March 31, 2011

Should plastic grocery bags be banned or taxed?

Bag the Plastic Ban - Nat Brown - National Review Online: 

"Unfortunately, study after study has shown that most of the supposed “benefits” of these bans and taxes [on plastic grocery bags] have a negligible effect on the environment at best, and can actually have unintended consequences that cause greater environmental harm...

...Contrary to the beliefs of many ban proponents, plastic grocery bags are 100 percent recyclable, and according to the EPA, 13 percent of bags and wraps were recycled last year. “Theoretically we can go up to 90 to 100 percent recycled content,” noted Rozenski, “but 60 percent of the bags are reused as bin liners by consumers, so we have an industry goal to get to 25 or 30 percent.” Unfortunately, banning the bags has usually led grocery stores to shut down their plastic-recycling programs, contributing further to the problem that was meant to be solved."...

...In addition to the damaging environmental effects of these bans and taxes, there are often significant negative economic outcomes. Unlike Ireland, which had imported most of its bags from China, the U.S. has vibrant plastic manufacturing, recycling, and secondary industries, all of which would be hurt greatly were bans and taxes to increase...

...Finally, there’s the issue of the reusable bags that are supposedly a green alternative to plastic. Most of those used in the U.S. were manufactured in China, and numerous studies have documented unsafe levels of lead in the bags, far in excess of the allowable limits, a problem that prompted a statement by Sen. Chuck Schumer on the issue. Additionally, studies have found high levels of e. coli bacteria present in many reusable bags unless they are washed after every use, sparking additional concerns over public health."

~~~~~

An activist confronts Bill Ayers on the issue of charter schools:

Activist: I'm just trying to understand what your solutions are because in the same breath you are saying you're anti-government, but then you're also anti-privatization, so I don't know what your solutions are, specifically for the African American community.

Ayers: What we need to do is invest more in public schools. 

[boos from the crowd] 

Activist: But the per-pupil expenditures are higher in the inner cities but we're still not getting the results!

~~~~~

Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan on the SOAR ACT (D.C. Scholarship):

"How bad does it have to get before we allow kids the opportunity to escape and get to a better education? ...Let's have a child-centered system. One where the dollars are strapped to the back of the kid and wherever the mom or the dad of that young boy or girl thinks they're going to get a better education - let the dollars follow the kid. That is a model that is consistent with American principals - one that empowers families, empowers individuals, allows them to have the freedom of choice to do what's best... 

...I learned a long time ago that even though some families make poor choices, in the vast majority of cases, families - parents - make better decisions than bureaucrats and politicians  can ever make."

WELL SAID!!! 

~~~~~

This website has a plethora of charts and graphs created with data from the most recent census.  The following chart shows the decline of the black population in major U.S. cities:

We can't ignore the fact that these cities are in states that also have some of the highest abortion rates per 1000 women:

Illinois: 17/1000

Georgia: 15/1000  (37% minority)

Ohio:  14/1000    (35.5% minority)

Pennsylvania: 15/1000   (38.9% minority)

Texas: 16/1000   (23.2% minority)

(CA and LA not reported)

~~~~~

Also on the abortion front, The Dispatch is reporting that the Heartbeat Bill, which would ban abortion in Ohio after the baby has a detectable heartbeat, is stalled in the Ohio legislature, thanks, in part, to Ohio Right to Life:

Abortion limitation creating cold feet | The Columbus Dispatch: 

"Despite anti-abortion majorities in the House and Senate, a bill to give Ohio the most-restrictive abortion law in the nation has stalled after drawing fire from those on both sides of the debate.

Ohio Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion advocacy group, fears House Bill 125 — to outlaw abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, generally six or seven weeks into a woman’s pregnancy — could backfire.

The organization says the proposed law would be struck down by the federal courts as being too restrictive, opening the door for courts to revisit other abortion restrictions, such as a requirement that women wait 24 hours after their initial clinic visit before having the procedure.

While the principle behind House Bill 125 is good, this is the wrong time ...we need more votes on the (U.S. Supreme) court,” Marshal M. Pitchford, chairman of Ohio Right to Life’s board of trustees, wrote in a letter to local chapters."

House Speaker William Batchelder claimed to be clueless and implied that the bill would meet its end in  committee:

 “You always have to be careful with these bills,” said Batchelder, a lawyer and abortion opponent. “I understand what everybody is saying, but I’m not sure,” Batchelder said, adding, “This one is going to merit some research.”

He said the bill — which has 50 sponsors and enough votes to pass the 99-member House — is likely to be held in a House committee while GOP leaders sort out the debate."

Freshman Rep Todd McKenney (also a lawyer) thinks the unborn are worth the effort:

"Rep. Todd McKenney, R-New Franklin and a co-sponsor of the bill, said he understands House Bill 125 is likely to be struck down but said “you have to challenge existing law.’’

“I’m not waffling on my support.”

