Justin Katz

The Only Questions Now

By Justin Katz | September 13, 2006 |

Is it worth forcing change in the Republican Party at Rhode Island and national levels by voting for a Democrat whom I despise, or would it be enough simply not to vote (or to write in Ronald Reagan)? And a related question: Is the “slightly better” leadership of the Republican Party only postponing, perhaps with…

A Data Point for Future Campaign Marketers

By Justin Katz | September 9, 2006 |

The flier at left, which arrived at my house within the past week (fittingly, on garbage day), will stand as the final motivation for me to actually take the time to go out on primary day and actively vote against Linc Chafee. No doubt exacerbated by current events and the specific fears that plague aware…

The Unspokens of Politics

By Justin Katz | September 3, 2006 |

Charles Bakst correctly identifies one of the reasons I’ve been feeling more favorably toward Steve Laffey of late: … the more Chafee attacks him, the cooler and calmer Laffey tries to come across in debates and ads. More significant, perhaps, has been the gradual emergence of the oh-so-sincere face of Sheldon Whitehouse into view. Culpability…

A Neutral Education Investment Strategy (or something)

By Justin Katz | August 30, 2006 |

Within the past week, my wife had to drop my niece off at Tiverton High School (of which town both we and my brother-in-law are relatively new residents), and she returned with this commentary: “That school is a dump. I hope they improve it before our children have to go there.” It is with that…

Satire? Hit Piece?

By Justin Katz | August 26, 2006 |

I’d like a specific answer, from Mayor Laffey, whether this (PDF) is satire: There are many people who are too weak to live by any moral principles; they decide what is best by their own irrational whims and desires. These cowards attempt to justify their actions in two ways. Firstly, they try to bring others…

Re: Educational Assumptions

By Justin Katz | August 22, 2006 | Comments Off on Re: Educational Assumptions

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…

Everybody in a School Building Must Be Treated as a Child

By Justin Katz | August 20, 2006 |

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…

The Mindset of the Complicit

By Justin Katz | August 20, 2006 |

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…

What’s Going On in Rhode Island

By Justin Katz | August 20, 2006 |

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.…

Interview: Dan Harrop, Republican Candidate for Mayor of Providence

By Justin Katz | August 15, 2006 |

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…