tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84731422011-07-14T16:32:44.009-05:00Liberty news from across the United StatesAmericans for Limited Governmentnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6061100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1108479741821372462005-02-15T09:02:00.000-06:002005-02-15T09:02:21.820-06:00

First Coast News | Local News: "'So what is wrong about providing a choice to people who otherwise not have a choice. What is wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that.' Businesses are donating money to scholarship fund that they otherwise would be paying in state income taxes. This year more than 80 million dollars is available for scholarships. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105972475471250052005-01-17T08:30:00.000-06:002005-01-17T08:34:35.470-06:00

You can find the latest highlights of today's liberty news at http://www.GetLibertyNews.org! Thanks for reading! The ALG Web Team

Americans for Limited Governmentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105287456923221972005-01-09T10:17:00.000-06:002005-01-09T10:17:36.923-06:00

Paul Jacob: How to skew the news without really trying: "So, a study of term limits paints a pretty rosy (or at least innocuous) picture of life under term limits. And a professional journalist paints that picture in as stark and dark terms as possible. Why? "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105287275673011102005-01-09T10:14:00.000-06:002005-01-09T10:14:35.673-06:00

School Choice: Publik Skule vs. Home SchoolNow … they actually get to study the basics, pursue their educational and athletic interests, without waiting for the 186% overcrowded class to decide to cease fighting and copulating long enough that the teacher can teach the students how to write their name so that they can endorse their unemployment check later on in life.

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105133983073290162005-01-07T15:39:00.001-06:002005-01-07T15:39:43.073-06:00

Spellings Promises Fixes to No Child Left Behind Law (washingtonpost.com): "Spellings promised to work with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who complained that highly regarded schools in New York were becoming overcrowded because of a provision in the law that allows parents to transfer their children from unsuccessful schools to thriving ones. As a result, Clinton said, standards were also

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105133980862794272005-01-07T15:39:00.000-06:002005-01-07T15:39:40.863-06:00

Spellings Promises Fixes to No Child Left Behind Law (washingtonpost.com): "Spellings promised to work with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who complained that highly regarded schools in New York were becoming overcrowded because of a provision in the law that allows parents to transfer their children from unsuccessful schools to thriving ones. As a result, Clinton said, standards were also

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105124329540331392005-01-07T12:58:00.000-06:002005-01-07T12:58:49.540-06:00

Omaha.com: "'Since we want people in office who represent us rather than themselves, we don't want somebody in office too long . . . getting too big for their britches,' he said. 'Term limits give more people a chance to participate in government, and I think that's a good thing.' "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105122697329974042005-01-07T12:31:00.000-06:002005-01-07T12:31:37.330-06:00

Park Record - Education: "School choice is the only thing that will save the public school system."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105122341267245192005-01-07T12:25:00.000-06:002005-01-07T12:25:41.266-06:00

Ending the Evolutionary War ?[Mackinac Center for Public Policy]: "Private schools, with their diverse world views, coexist as peacefully as private churches. If every family in America had the financial resources to choose the public or private school they preferred, as they would under a universal education tax credit system, we could enjoy the same harmonious relations in education that we

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105120005448610482005-01-07T11:46:00.000-06:002005-01-07T11:46:45.446-06:00

FOX11AZ.com | News for Tucson, Arizona | News | State News: "'They're not interested in any of our perspectives. They're interested in a shopping center for tax revenue purposes,' Sturman said. But Hallman said none of the businesses have to close. 'They have the opportunity to be relocated at the developer and city's expense,' he said.

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105116557455055652005-01-07T10:49:00.000-06:002005-01-07T10:49:17.456-06:00

LJWorld.com : Kansas to begin 2005 in the black: "Many lawmakers say now is the time to codify in the Kansas Constitution a spending limitation fashioned after one in Colorado, called the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, or TABOR for short."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105116105241991782005-01-07T10:41:00.000-06:002005-01-07T10:41:45.240-06:00

Texas Budget Crisis Could Have Been Prevented by Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Study Shows: "Americans for Prosperity Foundation today released a study showing that Texas' recent $10 billion budget crisis could have been prevented if the state had implemented a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights amendment in the 1990s."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105110408788213232005-01-07T09:06:00.000-06:002005-01-07T09:06:48.786-06:00

