Posts From CalWatchdog Staff
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CalWatchdog Staff
Stockton faces depleted public services
Steven Greenhut: The state’s public employee unions justify their existence by claiming that they provide crucial public services. But we see again and again that the government serves the workers, not the public thanks to the undue influence of those
Read MoreDrought Politics Dries Up Wet Sacramento
MAR. 7, 2012 By KATY GRIMES Sacramento is suffering from a drought. At least that is what the city utilities department employees say they’ve been instructed to tell residents who call questioning the city’s strict water conservation policies. The City
Read MoreGirl is Right: Public School Is ‘Modern Slavery’
John Seiler: Kids finally are figuring it out. According to the Huffington Post, a 13-year-old girl in Rochester, N.Y. was harassed by public school officials after she wrote a paper comparing her school to “modern slavery.” She was forced to
Read MoreShock! ‘Conservative White Men’ Deny Moon Made of Green Cheese
Commentary MARCH 7, 2012 By JOHN SEILER Supposing somebody insisted that the moon is made of green cheese. This is not a self-evident fact. Camembert, maybe, but not green cheese. We would demand strong proof. Even if the proof was
Read MorePols Build Arena While Sacto Burns
Katy Grimes: Sacramento’c City Council approved the arena financing plan last night, 7-2, supporting Mayor Kevin Johnson for the first time since his 2008 election. But this arena deal wasn’t exactly the smartest issue in which to support Johnson. Sacramento
Read MoreSchool Choice Goes to Head of the Class
This article first appeared in UnionWatch.org. MARCH 7, 2012 By LARRY SAND Last month, Education Week published “What Research Says About School Choice,” in which nine scholars analyze the results of various studies concerning “school choice” — the quaint notion
Read MoreWhy Not Skip College?
John Seiler: Katy Grimes reported here at CalWatchDog.com on the protests against cuts in aid to college students. That means higher tuition — “fees” — to attend state colleges and universities. Here’s an idea for how kids can cut the
Read MoreSpecial Series: Bankruptcy Didn’t Make the Sky Fall In Orange County
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a CalWatchDog.com Special Series of 12 in-depth articles on municipal bankruptcy. MARCH 6, 2012 BY CHRIS REED Overwhelmed by enormous unfunded liabilities for retired employees’ pensions and health care, local governments throughout California
Read MoreCapitol Protest: Joke Is On Taxpayer
Katy Grimes: It is amazing that a once-successful education system now churns out victims, instead of well-educated young people ready for employment. Today’s college students aren’t well-educated in the classic sense, nor do they appear to be all that excited
Read MoreStudents Protest Ed Entitlement Cuts
MAR. 5, 2012 By KATY GRIMES Middle-aged, greying 1960s radicals, pimply faced kids, teachers, throngs of SEIU members, angry Occupy protestors, and union members of all kinds descended upon the state Capitol Monday. They demanded, “Wall Street and the wealthy
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