Marc Comtois

Why Teacher’s Unions (Not Teachers!) Are Bad for Education

By Marc Comtois | January 26, 2005 |

Terry Moe of the Hoover Institution and a Stanford University political-science professor (and winner of the Thomas B. Fordham prize for distinguished scholarship in education) has written an important piece explaining the motivation of Teachers’ Unions. The most important point is that the unions aren’t inherently “bad,” but that they are merely looking out for…

Andrew’s Latest up at TCS

By Marc Comtois | January 25, 2005 |

Andrew has a new piece up at TCS, “Tipping the Foreign Policy Balance,” in which he outlines the difference between geopolitical “realism” and “liberalism.” The President clearly favored a “liberal” strategy in his Inaugural Address.

Legislative Union Leaders “Show [Us] the Money!”

By Marc Comtois | January 25, 2005 |

According to a story in Sunday’s ProJo by Katherine Gregg Out of last year’s political scandals came a law that is shedding new light on the financial ties between some of the state’s part-time, $12,285-a-year lawmakers and major corporate and union players at the State House. In the first batch of filings made last week,…

Conservatives Against Bush’s Speech II

By Marc Comtois | January 23, 2005 | Comments Off on Conservatives Against Bush’s Speech II

Well, after expending so much time defending the ideals put forth in President Bush’s speech, I find it a bit disheartening, though predictable, to see that some are trying to portray that the Administration may be engaged in damage control. For my part, I don’t think that the President was “shifting” his policy with this…

“The Road to Fiefdom”

By Marc Comtois | January 22, 2005 |

In a post titled “The Road to Fiefdom,” Paul Musgrave (referring to this article at City Journal) has broadened some specific observations regarding NY City politics into the national scope. As such, I’d venture that his remarks can be just as aptly applied to our own little Blue State. The article focuses largely on the…

Thoughts on the President’s “Big Idea”

By Marc Comtois | January 21, 2005 | Comments Off on Thoughts on the President’s “Big Idea”

For anyone interested, I’ve posted some thoughts on the President’s Innaugural Address at The Ocean State Blogger.

Politics of Charter Schools III

By Marc Comtois | January 20, 2005 |

According to State Education Commissioner Peter McWalters, much of the debate on charter schools centers around the issues of power and control. Specifically, this battle revolves around which entity, public schools or charter schools, has more of a “right” to money from a finite pool of education dollars. As reported by the Providence Journal, charter…

State Senate Offspring Judicial Apprenticeship Program Continues

By Marc Comtois | January 18, 2005 |

Thanks to the weekly Political Scene column in the Providence Journal, we have learned that more legislative kin are being employed in our judiciary. A relative choice Another member of the family of longtime state Sen. John F. McBurney has landed a job in the state courts. The senator’s nephew, Gregory M. McBurney, was given…

“I Have A Dream…”

By Marc Comtois | January 17, 2005 | Comments Off on “I Have A Dream…”

Today the nation honors the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and I think it proper to post some excerpts from King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. (It can be read in its entirety here). It is an inspirational piece in which King called upon our nation’s heritage, both political and religious, to justify…

Can Ohio’s BestRX Drug Plan be Projected Nationally?

By Marc Comtois | January 13, 2005 | Comments Off on Can Ohio’s BestRX Drug Plan be Projected Nationally?

I was intrigued by an Op-Ed in today’s Providence Journal by Teresa Heinz (she dropped the Kerry!) and Jeffrey R. Lewis (“Extend Ohio drug plan across U.S“) that trumpeted the “success” of Ohio’s just-implemented BestRX plan. With a critical eye, one derived from a predisposition to mistrust our almost-First Lady, I searched for corroborating evidence…