In a conversation with Larry Arnn, renowned economist Milton Friedman makes some powerful arguments in support of educational vouchers. I found the following quote to be a particularly creative, insightful, and gripping way of stating the matter: "Think of it this way: If you want to subsidize the production of a product, there are two ways you can do it. You can subsidize the producer or you can subsidize the consumer. In education, we subsidize the producer—the school. If you subsidize the student instead—the consumer—you will have competition. The student could choose the school he … [Read more...] about Milton Friedman — Education Vouchers
Culture
Multnomah Being Sold – And Possibly Closed
Justin Taylor reported the news earlier today, from a Publishers Weekly article. Some of this was confirmed to me via personal correspondence from a former Multnomah employee. On a personal level, this is sad, as the future of many good editors and managers is uncertain. On another level, I'm concerned that the future owner will likely be a secular publishing house, and hence more likely to make publication decisions based on economic driving forces rather than theological or pastoral convictions. (That is arguably already an issue in the industry.) An announcement is due Friday that … [Read more...] about Multnomah Being Sold – And Possibly Closed
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld – Media Coverage
James Taranto delineates the significance of the 5-3 Supreme Court ruling regarding the treatment of detainees in Guantanamo Bay (Hamden v. Rumself). Not surprisingly, it is not as "significant a blow to the President" as the media has purported. Media coverage: * "The Supreme Court on Thursday repudiated the Bush administration's plan to put Guantanamo detainees on trial before military commissions, ruling broadly that the commissions were unauthorized by federal statute and violated international law. . . . The decision was . . . a sweeping and categorical defeat for the … [Read more...] about Hamdan v. Rumsfeld – Media Coverage
Thomas Sowell – Coverage of Iraq War
Thomas Sowell writes a good essay on how the media coverage of Iraq fails to grant soldiers the presumption of innocence with regard to unproven charges. The irony, of course, is that even citizens who do not sacrifice for the good of America enjoy the presumption of innocence. How much more ought courageous soldiers (seeking to secure the freedom of others) receive this fundamental privilege of democracy? Key quotes: "A recent study by the Media Research Center found that the three big broadcast news networks -- CBS, ABC, and NBC -- ran 99 stories in 3 and 1/2 hours about the … [Read more...] about Thomas Sowell – Coverage of Iraq War
Liberal Christianity — A Dying Breed
In a recent (July 9, 2006) issue of the Los Angeles Times, Charlotte Allen, a Catholic, published a scathing analysis of the moral and doctrinal decline of American mainline evangelical denominations. The Episcopal Church USA and Presbyterians receive the brunt of the attack. An overview: 1. Liberal Christianity was embraced in the 1960s by the leadership of many mainline Protestant denominations as the future of the Christian church. However, each of the denominations who embraced liberal doctrinal positions (e.g., wincing at the exclusivity of Christ) are now in steep demographic … [Read more...] about Liberal Christianity — A Dying Breed
North Korea & Appeasement
This past Independence Day, North Korea shocked the world by launching at least six missiles, including a long-range Taepodong. In the Fall of 2002, North Korea both revealed that they had broken the 1994 agreement to not development weaponry, and nevertheless promised a moratorium on missile testing. I guess one deception begets another. The occurrence of these military exercises on the 4th of July was a clear attempt to gain one-on-one dialogue with the USA. President Bush, holding a press conference in Chicago yesterday, was asked about the developments in North Korea. One reporter … [Read more...] about North Korea & Appeasement