Opinion

Teacher education to blame for failing schools

Walter Williams's picture

American education is in a sorry state of affairs, and there’s enough blame for all participants to have their fair share.

They include students who are hostile and alien to the education process, uninterested parents, teachers and administrators who either are incompetent or have been beaten down by the system, and politicians who’ve become handmaidens for teachers unions. Read More»

What really matters: Measuring human freedom

Dr. Alejandro A. Chafuen's picture

[Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.]

“If it matters, measure it” is the motto of the Fraser Institute, the leading Canadian think tank, where I have been a trustee since 1991. More than a motto, the focus on measurement permeates and guides all the work of the institute. As few things matter more than freedom, it is only fitting that Fraser has embarked in its most ambitious methodological effort: measuring human freedom. Read More»

Intellectuals and race, Part 1

Thomas Sowell's picture

There are so many fallacies about race that it would be hard to say which is the most ridiculous. However, one fallacy behind many other fallacies is the notion that there is something unusual about different races being unequally represented in various institutions, careers or at different income or achievement levels.

A hundred years ago, the fact that people from different racial backgrounds had very different rates of success in education, in the economy and in other endeavors, was taken as proof that some races were genetically superior to others. Read More»

Firearms discussion (Part Four): Reason or emotion, Mr. President?

Dr. T. David Gordon's picture

[Editor’s note: The following are Part Four and Part Five in a five-part series on the topic of firearms. The previous three parts appeared in this space and online recently.]

As I wrote this article, my most recent among several on firearms policy, I anticipated the president addressing the nation on the matter at any moment. What I say here preceded his address, so the essay is neither a commendation nor a condemnation of his remarks. Read More»

Coming home

Ronda Rich's picture

One evening back in late spring, I returned home from two weeks of flitting through major airports and hurrying bare-footed through security sensors. I was bone-weary from cramped planes — the center seat too many times — and delayed flights.

Home never felt, smelled or looked so good. The cows bawled a hello, the two cats joyously bounced around the garage and a lick-happy, shivering Dixie Dew danced with delight. The world felt perfectly right and cozy. And the funny thing is that I hadn’t even realized it was askew until I stepped from my car. Read More»

Pain expected as county faces costs

The year of 2013, at the county level of government, should be declared the year of accountability. This calendar year is truly a time of tough decisions, especially if your desire is to have a government that is responsive and functions properly.

The new group of elected officials at the county level is willing to take the challenges head on and make the difficult decisions to rectify the problems which have been kicked down the road year after year. Read More»

Look at ‘discretionary’ funds for culvert fixes

Commissioners: During consideration of how culvert replacement should be (could be) completed, I checked on the recent budget for the Road Department.

It appears that over $4 million is in that yearly budget.

I also looked at the proposed spending that had been listed in the TIA 2010 for Fayette County to get some idea of what other road work was being considered.

Even though the vote on the regional tax was defeated, there was a list of “Discretionary” funding of $45.6 million (10-year list) proposed along with another $39 million for the East Fayetteville Bypass. Read More»

Sequester and Y2K: Looks like the world didn’t end either time

So here we are, two weeks into sequestration, and except for the U.S. stock market reaching record highs, Life As We Know It has not changed.

Has anyone noticed that sequestration, which occurred on March 1, 2013, has had about as much impact as the “Y2K bug” that was supposed to occur on Jan. 1, 2000? Read More»

Obama administration attacks our Constitution

On Wednesday, March 6, 2013, John Kerry, the neonate American Secretary of State, was reported to have said in the context of a discussion of Freedom of Speech that in America people have the right to be stupid — that is, to say stupid things.

Mr. Kerry’s trivialization of Freedom of Speech is not only itself stupid, but also reflects badly on his office, on America, and on the Bill of Rights, in which the First Amendment to the Constitution provides Freedom of Speech. Read More»

PTC is great, but don’t cover up its shortcomings

Peachtree City, our wonderful little town. “Come here to stay.” I have lived here for about 30 years. I love it. It is a great city and a great county. Is it perfect? No way. But still a great place to raise kids, a great place to live and a great place to retire. Objectively. That’s what all the national reviews say.

But, Peachtree City is far from perfect. With all the staff infections, you would think it’s a MERSA outbreak. Read More»

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