"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."
- John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, July 17, 1775
- CBO Chief Says Debt "Unsustainable"
- Weekend to Remember - Love Like You Mean It
- "Policing for Profit"
- AMA Publication says Abstinence Works
- Choosing the Right College
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CBO CHIEF SAYS DEBT "UNSTUSTAINABLE"
The nation's fiscal path is "unsustainable," and the problem "cannot be solved through minor tinkering," according to Doug Elmendorf, head of the Congressional Budget Office. He added his voice to a growing chorus of economic experts who predict dire consequences if political leaders don't scale back spending, increase taxes or both — and soon.
A recent CBO report pegged an increase in the public debt from $7.5 trillion at the end of 2009 to $20.3 trillion at the end of 2020 if President Barack Obama's fiscal 2011 budget were to be implemented as written. As a percentage of gross domestic product, the debt would rise from 53 percent to 90 percent, CBO forecasted. The last time the percentage was that high was right after World War II.
There's little apparent political appetite to scale back spending or increase taxes. While the president created a fiscal reform commission earlier this year, his budget calls for no major restructuring of the popular entitlement programs that constitute the lion's share of the federal budget.
Read more at Politco
WEEKEND TO REMEMBER - LOVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT
April 30-May 2, 2010
Researchers have documented that married adults are happier, healthier, and wealthier than those who are not married.
Next week, a marriage conference is coming to Jackson that can strengthen - or even save - your marriage. It's for couples who are in struggling marriages and for those who recognize that even strong marriages need attention to stay strong.
It’s called a Weekend to Remember, and it's put on by FamilyLife ministry. It will have you and your spouse laughing together and working together to strengthen your most important human relationship.
It will be held April 30-May 2 at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Jackson. To find out more, including how to get a 50% discount, go to mspolicy.org or call 601-969-1300.
To find out more about the weekend, just click here, or if you want to go ahead and register, click here. Through Monday, April 26, FamilyLife is offering a "buy-one-get-one-free" offer for couples registering for the conference. When registering, just enter coupon code "INVITE" and group code "MISSISSIPPI MARRIAGE" to receive the discount and join our group.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
"POLICING FOR PROFIT"
Under state and federal civil asset forfeiture laws, law enforcement agencies can seize and keep property suspected of involvement in criminal activity. Unlike criminal asset forfeiture, however, with civil forfeiture, a property owner need not be found guilty of a crime—or even charged—to permanently lose her cash, car, home or other property.
The Institute for Justice released a first-of-its-kind national study on civil forfeiture abuse. The report—Policing for Profit: The Abuse of Civil Asset Forfeiture —is the most comprehensive national study to examine the use and abuse of civil asset forfeiture and the first study to grade the civil forfeiture laws of all 50 states and the federal government.
The report finds, not surprisingly, that by giving law enforcement a direct financial incentive in pursuing forfeitures and stacking the legal deck against property owners, most state and federal laws encourage policing for profit rather than seeking the neutral administration of justice.
In Policing for Profit, IJ grades each state on its forfeiture laws and other measures of abuse. Only three states (Maine, North Dakota and Vermont) earned a grade of B or better. Maine earned the highest grade, an A-, largely because all forfeiture revenues go to the state’s general fund, not directly into law enforcement coffers. On the other end of the spectrum, states like Texas and Georgia both earned a D- because their laws make forfeiture easy and profitable for law enforcement—with 90 and 100 percent of proceeds awarded to the agencies that seized the property.
Read Report
Source: Institute for Justice
AMA PUBLICATION SAYS ABSTINENCE WORKS
A new study that shows abstinence-only education can reduce teen sexual activity in the long term. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, appeared in the medical journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, a publication of the American Medical Association.
The researchers found that, two years after receiving an eight-hour abstinence-only intervention, middle school participants were a third less likely to initiate sexual activity, compared to peers who attended a non-sex-ed health class instead. Moreover, although the abstinence-only intervention did not teach contraception, sexually active participants were no less likely to use contraception. In contrast, sex-ed programs that taught contraception only (i.e., safe sex) or a combination of abstinence and contraception (i.e., comprehensive) did not delay sexual initiation or increase contraceptive use.
The study used a highly rigorous evaluation method, which randomly assigned students to one of the intervention programs or a general health class for comparison. While these findings are encouraging, they are not wholly surprising. Eleven prior studies have reported similar results.
Read More
Source: The Heritage Foundation
CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLLEGE
Thomas Sowell calls ISI's Choosing the Right College "by far the best college guide in America"; World magazine says it "may be the only guide" for families who "want a critical look at what is taught at America's most powerful and celebrated schools"; and Cal Thomas says the guide allows parents to "be sure they will not be supporting the systematic destruction of the values, faith, and worldview they have spent so many years building up."
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute has launched a companion website, www.CollegeGuide.org. This dynamic site includes profiles of more than 200 schools—50 percent more than are found in Choosing the Right College—plus original articles, a special "Ask the Editors" feature, helpful "Ten Best" lists, and access to all of ISI's acclaimed Student Guides to the Major Disciplines.
And now we are making our constituency a special offer: "Try Three for Free," where friends and supporters of the MCPP can download three profiles of their choice, at no charge at all. All you have to do is:
(1) Go to www.CollegeGuide.org
(2) Enter the Promo Code "FPC" at checkout to get their three free profiles
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.
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