On CSCOPE and School Choice

Cahnman's Musings spent the day at the Capitol, first at the Senate Education committee CSCOPE hearing, then at the Americans for Prosperity Texas School Choice event; the day highlighted both problems and solutions in Texas education.

The hearing was notable for the degree to which the CSCOPE representatives attempted to blow smoke up the committee's ass.  According to the CSCOPE representatives, every concern the committee raised was old news.  The CSCOPE reps tried to paint themselves as victims of numerous misunderstandings and mistakes,  This led committee chair Dan Patrick to ask how many mistakes they need to make before we questioned their competence to do the job in the first place.  The bottom line, however, is that the CSCOPE bureaucracy has no interest in addressing public concerns.

The reason we are confident we understand the CSCOPE bureaucracy's motive is the testimony of Charlie Garza.  Garza, a former member of the state Board of Education, from CSCOPE back in November.  They haven't delivered, which leaves us skeptical of their promises to the committee today.

At this point, we've been covering CSCOPE for several months.  Today's hearings confirmed what we've suspected for awhile.  The product is substandard, with questionable content, and the financial irregularities haven't been answered.  We need to get to the bottom of this mess, but that's barely a start.  CSCOPE is a symptom of the model of public education.

As long as large sums of money are flowing through unaccountable quasi-governmental bureaucracies, messes like CSCOPE are inevitable.  That's where school choice comes in.  School choice shifts how money flows, taking it away form bureaucrats and returning it to parents.  Putting money in the hands of parents makes it easier to fix problems once they've been discovered.  At a minimum, putting parents in charge of the money cuts out a lot of middlemen.

The challenge for school choice is political.  The education establishment views school choice as a threat, and they'll fight it with everything they've got.  That's why the legislature need to hear from five parents for every bureaucrat.

For education in Texas, both the problems and solutions are obvious; the open question is political will.

Americans for Prosperity -- Texas: UT ranked 3rd Richest University in the US

 
A great find from AFP-Texas, money quote:

The University of Texas system, with an endowment of more than $17 billion, is the richest public university in the U.S., and the third richest overall. That’s richer than Princeton and Stanford.

And yet, for all that money, they can't educate students properly.

Agendawise: Gambling and battleground Texas

Casino gambling in Texas is a terrible idea that never seems to die.  Agendawise has a fantastic piece on how casino gambling is also a smokescreen to give organized labor a foothold in Texas.  This is a shrewd plan by Democrats:

Expanded gambling is the Democrats meal ticket to expanded power in Texas. It is an invitation to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Harry Reid’s political base of power in Nevada.

....

For Democrats casinos mean a very powerful lobby (think: trial lawyers but more violent) and unions. Reid relied heavily on casino unions to hold onto his seat in 2010. Gambling expansion in Texas means unions and built-in campaign infrastructure.

....

Gambling expansion is an important plank in the Democratic Party’s plan to take over Texas. Casinos, and the unions that come with them, would be a big victory for them. Conservatives must mobilize in opposition.

Any conservative (or so-called libertarian) who supports casino gambling is a sucker.

Tom Pauken: Texas vs. No Child Left Behind

Texas Workforce Commissioner Tom Pauken has a must-read piece on the unintended consequences of No Child Left Behind and the revolt against the education legacy of (Governor) George W. Bush in Texas; money quote:

For the past two decades, excessive emphasis on high-stakes standardized testing and a one-size-fits-all focus on preparing all students for college came to dominate education policy in Texas and later, in Washington, D.C. with the passage of the Bush-Kennedy “No Child Left Behind” legislation. In addition, vocational education came to be neglected—even denigrated—in this massive push to make all students “college-ready.” Meanwhile, the principle of local control over education (which historically had been a deeply-held belief of Goldwater-Reagan Conservatives) was abandoned by Republican politicians in Texas and Washington, D.C., in their rush to be known as “educational reformers.”

....

The principal architect of Texas’s accountability system was a lawyer from Dallas named Sandy Kress. The most thorough analysis of Kress’s role in pushing Texas’s education policy in the direction of a high-stakes testing system was one written by Mark Donald for the October 19, 2000 issue in the Dallas Observer right before George W. Bush’s election to the presidency. Entitled “The Resurrection of Sandy Kress,” Donald’s article described how Democrat Kress and Republican Bush came to be close allies in pushing Kress’s vision of “educational accountability.”

