Regarding Education...

Education, specifically teacher compensation, is a hot topic today.  And very emotionally charged.  I'd really like to contribute to the conversation in a productive way but at this time I cannot.  I must admit that I am angry at everyone: The State's inequality, Republicans and their Charter Schools, and The Teachers Union's bully tactics:

The State's inequality: I was not as valuable as a student in Livonia, Detroit, or even South Redford- the second public school district in my small township.  (Find out the value of your kid in 2008 and 2009 here.)  Why should those students be worth more than me?

Republicans and their Charter Schools: I really wanted to go to The Henry Ford Academy, a local charter school.  Admission into the school was by lottery and my name wasn't drawn.  Fortunately for me RU was not a failing school district.  If it had been I would have been out of luck.

The Teachers Union's bully tactics: When I was a sophomore in High School the teachers wanted a raise and the district was having a tough time balancing the budget (see point 1).  To their credit, I suppose, they only closed school down once (nasty case of Blackboard flu).  Instead they wore these bright green neon t-shirts on Fridays that read "RU teachers car about: Kids, RU School Board cares about: ???"  I suppose it didn't bother all the other kids whose parents weren't on the school board.

I have some ideas about how we can improve education in this state and maybe someday I will post a blog about them, but for right now I'm just angry at everybody.

Unintended consequenses

Over the course of the next 6 months as you open up your renewal statements for your government mandadated Auto Insurance policy and you notice that dispite your excellent driving record - dispite the fact that you have never made a claim - your bill just keeps getting bigger and bigger - I want you to think back to November 2008...

That was the year Obama ran against McCain.  The year that Democrats gained a super majority in the House and Senate...the year Cliff Taylor was up for re-election as the Chif Justice of the Michigan Supream court...wait who?

Thats right - it was a big year, full of big names and big stars - but there were other folks on the ballot too.  Folks who will never have shows on Fox news - who you could bump into at the store and never recognize.  But, just because you don't know their names doesnt mean they don't have power.

In this case, Cliff Taylor (a right leaning conservitive) was defeated by a left leaning liberal.  Last summer the formerly right leaning MI Supreme Court ruled that the definition of bodily injury liablity could be broadened (thats the part of your auto policy that you probably didn't care vary much about before).  They also said claims going back as far as 3 years could be reopened and greater payouts made.

So now every insurance company has to come up with the cash to cover these unexpected expenses, past, present and future.

I know, you didn't know, you didn't want to vote wrong, you had to get your nails done, I've heard it all.  Rattle off every excuse you want, it doesn't matter.

Voting has consequences.   Intended or not.