Metro Says Heat Wave Not “Extreme”
A Washington, DC, Metro train broke down for unknown reasons and another one jumped the tracks in another routine day for DC rail transit. The derailment was caused by a “heat kink” in the tracks, and Metro says it normally slows down trains during “extreme heat,” but hadn’t decided to do so in this heat […]
States Can Still Kill Obamacare. But not Colorado. Thanks Amy Stephens.
States don’t need to wait until Election Day to take aim at a point of vulnerability that remains in place despite the Courts latest caprice. They can refuse to implement the laws insurance exchanges. Continue reading
State Data Show Colorado 10-Year K-12 Funding Trends Still Going Up
Not many people out there get the joy out of school funding figures, but understanding them clearly is crucial to the debate. Part of the problem? Depending on which source you look at, per-pupil spending and revenue data don’t always line up, something my Education Policy Center friend Ben DeGrow pointed out in his 2006 […]
Is President Obama’s Prostate Gland More Important Than Yours?
When President Obama had his routine physical last year, he enjoyed the freedom to consult with his doctors, weigh the pros and cons of PSA testing, and decide for himself what was in his best medical interest. But under ObamaCare, the President will not allow you that same freedom. Instead, the federal government will decide for you. Continue reading
Fire Season, Again
It’s summer, so there are wildfires. There are wildfires, so people are debating what to do about them. Should the Forest Service cut more trees? Should counties regulate rural land development? Should Congress give the Forest Service and Department of the Interior more money for fire suppression? The New York Times asked seven experts to […]
Amy Oliver Show: Dougco Moves On without Teachers Union
Senior education policy analyst Ben DeGrow explains how the Douglas County School District no longer recognizes a single union as the sole representative for teachers in the district and what impact that decision has on other districts in the state.
AFT Union Pins Fading Hopes on State Intervention to Save Power in Dougco
As of July 1, following the collective bargaining agreement’s expiration, Colorado’s 60,000-student Douglas County School District became the state’s largest without a recognized teachers union. The ball is in the court of Governor Hickenlooper and his appointed labor department director after the AFT’s request for state intervention. Since the legal foundation for the request is not very strong, Colorado may be looking at a breakthrough moment in the K-12 education profession.
A Colonial Pamphlet Helps Show Why the Constitution’s Necessary and Proper Clause Granted No Power
Learn more: Hear a podcast on this subject. As I have noted before (for example, here and here) pamphlets written in support of the colonial cause during the years 1763-1774 help us greatly in understanding the language of the Constitution. Unfortunately, most constitutional writers regularly overlook those pamphlets—one reason mistakes of constitutional interpretation are so […]
Nevada Group Notifies Clark County Teachers of Brief Opt-Out Window, Membership Options
Every year the Independence Institute reaches out to Colorado teachers to let them know about their options, particularly the right of union members to receive a rebate of political funds collected along with their dues. This year the Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI) has followed suit with a notice to teachers in their state’s largest […]
Coulson in Wall St. Journal: Too Many Teachers Means Time for Tax Credits
Even though it’s the middle of the summer, your (no, really, it will be fun) homework assignment is to read the new Wall Street Journal guest opinion column by the Cato Institute’s Andrew Coulson:
Since 1970, the public school workforce has roughly doubled—to 6.4 million from 3.3 million—and two-thirds of those new hires are teachers or […]
John C. Goodman on his new book, Priceless
Originally aired June 21, 2012. Independent Institute Research Fellow Dr. John C. Goodman, author of “Priceless: Curing the Healthcare Crisis,” joins a panel on Stossel to speak on healthcare issues. Continue reading
Environmentalists Destroy Boston Transit
The Metropolitan Boston Transportation Authority (MBTA, or “T” for short) is in deep financial trouble, with nearly $9 billion of debt and a $3 billion maintenance backlog that is growing more every year. According to a Boston Herald op ed by Harvard researcher Charles Chieppo, the blame for this can be placed on the Dukakis […]
