Archive for June, 2010

School voucher program could help fix California’s crippling budget deficit

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

“California’s voters do not have to lose their metaphorical right or left arm to solve the budget crisis. ”

“There is a potentially simple and relatively pain-free policy solution out there- one that will actually improve what residents get out of their state, instead of requiring them to lose out on something.  That potential solution is a statewide educational voucher program.”

“In a report by the Federal government, which was kept quiet until Democrats in Congress had a chance to sunset funding for D.C.’s innovative private school voucher program, a Federal study concluded that the private school voucher program in D.C. had delivered better results (students pulled ahead of their non-voucher peers in reading, while performing as well in math) at one quarter of the cost!”

“Average tuition at private voucher schools was $6,620, just under 25% of the $26,555 that the District of Columbia spends on education per pupil. Think of what this could mean for California. Education could actually improve and only cost 25% as much as it does presently.”

W.E. Messamore looks at the numbers and sees a way to balance the budget:http://caivn.org/article/2010/06/15/school-voucher-program-could-help-fix-californias-crippling-budget-deficit

Posted in Education | No Comments »

Think Again: Ronald Reagan

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

“Today’s conservatives have conjured a mythic Reagan who never compromised with America’s enemies and never shrank from a fight. But the real Reagan did both those things, often. In fact, they were a big part of his success.”

“Sure, Reagan spent boatloads — some $2.8 trillion all told — on the military. And yes, he funneled money and guns to anti-communist rebels like the Nicaraguan Contras and Afghan mujahideen, while lecturing Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down that wall. But on the ultimate test of hawkdom — the willingness to send U.S. troops into harm’s way — Reagan was no bird of prey. He launched exactly one land war, against Grenada, whose army totaled 600 men. It lasted two days. And his only air war — the 1986 bombing of Libya — was even briefer.”

Peter Beinart takes a second look @ Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/06/07/think_again_ronald_reagan

Posted in International | No Comments »

End the Drug War

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

“When I walk around busy midtown Manhattan, I often smell marijuana. Despite the crowds, some people smoke weed in public. Usually the police leave them alone, and yet other times they act like a military force engaged in urban combat. This February, cops stormed a Columbia, Mo., home, killed the family dog and terrorized a 7-year-old boy—for what? A tiny quantity of marijuana.”

“Two years ago, in Prince George’s County, Md., cops raided Cheye Calvo’s home—all because a box of marijuana was randomly shipped to his wife as part of a smuggling operation. Only later did the police learn that Calvo was innocent—and the mayor of that town.”

Full column on the Drug War vs Freedom by John Stossel @ http://reason.com/archives/2010/06/17/end-the-drug-war

Posted in New Prohibition | No Comments »

U.S. Terrorizes Switzerland Over Taxes, Banking

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

“The U.S. government is using threats and intimidation to coerce tiny Switzerland into changing its laws and handing over the names of Americans suspected of avoiding U.S. taxes using Swiss banks.”

“Under an agreement organized between the two governments last year, the neutral alpine nation famous for its banking secrecy was supposed to divulge the names associated with about 4,500 accounts suspected of sheltering money from the Internal Revenue Service. But a Swiss judge blocked the disclosure because it violated national banking laws.”

Full column on Swiss Banks vs the IRS by Alex Newman @ http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/world-mainmenu-26/europe-mainmenu-35/3798-us-terrorizes-switzerland-over-taxes-banking

Posted in Economic & Financial, International | No Comments »

Chinese Man Fights Eminent Domain With Fireworks

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

“In 2005 the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Kelo v. City of New London, ruled that governments in the United States have the right to steal their citizens’ property and transfer it to private developers as long as it serves a “public purpose,” namely bringing in more tax revenue. Thus, according to the court, the city of New London, Connecticut, was within its rights to evict Susette Kelo and others from their property in order to hand the property over to Pfizer for development — development that, in fact, never materialized. ”

“In 2010 China, one man is not taking a similar situation lying down. Yang Youde, reports Reuters, “has declared war on property developers who want his land, building a cannon out of a wheelbarrow and pipes and firing rockets at would-be eviction teams.” Yang “says he has fended off two eviction attempts with his improvised weapon, which uses ammunition made from locally sold fireworks,” the report continues. Yang also says he has been careful not to hurt anyone, firing the shots over the heads of the erstwhile thieves.”

Full story by Michael Tennant @ http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/world-mainmenu-26/asia-mainmenu-33/3749-chinese-man-fights-eminent-domain-with-fireworks

Posted in International, Property Rights | No Comments »