However, he said he will offer an amendment to delay implementation of the law until December 2012. He hopes the move will ensure the anticipated legal challenge will be considered separate from any lawsuit filed against a late-term abortion ban that the House is poised to adopt."

~~~~~

It's Elton John week on American Idol.  I have to confess that I love his music, though I'm not a fan of Elton John himself.  Paul, one of the contestants, sang the classic, Rocket Man.  In honor of that performance, I'd like to share one of my favorite renditions of the song - by none other than.....William Shatner!  You might want to sit down for this, because you may fall on the floor laughing!  

March 30, 2011

 "The GOP can afford to lose 23 votes"

This doesn't bode well for those who are looking for serious, meaningful budget cuts.  If things move in this direction it will tell us that the House leadership has more in common with the Democrats than with the conservative block in the House and the Tea Party.  

House Republican leaders turn to moderate Democrats for budget deal - The Washington Post: 

"Having difficulty finding consensus within their own ranks, House Republican leaders have begun courting moderate Democrats on several key fiscal issues, including a deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next week...

...House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met with a conservative bloc of Democrats to discuss potential common ground on the budget and other pressing fiscal issues.

Rep. Heath Shuler (N.C.), a centrist Democratic leader, said McCarthy did not specifically ask for their votes on any legislation, saying that the conversation was taking place at “10,000 feet” and that the Republican was “feeling us out.”
The Democrats left the meeting knowing that they could provide the decisive votes, Shuler said, a role they are willing to play...

...It’s just not cutting spending. There are a number of limitations that passed on the floor of the House” that must be addressed, Boehner said. Those provisions have created a large hurdle for securing a final deal. Republican aides have said the provisions and the overall cost cutting are linked: The fewer that are attached to the bill, the bigger the cuts Republicans will seek...

...With 241 Republicans, GOP leaders can afford to lose 23 GOP votes before needing Democratic help. That’s why McCarthy reached out to leaders of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of centrist Democrats — such as Shuler — from conservative-leaning districts.

“John Boehner can’t get something done without us,” [Steny] Hoyer said Tuesday."

~~~~~ 

Cold Equations has a handy guide to countries in the Middle East and N. Africa.  So, if you're the brutal dictator of one of these countries, you can make better informed decisions about your policies.  

Country	Prior relations with the US	Nuclear weapons program	US treatment of country	Status of leader
Egypt	Allied	Not significant	Pressured ally to step down	Permanent vacation
Libya	Moderately warm lately, despite past difficulties	Abandoned under US pressure	Bombs away	Probably on his way out
Syria	Strained to hostile	Not a lot of info, probably has some program	Mild economic sanctions	Life is sweet
Iran	"America is the Great Satan"	Probably going to join the nuclear club soon	Ineffectual, intermittent saber-rattling	Happy as a clam
North Korea	Hostile	Has some nukes, ICBMs are in the works	Ineffectual sanctions, endless talks, unkind portrayal in 2004 movie "Team America: World Police"	You know what sucks about being Kim Il-Jong? Nothing.

~~~~~

Speaking of the "religion of peace"...


Two Christians killed, churches burned: extremists respond to Florida Koran burning - Asia News: 

"Two believers killed, churches attacked, copies of the Bible burned: the Christian community in Pakistan is once again the victim of violence by Islamic fundamentalists, who have targeted places of worship in the country. The extremist violence was triggered by the insane act - repeatedly condemned by Christians in Pakistan and India – of the pastor Wayne Sapp, who last March 20, in Florida burned a Koran under the supervision of the evangelical preacher Terry Jones."

Spero News reports:

 "Msgr. Anthony Rufin, Bishop of Islamabad / Rawalpindi, strongly condemns the latest attack on the Christian community of Pakistan and once again distances the church from the burning of the Koran in the United States. 'We have already explained – says the prelate - we are Pakistani Christians, not Americans. We have repeatedly reiterated that we should not be equated to the Americans. '

"The prelate calls to take urgent action and anticipates the intention to arrange a meeting with Christian leaders, from the Anglican Church and other Protestant denominations to examine the current situation 'of minorities. The young Pakistani Christians, in fact, do not see any reason for hope in the future."

~~~~~

Former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson is featured in the latest ad by the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List.  Facts about Planned Parenthood from the ad:

• Planned Parenthood is Americas largest abortion provider
• 98% of their services for pregnant women are abortions
• Planned Parenthood receives $360 million in taxpayer money every year

~~~~~

Also from the "this makes me sick" file, Chris Wallace interviewed Newt Gingrich on Sunday and questioned him about his apparent hypocrisy on moral issues.  Wallace noted that at the same time Gingrich was leading the charge for President Clinton's impeachment, Gingrich himself was cheating on his second wife with his current wife, Calista (Gingrich's first marriage also ended as a result of his infidelity).   Here is part of the exchange:

 WALLACE: There is something else that bothers people. You were leading the charge to push Bill Clinton from office for lying about an affair and yes, he lied in a court proceeding, in a deposition, where he was sworn to tell the truth, whole truth, nothing but the truth. At the same time, you were leading that charge, you were having an affair. Isn’t that hypocrisy?

GINGRICH: No. Look, obviously it’s complex and obviously I wasn’t doing things to be proud of. On the other hand, what I said clearly — and I knew this in part going through a divorce. I had been in depositions. I had been in situations where you had to swear to tell the truth. I understood that in a federal court, in a case in front of a federal judge, to commit a felony, which is what he did, perjury was a felony. The question I raised was simple: should a president of the united states be above the law? [...]

WALLACE: I’ll ask you man-to-man. did you think to yourself I’m living in a really glass house? Maybe I shouldn’t be throwing stones?

GINGRICH: No. I thought to myself if I cannot do what I have to do as a public leader, I would have resigned.

Well that explains it perfectly!!  Gingrich's experience in divorce court gave him the special knowledge and understanding that was essential in the impeachment process.  What would the nation have done without a cheater and philanderer at the helm in the House that year?  Watch the slimy interview for yourself if you can stand it:

~~~~~

Congressman West Proposes Defense Spending Cuts: 

"Congressman Allen West (FL-22) will introduce today three separate pieces of legislation to cut wasteful defense spending.  The legislation will be voted on by American citizens through the YouCut project.

“The Federal Government has a spending problem,” West said. “While the Democrats continue to propose to add trillions of dollars in new spending and new taxes, I am keeping my promise to my constituents to responsibly cut government spending in order to get the American Fiscal House back in order.   

As I have stated, all government programs must be thoroughly scrutinized, including the Department of Defense. After serving 22 years in the United States Army, I am aware of areas where saving money is very possible.  These cuts are aimed at wasteful Defense Department spending and will not affect the overall mission of our men and women in uniform in protecting our national security.”

West spoke to a group of bloggers at CPAC last month and when the former Army Lt. Col. was asked whether cuts in defense spending were on the table, he answered that there was definitely wasteful spending to be cut and said, "I know where the bodies are buried."  I believe him!


Here's a chart from the CATO Institute showing per capita defense spending for the U.S. and other NATO countries.  Let's hope West can get some of his proposed cuts through. 

~~~~~

Oh, Lebron!!  First, props to the Cavs for their 102-90 victory over the Miami Heat.

------------->>>(AARON JOSEFCZYK, REUTERS) <<<-------------

Also, props to my cousin for some great pics!!

LeBron James was missing from the player introductions (and the accompanying boos from Cavs fans).  He said he was "in the bathroom."  Uh huh. 

March 29, 2011

Judge Orders More Spending on New Jersey’s Education-Industrial Complex: 

"New Jersey spends more money on education than almost any state, resulting in the nation’s highest property taxes (and arguably the highest taxes overall). But to some New Jersey judges, the skyrocketing spending is never enough.

A New Jersey trial judge Tuesday declared unconstitutional the state’s recent attempts to scale back rapidly-rising education spending, “effectively tying Republican Governor Chris Christie’s hands on budget and education reform. Superior Court Judge Peter Doyne ruled that Christie’s budget cuts to school aid left public schools unable to provide a ‘thorough and efficient’ education to New Jersey children.”

In his ruling, “Doyne even wrote that despite the ‘significant increase in spending levels from 2000 to 2008,’ some New Jersey districts are moving even further from adequate proficiency. His solution?” Force the state government to give them even “more money.”

 For the last 30 years, the New Jersey courts have been using the New Jersey State Constitution’s goal of a “thorough and efficient” educational system to force the state to increase education spending in ways that are anything but efficient. They have ordered that school systems in underperforming urban areas (often run by corrupt Democratic political machines) be given extra money — which has led to huge amounts of waste without increasing student achievement."

For the record, Ohio's Constitution says that taxes are to be collected to "secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state."  Could this decision give rise to similar lawsuits in Ohio? 

 China’s CO2 Emissions Confirm Kyoto Critics’ Fears - Greensburg, KS - Kiowa County Signal: 

"Carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, which is not a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, actually declined by 6 percent in 2009, and are now 8 percent below 2000 levels, according to the EPA.

Global emissions, however, have risen more than 25 percent since 2000, and developing nations accounted for virtually all of the increase. China alone accounted for about half.

“A closer look at global emissions trends show how futile it would be for the U.S to impose economically punitive self-restrictions on carbon dioxide,” James M. Taylor, senior fellow for environmental policy at The Heartland Institute, writes in Forbes magazine.

By 2009, China was the largest emitter, accounting for 24 percent of global emissions, while the United States was responsible for 17 percent. China will likely account for 26 percent when 2010 figures are released, with the U.S. contributing about 15 percent, according to Taylor.

China’s emissions have been increasing by nearly 10 percent a year, and in 2010 probably surpassed the emissions of the entire Western Hemisphere."

And still, there are those who think the best way to save the planet is to punish the United States by shaming us into these punitive protocols and accords. 

New York's Bronx Zoo closes reptile house after cobra disappears | News.com.au: 

"A poisonous cobra has vanished from an enclosure outside public view at the Bronx Zoo, and its Reptile House remained closed today as a precaution while zoo workers searched for the missing reptile.

While the roughly 50cm-long Egyptian cobra - a highly venomous species of snake - has been unaccounted for since Friday afternoon, zoo officials say they're confident it hasn't gone far and isn't in a public area. Its enclosure was in an isolation area not open to visitors."

Bronx Zoo Cobra Still on the Loose, Now Tweeting -- Daily Intel:

 "As zoo officials continue to look for the Egyptian cobra that somehow escaped on Sunday, the reptile has decided to taunt his would-be captors via Twitter. For example, 'Holding very still in the snake exhibit at the Museum of Natural History. This is gonna be hilarious!' one tweet reads. Oh, the fun we have on Twitter. [Bronx Zoo's Cobra/Twitter]"

For those who might be wondering how one goes about finding a snake that has "gone missing," you can read expert herper Melissa Kaplan's tips here. 

Having been through this with an AWOL egg-eating snake (which we later found after we moved the stove - apparently she was curled up near the warm pilot light), it's nice to keep these tips handy.  Clearly the Bronx Zoo has been through the searching phase and they've come up empty. I am rather surprised that they are so confident this snake is still confined to the reptile house.  While animal escapes at zoos are extremely rare, they do happen occasionally, almost always when a staff member disregards the strict protocols the zoo has in place. 