Boston.com / News / Nation / Washington / Democrats try to alter Social Security debate: "President Bush's strategy of saying that Social Security's 'crisis is now' as a rationale for creating personal investment accounts has been offset by unanticipated attacks from Democratic leaders that the White House is manufacturing an excuse to boost support for private accounts."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105109854818448282005-01-07T08:57:00.000-06:002005-01-07T08:57:34.816-06:00

Feds Plan to Rescue Pension System Before Collapse: "The New York Times reports Friday that U.S. needs to rescue the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) before it collapses. 'With the federal pension insurance program in a rapid decline and bracing itself for another year of record losses, officials in the Bush administration are close to unveiling a rescue plan"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105034526656877802005-01-06T13:02:00.000-06:002005-01-06T12:43:42.416-06:00

New York Post Online Edition: news A state court has ruled that Albany is shortchanging city schoolchildren — but a national report out yesterday found that the state spends more per student than all but Washington, D.C., and New Jersey.

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105035747415298222005-01-06T12:22:00.000-06:002005-01-06T12:22:27.416-06:00

Private Schools Half as Expensiv: "A new annual survey of Arizona private schools finds average private elementary and middle school tuition is $3,700, less than half the average per-pupil public school expenditure of $7,800. Average private high school tuition is $5,500. The survey released today also reveals that private schools could help offset the burden placed on public schools by Arizona?s

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105035037360845992005-01-06T12:10:00.000-06:002005-01-06T12:10:37.360-06:00

Kansas City Star | 01/06/2005 | Courts change nature of education funding"Schools are being pushed to show the results they produce with the dollars they get. And legislators are being pushed to move beyond politics to a more rational basis for school funding decisions.”

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105034637872718082005-01-06T12:03:00.000-06:002005-01-06T12:03:57.873-06:00

Salt Lake Tribune - Search: "In fact, high school students will need to pass an exit exam next year to earn a diploma. Failure could jeopardize a student's college and job prospects. And district officials worry that a parent may sue, arguing that the school shortchanged the student because lawmakers shortchanged the school at budget time."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105034005974996462005-01-06T11:53:00.000-06:002005-01-06T11:53:25.973-06:00

New York Daily News - Ideas & Opinions - Richard Schwartz: Painful trade-off: "Once the court-ordered funds come into play, the salary divide between the two systems could get so large, says Stern of the Manhattan Institute, that 'you're going to need a cadre of secular saints to staff Catholic schools. There aren't enough nuns to fill that void.' Why does this matter? Because the New York

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105033586225464612005-01-06T11:46:00.000-06:002005-01-06T11:46:26.226-06:00

WCCO: Stiffer Sentence For Cheese Sandwiches: "?Why are the taxpayers paying the judiciary to hold this hearing on some contraband sandwiches?? he said in a telephone interview with the Gazette of Colorado Springs. ?Taxpayers want to know where their money is going?there it is.?"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105032567113063912005-01-06T11:29:00.000-06:002005-01-06T11:29:27.113-06:00

The Minot Daily News: Abusing property powers - - Minot Daily News: "But Americans deserve better than that. They deserve to have the White House stick up for ordinary Americans' property rights and for a recognition that there properly should be limits to government power, especially the power to take property gained by the sweat of one's brow."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105032178142666482005-01-06T11:22:00.000-06:002005-01-06T11:22:58.143-06:00

TheDay.com, New London, CT: "Well, not necessarily. States and local governments across the country have been condemning properties and giving them to private businesses. They do so in the name of ?economic development?: The new owners will create jobs and "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1105032072647797662005-01-06T11:21:00.000-06:002005-01-06T11:21:12.646-06:00

Homeowners' rights vs. economic development - Jan. 6, 2005: "The case, Kelo v. City of New London, will decide whether the U.S. Constitution's definition of 'public use' includes private developments like condos and casinos. The decision will have implications through the country. The Institute for Justice argues that displacing property owners for private development is not legal. 'The

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104946000798259812005-01-05T11:26:00.000-06:002005-01-05T11:26:40.796-06:00

Augusta Free Press : The fix is in: "State education officials are not particularly good at exercising the vast powers they've accrued over many decades. That's lesson #1 for anyone who would 'fix education'."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104945029397497282005-01-05T11:10:00.000-06:002005-01-05T11:10:29.396-06:00

St. Paul Pioneer Press | 01/05/2005 | School choice enhances public education: "To ask specifically how private schools would assimilate programs now provided by government schools misses the point. Each individual school would accommodate special needs students as it judged best in order to attract students. In government-run education there can be only one answer that must be right for everyone

