Tag: Democrats

Public School Spending in FY 2012: A Red State Comparison

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As discussed in this post the latest education finance data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that New York’s public school spending per student is sky-high, not only in the suburbs but in Upstate New York and even New York City, even adjusted downward downstate for the higher cost of living here, and even compared with adjacent Northeastern states such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Although you’d never know it by all the propaganda being put out, primarily by the teachers’ union, claiming that New York’s taxpayers and children deserve less because we aren’t paying enough.

To put New York’s spending in even greater perspective, how about a comparison with a state where public school spending in general, and spending on teachers in particular, really is low? Let’s compare New York with right-wing, low-tax Oklahoma. A few charts and commentary may be found on “Saying the Unsaid In New York.”

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2016 (Part One)

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Okay; so I know we have two and a half years to go before the 2016 presidential elections; but I just wanted to get my two-cents in early. 
As of now, I am leaning towards supporting either Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA); Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT); or Republican Colin Powell; should any of them decide to run for the presidency.

The handwriting for a Cuomo budget is on the wall

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The more things change, the more they remain the same.

An incoming governor vows change is coming to Albany. The legislature responds we will see about that. 

                          Sound familiar?


At the Democratic Convention last week, Andrew Cuomo took questions on how he will handle next year’s budget.

“I’m not going to raise taxes; I’m not going to have a wage increase for public employees,” he said.

Convention City Bounce?

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Now the Democrats have selected Denver as the host city for the 2008 National Convention, we will soon see pundits writing how this will make Colorado and neighboring states more likely to vote Democratic for President. Previously others have written that the Republicans having their convention in Minneapolis will help them win in Minnesota & Wisconsin. For example – "The Midwest has become strategic ground," said David Schultz, who teaches politics at Hamline University in St. Paul. "Bring the convention here, get the faithful excited, and spotlight that you care about the Midwest and farmers." Schultz said it's also a "symbolic black eye" to Minnesota Democrats trying to keep alive the spirit of Hubert Humphrey and Paul Wellstone. "It's a purple state now, and Republicans increasingly view this as a winnable state," he said.

Cindy Sheehan’s Demands

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On Wednesday, House Democratic leaders had their Capitol news conference disrupted by a group of anti-war activists led by Cindy Sheehan.

According to press accounts, Sheehan said "We put them back in power," she said of the Democrats. Passing out fliers calling for defunding the Iraq war, Sheehan shouted: "These are our demands. And they're not requests — they're demands."

The Political Economics of the Bump on my Forehead

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A couple of years ago, a bump grew on my forehead. It didn't hurt, and by the time someone noticed it, it had stopped growing. Concerned friends and relatives began to push me to see a physician, fearing it might be cancer or some other dangerous condition. Finally I relented and my worst fears were realized — I had taken time out of my all-too-limited life to find that what I had was nothing more than a bump on my head. This didn't satisfy anyone, and I continue to be bothered about getting it removed. The question is whether I should do so, and whether everyone else should help to pay for it with tax dollars.

I spoke with my health insurance company, which said I would have to go to the doctor who would confer with the company on whether a removal was "medically necessary." My observation is that for purposes like this, "medically necessary" depends in part on how hard one is willing to push, and how adept at working the system one is. I also observe that if the procedure were not covered by insurance and I paid for it myself, I would probably pay less that the insurance company would be charged.

Rangel’s Excuse

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"Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?"

People elsewhere heard this as New York condescension. I hear something else. What this sounds like is a pre-excuse for New York continuing to get screwed by the federal government fiscally under Democratic rule.

What was the context of this statement? Was it a discussion of why New York is so fiscally disadvantaged despite having an above average poverty rate and a below average median household income? Did someone ask Rangel if this would change?

In any event, Mississippi was a bad example — it is truly poorer than New York, and New Yorkers don't mind contributing to those truly poorer. But that is not all that goes on. Republicans screw us because we vote for Democrats. And Democrats screw us because we are not up for grabs. Seems that nothing will change.