AZA accredited zoos, like the Bronx Zoo,  have strict regulations for handling dangerous animals, including venomous snakes.  Ongoing training is required and the zoo is required to hold regular animal escape drills.  These drills include not only securing the animals, but also moving zoo guests to designated safe areas. 


Snakes are tricky because they don't have to eat every day - or even every week.  A snake's metabolism slows down if  it's temp drops (which would happen when the snake left its enclosure and the hot room), so trying to lure this snake out with food will probably not be successful until it's nearly starving, which could take weeks.  


One of the tried and true methods for recovering a lost snake is lining the walls of the suspected hide-out area with plastic grocery bags (snakes will usually travel along the walls and baseboards), then waiting for nightfall.  If and when the snake comes out to show-boat to the other reptiles behind glass in the herp house, the keeper, lying in wait in the dark, can nab the escapee.  A (slower) variation of this is to line the walls with flour or cornstarch.  The creative cobra will leave a trail in the white powder and can then be tracked to his hideout. 


So now you know.




Is Microsoft promoting homeschooling?  Sure seems like it.  Though it's probably unintentional, we'll take it!  Ah, I miss the days when the couch was our classroom!

Mirror of Justice: Here we go! The Court grants cert. in the ministerial-exception case:

"Today, the Supreme Court agreed to hear (what I think is) the most important religious-freedom case in 20 years.  The Supreme Court this morning granted cert in Hosanna Tabor Church v. EEOC...

...The question in the case is whether antidiscrimination laws – like, for example, the Americans with Disabilities Act – allow courts to review hiring-and-firing decisions involving “ministerial employees.”  In this particular case, a lower federal court had ruled that parochial-school teachers who teach primarily secular subjects are not “ministerial employees”, and therefore are covered by the Act.

...The Supreme Court should reverse this decision.  Although there are many difficult questions to be asked, and many fine lines to be drawn, when it comes to interpreting and applying the First Amendment’s religious-freedom guarantees, it cannot be the role of secular government to second-guess the decisions of religious communities and institutions about who should be their ministers, leaders, and teachers, any more than they should review their decisions about the content of religious doctrines."

Ayn Rand's classic apologetic on capitalism and laissez-faire government, Atlas Shrugged, has now been turned into a movie of the same name.  It will make its debut in a limited number of theaters on April 15th (tax day!).  Seems like showing it in union battleground states like Ohio and Wisconsin would have been a good marketing strategy, but they're not on the list.  We may have to wait for the DVD.  


Morton Blackwell from the Leadership Institute describes Atlas Shrugged this way:

 "It is one of the most devastating critiques ever written of big government and the liberal media.  Rand's moral indignation is contagious; after reading her, most readers are forever immune to the enticements of socialism.

It must also be said, however, that the militantly atheistic Rand had an unrealistic view of human nature and little appreciation for cultural values.  Most people, however mesmerized by her they may be in their youth, outgrow Rand's philosophy, which Burke might have described as a theoretical construct rather than an application of the accumulated wisdom of mankind.

After reading Atlas Shrugged, read also The Fatal Conceit, by F.A. Hayek.  Hayek once told me, 'I am not religious, but I have a great respect for religion.'  Hayek, along with Burke, who was a Christian, possessed an understanding of human nature much deeper and more realistic than Ayn Rand's."

Watch the trailer:

The antidote, of course, to Rand's hopeless atheism, is the gospel.  This animation of the story of the Prodigal Son (from Luke 15) is a beautiful expression of God's love and forgiveness (HT: Sola Sisters).

B8MDF779425E

How will you be celebrating Earth Hour tonight?

(HT: The Road Kill Diaries)

From the Earth Hour website:

"At 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour"

Rather than feeling guilty and doing penance (that will do absolutely nothing to help the environment) for our use of electricity, this family will be celebrating the wonder and innovation of electricity tonight. We will turn on our porch light on at 8:30.  We will be grateful that we are no longer living in the Dark Ages.  That we have high-tech NICU units for our most fragile babies.  That we have an electric pump that pulls clean water out of the ground.  That we can Google.  That dentists have sterile equipment. That we have life-saving AED units. None of these things would be possible without electricity.


So, how will you be celebrating Earth Hour?

 

March 26, 2011

Rand Paul on Libyan rebels: Who are these people? - National Review Online

“Some people can debate and caterwaul and say that a no-fly zone is not war, but there will not be many people, in and around the country, who believe that putting U.S. troops on the ground is not war,” Paul says. “I can tell you, absolutely, that I will demand a declaration of war on the Senate floor before any troops set foot in Libya.”

Beyond his constitutional concerns, Paul argues that the Libyan conflict is being waged to support a mostly unknown rebel force. “The question is, who are these people?” he asks. “We know how bad the guy in power is, but do we know that these people are not in favor of radical sharia law? Do we know that they do not think that Israel should be wiped off the map? I am always concerned when we are in favor of people who we know nothing about.” George Will, Pat Buchanan, and Sen. Dick Lugar (R., Ind.), he says, have all raised this important point."