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104944357560557762005-01-05T10:59:00.000-06:002005-01-05T10:59:17.560-06:00

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder - METROPOLIS: "parents must demand fundamental changes in the education system by educating themselves and organizing in order to put pressure on the schools. But personally, he would go one step forward and advocates competition through school choice."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104944128864109782005-01-05T10:55:00.000-06:002005-01-05T10:55:28.863-06:00

WFAA.com | News for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas | News 8: "Last month, a new model was unveiled for the Trinity River Vision in Fort Worth, the Uptown project where thousands are expected to live, work and play along the riverbank. Some in the area, however, said there's another side to the story: what will be lost as the project moves forward. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104943823974823292005-01-05T10:50:00.000-06:002005-01-05T10:50:23.973-06:00

: "Condemning private property can cause great pain even when the use is clearly public, as for a highway. But when improving the tax base is deemed a 'public use,' feelings can quickly turn raw."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104942943876131542005-01-05T10:35:00.000-06:002005-01-05T10:35:43.876-06:00

East Valley Tribune | Daily Arizona news for Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale: "Opponents of the planned shopping center have said it fails to meet the test for condemnation because it does not deliver a public use such as a road, a government building or a hospital. 'This is being done for profit, not for the environment,' "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104942705869062042005-01-05T10:31:00.000-06:002005-01-05T10:31:45.870-06:00

LJWorld.com : Kansas to begin 2005 in the black: "Many lawmakers say now is the time to codify in the Kansas Constitution a spending limitation fashioned after one in Colorado, called the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, or TABOR for short. The proposal would limit revenue growth in state government to inflation plus population growth, and refund to taxpayers any state revenue collected above that

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104941786759262002005-01-05T10:16:00.000-06:002005-01-05T10:16:26.760-06:00

WorkingForChange-Is Rehnquist fit?: "We've had two failed attempts to institute mandatory retirement at 75. Term limits are now being promoted by a handful of professors. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104941535361673472005-01-05T10:12:00.000-06:002005-01-05T10:12:15.360-06:00

A Term Limit-Remap Trade-Off?: "Some key lawmakers suggested Tuesday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger might be able to win support for a plan that changes the way California draws its legislative districts by helping them get rid of the state's strict term limits. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104940082410013482005-01-05T09:48:00.000-06:002005-01-05T09:48:02.410-06:00

WOAI: SAN ANTONIO//NEWS: "The defense of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols cost more than $4.2 million in public funds, it was reported Tuesday. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104938629985189372005-01-05T09:23:00.000-06:002005-01-05T09:23:49.986-06:00

Bush administration focusing on Social Security accounts of 4 percent in payroll taxes: "The Bush administration is focusing on a Social Security proposal that would allow younger workers to invest up to 4 percent of their payroll taxes in private accounts, with contributions limited to about $1,000 to $1,300 a year, an official said Tuesday. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104855795590603072005-01-04T10:23:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:23:15.590-06:00

Bar owner on Liberty Avenue threatened by URA purchase: "I came in to this end of town when nobody else wanted to go here. I took a chance and got out a lot of the debris in the area and feel really strongly about being in the area.' Gaynor is being forced to move her restaurant from 972 Liberty Ave. by the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority, which acquired the building as part of Pittsburgh's

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104855651802684372005-01-04T10:20:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:20:51.803-06:00

Better Foods trial starts, but settlement is possible: "Arthur Fine, an attorney for Better Foods Land Investment Co., made a two-hour opening statement Monday, outlining 13 reasons the city could not use eminent domain to take land at 126 and 130 S. Central Ave. He argued that the land is not blighted, the Americana at Brand project is not the best public use of the space and that the city's

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104855539347309212005-01-04T10:18:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:18:59.346-06:00

Newsday.com - Opinion: "Freedom and property rights are under assault in other ways. The Town of North Hempstead, for example, grossly misused eminent domain powers to grab the property of St. Luke's Pentecostal Church in New Cassel for a business-residential project, which was celebrated by assorted politicians last month. At the behest of local busybodies, towns have established 'historic

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104855388381233582005-01-04T10:16:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:16:28.380-06:00

San Bernardino County Sun - News: "About 50 Redlands residents rallied at a Monday meeting of the Lugonia Community Association to urge the City Council to drop the redevelopment idea and forget about using eminent domain to take homes and businesses. The council will consider suspending redevelopment plans for the neighborhood tonight."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104855178276855762005-01-04T10:12:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:12:58.276-06:00

toledoblade.com: "Because the city dismissed the court action it is liable for the legal fees according to Ohio law, said Jim Moan, city law director. The city had tried to appropriate the historic Lathrop House and its 3.7 acres on Main Street after it had been bought by the diocese."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104854937253987632005-01-04T10:08:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:08:57.253-06:00

