Commentaries
Jun 28, 2012
The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the individual mandate represents a tremendously disappointing expansion of federal power over the lives and liberties of the American people.
Jun 26, 2012
Not long ago, a friend of mine returned to his alma mater for his 35th college reunion. He approached one of his professors, wondering if his former teacher remembered him. He did, kindly noting that my friend had been a good student. He then added a compliment, of sorts: "Why, today you'd be an A student."
Jun 10, 2012
The National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado has issued a critique of my report entitled “Our Immense Achievement Gap: Embracing Proven Remedies While Avoiding a Race-Based Recipe for Disaster.” The critique was authored by Susan Eaton, co-director of a “diversity” organization called “One Nation Indivisible.”
Jun 10, 2012
Minnesota is heading straight toward a legal buzz saw. Our state faces a looming "educational adequacy" lawsuit that threatens both the quality of our public schools and our cherished tradition of school choice—and may bankrupt the state treasury in the process.
Jun 5, 2012
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is under siege these days from a well-funded and coordinated smear campaign driven by a variety of left-wing organizations and politicians.
Jun 1, 2012
The May Street Berry Patch is a carefully tended garden, berry patch and tiny orchard located on May Street in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The owner of the lot, Gregory Wilmes, sought a permit from the city to remove a large boulevard tree he owns that shades his garden, but Saint Paul officials denied the permit request claiming that the tree was public property.
May 17, 2012
More was accomplished over the course of the legislative session than anyone could have reasonably expected, especially considering the chasm separating the Legislature and the Governor never narrowed.
May 10, 2012
First reactions to President Obama’s newly announced approval of same-sex marriage bespeak shaky mirror imaging. While folks on the right are routinely critical of its very core, they’re rejoicing in what they see as its politics.
May 9, 2012
Here is a public pension update as we await the end of session. The pension bill was passed by both houses and will be presented to the governor. I have been told that Dayton does not care about the bill. (I kind of felt the same way, mostly, so I kept looking for some kind of trade for passing it but got one.) The pension system is underfunded by at least $13.7 billion.
May 6, 2012
We've got a vivid picture of the Republicans and conservatives in our midst. They're a sour, dour lot—close-minded, tight-fisted and intolerant. Some are businesspeople, greedy and self-interested. Others are rednecks, poorly informed, clinging to their guns and religion.