Justin Katz
Interesting point, Andrew: Starting Line eschews any serious discussion of education reforms — like public school choice or charter schools — that could be implemented in relatively short order in favor of advocating for large-scale social spending in non-educational areas, in a rejection of the idea that education reform should focus on education. The trap…
In a comment to my previous post, Rhody writes: … go to 401(k) first. Then we can sort out the seniority/merit issues. Who decides who gets the merit raises? The only way you can do this fairly is have teachers teach to a test – whoever has the highest number of students pass gets the…
I wonder how public union employees feel when they read such pieces as this editorial in the Providence Journal: Taxpayers may face a daunting future because of the pension benefits that politicians have promised public employees. States and cities across America confront huge liabilities, with shrinking assets, and the shortfall threatens both to hammer taxpayers…
Item 1: On a quiet East Side street yesterday morning, police dug bullet slugs from the vinyl siding on a house and the fender of a nearby car. A teenager walked by with a bloody bandage on his elbow. And mothers complained about the stupidity of young people shooting each other for no good reason.…
Anchor Rising recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Dan Harrop — Republican candidate for mayor of Providence — about his candidacy and matters of political philosophy arising from his unique personal standing. Anchor Rising: On your Web site, you list several problems that you intend to remedy as mayor. Is there a specific image…
For no particular reason, except a recrudescent weakness in the face of my urge to procrastinate this stormy evening, I checked in on the news that’s fit to print online from the Newport Daily News. Meandering into the columnists’ area, I received these words of anecdotal wisdom from staff writer Jim Gillis: All along, Mel’s…
A comment from Norman to Andrew’s “Cross-Examination” post in the Laffey/Chafee series caught my eye: … we can’t patch a quick fix on to our education problems. Chafee is right that we have to reinvest in the public schools that made America great. If we send money to private institutions we will further marginalize the…
Here’s the question for consumers: If you were intending to purchase an item of moderately high price — a flat-screen TV, for example — would you buy it in Rhode Island or head to Massachusetts if you could get a $50–100 mail in rebate in the northern state (on top of the lower sales tax,…
I don’t think you’re off base, Don. I do think, however, there’s a whiff of Rhode Islandism in your thinking. Rather than shrinking from the seepage of resources that increasing the freedom (of movement, in this case) of our citizens might entail, we ought to ponder why they’re inclined to seep in the first place.…
This comment from my post on Dennis Michaud has admittedly left me baffled: Mr. Katz, I am new to Rhode Island and new to the politics of the state. However, I have noticed something that troubles me. You are supporting Gov. Carcieri and several people on this board have spelled out specific offenses, offenses, which…