Recordnet.com: "Stockton officials say the massive project will help the city attract new businesses and companies to provide jobs for the city's burgeoning population. To do so, however, they have seized more than a dozen separate private properties under the city's power of eminent domain to put together the events center, which will include a 5,000-seat baseball stadium, 10,000-seat arena for

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104854771286723582005-01-04T10:06:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:06:11.286-06:00

WKOW TV: "In Colorado, which has had a version of TABOR since 1992, tax rebate checks have been sent out. The non profit conservative think tank Independence Institute estimates between 1997 and 2001, over three billion dollars were mailed out to citizens. During those years, the average annual rebate was $160. Rebates kicked in when tax revenues exceeded the money required to support programs

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104854657163062812005-01-04T10:04:00.000-06:002005-01-04T10:04:17.163-06:00

Rocky Mountain News: Legislature: "The sides found some common ground, agreeing they need to ask voters to tweak TABOR, which restricts the growth of state spending. They didn't agree on some key details, such as how much extra money the state should be allowed to spend and whether to tweak a constitutional mandate for education spending, too. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104854223644695762005-01-04T09:57:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:57:03.643-06:00

La Crosse Tribune - News: "As legislators look at ways to potentially limit local government spending, including a possible state constitutional amendment known as the taxpayers bill of rights, Kapanke said he wants to ensure local government is part of the discussions. He added he hasn't yet seen a version of TABOR he can support, although he'd like to see details worked out. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104853984713951912005-01-04T09:53:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:53:04.713-06:00

Durango Herald Online: "Owens said he will support a plan this year that asks voters to ease the fiscal restraints of TABOR, but promised to be back next year asking Democrats to support plans to ease the requirements for public-school funding. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104853572018028122005-01-04T09:46:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:46:12.016-06:00

Editorial: Bad judgment: "If the governor doesn't select qualified people to sit on state courts, and if Texas voters are not inclined to study the qualifications of judicial candidates sufficiently to make informed choices, then lawmakers should finally support judicial reform measures that assure the state has the best-qualified men and women sitting on state courts."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104853079603863402005-01-04T09:37:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:37:59.603-06:00

Pasadena Star-News - News: "Rep. David Dreier will remain chairman of the House Rules Committee for another two years, it was announced Monday, despite the Republican Party's self-imposed term limits for committee chairmanships. Normally, Dreier, R-Glendora, would have been forced to step down this year, but House Speaker Dennis Hastert exercised his authority to keep Dreier on for another term."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104852830832808562005-01-04T09:33:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:33:50.833-06:00

State: Seats safe, legislators dole out surpluses: "Most seats are uncontested until term limits force out the occupants."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104852576493365692005-01-04T09:29:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:29:36.493-06:00

cantonrep.com: " While term limits were meant to end lawmaking as a career, some politicians are continuing to extend their stay in Columbus. All five of the Ohio Senate's newly elected members sworn in Monday are simply switching from the House."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104851503718063582005-01-04T09:11:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:11:43.716-06:00

General Assembly changes leadership: "Monday's ceremonies ushered out old members and leaders and saw new ones sworn in. Yet many of the newcomers were familiar faces. All five newly minted senators had previously served in the House, but had to leave because of term limits. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104851359650251462005-01-04T09:09:00.000-06:002005-01-04T09:09:19.650-06:00

Job swapping not what voters intended - mansfieldnewsjournal.com: "The idea behind term limits is that residents would seek elected office, serve a reasonable period of time and do the best job they could do, and then return to the private sector. Once there, they could learn how the other half lives and realize the impacts of the laws and rules they helped to create. But that is not happening

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104849980643580602005-01-04T08:46:00.000-06:002005-01-04T08:46:20.643-06:00

WorldNetDaily: Does affirmative action produce more black lawyers?: "We should focus our attention on the real problem, which is that our kids are not getting the education at the K-12 levels to prepare them for the challenges of university life. The data that demonstrates this is beyond question. The most important opportunity we have for revitalizing K-12 education is to provide alternatives

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104789709852544562005-01-03T16:01:00.000-06:002005-01-03T16:01:49.853-06:00