Top 10 names Obama didn't give Libyan action | Washington Examiner: (HT: Dan Phillips) 


10.Operation Nine Months In The Senate Didn't Prepare Me For This

9. Operation Organizing for Libya

8. Operation Double Standard

7. Operation FINE! I'll Do Something

6. Operation Enduring Narcissism

5. Operation So That's What the Red Button Does

4. Operation France Backed Me Into A Corner

3. Operation Start Without Me

2. Operation Unlike Bush Wars This One Is Justified Because Hey Look A Squirrel

1. Operation Aimless Fury


From the "religion of peace"....


 Thousands of Christians Displaced in Ethiopia After Muslim Extremists Torch Churches, Homes - FoxNews.com: 

"Thousands of Christians have been forced to flee their homes in Western Ethiopia after Muslim extremists set fire to roughly 50 churches and dozens of Christian homes.

At least one Christian has been killed, many more have been injured and anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 have been displaced in the attacks that began March 2 after a Christian in the community of Asendabo was accused of desecrating the Koran."

 FreedomWorks launches ‘Diverse Tea’ | The Daily Caller :

"Former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks organization rolled out its Diverse Tea campaign Monday at diverse-tea.com.

FreedomWorks President and CEO Matt Kibbe told The Daily Caller that the program is meant to showcase diversity in the Tea Party movement. The first four members of Diverse Tea highlighted are the Rev. C.L. Bryant, Deneen Borelli, Tito Munoz and Ryan Hecker."

This is an unnecessary distraction from Freedom Works' mission of fiscal responsibility.  The sooner we cease talking about racial divisions and obsessing about skin color, the sooner we will have a color-blind society.  Continuing to focus on it is just feeding the beast of the politics of race and giving fodder to the race baiters. 

Rep. Randy Forbes on our country's Judeo-Christian heritage.  ACLU types are running to their therapists to deal with the trauma of this 4-minute speech that mentions God dozens of times:

 Poll: Most in U.S., except evangelicals, see no divine sign in disasters - USATODAY.com: 

"Nearly six in 10 evangelicals believe God can use natural disasters to send messages — nearly twice the number of Catholics (31%) or mainline Protestants (34%). Evangelicals (53%) are also more than twice as likely as the one in five Catholics or mainline Protestants to believe God punishes nations for the sins of some citizens.

The poll found that a majority (56%) of Americans believe God is in control of the earth, but the idea of God employing Mother Nature to dispense judgment (38% of all Americans) or God punishing entire nations for the sins of a few (29%) has less support..

...Nearly half of Americans (44%) say the increased severity of recent natural disasters is evidence of biblical 'end times,' but a larger share (58%) believe it is evidence of climate change. The only religious group more likely to see natural disasters as evidence of 'end times' (67%) than climate change (52%) is white evangelicals...

The article includes this very wise insight:

...This is tragic, but if you ask (why God allows) earthquakes, you have to ask it anytime that people die. We would have to be prophets of God to know that.'

This is such a great point.  Often, when faced with a tragedy of the proportions we see in Japan, we fail to remember that (according to some estimates), 150,000 people die every single day - dwarfing the number killed in the tsunami in Japan.  So the question is not "Why did God send/allow/cause the earthquake?" but "Why do people die?"  The Bible tells us that it started with the first man, Adam: 

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12).

This discussion brought to mind a couple of videos I saw last month (HT: Justin Taylor).  Zac Miller went home to be with the Lord in May, 2010 after a short battle with cancer. He made a video about his journey before he died. His wife followed up with a video of her own journey after his death:

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

A Story | Tears of Hope from Adam Kring on Vimeo.

And finally, the inspirational story of a one-legged wrestler who won the national championship:

Ohio Fair and Secure Elections Act (a.k.a. Jennifer Brunner has Left the Building)

From the Ohio House of Representatives Republican Caucus:

"House Bill 159 will require voters to confirm their identities by presenting photo identification when voting on Election Day or by absentee in person at the Board of Elections.

"The passage of House Bill 159 is a victory for the people of Ohio and for a fair democratic elections process,” said [Speaker William] Batchelder (R-Medina). “At a time when voter fraud has corrupted the voice of the people, we took a significant step today in rectifying this important issue.”

"Currently, when voting on Election Day, a voter may submit as proof of identification valid photo identification, a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, paycheck or other government document that shows the voter’s name and current address. The proposed legislation would require that all voters voting on Election Day or in person absentee to present photo identification in the form of an Ohio driver’s license, Ohio state ID card, a military identification, or a U.S. passport. Acceptable forms of identification remain unchanged for persons voting absentee by mail."

This has been reported widely in Ohio the past few days, but many of the reports  have not given the whole story about this controversial bill.  Really, it's not so controversial if you know the facts about it and read its actual text.  Lost in a lot of the reporting is the fact that those who do not have a valid photo ID and cannot afford one will be provided one at no cost.  Ohio HB 159 states:

"An individual who cannot afford to pay the fees prescribed in division (A) of this section, including any lamination fee, may apply to the registrar or a deputy registrar for the issuance to that individual of an identification card or a temporary identification card under this section without payment of any fee."

