This week in progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Let me know via comments or Kosmail if you have a favorite state- or city-based blog you think I should be watching. Inclusion of a diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement or endorsement of its contents.
At Blog for Arizona, Craig McDermott writes:
Less mundane is HB2003. It is sponsored by Rep. Mark Finchem (R-LD11) and numbers among its primary and cosponsors a rogues’ gallery of members of the tin foil hat brigade of the R caucus. From the measure -
A. A person is eligible for election as county school superintendent if the person holds a basic or standard certificate to teach in the schools of this state baccalaureate degree in any subject or an associate degree in business, finance or accounting.
Ummm…really?
OK. We’re in Arizona – legislative hatred of teachers here is well-documented, so the part about not requiring county school superintendents to be able to teach in a public school classroom isn’t much of a surprise.
It’s unconscionable, but, with this bunch, it is something that should be expected.
But mandating that possessing an associate’s degree in business, etc., means that one is as qualified to run a county school department as someone with a bachelor’s degree in education (or anything else)?
At The Left Hook of San Jose, California, The Left Hook writes—Shortage of Teachers a Serious Problem in California:
In November of this year, a poll conducted by EdSource and the Learning Policy Institute revealed that 64 percent of California voters surveyed regard the shortage of k-12 teachers as a “very serious” problem. A similar proportion feels that more should be done at the state level to encourage young people to pursue a career as educational instructors.
The statewide poll, which surveyed 1,002 voters, showed a high level of concern regarding the limited training available to teachers throughout their careers. 88 percent of voters believe that part of a teacher’s training should include a year of practice teaching under the guidance of an expert. In addition, more than half of those polled opposed polices that would allow schools to hire people who have not completed their training or earned their teaching credentials.
The issue of access to a quality education was also at the forefront of voters mind. Two-in-three voters polled believe the fact that public schools in low-income neighborhoods have fewer qualified teachers than schools in wealthier neighborhoods is a “serious problem.” Currently, the quality of the education students receive is all too often tied into their socio-economic status, with rich students having access to better trained and higher paid teachers than their less privileged counterparts.
According to an analysis done by WalletHub, California has the 9th worst school system in the nation. Maybe it’s time we started investing in our teachers and our students. After all, they are the future of our State and our nation.
At Fortboise of Idaho, fortboise writes— Déjà vu:
It's almost as if Vladimir Putin looked into Donald Trump's soul, and saw the "absolute leader" in the race for the U.S. presidency. Is it a joke? Is he playing us? Was it lost in translation? An honest assessment as seen through the lens of our own media covering the orange-haired, orange-faced carnival barker of xenophobia and unfiltered ego?
“He’s saying he wants to go to another level of relations, closer, deeper relations with Russia,” Putin said. “How can we not welcome that? Of course we welcome that.”
Sheesh, get a room, guys.
Are we really interested in a man Putin likes? A man like Putin? Just please god, do not let The Donald go horseback riding without a shirt on.
Later in the report of the interview, and without the benefit of Putin's expression in his own language, this, in regard to the the suggestion that Turkey might have shot down the Russian jet in order to please the United States:
“We don’t know that yet,” said Putin, when asked if there was a “third party” involved in the downing of the Russian jet. “But if someone in the Turkish government decided to lick the Americans in a particular place, I don’t know if they were acting rightly. I don’t know if the Americans need this.”
At Intelligent Discontent of Montana, Don Pogreba writes—The Gazette’s Latest Embarrassing Editorial:
Does anyone else remember when Montana’s largest newspaper chain had an experienced political press corps? And actually could write editorials supported by their own reporting? I certainly didn’t always agree with the editorial positions the papers took, but you could almost always count on them being supported by actual reporting, not the conjecture of editorialists whose pieces underscore just how terrible the reporting at their papers have become. But, now we’re in an era when political editorials are being written by chief photographers at newspapers, not editors who can rely on the work of reporters who covered the story.
Another exhibit in this sad spectacle is today’s opinion piece in the Billings Gazette by Larry Mayer, who perhaps wounded that his paper chain got scooped last Friday by the political reporter it let go to save money, is really mad at Steve Bullock. [...]
Let’s take a peek at what Mayer offered.
He writes:
When media (including The Billings Gazette) chided the governor for his closed-door, darkhorse pick, Bullock insisted Walsh was a great choice.
To begin with, I’d probably suggest that someone writing editorials about politics actually know what the term “dark horse” means, but we’re well past that point with the Gazette. The Gazette’s bizarre contention that Bullock did something wrong by appointing Lt. Governor Walsh because it was behind closed doors verges on the idiotic. They’ve never offered a compelling alternative scenario for a governor making such a pick, so I assume that they still endorse a reality show format for all appointments in state government. Given their love of transparency, too, one wonders whether the Lee papers won’t make their decision to force out experienced reporters all over the state a bit more public in the future.