My Way News: "Kansas is one of 24 states facing lawsuits over education funding, including Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York and Texas, according to the Access Project, a New York group promoting increased education funding. The Kansas high court said the state's school finance formula is based not on what it actually costs to educate students 'but rather on political and other factors not

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104770418129321222005-01-03T10:40:00.000-06:002005-01-03T10:40:18.130-06:00

ESR | January 3, 2005 | Measure 37 to the rescue: "Measure 37 passed on November 2 and it allows Oregon property owners who have been wronged by any myriad of radical land use restrictions imposed by the state and local governments to seek just compensation for their monetary losses. And if the governmental body responsible for the offending regulation can't pony up the dough, the Measure calls

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104769058219735292005-01-03T10:17:00.000-06:002005-01-03T10:17:38.220-06:00

Keith Allison, D.Dn.: Regulatory Entities: The Hydra of Modern Man: "Ladies and gentlemen, government does not have the right to provide for the general benefit of the public; it is strictly limited to the benefits enumerated in the Constitution. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104768682827143052005-01-03T10:11:00.000-06:002005-01-03T10:11:22.826-06:00

Republican, Dem keep swapping offices to skirt term limits: "Because state law limits treasurers and clerks to eight years of continuous tenure in each elected position, they informally arranged to switch offices every eight years."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104768462570394392005-01-03T10:07:00.000-06:002005-01-03T10:07:42.570-06:00

Politics - Congress faces hot-button issues - sacbee.com: "Taxes: Fulfilling a pledge he made in his campaign, Bush wants to make his tax cuts permanent and overhaul the federal tax code. The president wants a commission to study changes and make recommendations later this year. Although Bush has yet to endorse a proposal, ideas being discussed in Washington include a national sales tax or a flat

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104768281117495632005-01-03T10:04:00.000-06:002005-01-03T10:04:41.116-06:00

Yahoo! News - Bush makes right move: "voters understand that democracy is diminished when un-elected judges set social policy for America. Good judges are not partisans, but fair arbiters of disputes. Bush correctly believes that judges should show restraint and not manipulate court opinions to promote political agendas."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104767839848295292005-01-03T09:57:00.000-06:002005-01-03T09:57:19.846-06:00

JS Online: TABOR is an idea whose time has come in Wisconsin: "In essence, TABOR puts government growth on a diet. It restricts annual budgetary increases to some inflationary factor and the spending limit can only be exceeded by a vote of the people through a referendum."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104767596411396662005-01-03T09:53:00.000-06:002005-01-03T09:53:16.410-06:00

JS Online: Tax issue pushed for April ballot: "Some people are saying we should move ahead with TABOR, spending caps and tax freezes because that's what people want,' O'Connell said. 'If people vote for these in the affirmative, then let's do what the people want, and it will reduce the (property) tax levy.'"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104767436523471262005-01-03T09:50:00.000-06:002005-01-03T09:50:36.523-06:00

JS Online: Limits change face of government: "Local governments across Colorado have had to ask - often again and again - when they want to raise taxes or exceed spending limits set by TABOR. They've had to spell out the exact reasons for those requests. And more often than not, local voters have said 'yes' to the spending requests, and raised their own taxes in the process."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104762933953126642005-01-03T08:35:00.000-06:002005-01-03T08:35:33.953-06:00

The State | 01/03/2005 | SCHOOL CHOICE: "Choice gives parents the ultimate decision to send children to the school that best suits their needs, Denver Merrill said."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104727848547404832005-01-02T22:50:00.000-06:002005-01-02T22:50:48.546-06:00

APP.COM - Tread lightly in Midtown: "Most importantly, the committee must abide by earlier promises that only abandoned or boarded-up homes will be taken through eminent domain. If homeowners are willing to sell, they should be compensated at a rate that enables them to buy comparable housing elsewhere."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104727715488688352005-01-02T22:48:00.000-06:002005-01-02T22:48:35.486-06:00

: " The top stories: 1) Eminent domain: The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments on the eminent domain case that has embattled city officials and residents of the Fort Trumbull neighborhood for four years, promising to turn a local issue into a landmark case testing the government's right to take what it wants when it can't reasonably buy it."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104721526890677322005-01-02T21:05:00.000-06:002005-01-02T21:05:26.890-06:00

'Taxpayer bill of rights' could go on Ohio ballot: "Colorado's TABOR law restricts government in two ways: It requires voter approval of new taxes, both state and local, and it caps income from existing taxes at last year's revenue, plus allowances for inflation and population growth. Anything above the limit is sent back to taxpayers. The Boston Tea Party-esque message of TABOR is so politically