It further allows that a voter who shows up without the proper ID on election day can cast a provisional ballot and sort it all out later. In addition, absentee voters who mail in their ballots will not be required to provide a photo ID. 


None of these reasonable concessions  stopped House Democrats from sending out a press release loaded with the usual scare tactics.  House Democratic Leader Amond Budish made it sound like this bill would send us straight back to Jim Crow laws:

"This bill will negatively impact the elderly, college students, the poor and minorities. After years of reform and encouraging citizens to more actively participate in their democracy, this legislation will stop and reverse that progress. Are we returning to the embarrassing days when white male property owners were the only legal voters?”

Tracy Maxwell Heard (D-Columbus) went as far as to imply that people might DIE if this bill is passed:

“Citizens of this state are being systematically erased from access, participation and in a few more steps – existence. We eliminate the ability to bargain for one’s pay and benefits; we slash education; we challenge health care reform; we eliminate compensatory time; we go after pensions; and now…we attempt to go back to steal the right of people to even be able to impact the very process that is robbing them of their ability to survive in this state.”

The press release also said there is "no real evidence" of voter fraud in Ohio.  AARP agreed, saying:

"HB 159 is presented as a means to curb voter fraud, yet such fraud has not been demonstrated; further, Ohio has ample procedures in place to detect voter fraud. HB 159 is overly restrictive, expensive, and not called for by the facts."

You know, no evidence of voter fraud at all.  Except for this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this.  Opponents of this bill would have us continue to allow someone to vote with no more identification than a wadded up electric bill he found in a dumpster. 


Nearly every article and news story has reported that, "Democrats estimate that about 887,000 Ohioans do not have the identification required in the legislation."  That number is attributed to the Advancement Project.  This group, whose board includes communist sympathizer Harry Belefonte (FOC & C - Friend of Chavez and Castro), says in its mission statement that: 

"From Advancement Project's inception, we have worked 'on-the-ground,' helping organized communities of color dismantle and reform the unjust and inequitable policies that undermine the promise of democracy."

The group receives funding from (say it with me) the Tides Foundation, the Open Society Institute, and MoveOn.org.  A search of the Advancement Project's website turned up no reports about state ID statistics for Ohio or any other state.   A Google search also turned up nothing (except for dozens of newspapers reporting this statistic from the Advancement Project).  So where did this number come from?  Good question.   I trust that number about as far as I can throw an 870,000 lb. football.  


Just for fun, let's think through this.  There are approximately 11.5 million Ohioans - 8 million of those (70%) are registered to vote (does that seem like a lot?) Using Advancement Project's extremely large number of 870,000 Ohioans without ID would mean 8% of Ohio's population does not have the proper ID.  Stay with me here, I"m getting a migraine too.   If we apply that 8% to registered voters, we have about 640,000 registered voters without ID.  


Currently, the cost of a state ID in Ohio is $8.50.  If the state issued an ID card to every one of those 640,000 voters (as outlandish of a number as that likely is), the cost would be around $5,440,000.  However,  voter turnout was only around 49% in the last election, so it's a good bet that many of those same people who didn't bother to vote when they merely needed an old cable TV bill for ID will probably not make the effort to vote in the next election either. 


Also consider that Ohio had around 831,000 who voted absentee - more than 10%.   Again, HB 159 does not require a photo ID to vote absentee.    We're now down to what is likely a small number of actual voters who are truly in need of ID cards.  For those voters who want to vote and need an ID, we need to make sure the process is streamlined and simple.   Assisting voters in obtaining legal state ID cards would be a perfect job for groups like the Advancement Project, ACORN, and other community organizers.  You know, as long as they're all legal and everything. 

How Good is Your "Excellent" Ohio school?

You live in Ohio and you send your kids to a school district with an "Excellent" designation. They're getting an excellent education, right?  Not so fast. Most parents understand that the designation has something to do with test scores, but we often feel like we're looking at the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain: "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"  We're not really supposed to know what's going on back there - the professionals know what they're doing, and if they say the school is "excellent," then surely it's true.  But sometimes when we pull back the curtain, we find that it's all been an illusion. From the Columbus Dispatch (HT: Colleen Grady):   

"Examining schools' passing rates on state exams often leads to debate about whether Ohio asks enough of teachers and students. Is the bar too low when, as in the case of the sixth-grade reading test, students must earn only 15 of 49 points (31 percent) to pass?

The minimum number of points to pass is called a 'cut score.'
Third-graders must earn at least 31 of 49 points to pass their reading exam and 33 of 52 points to pass math (in both cases, about 63percent). The third-grade tests are easier, which is why students are expected to correctly answer more questions than on other tests. No other Ohio exam requires students to earn that many points to pass.

On the flip side, no other Ohio exam requires students to earn so few points as the sixth-grade reading exam."