At Dakota Free Press of South Dakota, Cory A. Heidelberger writes—Bordeaux, Tester Promote Indian Voting Equality; Thune, Rounds Do Not.
To put more ballots in Indian hands, [Rep. Shawn] Bordeaux supports the Native American Voting Rights Act currently before Congress:
In 2015, in an effort to limit hurdles between Native Americans and the ballot box, Senators Tester, Franken, Heitkamp, and Udall cosponsored the Native American Voting Rights Act which would increase voter protections and access to the polls for Native Americans. The Native American Voting Rights Act would require each state to establish polling locations on reservations upon request from the tribe, including early voting locations in states that allow votes to be cast prior to Election Day. Additionally, the bill directs state election administrators to mail absentee ballots to the homes of all registered voters if requested by the tribe and establishes tribal IDs as a valid form of identification [Bordeaux, 2015.12.16].
Add Senator Hirono from Hawaii, and we have five Senators from five states—Montana, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Utah with big Indian populations backing the NAVRA. Yet neither Senator from South Dakota, where voting equality for the third-largest American Indian population by percentage is a big issue, has signed on to this important legislation. Why are Senators Thune and Rounds silent on this important issue while Senator Tester and State Rep. Bordeaux lead the charge?
Gee, you’d think John Thune and Mike Rounds didn’t want more Indians to vote.
At LeftWingCracker of Tennessee, Steve Steffens writes—Well, THAT was great while it lasted:
Jackson Baker and Bill Dries, looks like it's all on you again.
Kyle Veazey, who upon becoming political editor of the Commercial Appeal, coordinated with Ryan Poe and Linda Moore to revitalize political and governmental coverage there in a way not seen since Terry Keeter was alive, stunned everyone today with his announcement that he was resigning to work in the communications office of new Mayor Jim Strickland.
He made the CA readable again for something besides sports coverage and David Waters, and his FIRST WORD column was a must read for everyone who cares about politics and government not just in the city, but the region as well. I am certain it was a good offer for him to leave, but it's hard not to think that the recent acquisition of the CA (and Knoxville News-Sentinel) by Gannett had some part in his decision.
Gannett, who does for journalism what D-Con does for cockroaches, made all of the staff at the TENNESSEAN re-apply for their jobs in creating the "NEWSROOM OF THE FUTURE", which, in my opinion, has made the paper unreadable, Joey Garrison excepted. Transforming what had become a good paper under Journal News Group, after years of neglect from Scripps, into USA TODAY - Memphis edition, is nothing short of disheartening for those of us who love real journalism. I really feel for Ryan Poe and Linda Moore, who have done great work on the city and county beats, and hope that the incoming Gannetteers will allow them to do their jobs as they have done them.
At Burnt Orange Report of Texas, Katie Singh writes—Republican Ag Commissioner Sid Miller: Say “Merry Christmas” Or I’ll Slap You:
For someone whose job is to supervise the state’s agriculture, Texas Agriculture Commissioner has a surprisingly lengthy record of offensive commentary toward people who aren’t like him. From calling for all Muslims to be bombed (long before Donald Trump ever proposed such a thing), to making ignorant transphobic “jokes”, Sid Miller is an active opponent of all things diverse.
Sid Miller’s Facebook page is an embodiment of the phrase my colleague Joe Deshotel coined yesterday — that no opportunity is too small to pander! That’s why Miller decided to fight the an important battle in the War on Christmas via Facebook yesterday, posting:
[“If one more person says Happy Holidays t
o me I just might slap them. Either tell me Merry Christmas or don’t say anything.”]
Yes, Sid Miller wants to be violent toward people who wish him “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” As his photo so eloquently points out, it’s because he wants to keep the “Christ” in Christmas. Because if there’s anything Jesus taught us, it’s to hurt well-wishers if they use the wrong words to express kindness.
At Raging Chicken Press of Pennsylvania, Sean Kitchen writes—#PABudget Zombie Amendments Gives $150,000 in Grift to Natural Gas Group & Continues Attacks on Abortion Providers:
For the third consecutive year, zombie amendments that give grift to a small natural gas non-profit and attack abortion providers have made it into the Senate’s Fiscal Code, HB 1327.
In 2013 and 2014, the Raging Chicken Press reported that a small natural gas non-profit, Safer PA, received $150,000 to conduct independent research of the natural gas industry, but in 2014, Governor Corbett line item vetoed that out of the final budget. [...]