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104709471831229912005-01-02T17:44:00.000-06:002005-01-02T17:44:31.830-06:00

GOP is eager to flex new muscle in Congress: "'This is going to probably be the most productive two years of our Republican majority,' said Tom DeLay of Texas, the House majority leader. 'It's not just Social Security and tax reform, it's tort reform, regulatory reform, restraining spending,"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104685919308157902005-01-02T11:11:00.000-06:002005-01-02T11:11:59.306-06:00

Free lunch 'safety': Part II - The Washington Times: Commentary - January 02, 2005: "The government will allow you to risk your life for the sake of recreation by sky-diving, mountain climbing or any number of other dangerous activities. But it will not allow you to risk your life to avoid arthritis pain by taking Vioxx. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104685650884749172005-01-02T11:07:00.000-06:002005-01-02T11:07:30.883-06:00

Social Security sheepfold - The Washington Times: Commentary - January 02, 2005: "Getting from A to B or, if you will, F for 'Freedom' will be immensely hard, requiring intermediate borrowing to replace revenues diverted to private accounts. Even so, the financial costs, seem to excite critics less than the whole idea of letting sheep decide where to lie down and what to eat. Why, if you value

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104624268808593592005-01-01T18:04:00.000-06:002005-01-01T18:04:28.806-06:00

A Big Push On Social Security (washingtonpost.com): "Bush and his GOP allies want to change the system by allowing some workers to put a percentage of their payroll taxes into private investment accounts. The president plans to detail his Social Security plan late this month to coincide with his State of the Union address, which GOP officials say will place the issue at the top of his domestic

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104621531314192842005-01-01T17:18:00.001-06:002005-01-01T17:18:51.313-06:00

AP Wire | 01/01/2005 | Rehnquist Defends Job Security for Judges: "Roger Pilon, director of the Center for Constitutional Studies at the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, said justices and federal judges should be subject to term limits, perhaps 15 years."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104621525540122952005-01-01T17:18:00.000-06:002005-01-01T17:18:45.540-06:00

AP Wire | 01/01/2005 | Rehnquist Defends Job Security for Judges: "Roger Pilon, director of the Center for Constitutional Studies at the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, said justices and federal judges should be subject to term limits, perhaps 15 years."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104612824123011532005-01-01T14:53:00.000-06:002005-01-01T14:53:44.123-06:00

JS Online: Municipal property taxes climb 3.9% in area: "Michael Birkley, legislative director for Wisconsin Property Taxpayers Inc., an advocate for a taxpayer bill of rights, said such a measure is needed to control spending and tax increases of all governments, including the state and school districts."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104611810826568802005-01-01T14:36:00.000-06:002005-01-01T14:36:50.826-06:00

News Read - TheDay.com: "The New London Development Corp. (NLDC) has been trying for four years to take 15 houses on the Fort Trumbull neighborhood to make way for a development that it says will generate jobs and tax revenue for this cash-strapped city."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104611183341523282005-01-01T14:26:00.000-06:002005-01-01T14:26:23.340-06:00

Herald.com | 01/01/2005 | On President Bush: "Scholarships for students whose needs are not met by public schools put choice back in the hands of families and prevent status from limiting achievement. Families should choose the best educational setting for their children, regardless of how much they earn. To restrict options based on income is unfair and un-American. Choice should not just be a

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104528461234799642004-12-31T15:27:00.000-06:002004-12-31T15:27:41.233-06:00

Constitutional Disservice (washingtonpost.com): "What could be wrong, one might ask, with requiring college and university students, not to mention those in elementary and secondary school, to reflect on the Constitution once a year? Quite a bit, if this episode establishes the precedent that Congress can freely mandate national curriculum requirements. What might be next? The Ten Commandments?