The chart below (from the Ohio Department of Education via The Dispatch) shows the "cut scores" required to "pass" the tests at various grade levels.  "Proficient" is considered passing in Ohio.  For example, on the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT), which tests students' 10th grade skills  - yes, you read that right...the Ohio Graduation Test is a 10th grade proficiency test -  students must get 20.5/46 correct, or 45.4% to pass the math section.  For reading, they only need 41.4%; science, 46.9%; social studies, 48% and writing, 55.2%  (if you're having difficulty reading the chart, you can try pressing ctrl+ on your keyboard to enlarge it).  

To receive an "Excellent" designation, a high school must meet benchmarks in attendance, graduation rates, and proficiency test scores.   Here's an example of a state report card from Chippewa High School, my district, which has had an Excellent rating several years running.   The requirement for "Excellent" is that 75% of  10th graders must achieve "Proficient" status on the OGT (85% by the time the students reach 11th grade).  Those would look like pretty rigorous standards if we hadn't seen the cut scores above and we didn't know that "Proficient" means getting an average score of 47% on the individual test sections! 

Another factor The Dispatch article discusses is the disparity that often exists between different schools with the same rating.  Two schools with "Excellent' ratings can look very different when we pull back the curtain and examine the test results further.  Looking at the chart above, we see in the first example, two schools with a 65% passing rate on last year's third grade reading test.  However, the first school, Ecole Kenwood, had an average composite score of 414.4, which is nearly in the "Accelerated" category.  The second school, Maybury Elementary, had an average composite score of 399.3, which falls into the "Basic" category, which is below "Proficient."  Furthermore, Ecole Kenwood had 52.2% of its students in the "Accelerated" and "Advanced" categories.  Maybury?  34.7%.   Yet in the school report card system, these schools look exactly the same. If you had the choice, which school would you send your child to?

How did we get here? 

Colleen Grady was on the State Board of Education (SBE) when this system was adopted.  She gave us some insight into the process on her State of Ohio Education blog yesterday:

"There are a couple of things left out of this story. First, when the state board adopted the original cut scores, the resolution included a requirement that the cut scores to [sic] reviewed and raised. (Some board members argued vigorously for higher standards to no avail. All we could get was a commitment to come back in the third year and revise cut scores upward.) It never happened. Second, the cut scores were set in the first year of test administration when scores and passage rates were expected to be lower.

That's right. Everyone in the room knew the bar was set very low and that proficiency was an illusion. We were complicit in a cruel hoax perpetrated on students, parents and taxpayers.

And the excellent and effective banners that hang in schools and districts around the state? Don't they signal quality education? Unfortunately, they often mean nothing of the sort."

I can tell you that Colleen was one of the board members who "argued vigorously for higher standards."  Unfortunately, she was outnumbered on the board. 

Now let me add a huge disclaimer before I go on:  Test scores aren't the only way to assess a student's abilities, skills, and proficiency. For some students, it's a terrible measure of what they know because some kids are just poor test takers.  And some kids are born knowing how to test well.  In a perfect world, each child could receive a comprehensive assessment that would include multiple factors, some of them not test-related.  However, when we're talking about the public schools and public tax dollar accountability and millions of students in the state of Ohio, testing of some sort is probably a necessary evil.  

The good news is that Ohio is most likely heading to a new assessment system, at least for the high school level.  Within the next few years, the Ohio Graduation Test will probably be replaced with....something....most likely a test aligned to national standards, which means it will be completely different than the OGT.  I do feel for the poor teachers who have to continually make major changes in their curriculum and teaching methods in order to comply with the "flavor of the month" from the State.  I can't imagine how frustrating that must be. 

In the meantime,  if you're interested, you can do some further checking into your child's school by running a power user report at the Department of Education site.  Click on "Begin," then "Test Scores," then "Proficiency Levels (building)," then select the year and school and run the report.  You'll be able to see the breakdown of student test scores for the school by proficiency level.  

Why is all this important?  First,  it's always good to make informed choices when it comes to our children's education.  In Ohio, we do have options available to us; there are public schools, private schools, homeschools, charter schools, and open enrollment. If you live in a district with a poorly performing school, you may be eligible for the EdChoice Scholarship, which may provide a tuition voucher for your child to attend a private school.  If you're armed with information, you can feel more confident in your educational choices. 

Second, it's a reminder to us that elections have consequences - state and local school board elections are important! How many of us can name our representative on the state school board?  How about our local school board members?  I know I've been guilty of walking into the booth on election day and wishing I had taken the time to find out who these people running for the school board were!  It's often difficult to find information about school board candidates, but our children's education is has to be made a priority and we need to elect school board members who will adopt high standards and won't settle for dumbed-down test scores. 

