For release noon Dec. 7 and thereafter (680 words) Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. As governor in 1984 he pushed into law a school accountability system that rewarded teachers and districts whose students showed the most academic progress. Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin. In 1990, this Republican governor joined forces with a Democratic legislature to devise the nation’s first taxpayer-funded school choice program. It allows low-income families in Milwaukee to apply tax vouchers toward private schools. Zell…

For release noon Nov. 30 and thereafter (551 words) In Indiana, persons on the staff of a city or county are also allowed by state law to sit on the fiscal body of that same entity. Think about that for a moment. It is difficult to imagine a more blatant conflict of interest. It is a direct and proximate cause of the union political machines and the destructive political “rent-seeking” or self-dealing that economists advise…

For release noon Nov. 23 and thereafter (673 words The way to improve schools is to improve teachers. On that point, the data are clear. But how do we do it? And can we do it fast enough to affect the next generation? Answers may be found in nations where students outperform the United States on literacy, math and science tests. McKinsey & Co. studied 25 of the world’s school systems, including the top 10…

For release noon Nov. 16 and thereafter (691 words) The impact of labor unions is often seen as uniform over history. But today, labor cartels are less useful, since labor markets are more competitive. And it is increasingly difficult for unions to achieve their goals, since product markets have become far more competitive. Likewise, unions are often seen as uniform in terms of their membership. The stereotype is a Teamster. But you can find union…

For release noon Nov. 9 and thereafter (665 words) The best teachers deserve more pay. Who could argue with that simple proposition? Well, get ready. The teachers union and defenders of status quo are gearing up to block this key element of Gov. Mitch Daniels’ education reform agenda. They will trot out every excuse to maintain the current system, which rewards credentials and seniority but not results obtained by the professional in the classroom. As…

For immediate release (670 words)   With Election 2010, the GOP controls the U.S. House with a solid majority, tightened up the Senate and made considerable gains at the state and local levels — from governors’ mansions to city councils.   In one sense, this is nothing new. It is common for the president’s party to lose seats in a mid-term election. In 1982, under President Ronald Reagan, Democrats increased their advantage in the House…

For release noon Nov. 2 and thereafter (557 words) Every few years an issue re-emerges in Indiana, one that deserves more serious, objective public debate but seems mired in emotionalism and politics. That issue this next session is full-day kindergarten for all Hoosier five-year olds. Please know there is more to it than being either for or against children. Most recently, the lead political writer for the Indianapolis Star wrote a front-page appeal to Gov.…

For release noon Oct. 26 and thereafter (670 words) On the eve of the 1800 election, a letter by Alexander Hamilton accusing John Adams of character defects and declaring him “unfit” for the presidency was leaked to Adams’ rivals. In no time, the words went viral. Consider it one of the first examples of negative campaigning. Hamilton, a Federalist like Adams, had been skeptical of the second president’s economic and foreign policy agenda but had…

For release noon Oct. 19 and thereafter (620 words) “Make a Difference Day,” also known as the National Day of Doing Good, will be this Saturday. I confess to being unaware until a year or two ago that “the day” has been an annual event since 1992, co-sponsored by USA Weekend magazine and the Points of Light Foundation. I learned about it from an insert in my electricity bill. The message from American Electric Power…

For release noon Oct. 12 and thereafter A GOP takeover of the Indiana House would put Republicans in control of redistricting in the 2011 legislature. This makes it all the more important that voters get candidates on record now. It would be way too tempting for Republicans to use their majority status to draw lines that favor their party for the next decade. Secretary of State Todd Rokita, a Republican running for the 4th District…