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104527974010388902004-12-31T15:19:00.000-06:002004-12-31T15:19:34.010-06:00

Still no solution to education funding: "Under the replacement law, property-rich towns will continue to subsidize poorer schools with their property taxes."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104527626770368002004-12-31T15:13:00.000-06:002004-12-31T15:13:46.770-06:00

AP Wire | 12/31/2004 | Conservative Agenda Faces Barriers in D.C.: "'The Supreme Court trumps everything for conservatives,' said Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute. 'The shape of the court has the most long-term effects.'"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104508373451486042004-12-31T09:52:00.000-06:002004-12-31T09:57:11.160-06:00

More complaints of scofflaw teachers:This news piece is a good example of the kind of bureaucratic inefficiency that takes place in the monopoly of the public school system. "The office received 798 allegations of misconduct, waste, fraud or financial mismanagement -- a 20 percent increase from the year before."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104430341048982972004-12-30T12:12:00.000-06:002004-12-30T12:12:21.046-06:00

Haddon Herald: "The scope of the term 'public use' has been expanded to incorporate economic development and will be further redefined when the high court examines the Connecticut case next spring. This controversial use of land has been spreading through the Garden State at an infectious pace. 'Part of the problem is that municipalities are defining public use as more tax revenue and getting

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104429930322613372004-12-30T12:05:00.000-06:002004-12-30T12:05:30.323-06:00

Will Republicans seize the opportunity to govern?: "Second only to the War on Terror in the minds of conservatives is the looming menace of judicial activism. And on this front, the President appears to be rising to the fight. Having perhaps recognized the need to abandon his 'new tone' of compromise and conciliation, he announced his intention to re-nominate twenty of his previous candidates for

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104429076532975962004-12-30T11:51:00.000-06:002004-12-30T11:51:16.533-06:00

The New York Times > International > Americas > Letter From the Americas: Learn English, Says Chile, Thinking Upwardly Global: "Chile already has the most open, market-friendly economy in Latin America, and the language plan is seen as advancing that process."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104427732818200152004-12-30T11:28:00.000-06:002004-12-30T11:28:52.816-06:00

The Humboldt Chronicle, Humboldt Tennessee: "McLeary added that he does not support an income tax. He believes the best way to balance the budget is to streamline government spending and kill bills that only serve special interests."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104427280624809482004-12-30T11:21:00.000-06:002004-12-30T11:21:20.623-06:00

AP Wire | 12/29/2004 | State lawmaker resigns to continue National Guard duty: "'I'd have to be gone the whole session,' he said. 'It wouldn't be fair to my constituents to have an empty seat throughout the whole session.'"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104427112935193602004-12-30T11:18:00.000-06:002004-12-30T11:18:32.936-06:00

KSFY.com - Stories - Not All Lawmakers Sure of Governor Rounds' New Proposal: "Is it a ballooning bureaucracy or the best way to train top students, protect the public and reduce the cost of government? Earlier this month Governor Mike Rounds proposed adding the equivalent of 359 new employee positions to state government. Rounds says it's the responsible thing to do. But not all lawmakers are

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104420142099378132004-12-30T09:22:00.000-06:002004-12-30T09:22:22.100-06:00

Distortions and contortions - The Washington Times: Commentary - December 30, 2004: "But the essence of Mr. Bush's plan is simply that such investments over a working life will provide workers a higher income than Social Security, which pays a paltry 1 percent to 2 percent return for most people, and a negative return for many others, especially minorities. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104417061304618632004-12-30T08:31:00.000-06:002004-12-30T08:31:01.303-06:00

ABC News: Court: Minn. Can't Regulate Internet Calls: "In its two-page order, the 8th Circuit said the FCC rules back the lower court's ruling prohibiting the state from treating Internet-based services the same way as other telecommunications services."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104416287724303732004-12-30T08:18:00.000-06:002004-12-30T08:18:07.723-06:00

Chicago Tribune | Savings plan aids low-wage workers: "Lifelong Learning Accounts are savings plans backed by employers and charitable institutions that pay re-training and education expenses. Under terms of the plans, workers contribute as much as $500 annually in after-tax money via payroll deductions. Their employers match their contributions, while foundations and other donors match the

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104412146843659262004-12-30T07:09:00.000-06:002004-12-30T07:09:06.843-06:00

Sound Off: "Critics of reform are also spreading the misperception that this is a zero-sum game, a war for dollars: if parents win, public schools must lose. Actually, tuition tax credits would not lower per-pupil expenditure by one dime. It works like this. The tuition tax credit being considered is around $4,000 per student. The per-pupil expenditure in South Carolina is more than $9,000 per

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104411978076639412004-12-30T07:06:00.000-06:002004-12-30T07:06:18.076-06:00

deseretnews.com | Mansell is giving up his top Senate post: "Mansell's departure from the Senate presidency while he still has time in office is unique, since almost all presidents leave the top position only when they retire or lose their Senate seats. After four years as president, however, he felt it was best for the Senate if he passed the gavel to somebody new, in this case, Sen. John

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104351430465885472004-12-29T14:17:00.000-06:002004-12-29T14:17:10.466-06:00

Washington Times Weekly Edition: "Social Security is broken, and President Bush will likely spend the better part of next year trying to fix it. An integral part of any solution he proposes will be voluntary personal investment accounts, which will enable younger workers to avoid the Social Security train wreck that awaits them. The program cannot survive under its present structure."