I had gotten to know Sandy Kress when he was the Dallas County Democratic Chairman, and I was an active Republican. Later, I was elected State Chairman of the Texas Republican Party in 1994, the year in which George W. Bush defeated Ann Richards in the race for governor of Texas. What I didn’t know at the time—but soon learned after the November election—was that Sandy Kress already had been a major advisor to George W. Bush on education issues for some period of time. I found that unusual since Sandy Kress was a liberal Democrat whose views on education and other domestic policy issues were very much at odds with the views of conservatives like myself who believed in local control of education and decentralization of governmental power, wherever possible. Moreover, Sandy had not exactly distinguished himself in the early 1990s when he chaired the board of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD), during one of the most tumultuous periods in DISD history.

....

Nonetheless, Sandy Kress remained a key strategic advisor to the governor. He worked closely with Margaret LaMontagne (later Margaret Spellings), who was Gov. Bush’s education advisor, in expanding the statewide accountability system. During Bush’s tenure as Governor, the state consolidated power over education in the office of the Texas Education Agency and the Education Commissioner who was appointed by the Governor. Meaningful local control over education in Texas continued to erode as the accountability ratings system caused local school districts to focus more attention on the performance measurements put in place by the state particularly the testing system. Since that system did not include evaluation of the effectiveness of vocational education instruction, that area of preparation became de-emphasized in many Texas school districts.

...

Just as Texas started this failed approach to educational accountability, the Texas Legislature has the opportunity to replace it with a common-sense system that focuses on real learning and opportunities for all.

Read the whole piece.  Education spending in Texas has been growing faster than inflation plus population for the past decade.  On a related note, this is school choice week....

Governor Rick Perry: State of the State 2013

Governor Rick Perry gave a strong State of the State Address today:



Highlights:

• More that half a million private sector  jobs have been created in Texas over the past two years.

• We've created jobs in all income categories at a faster pace than the rest of the nation over the past ten years.

• "If you want to be a CEO someday, Texas is the place to start."

• "Bureaucracy doesn't stimulate the economy, it just gets in the way."

• "When private employers have more to spend, both the public and private sector benefit."

• Other states are copying Texas.

• "We've never bought into the notion that if you collect more you need to spend more."

• At least $1.8 billion in tax relief.

• Let's make the Tax Burdens on Texans 'even lower.'

• "We've mad it clear Texas will not expand Medicaid under the ACA."

• Water and Transportation: "We've got to do it without breaking the budget."
• 3.7 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
• Stop raiding the highway trust fund.

 Author's note: Personally, I wish he would focus more on Texas' success maintaining a low cost of living.

Americans for Prosperity Texas has more here.

Update: Watchdog Wire has more here.

Senator Ted Cruz: You CAN Build That!!!

Cahnman's Musings was an early supporter of Ted Cruz; we interviewed him during the run-off last year.  Last weekend, he outlined his vision for conservative resurgence.  This could work:



Highlights:

• "We are on the verge of a re-birth of conservatism."

• Three pieces of advice to the House GOP:
  
• Stop reading the New York Times
• Stopping bad policy is "a major victory" for the next two years.
• Use leverage points on fiscal stuff for the next two years
• Continuing Resolution
• Debt Ceiling

• Long-Term: Growth and Opportunity
  
• Growth:
• If we get back to 3-4% growth, our fiscal problems look a lot easier.
• 10 million new jobs, $3 trillion in new tax revenue over a decade
• You get more revenue through growth than taxes.
• The policies of the THATGUY administration retard growth, which kills jobs.
• Opportunity:
• Every domestic policy discussion should be focused on opportunity and easing upward economic ascent
• Our policies work, the other side's don't.

•  "If you want to vote for the Democrats, they can bring you the same success they brought Detroit."

• "You CAN build that."

• Big Business LOVES Big Government!!!

• Hispanics didn't vote for Republicans because of 47%

• The Media will always be a lost cause.

• The rich do just fine under socialism, what you don't see are any new rich people.

Speaking of Ted Cruz and the press, I watched Ted Cruz PUNK two local reporters last October in Austin; you can watch it here.

Governor Rick Perry -- 2013 Texas Rally for Life

Governor Perry gave a moving address today at the Texas Rally for Life:

(Author's Note: I apologize for not being able to show the Governor from the front but, well, that's where I was standing.)



Highlights:

• Biblical references -- Noah and the Flood
• Jesus' Temptation in the wilderness
• Exodus and 40 years in the wilderness

• "What sustains us in times like these are faith and fellowship."

• There are 80,000 abortions every year in Texas.

•  "I can think of no more compelling state interest than preventing the suffering of our state's unborn."

