August 2009 Volume 16 Number 8

'Cap and Trade' Is Not the Answer

August 03, 2009

By Jay T. Edwards

Many in Congress are intent on imposing a tax on companies that produce carbon emissions so as to improve the climate and reduce global warming. The U.S. House of Representatives has sent this "cap and trade" bill to the U.S. Senate. Under the plan, acceptable levels of carbon dioxide emissions will be determined and capped by the government. Emissions over the cap will be taxed unless the offender can trade a credit with another company under the cap. This tax scheme stems from a growing concern about global warming and the effect on global temperatures by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

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Is Oklahoma Addicted to Federal Spending?

August 03, 2009

By J. Scott Moody and Wendy P. Warcholik

Oklahoma's share of President Obama's federal "stimulus" package will come to approximately $2.6 billion over two years-or an average of $1.3 billion per year. This certainly sounds like a lot of money, but it pales in comparison to what the federal government already sends to Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma is already highly dependent on federal largesse to keep a large part of its economy moving. If policymakers aren't careful, the stimulus package will only worsen this dependency.

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State Government Needs Your Help

August 03, 2009

News reports tell us that a revenue shortfall is likely for state government during the current fiscal year. Reduced allocations to state agencies are probable. Read More >

This Outrageous Spending Must Stop

August 03, 2009

By Mickey Hepner

When most people find themselves deep in debt, the first thing they do is look for ways to cut their spending. Unfortunately, the federal government is doing just the opposite.

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Government Fraud: Bigger Than Madoff

August 03, 2009

By Chris Edwards and Tad DeHaven

Every year, criminals and cheats pilfer more than $100 billion-that's $40 billion more than Bernie Madoff scammed off his investors-in federal benefits to which they are not legally entitled. Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, refundable tax credits, and many other programs are targets for looting.

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Schools in the Slums

August 03, 2009

By James Tooley

While researching private schools in India for the World Bank, James Tooley wandered into the slums of Hyderabad's Old City and was shocked to find it overflowing with small, parent-funded schools. So began the adventure lyrically told in The Beautiful Tree and excerpted here-the story of Tooley's travels from the largest shanty town in Africa to the mountains of Gansu, China. It's the story of children, parents, teachers, and entrepreneurs in the poorest corners of the globe who, in response to failed public education, are not waiting for handouts. They are educating themselves-and succeeding under the most challenging conditions imaginable.

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Praise for The Beautiful Tree

August 03, 2009

"With this important and passionately written book, James Tooley has joined the late Milton Friedman as a name to be reckoned with in support of ‘market solutions' for providing quality education to poor children."
-Hernando DeSoto, author of The Other Path Read More >

Entrepreneurial Spirit and a Mother's Love

August 03, 2009

By Patrick B. McGuigan

Four decades of involvement in education-as a volunteer, writer, and sometime teacher-have blessed me with riches that cannot be measured in normal ways.

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Fire Drills and Straw Men

August 03, 2009

By Brett A. Magbee A crisis mentality has taken over our nation. Increasing numbers of policymakers think if they holler FIRE, citizens will give them a mandate to implement a big-government solution, which at the end of the day merely exacerbates the original problem. In fact, the only thing such "fire drills" really do is to assist those same policymakers (who are doubtless in part responsible for the problems in the first place) in expanding their power and authority over taxpayers Read More >

Quote/Unquote

August 03, 2009

"Oftentimes, in government, you don't have the overall performance driver like you do in the private sector, which is profit. So we have to look at different ways to make sure we're doing things as efficiently as possible."
Claremore deputy city manager Matt Mueller, quoted in a July 6 Tulsa World story. "For more than a year and a half, Claremore has been able to cut costs through outsourcing," the World reported. "The municipality has outsourced two departments-fleet maintenance and planning and zoning/engineering-since November 2007 and is in the process of converting a third." Read More >

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