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104351212463955882004-12-29T14:13:00.000-06:002004-12-29T14:13:32.463-06:00

Indiana Policy Review: "Whether you love or hate the federal No Child Left Behind Act, it got one thing dead right. It said federal grants for education reform should go only to states and schools that use 'proven strategies and proven methods for student learning, teaching, and school management that are based on scientifically based research and effective practices and have been replicated

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104351131215885002004-12-29T14:12:00.000-06:002004-12-29T14:12:11.216-06:00

Indiana Policy Review: "'The suggestion of a disconnect between spending and student performance has actually been reinforced by detailed studies at the school and classroom level. The studies, which have been controversial largely because of their findings indicate no systematic relationship between resources and outcomes. . . .' "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104349162570113412004-12-29T13:39:00.000-06:002004-12-29T13:39:22.570-06:00

The Heartland Institute - Does Public Education Need a Witness Protection Program? - by David W. Kirkpatrick: "In Spring 2004, the Texas office of Americans for Prosperity initiated the Educators Witness Protection Program Web site to allow individual educators, taxpayers, and others to report instances of alleged wasteful spending in the public school system without being subject to harassment

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104348815091041792004-12-29T13:33:00.000-06:002004-12-29T13:33:35.090-06:00

Gov. J.D. Leghorn? Yep, and we ain't just whistlin' 'Dixie': "Back in 1994, Hayworth stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with Matt Salmon, John Shadegg and other Republicans, signing the Contract with America and pledging, among other things, to leave office after six years. The only person who kept the promise, Salmon, lost to Napolitano in the governor's race"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104336168955912252004-12-29T10:02:00.000-06:002004-12-29T10:02:48.956-06:00

Experts to visit school district: "SACS accreditation shows that the district has reached a national benchmark for high educational standards, Superintendent Rodney Lafon said. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104333764815280252004-12-29T09:22:00.000-06:002004-12-29T09:22:44.816-06:00

Property tax hikes out, but county has other ideas: "Commissioners who have opposed Stroger vowed to fight any tax hike. They say more fat can be cut. 'We have to look at reducing the payrolls,' Commissioner Tony Peraica said. 'We can reduce the pencil fund, but that's not going to help a $3.2 billion budget.'"

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104333320033626742004-12-29T09:15:00.000-06:002004-12-29T09:15:20.033-06:00

DallasNews.com | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News: "Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a notice with the state Supreme Court that he would appeal a judge's ruling that the state's $30 billion system for financing public schools is unconstitutional. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104333187610287042004-12-29T09:13:00.000-06:002004-12-29T09:13:07.610-06:00

"Texas wastes billions that should be paid to Texas teachers. According the AFT salary figures and assuming 22 children per class and an average salary of $39,320, we get a teacher payout ratio of less than 20%. (39,320 / ($9,000 * 22)) Where did the other 80% go? The other 80% went into an administrative black hole that teachers, parents and taxpayers will never see again. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104250631619675252004-12-28T10:17:00.000-06:002004-12-28T10:17:11.620-06:00

Internet news on the upswing: "Dan Rather's production of a document showing George Bush's National Guard Service that was easily and credibly ascertained to be a forgery by some Internet bloggers who then proceeded to disseminate the news, probably forever changed the nature of how people view Internet news. No longer will the mainstream media have the monopoly on what constitutes 'truth'. And

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104244847761421412004-12-28T08:40:00.000-06:002004-12-28T08:40:47.760-06:00

Back to basics - The Washington Times: Editorials/OP-ED - December 28, 2004: "Thus does centralization advance and values slump, while big government gets bigger and the individual becomes smaller in the scheme of things. Mr. Devine wonders how long this can go on. "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8473142.post-1104244529859477332004-12-28T08:35:00.000-06:002004-12-28T08:35:29.860-06:00

America becomes global marketplace - The Washington Times: Business - December 28, 2004: "'The U.S. is the locomotive for global growth. If we were not providing that stimulus, it seems quite possible that the rest of the world economy would slip back into recession,' "

ALGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616486681335466115noreply@blogger.com0