Policy Snapshots - February 26, 2010

February 26, 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

"The Constitution, which at any time exists 'till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole People, is sacredly obligatory upon all."

- George Washington

• Olympics and the American Way
• Downsizing Government - From Someone Who's Done It
• Green Jobs: Environmental Red Tape Cancels out Job Creation
• Workers Exit the Labor Force in Droves
• Charter School Legislative Update

OLYMPICS AND THE AMERICAN WAY

There are comparisons to be made between America's Olympic success and the greatness of America itself, according to MCPP's Grant Callen. In an opinion column published in the Laurel Leader-Call and today's Clarion Ledger, Callen's closing comment sums it up. "The very system that has made us economically successful has also made us successful at the Olympics. We reward productivity, ingenuity, and hard work, and create a fair playing field on which to compete. As [President Ronald] Reagan put it, 'Our system freed the individual genius of man [and] released him to fly as high and as far as his' own talent and energy would take him. Whatever yardstick you use to measure success, whether its Olympic medals or GDP, our system has proved exceptional, and America stands atop the platform."

Read the entire column here: http://www.leadercall.com/columns/local_story_055104009.html

DOWNSIZING GOVERNMENT FROM SOMEONE WHO'S DONE IT

Special Guest: The Honorable Maurice McTigue

The Honorable Maurice McTigue, as a Cabinet Minister of New Zealand, guided the transformation of a number of government departments and agencies. He serves as director of the Government Accountability Project for the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia. He works with officials in the Administration, members of Congress, officials from more than 23 federal agencies and state governments on applying the principles of transparency and accountability in the public sector.

Thursday, March 9, 2010 - 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
At The University Club, (atop the Regions Bank Building), Jackson, MS
Cost: $15 (payable at the door)

R.S.V.P. by March 5, 2010 to Dawn Hynum
(601) 969-1300 or hynum@mspolicy.org

GREEN JOBS: ENVIRONMENTAL RED TAPE CANCELS OUT JOB CREATION

Proponents of an aggressive environmental agenda have tried to cast their policies as a boost to--rather than a drain on--the economy. From the stimulus package to pending global warming legislation to the Senate's upcoming jobs bill, the latest mantra is green jobs--employment to be created by imposing various environmental measures.

But according to the Heritage Foundation, the reality is that these efforts increase federal spending and exert new government control over the private sector. They are thus more likely to harm the economy and reduce the prospects for net job growth. Genuine job creation can be achieved not through more environmental red tape but less--in particular by allowing more domestic energy production.

Source: Ben Lieberman, Green Jobs: Environmental Red Tape Cancels Out Job Creation, The Heritage Foundation, February 4, 2010

Full Article

WORKERS EXIT THE LABOR FORCE IN DROVES

Using data from the Obama administrations website Recovery.gov and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this chart, compiled by Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, shows the month-over-month changes in the number of unemployed workers and members of the civilian labor force in tandem with the administrations stimulus spending. By using dual measures of employment instead of simply examining monthly changes in unemployment, this chart captures the magnitude of job loss in America more completely not only have workers lost their jobs, many more workers have also stopped looking for new employment altogether. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the month of December alone, 85,000 jobs were lost. In comparison, 661,000 people exited the labor force, or 7.7 times the amount of new unemployment.

CHARTER SCHOOL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Yesterday, the Senate Education Committee approved another bill to provide for charter schools in Mississippi. The full Senate has already passed a charter school bill, but that bill is not likely to be acted on by the House Education Committee. In yesterdays action, the Senate committee completely altered a House-passed bill that would have allowed the state to fire the principal and teachers at any school that fails to meet certain standards three years in a row. The Senate committee deleted that language and inserted the wording of the charter school bill previously passed by the Senate, except it would limit charter schools to districts that are not performing well.

Assuming the full Senate passes this bill, it is unlikely the House will agree to the Senate changes, meaning that the bill will go to a conference committee of three House members and three Senate members to work out the differences. The conferees would have until the end of March to work out an agreement, which would then have to be ratified by both houses of the legislature.

Mississippi Center for Public Policy's mission is to advance the ideals of limited government, free markets, and strong traditional families by influencing public policy, informing the media, and equipping the public with information and perspective to help them understand and defend their liberty.

Mississippi Center for Public Policy's vision is for Mississippi to be a place where entrepreneurs are free to pursue their dreams, parents are free to direct the education and upbringing of their children, government functions according to the principles that enhance freedom, and all Mississippians are free from dependence on government for their daily needs.