Some needed perspective on CATS

The Louisville Courier Journal editorial board has never bothered to address the many problems with Kentucky's CATS school testing, mercifully laid to rest this spring. They were too busy calling teachers "lazy" and dreaming up more ways to slap at the Bluegrass Institute without actually printing the name.

Here's their latest from Wednesday's editorial page:

"That's more than one can say for the odd alliance of (1) Republicans who have opposed the Kentucky Education Reform Act since its passage; (2) reflexive right-wing opponents of public schools, and (3) teacher groups that find KERA too demanding."

Their latest approach is to complain about the three year period in which Kentucky transitions from inflated, discredited CATS testing to a something (anything) better.

Fortunately, Bluegrass Institute's education analyst Richard Innes explains why the three years is probably a good idea:

"Right now, relying on our teachers to carry the ball for a short period of time seems like a much better path to take than following the outdated and misguided CATS path for another three years. Apparently, our legislators agree, because they overwhelmingly passed the bill to revise our assessment program in both houses despite the tantrums a few are throwing in the print media."

Innes' four page report is available here.

A case study in common sense

A Kentucky Department of Insurance press release described the circumstances behind a guilty plea for insurance fraud. Seems a 70 year old woman hit another car with her car, left the scene, and then reported in her insurance claim that she hit a concrete post.

In Barack Obama-land, her auto insurer would be forced to keep her and would be prohibited from increasing her premiums.

Next time should be different

News consumer backlash against very limited mainstream media coverage of the Kentucky Tea Party may have gotten the attention of some local journalists, if WKYT's report this evening on a "follow-up" event coming April 18 is any indication.

Will anyone really believe this?

In his Tuesday night press conference opening remarks, President Barack Obama will say the following:

"At the end of the day, the best way to bring our deficit down in the long run is not with a budget that continues the very same policies that have led to a narrow prosperity and massive debt. It’s with a budget that leads to broad economic growth by moving from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest."

"That’s what clean energy jobs and businesses will do. That’s what a highly-skilled workforce will do. That’s what an efficient health care system that controls costs and entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid will do. That’s why this budget is inseparable from this recovery – because it is what lays the foundation for a secure and lasting prosperity."

What do you think about that?

Hidden microphone at jail still works

Fayette jail Director Ron Bishop is trying desperately to fire Cpl. Marla Gaines before the FBI frog-marches her out of the facility in front of the tv cameras.

Will he get her out on time? Inquiring minds also want to know if she will be defended by the Communications Workers of America or Mary Sharp at the Fraternal Order of Police.

Herald Leader's bad, bad day

I'm not about to celebrate the dozens of firings today at the Lexington Herald Leader. Those are real people who had nothing to do with their parent company borrowing itself into oblivion, but they were forced to pay the price anyway.

But the paper deserves all kinds of scorn for ignoring the Kentucky Tea Party on Saturday. And they deserve all kinds of ridicule for writing the story two days late.

And columnist Tom Eblen's Facebook status is worth a look:

EEEEE-blen?

You've been heard

Kentuckians who called The Lexington Herald Leader to complain about the lack of coverage of the Kentucky Tea Party over the weekend got action this afternoon when the paper posted a story online by reporter Jack Brammer titled "Tea Party protest draws big crowd in Lexington."

The story mentions Bluegrass Institute's "Bluegrass Tax Liberation Day" coming up on April 18 at Applebee's Park in Lexington from 11 am to 2 pm. For details on that event, contact Kelly Smith at ksmith@freedomkentucky.com.

Beshear promotes socialized medicine pals

President Barack Obama, Rep. Ben Chandler, and Rep. John Yarmuth teamed up in February to expand government health insurance liabilities.

Today, Gov. Steve Beshear has teamed up with the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation for "Cover the uninsured week."

"In light of the recent economic downturn, it is more critical than ever that families are enrolled (in government health plans)," said Gov. Beshear.

Kentucky Kernel shows up when HL sleeps

Thanks to University of Kentucky student reporter Sean Patterson for his effort to cover Saturday's Kentucky Tea Party:

"David Adams, a writer for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions and the master of ceremonies at the rally, said he didn’t think President Obama’s spending has been different from his predecessor’s."

""That’s where this movement is different," Adams said. “George Bush did the same thing to us for eight years. This goes way beyond Democrat and Republican.""

You can read the rest of the story by clicking here. And for the record, Sean asked me how many people I thought were there and I told him I didn't have any idea. It was a big crowd full of highly energized people and terrific speakers.

Update: I'm told that reader complaints to the Lexington Herald Leader about their lack of coverage have been coming in pretty fast all day. The official response seems to be something along the lines of either not knowing that the event was happening or that they are working on a larger story about the movement after there have been a few events.

The response from lefty blogs has been, essentially, that Ayn Rand wrote too many words.

Media still trying to ignore Kent Brown

Kentucky Tea Party participants have been discussing today how the Lexington Herald Leader could justify ignoring a nonpartisan political rally with over 1000 participants on an otherwise uneventful Saturday.

This reminded me of last October when the paper also ignored the filing of a lawsuit with national implications involving trillions of dollars and the freedoms of millions of Americans. The suit was filed by Lexington attorney Kent Masterson Brown, who was also a speaker at the Tea Party.

Curious about the lawsuit, filed by the same local man who beat back HillaryCare in the 1990's? That's what blogs are for: (Click here.)

Jim Bunning in Richmond

Sen. Jim Bunning delivered a wide-ranging speech to the Madison County GOP Lincoln Dinner Saturday evening.

He spoke about excessive borrowing and spending, monetary policy, energy, abortion, taxes, and gun rights.