Republicans for CSCOPE

One of the great frustrations in life is the degree to which establishment Republicans cover for the most wicked people in the land; on that note, Red Hot Conservative reports on the actions of Texas State Board of Education members Pat Hardy (R) and Thomas Ratliff (R):

As mentioned earlier we have two State Board of Education Members Thomas Ratliff and Pat Hardy which stand behind and support the use of this Marxist Curriculum and its lack of transparency. We expect to have to battle the left in protecting our children form a ideology that is anti Christian but now we have those that run on a Republican ticket betray those that put their trust in them.

Mr. Ratiff has written a letter of support on behalf of the State Board of Education.  Here is an audio of Mr. Ratliff supporting Cscope. Pat Hardy went on a diatribe of her love of Cscope at the November State Board of Education Why is the State Board of Education promoting a private vendor when they have no authority of the Curriculum.

 Read the whole piece here.

Glenn Beck's Gulch

We've written before about the need to create Galt's Gulch in Texas; Glenn Beck has a plan to make that happen:








Highlights:

• John Galt refused to live under the government thumb.

• Maximum Freedom is superior to bureaucratic collectivism.

• Taxation penalizes creativity.

• Independence -- Where people gather for all the right 'why's'

• Embedding truth in architecture.

• Front Gate -- Ellis Island.

•  The Ranch -- We need to be much more self sufficient and local in food.
• Produce more than we consume.

• We have to return to much simpler times.

• Media center -- Hosts the TV network.
• Full Movie Studio.
• Television -- News and entertainment.

• News, entertainment, food, energy, and charity.

Texas Values: On Divorce Reform

Several months ago, we had coffee with David Walls of Texas Values.  During that conversation, he raised several cogent points about the economic costs of America's culture of promiscuity, a point we've addressed in the past.  Today, he's got a must read post on the Texas Values blog on how easy divorce inevitably leads to the expansion of government; some highlights:

Every year, it is estimated that family fragmentation costs the government (and taxpayers), conservatively, $112 billion in divorce and single-parent related social programs.  That is over 1 trillion dollars every decade.

At the state level, family fragmentation is estimated to cost the State of Texas roughly $3 billion every year.  Just in 2010 alone the number of divorces in Texas exceeded 82,000, impacting nearly 65,000 children under the age of 18.

....

From that moment forward the government is directly involved in the lives of your checkbook and your kids for the rest of their childhood lives as you must follow a court order of when you can see your kids, when you have to pay child support, when and if you are allowed to move, how long you can see your kids on their birthdays and holidays, and so on.

Divorce increases government intrusion into personal lives. Long story short, if you want to keep government out of your personal life, don’t get a divorce.

This is a very, very interesting idea.  As we've studied the relationship between the culture of promiscuity and various economic/moral pathologies, it has become obvious that easy divorce is a central villain.  Restoring divorce laws could be a devastatingly effective strategy that unites conservatives concerned with economic and family issues.

Stay tuned.

WatchdogWire: EPA Kills 3900 Texas Jobs

We've previously discussed how Washington D.C. is the greatest threat facing Texas; WatchdogWire has a great example:

The project would have created an estimated 3,900 jobs (1,300 directly and 2,600 indirectly). So why cancel it? According to the CEO of the project’s parent company, Chase Power, the Environmental Protection Agency got in the way.

“The (Las Brisas Energy Center) is a victim of EPA’s concerted effort to stifle solid-fuel energy facilities in the U.S., including EPA’s carbon-permitting requirements and EPA’s New Source Performance Standards for new power plants,” CEO Dave Freysinger told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

....

Environmentalists were opposed to the project, claiming that the plant would make it harder for certain people to breathe. The cancellation of the plant, however, could make it harder for 3,900 people to find jobs.

Sigh.

"Move to Texas" -- An Open Letter to Phil Mickelson

Dear Sir,

You recently made news for telling the truth about California's predatory taxation.  I understand your frustration with a corrupt and malevolent government laying claim to the fruits of your labor.  I'd like to offer a (partial) solution.

You should move to Texas; we'd love to have you (and your capital).

Unlike Californians, Texans want you to earn a decent rate of return when you risk your capital.  Texans celebrate success, we won't belittle your accomplishment when years of struggle finally pay off.  If Texans want your money, we won't confiscate it at gunpoint, we'll sell you a good or service in the marketplace.

Texans understand that you will always be the best steward of your own money.  When a predatory government loots the success you've earned to pay off its cronies, everybody loses.  Texans are confident everyone will benefit if we leave you alone to invest or consume your own money however you see fit.

