Marc Comtois
Thomas Friedman thinks President Obama has taken the most pragmatic approach regarding the Bush Administrations “torture memos.” But he also explains why fighting a unique enemy, al Qaeda, brought us to this point. And he wonders what the attitude towards “torture” would be had another attack on American soil occurred. [T]herefore, the post-9/11 environment remains…
Pollster Scott Rasmussen offers this analysis of the current state of the national GOP (h/t): Many Republicans had expressed concern about the growth of government spending throughout the Bush years. Then there was the immigration issue. On that topic, the Bush team championed a bill that was even less popular than the bailouts. Eventually, despite…
In light of this story (“Auto Retirees Brace for Hardship“), Michael Barone observes: Liberals like to argue that defined contribution pension plans, in which you and your employer contribute money and you invest it, don’t provide absolute protection, because you may invest the money foolishly or the whole market may go down. And they’re right.…
Warwick School Committee member Patrick Maloney has called attention to a proposed amendment to the “Open Meetings” law. According to House bill H5497 (sponsored by Representatives Hearn, Shallcross Smith, Marcello, Carnevale, and DaSilva): Written public notice shall include, but need not be limited to, posting a copy of the notice at the principal office of…
David Goldman (aka “Spengler“) writes in First Things: After a $15 trillion reduction in asset values, Americans are now saving as much as they can. Of course, if everyone saves and no one spends, the economy shuts down, which is precisely what is happening. The trouble is not that aging baby boomers need to save.…
An Ivy-leaguer from Brown goes undercover at “christianist” Liberty University and learns that, hey, Christians are people too! [Kevin Roose] arrived at the Lynchburg campus prepared for “hostile ideologues who spent all their time plotting abortion clinic protests and sewing Hillary Clinton voodoo dolls.” Instead, he found that “not only are they not that, but…
Conversation at a local gas station/convenience mart. {Sound of multiple police sirens in back ground} Store Attendant: “Go get ’em, guys. Make some revenue!” Customer:”They have to get it somehow.” Attendant:”Yup, they do. Wait ’til the road gets repaved. People will be going 90 mph down the road. They’ll be stopping them then. They get…
Faced with a shrinking revenues (ie; state aid), dropping enrollment and increasing costs, the Warwick School Department has proposed, for the second straight year, that part of the solution lay in closing an elementary school (the School Committee already renegotiated the teacher contract–though the amount of savings could have been more). Last year, two schools…
In case you missed it, a Tea Party broke out in Woonsocket the other day (h/t). As reported by WPRI: Woonsocket’s City Council has voted against a supplemental tax bill that would have raised property taxes by eight percent. Councilors took the vote late Monday night, following testimony from dozens of residents. Council members said…
Put your wonk hat on. Economists Brian Wesbury and Robert Stein write: While the theory of public choice can be broadly applied, it is the ideas of “special interests” and “rational ignorance” that are useful in understanding last week’s tea parties. Here’s an example of public choice at work. Let’s say teachers could benefit by…