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Brightest Ideas of the Week
WASHINGTON -
Bright light of the week Why: The California chief executive and former Hollywood superhero is frustrated that his state legislature has failed to send him a budget for the coming year. The state faces a massive deficit and legislators seem only interested in finding new ways to collect and spend tax dollars. How: “There is no excuse for the legislature’s failure to reach a compromise and to send me a budget. Until the Legislature passes a budget that I can sign, I will not sign any bills that reach my desk.” What a concept – don’t sign it if you don’t approve of it. Mr. President, are you listening? Tax refunds when state collects too much 1| Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels proposes refunds when the state collects too much. The details: Daniels says taxpayers ought to get automatic refunds whenever state officials collect more than a predetermined amount of revenue each year. That way the politicians would have to do real budgets for the year ahead instead of the usual accounting fables. Follow the immigration law 2| Congressman says authorities should heed statutes. The details: Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., has a novel idea – he’s fighting efforts to reduce federal funding to local jurisdictions incurring expenses in helping enforce federal immigration regulations and statutes. If anything, this funding ought to be significantly increased and more local assistance sought. Pay for performance 3| Why not pay good teachers more than bad ones? The details: That’s the concept behind D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s proposal for results-based teacher contracts that offer higher pay for teachers whose students’ test scores improve. Rewarding success is always a good idea. Competition is good for consumers 4| D.C. government scores one for free markets. The details: By signing a new service agreement with Verizon to compete with Comcast, the city government promotes more consumer choice, which could mean lower prices and higher quality. One thing is for sure – Verizon and Comcast will have to work harder to satisfy customers. In and out, quickly 5| Chicago lawyer leaves Obama campaign staff The details: Mazen Asbahi stepped down from Barack Obama’s campaign staff after evidence surfaced that he was linked to groups advocating radical fundamentalist Islamism. Asbahi did the candidate a favor, especially if some voters still think that Obama is a radical Muslim instead of the Christian he professes to be. Tiny solution to big problem 6| Nanotechnology may have answers to energy crisis. The details: Both presidential candidates have stepped up to the plate with proposals to encourage development of nanotechnologies that may be helpful in develop more alternative energy sources and making better use of existing ones. A nanodot known as XGnP may be especially helpful. Financial literacy for senators, too 7| Sunlight Foundation notes a seminar at the Democratic National Convention. The details: Since the seminar on financial literacy is being sponsored by 21 financial institutions, including Bank of America, which owns Countrywide, which gave preferential loans to Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd and Sen. Kent Conrad, Bill Allison says the two lawmakers should be happy to attend. Remember our soldiers over there 8| Gen. David Petraeus takes every opportunity to praise his troops The details: In an interview with blogger Austin Bay, Army Gen. David Petraeus, the man who conceived the surge in Iraq, proposes that the young men and women now in the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan are “the new greatest generation, and I absolutely buy into that and agree with it.” Indeed. Not leaving the House 9| GOPers say they’re staying till Pelosi returns. The details: House Minority Leader John Boehner says he and the two or three dozen House Republicans who have joined him in the “Guerrilla Congress” revolt are staying throughout the August recess “every day until she brings us back, until the speaker brings us back. Every day.” Change coming for China 10| Dictatorships that host Olympiads regularly fall afterward The details: Wizbang’s Jay Tea notes that the Nazis fell a decade after the Berlin Olympics, the Soviets after the Moscow Olympics and Yugoslavia after Sarajevo. So the communist authorities in Beijing should get ready to be replaced. |