Third, it's important to let our current legislators know that we want rigorous standards in Ohio. In the coming months Governor Kasich and the Ohio legislature will making decisions about which direction to go  in the area of testing. The details will be hashed out at the State Board of Education.  If you don't believe that a school with a 47% pass rate should be designated "Excellent" and you want more meaningful assessments for your children, then demand it from our elected officials.  A stunning 39% of Ohio students must enroll in remedial courses in their first year of college.  In other words, their high schools did not adequately prepare them for college. We must demand and expect more for our children. 

I hope I've been able to demystify Ohio's state report card system a bit.  I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

[updated 3/21/11 12:47 PM]

March 22, 2011

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty - T-Paw - makes it officially almost official - he's the first to throw his hat into the presidential campaign ring by announcing a presidential exploratory committee.  The announcement came in the form of a video that The Blaze called "epic."  I wouldn't go that far, but concede that it's professional and very well done.  This is no amateurish "I am not a witch" video:

American Thinker reports on Pawlenty's connection to the Evangelical community and support for Israel:


American Thinker Blog: Pawlenty, the Presidential Campaign, and the Evangelicals:

"Mary Pawlenty is an evangelical Christian and her husband joined her church in the mid-1980s when they married.  The evangelical Christian community are strong supporters of the America-Israel relationship for a wide variety of reasons (having nothing to do with end-time scenarios).

But the church they attend, Wooddale Church, is not your just-down the road church.  Wooddale is an influential evangelical mega church. The Pawlentys were married by Leith Anderson,  a senior pastor at the church since 1977. However, Anderson is far more than a senior pastor. He is also the long-time president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), an organization that represents more than 30 million American evangelicals.

LifeNews shares some of Pawlenty's life-affirming policies:


Governor Tim Pawlenty Presses Pro-Life Issues in Iowa Speech | LifeNews.com: 

"Pawlenty crafted a strong pro-life record as governor of Minnesota that will appeal to GOP voters in early primary and caucus states like Iowa, South Carolina and Florida. He named Eric Magnuson, an attorney who has worked with pro-life groups, the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court and told Minnesota agencies to reject Obamacare, which could fund abortions.

Pawlenty also signed into law the Positive Alternatives program passed by the state legislature in 2005 with the support of pro-life groups. The law, which provides state funding for pregnancy centers that help women with pregnancy support and abortion alternatives, has already proven successful in lowering the number of abortions.

The Minnesota Department of Health shows 13,037 women received services from the Positive Alternatives grant during the second grant cycle of the program, running from July 2008 through June 2010. More than 12,000 pregnant women were helped during the first two-year grant cycle, July 2006-June 2008. The Pawlenty-supported positive alternatives program is credited with dropping Minnesota abortions, in 2009, to the lowest point since 1975.

In April 2010, Pawlenty declared the month as Abortion Recovery/Awareness Month to help women negatively affected by their abortions. Pawlenty also pleased pro-life advocates on bioethics issues by vetoing the Kahn-Cohen Cloning Bill in May 2008, which would have legalized human cloning and forced taxpayers to pay for the destruction of human life. He also signed, in May 2009, a bill to ban taxpayer funding of human cloning."

Newsweek asks, "How dumb are we?"  They gave 1000 people a citizenship test - 38% failed. 

"When NEWSWEEK recently asked 1,000 U.S. citizens to take America’s official citizenship test, 29 percent couldn’t name the vice president. Seventy-three percent couldn’t correctly say why we fought the Cold War. Forty-four percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights. And 6 percent couldn’t even circle Independence Day on a calendar."

 

How'd you do?  I was relieved to get 100%.  : )


UPDATE: I am smarter than a Hillsdale College student.  Just sayin' 

Arlington lawmaker's bill would protect questioners of evolution | Star Telegram:

 "An Arlington lawmaker has filed a bill aimed at protecting Texas college professors and students from discrimination because they question evolution.

The measure from Republican state Rep. Bill Zedler would block higher education institutions from discriminating against or penalizing teachers or students based on their research into intelligent design or other theories that disagree with evolution.
Zedler said he filed the bill because of cases in which colleges had been hostile to those who believe that certain features of life-forms are so complex that they must have originated from a higher power.

'We can have the academic freedom to have all kinds of ideas and philosophies but, lo and behold, even mention intelligent design and there are people that want to run you out of town on a rail,' Zedler said."

This should be entertaining to watch. Those who get their knickers in a twist and go to to Def-Con-4  when someone questions the doctrine of macro-evolution will be falling all over themselves to paint their opponents as knuckle-dragging morons - ironically, demonstrating the need for this bill.  At the Mother Jones blog an interview with Rep. Bill Zedler is recounted and then mocked and ridiculed in the combox.  Here are a couple comments from our "tolerant" friends: 

"We should discriminate against crazy ideas like these, and often. We used to. Not too long ago people like Zedler were viewed as nutcases, like the people in wool caps who stand on street corners drooling and shouting about UFOs."

"As for Creationism, it ends at its premise, as there is no evidence supporting Creationism, and we shouldn't be in the business of protecting the willfully ignorant or the blatantly stupid...regardless of whom they choose as their imaginary savior." 

Finally, on the heels of our annual county septic inspection....