Now let's talk turkey: according to media reports, you earned about $90 million last year between golf and sponsorships.  After the prop 30 debacle last year, California's top income tax rate is 13.3%.  That means, according to my back of the envelope calculation, that moving to Texas could save you close to $12 million dollars a year that would otherwise sink into the California Welfare System.  That's real money.  But it gets better: Texas also has the second lowest cost of living in America, so your housing costs will also be substantially lower.

To be certain, you'd become a target if you were to follow through and move to Texas...but so what?!?  If you're persistent and stick to your guns, people will respect you.  On a related note, I'd LOVE to handle your PR for this move.

Move to Texas Phil Mickelson; we'd love to have you and your capital!!!

Sincerely,
Adam Cahn
Austin, TX
January, 24 2013

P.S. Another Texas benefit: No Obamacare.

Austin-American Statesman: Record number of public school bureaucrats earning $100,000+

An astonishing random act of journalism; money quote:

The number of six-figure salary earners in the Austin school district has jumped 63 percent in the past five years, at a time when the district has had to tighten its belt and cut jobs, an analysis by the American-Statesman has found.

Seventy of the district’s 11,973 employees make more than $100,000. That’s up from 56 in 2011-12. In the 2007-08 school year, 43 of the district’s 11,571 employees earned at least that amount.

This is yet another example of piss-poor stewardship of the people's money in today's education bureaucracy.  Bureaucracy crowds out money that could go to students.  Keep these bureaucrats in mind when AISD cries poverty to the legislature over the next few months.

Empower Texans has more here.

Watchdog Wire has more here.

Pro-Abortion Group's Astonishing, Predatory Roe v. Wade video

No comment necessary:


(h/t The Blaze)

 Glenn Beck discussed this video today on the radio:



More here:

Update: Shame on me for not noticing this when I did the original post, but this pro-abortion group even cast a black guy in the lead role; who are the ones invoking insidious racial stereotypes again?!?

From Alfred Kinsey to Roe v. Wade

  
"...in the latter days, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." 1 Timothy 4:1

I've been trying to collect my thoughts on the fortieth anniversary of Roe v. Wade all day.  One thing stands out.  It all started with Kinsey.

In 1955, Planned Parenthood held a conference in New York where Kinsey spoke.  They wanted to develop a strategy to legalize abortion.  Three years later (after Kinsey's death) they released their final report, which was based Kinsey's fraudulent abortion data.   The Planned Parenthood report led to the Kinsey Institute's model penal code.  In 1973, that model penal code was cited in the Roe v. Wade decision.

Roe v. Wade was a major milestone in America's descent into moral darkness.  But it was only a milestone.  Roe v. Wade didn't begin anything.

This all started with Kinsey.

Every abortion is a tragedy, and America is responsible for 55 million individual tragedies since 1973.  But abortion is only a symptom.  The core problem is the spiritual deception that has overcome our nation of the past 50 to 60 years.

Kinsey was a father of that deception.

And that's yet another reason America desperately needs a sexual counterrevolution.

RawStory: Paul Ehrlich: 'Nobody has the right to as many children as they want."

Paul Ehrlich, similar to Alfred Kinsey, is one of the great scientific frauds of the past century.  Unfortunately, also similar to Kinsey, Ehrlich's demonic ideas maintain a persistent hold.  Ehrlich is back, promoting subsidized 'contraception' and legally mandated abortion; here's why:

The way to stop this is to “stop treating population growth as a ‘given’ and consider the nutritional, health and social benefits of humanely ending growth well below nine billion and starting a slow decline. This would be a monumental task, considering the momentum of population growth. Monumental, but not impossible if the political will could be generated globally to give full rights, education and opportunities to women, and provide all sexually active human beings with modern contraception and backup abortion.”

“Giving people the right to have as many people as many children that they want is, I think, a bad idea,” Ehrlich told Raw Story.

....

Ehrlich’s argument is one that he’s been making since 1968, when he published The Population Bomb, a work that argued unimpeded population growth would lead to mass starvation.

This is evil, evil stuff, with roots in the eugenics movement of the early twentieth century; read the whole piece here.

Lila Rose on Glenn Beck

Lila Rose was on Glenn Beck's radio show this morning:


Highlights:

• The bias against human life on college campuses is shocking.

• You can make out feature in an ultrasound as early as 10 weeks.

• LiveAction has .001% of Planned Parenthood's funding.

• Planned Parenthood put her picture up in every location.

