Green Energy Causes . . . Warming?
Perhaps the number one reason for pushing so-called clean, green renewable energy projects is to reduce warming that, according to climate change proponents, increases climate volatility–(formerly known as global warming and now increasingly identified as the wild but undefined “change” that so worries them)–creating the need to build ever more renewable projects. But according to […]
Transparency for Higher Ed Struggles, Bears Fruit in K-12
While the education transparency locomotive hasn’t been derailed, the engineer has pulled the brakes a couple times. Open union negotiations legislation was sent to its death in a Democratic-controlled Senate committee. Meanwhile, a key higher education transparency bill has spent many weeks accumulating dust while the session clock quickly approaches midnight.
Union Leaders Bullying Teachers Is Not Something We Have to Accept, Either
There’s a lot of talk these days in education about dealing with the perennial problem of school bullies. Not long ago an acclaimed movie was released, and President Obama spoke out against it, while new research suggests that it leads victims to hurt themselves more and special-needs students to suffer from anxiety and depression.
Hey, I […]
DeGrow Touts Case to Expand Colorado Teacher Options
School Reform News editor Joy Pullmann quoted senior policy analyst Ben DeGrow in a national story about Colorado’s House Bill 1333, which would allow school district employees the freedom to opt in or out of union or professional membership with 30 days notice.
Health benefits exchanges: Insurers most concerned with adverse selection
“Nearly half of 153 health plan executives whose companies are likely to participate in an exchange cite adverse selection as a top concern.” Continue reading
You Lose Some, You Lose Some
In February, Amtrak proudly opened what it claimed was the first high-speed rail line outside of the Northeast Corridor. An investment of $32 million in train control and signaling systems now allow it to run trains the 80 miles between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Porter, Indiana, at 110 mph. Since trains were previously operating at 95 […]
SB 178: sordid tale to increase renewable mandate
“One hundred nine days into a 120-day session you introduced major [energy policy] legislation,” Senator Steve King (R-Grand Junction) skeptically asked of SB 178 sponsor Senator Angela Giron (D-Pueblo). Sen. King’s skepticism is justified because SB 178 is a significant policy change that increases Colorado’s renewable energy mandate by 20 percent. Because renewable energy is […]
1603: Corporate Welfare by Another Name
By Molly Sullivan The 1603 program, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 was designated for job creation and job endurance for long-term economic growth in the field of renewable energy sources. Michael Sandoval’s March 19, article in the Colorado Observer, “Liquor Stores, Fortune 500 Companies among Colorado Stimulus Beneficiaries”, highlighted […]
The Hidden Cost of Congestion
Nine months ago, Los Angeles had to close a major freeway for maintenance for a few days, which some people predicted would lead to such terrible traffic jams that they called it carmageddon. In fact, a lot of people stayed home and the predicted jams didn’t materialize. Instead, Los Angeles is now experiencing a population […]
Will state legislature cave to Xcel and eco-left…again?
Colorado already has the most expensive electric rates of all neighboring states and the second highest in the Rocky Mountain West, with projections to go even higher in the near future. Now, a bill just introduced into the state senate threatens to make Colorado’s energy rates even more expensive. The following is a column from […]
Colorado Trust’s “Project Health Colorado”: Public Interest, or Advocacy?
I’m featured in this Colorado Public Radio piece about a project by the Colorado Trust, which historically pushes for more government involvement in medicine. Continue reading
Living in a Fantasy World
Here’s a great idea: when people stop driving their cars, build light-rail down the freeways and turn the rest of the freeway space into buildings and parks. Think about what that means. Despite claims that rail transit can move as many people as a 10-lane freeway, the reality is that the average two-track light-rail line […]