It's worth noting that Bunning didn't read his speech as he has several others this year.

Very good move.

Tea Party #1

Thanks to all the people who made Saturday's event a very good one. Lots more to come!

We're not mad, yet

On my way to the Kentucky Tea Party in Lexington. Should be a fun event, but the key is that it is early in the game. We are just building up a head of steam for the road ahead.

Please, come join us. But if you can't today, don't worry. Straightening out our government is going to take a long time. We will be doing a lot more of these.

Herald Leader still mourning CATS

The Lexington Herald Leader's move to allow reader comments on articles has added an interesting element to their web site. I have been a fairly frequent commenter and posted the following after another editorial longing for the good old days when those who pointed out the waste of CATS testing couldn't get House Democrats to read the research.

Since the Herald Leader has shown a disturbing tendency to erase my comments lately, I thought I would snag this one while it is still online.

Erasing comments like this is, of course, considered very bad form for a blog.

Here is a link to the most comprehensive Bluegrass Institute report on CATS.

Dr. Rand Paul in Lexington

Dr. Rand Paul spoke in Lexington Thursday night about a possible run for the U.S. Senate in 2010. He repeated that he would become a candidate only if Sen. Jim Bunning does not run.

Based on his comments, Paul considers state Senate President David Williams to be his main opposition. Last month's tax increases and pension raid in Frankfort, therefore, would play a large role in that race.

"David Williams has just recently done something that I think is very wrong for Republicans to do," Paul said. "He's gone along with the Democrats in raising taxes. He basically accepts their argument that there is a shortfall."

Rand thoughtfully addressed a split in the Republican party between small government advocates and party leaders.

"A lot of us are new," Paul said. "Some of us are Libertarians, independent, Democratic, or just cynical and haven't voted in a long time. We're new to the party. If they don't want us, they will shrink. They are losing ground. They need us. So we need to convince them of that. But some of it is us, too. We have to convince them in a nice and friendly way. They were afraid we were going to take over. We weren't; we didn't have the numbers to do that. We still need to go, we need to be nice to these people, and shake their hands. But we do need to transcend what we were. We need to be bigger."

Rocky Adkins: let me decide

Gov. Steve Beshear, as an outspoken advocate of expanding state government with the promise of casino revenues, supports putting the expanded gambling question on the ballot to merely "let the people decide."

So it was noteworthy recently in Paducah when Beshear said passing a nuclear energy bill wouldn't cause nuclear power plants to be built in Kentucky. He said passing the bill would only "allow us to begin to have the discussion" about nuclear energy.

House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, like Beshear, favors more communication about casinos, but, unlike Beshear, he objects to having "the discussion" about nuclear energy.

What could possibly account for Adkins' unwillingness to have a simple conversation with his fellow Kentuckians?

Caleb Smith has the latest on the nuclear debate.

Rand Paul in Lexington

Dr. Rand Paul says he will run for the U.S. Senate only if Sen. Jim Bunning does not. Nevertheless, he is campaigning enough to fuel speculation that he is up to something.

Paul will speak in Lexington Thursday night at The Inn on Broadway at 6:30 pm. He will also be a guest on the Leland Conway Show at 9:05 am on 630 WLAP AM or on the internet at wlap.com.

Media bias, laziness generate confusion

Lexington Herald Leader education reporter Jim Warren is at it again, taking dictation from Big Ed bureaucrats in a "news" story.


Today, it's Fayette Superintendent Stu Silberman and Kentucky Department of Education spokeswoman Lisa Gross trying to take control of the transition away from CATS and to a legitimate student testing program.

It's amazing Warren could write such a long story about "confusion" in the aftermath of CATS without talking to anyone who could shed some light.

I guess if he had, they would need to write a different headline.

The newspaper bailouts are coming

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should soon start hearings about "saving" the nation's newspapers. If a very thin study about democracy in northern Kentucky is any indication, the coming newspaper bailouts should be a very effective focal point for grassroots opponents of tax/bailout/stimulus policies.

Two Princeton University economists looked at a tiny amount of election data and news coverage of the tiny Kentucky Post and quickly -- and repeatedly -- concluded that the existence of newspapers reduces incumbent advantages, motivates citizens to run for office, and enhances voter turnout:

"News coverage potentially inuences election outcomes in many ways. By revealing incumbents' misdeeds or making it easier for challengers to get their message out, a newspaper may reduce incumbent advantage. Newspaper stories could also raise interest in politics, inspiring more people to vote or run for office."

"The Cincinnati Post was a relatively small newspaper, with circulation of only 27,000 when it closed. Nonetheless, its absence appears to have made local elections less competitive along several dimensions: incumbent advantage, voter turnout and the number of candidates for office."

Expect this study to get a lot more attention than it deserves in the march toward making you pay more for propaganda you already rejected.

As an alternative, we might consider spending less on welfare for newspapers.

Education researcher not breathing easy yet

Conscientious teachers and education officials across Kentucky were relieved to see the long-awaited demise of discredited and wasteful CATS testing last week. Bluegrass Institute education analyst Richard Innes, however, urged caution Tuesday as we seek a new testing program.

"We need to insure the new assessments are more resistant to the sort of inflation-to-make-educators-look-good problems that ultimately undermined CATS' credibility," Innes said.

Innes remains skeptical of the Department of Education's desires to cover its own tracks and bend the rules.

"We found out in the past that the department is capable of going off on its own despite the provisions in law. The department dramatically proved that when it illegally dropped norm reference testing in elementary schools and when it consistently ignored a provision to create a longitudinal assessment to track student performance over time. That provision was in the 1998 legislation that created CATS, by the way. It’s a decade later, and it never happened," Innes said.

The rest of his comments are available here.