• Population controllers are the architects of the culture of death.

• It's up to us to 'unerase' the history of Planned Parenthood.

New Study Documents what we already knew about the University of Texas -- Austin

The permanent bureaucracy of the University of Texas at Austin is one of the great unseen villains of Texas.  Living in the neighborhood of the campus, Cahnman's Musings often observes their crap up close.  That's why we were delighted to read this new study from the National Association of Scholars.

The study, which examines the fall 2010 semester, investigates the lower-level U.S. History course content at UT-Austin and Texas A&M.  The study documents the degree to which Marxist claptrap has infiltrated UT's (and A&M's) curriculum.  While the study's objectives are national in scope, my interests in it are parochial.

While the study documents this phenomenon 9 ways to Sunday, the central conclusion is devastating:

In fall 2010, 78 percent of University of Texas faculty members who taught the freshman and sophomore history courses were high assigners of RCG [race, class, gender] readings.

In other words, 78% of lower level history faculty at UT-Austin are pushing the reflexive, self-immolating, white liberal guilt that just helped re-elect Obama; this isn't surprising.

This study has perfect timing.  Every two years, UT cries poverty to the legislature.  Even though those claims are absurd, people still listen.  Not anymore; the permanent U.T. bureaucracy is a cancer maleducating the next generation of Texans.  This study documents that reality, any Republican legislator who collaborates with the permanent UT bureaucracy deserves a big, fat primary challenge.

Update: I should check my e-mail more frequently, while I was writing this post, BizPAC review found this gem from a UT Journalism professor.

The Kinsey Fraud

With the obvious success of the Lena Dunham/Sandra Fluke pitch, Cahnman's Musings has been studying the origins of the sexual revolution.  Some time soon, we're going to have a longer piece on Alfred Kinsey and his influence today.  For now, however, this shocking video will set the stage:





Highlights:

• Kinsey's aim: "To liberate society from its sexual 'repression' and normalize all sexual relations."

• Kinsey was personally into self-mutiliation.

• Kinsey discarded 75% of the people he interviewed.
• So, his conclusions are bogus.

• Kinsey claimed children were 'sexual from birth.'

• Used the diaries of child molesters.

• The Nazi pedophile we mentioned the other day was Fritz van Ballusek
• The U.S. Media covered this up at the time.

• The current Kinsey Institute argues for lowering age of consent laws.

• Kinsey inspired Hugh Hefner. 

• Kinsey also made up a bunch of phony abortion data.

All American Blogger has more here.

Breitbart: Lovelace Biopic Removes Star's Anti-Porn Crusade

Linda Lovelace is one of the more interesting figures of the Sexual Revolution.  The star of the breakthrough pornographic film Deep Throat (not gonna provide a link), she later told the truth about the gross exploitation in the pornography industry.  According to Brietbart.com, however, Hollywood is only interested in glamorizing the pornographic career Linda Lovelace was coerced into having; money quote:

Linda Lovelace, who rose to infamy thanks to her starring roles in several '70s adult films, became a vocal anti-porn crusader in her later years. 

You won't see that side of her story in the upcoming biopic based on her tragic life.

 Read the whole thing here.

Passing the Texas Budget Compact: An Open Letter to Governor Rick Perry

Dear Mr. Governor,

Cahnman's Musings was an early supporter of the Texas Budget Compact.  The Texas Budget Compact remains our top priority for the 83rd Texas Legislature.  In that spirit, Mr. Governor, we ask you to designate the Texas Budget Compact emergency legislation.

Passing the Texas Budget Compact is the most important action the 83rd Texas Legislature can take to protect and strengthen Texas' economy for the next generation.  As the Federal Reserve bank of St. Louis has documented, government spending crowds out productive economic activity.  The Texas Budget Compact will protect Texas' entrepreneurs from a voracious public sector.

While the Texas Budget Compact is undeniably good policy, legislative hurdles remain.  The good news is that the Texas Senate leaves us cautiously optimistic.  The Texas House, unfortunately, is a different story.

Declaring the Texas Budget Compact emergency legislation will cut through legislative shenanigans.  Only emergency legislation, designated by the Governor, may be considered during the first sixty days of a legislative session.  Why waste time?!?

Texas state government must live within its means.  Prudent stewardship of the people's money is the primary responsibility of any elected official.  While Texas' financial situation is better than other states, the budget process still leaves much to be desired.  Instead of an ad hoc approach every two years, the time has come to cement permanently the gains of the past decade.  Step one is to designate the Texas Budget Compact emergency legislation.

