threat to Medicare and to the new world of medical care envisioned under President Barack Obama’s health overhaul. “
State-run insurance exchange enables federal control of Coloradans’ insurance
“ObamaCare is unpopular, unwieldy, expensive, arguably unconstitutional, and a prime target for repeal. It requires the states to do much of the federal government’s dirty work. Right now, the federal government is paying states $1 million to plan health insurance exchanges designed limit the kinds of health insurance policies available to state residents.”
The Rights of Mother Earth
Here‘s a great way to bring about the collapse of civilization: declare that Mother Earth has equal rights with humans and give anyone standing to represent Mother Earth in court in challenging any activity by anyone else. In practically no time, the gears of industry would grind to a halt, agriculture would shut down, and […]
SB 11-200: Colo. Insurance Exchange weakens repeal efforts, feds will control it
A state-run insurance exchange in CO cannot defend itself from burdensome federal regulations. Collaboration w/ ObamaCare “confuses the commitment to repeal.” You “do not want …Obama campaigning on Obamacare’s faux flexibility and responsiveness — as would have been demonstrated by bipartisan state legislation to implement it.”
Hoosier School Reform Daddy?: Voucher Plan Advances, Bargaining Bill Signed
Just to be clear up front, I’m not necessarily implying any sort of superiority from the Hoosier State. Not at all. It’s far more about having a little Friday fun with puns. After all, it’s fun to revel in the news from the Foundation for Educational Choice:
The Indiana Senate today passed legislation that would create […]
Colo. SB11-200: Shawn Mitchell on opposing state-run insurance exchange
Government-run exchanges “are just the next layer [of political meddling in health care]: a government solution to government problems. But it’s worse than déjà vu. Exchanges are likely to exacerbate the problem of political distortion.”
Contributing Factors, Part Two
Be sure to read part one first. Greedy bankers: Changes in the banking industry caused the crisis, many writers claim, by creating perverse incentives to earn short-term profits by making long-term risks. “High leverage and risk-taking in general was fueled by the Street’s indulgent compensation practices,” says Lowenstein (p. 287). A prime example is Joseph […]