If my suspicions are correct, there will be more grift handed out to some sort of natural gas “non-profit.” The 2015 Fiscal Code reads:
“$150,000 shall be used for independent research by a not-for-profit entity which partners with higher education institutions, to identify, characterize and manage issues related to the economic and environmental impact of Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Development.
At Bold Nebraska, Mark Hefflinger writes—OPPD Board Members Shout Down Citizens Delivering Petition Opposing Utility’s Unfair Fixed Fee Increase Proposal:
Over 40 citizens and representatives from community groups from across Omaha rallied today prior to a meeting of the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) Board of Directors, demanding a new plan from OPPD in lieu of the utility’s recent fixed monthly fee increase proposal.
After the rally, citizens entered the OPPD board meeting to deliver a petition started by Bold Nebraska signed by over 2,500 customers opposed to OPPD’s fixed rate hike proposal, and a letter of opposition to the rate hike signed by over thirty organizations and businesses.
OPPD Board Chair Anne McGuire at first recognized the citizens who entered the meeting to deliver the petition, and then went on to read a prepared statement for several minutes, addressing the petition and OPPD’s reaction.
But when representative and OPPD ratepayer Liz Veazey began to speak in response to Anne’s remarks, she was shamefully shouted down by Anne and several other OPPD board members, in a show of disrespect for all those who came to make their concerns heard to the OPPD board in person.
At Blue Oklahoma, DocHoc writes—Budget Shortfall, Revenue Failure Is Self-Inflicted Damage:
The entirely expected announcement that Oklahoma faces a current revenue failure and is predicted to have an approximately $900 million budget shortfall next fiscal year should dispel the myth that tax cuts lead to economic growth and adequate funding for government.
I use “should” because it’s highly unlikely that Republicans, who control the state government here, will drop the pretense and start leading the state with prudent and sensible financial policies. There are some exceptions, such as Oklahoma Treasurer Ken Miller and State Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones, but it’s highly unlikely conservatives here will break with the GOP tax-cut orthodoxy, which benefits the wealthiest among us at the expense of school children and other vulnerable Oklahomans.
Since 2004, Oklahoma has enacted income tax cuts that have dropped the top rate from 7 to 5.25 percent. Another tax cut, amazingly enough, is going into effect this coming Jan. 1 when top rate will drop to 5 percent. Republicans will point gleefully to the fact that former Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat, was in office when the tax-cutting carnage began, but that doesn’t mean it was right or that the mythology that tax cuts lead to economic growth is true. Henry was also trading tax cuts for increases in state funding for various entities, such as education.
At Blue Mass Group, Bob Neer writes—More debt for rail: there is a better way:
Massive additional spending on infrastructure is crucial to the Commonwealth’s economic future: the T drives Boston’s economy, the Commuter Rail system supports residential real estate values in the entire Greater Boston area, and rail systems link us to opportunities across the Northeast. Our future depends on effective mass transportation.
But the existing structure of a publicly owned system is obviously deficient. We’ve gone from being among the best in the world 100 years ago to being badly second-rate compared to Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris or many other large cities. Just take a look at the websites for those systems and the differences in relative performance are quickly apparent.
Worse, the rate of our relative underperformance is accelerating, from last winter’s disasters to the recent runaway Red Line train and the infamous “open doors” ride, to the multi-billion dollar botched Green Line extension. It’s not a people problem. Massachusetts residents, as we all know, are gifted and superlative. It’s the system: the Authority structure cannot generate the capital it needs — it can’t even cover operating expenses — and has proven itself a deficient long-term manager.
There is a better way: quasi-privatize the system, as is done in Hong Kong and elsewhere. The Commonwealth will still own a majority stake, as it should for such an important community resource, but a minority interest can be listed on the stock exchange to generate some of the billions in capital finance the system obviously needs, and market-driven management changes can be implemented to improve operational effectiveness.
At RI Future.org, Bob Plain writes—White workers weathered Great Recession twice as nice as workers of color:
As bad as the unemployment crisis in Rhode Island was for white workers, it was nearly twice as severe for workers of color.
A new report from the Economic Progress Institute shows that black and Latino workers were unemployed at almost twice the rate of white workers from 2007 to 2014. “The takeaway here is that the worst unemployment situation White workers face is better than nearly the best unemployment situation that Black and Latino workers face,” reads the report.
“The significantly higher rates of unemployment for Latino and Black Rhode Islanders and lower wages for these communities and Southeast Asians – should set off alarm bells for business leaders and policy makers,” said EPI Executive Director Rachel Flum in a press release.