Sincerely,
Adam Cahn
Austin, TX
January, 17 2013.

Contact Governor Rick Perry:
(512) 478-4734
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GovernorPerry
Twitter: @GovernorPerry

How Marxists Subvert Western Society

This video from former KGB agent Yuri Bezmenov, who defected towards the end of the Cold War, explains the process by which Moscow undermined the West from within; understanding this process is crucial to understanding the Sexual Revolution:



Highlights:

• 85% of KGB activity was subversive.

• Subversion -- A destructive, aggressive, activity aimed to destroy the target country.

• Sun Tzu -- Subvert your enemy until he no longer sees you as an enemy.

• FOUR STAGES OF SUBVERSION

1. Demoralization
   
   • 15 to 20 years
   • The time it takes to maleducate one generation.
   • Influencing public opinion via various means.
   • Stiring up greivances
   • Textbook Alinsky
   • Destroy and ridicule Biblical Religion and replace it with sects and cults.
   • Distract education away from traditional academics.
   • Exploit a gullible media.
   • Moral relativism
   • A slow watering down of standards.
   • Destroy the relationship between employer and employee.
   • Flood influencers of public opinion with Marxist propaganda about 'equality.'
2. Destabilization
   
   • Economy, Law and Order, Military.
   • Radicalization of the bargaining process.
   • Make Constructive compromise impossible.
   • Raise contempt for traditional sources of authority
   • Media Puts itself opposite society
   • Students spring into action
   • eg. Occupy Wall St
   • Antagonistic Clashes between groups of society.
     
3. Crisis
   
   • Traditional sources of authority collapse.
   • Growth of non-elected committees
   • Population looks for a 'savior'
   • Strongman comes in to stop chaos.
   • Top down, Bottom up, and inside out.
     
4. Normalization

• Self-appointed leaders no longer need revolution.
• Stabilize the situation by force.
• Elimination of agitators from earlier phases.
• At this point, requires military force to reverse.

The easiest way to combat this is to bring a society back to Biblical religion; faith in God prevents subversion.

How the early Sexual Revolution protected Pedophiles

Alfred Kinsey, one of the fathers of the sexual revolution in the United States, was one of the most demonic men of all time.  Some day soon, Cahnman's Musings will share a much longer account of Kinsey's actions.  For now, this video has to be seen to be believed:



Highlights:

• Kinsey worked with documented Nazi-pedophiles
• Me: Seriously, Nazi pedophiles.  Try to wrap your head around that one.  The sexual revolution in the United States was led by men who worked with actual NAZI PEDOPHILES!!!

• Kinsey warned him not to get caught.

• Kinsey knew everything at the time.

• The American press ignored the Kinsey/Pedophiles story.
• Me: What else is new?!?

•  Aleister Crowley:
• British Occultist who Kinsey studied.
• Justified all forms of immorality.
• "Let me seduce the boys of England."
• "Do what thou wilt."
• Inspired Charles Manson's followers.

Empower Texans: Dallas Republicans Praising Obamacare

This is unacceptable, money quote:

State Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) had been in office less than a week, but was confidently predicting at an event in Dallas that the Texas Legislature would ‘soften’ and become more ‘reasonable’ regarding ObamaCare implementation.

We had never heard of Rep Villalba, but if he's promoting Obamacare in Texas, he needs to hear from the people.

Contact Rep. Jason Villalba:
(214) 810-2012
jason@texansforjason.com

Book Review: The Texas Model, by Chuck DeVore

Since the 2008 crash, Texas has created over half the new jobs in the United States.  Our unemployment rate is 1.5% below the national rate, even with a growing population.  That makes an analytical, data-driven, examination of public policy in the state of Texas more timely than ever.  Texans need to understand what we've been doing right, and other states would serve themselves well to follow our lead.  In The Texas Model: Prosperity in the Lone Star State and Lessons for America, Chuck DeVore provides that data-driven analysis that will help both citizens and policymakers.

I first met Chuck DeVore a little over a year ago.  Like me, Chuck DeVore is an economic refugee from a Blue State; unlike me, Chuck DeVore spent six years in the state legislature trying to save California from itself.  Unfortunately, he failed to stop the slow motion economic suicide California has committed over the past 15 years.

The contrast between growing, prosperous Texas and big-spending, high-tax, California is a major theme of the book.  Given the demographic and geographic similarities between the two states, Texas and California are the closest we will ever get to a laboratory comparison of public policy choices.  The results speak for themselves.  As of this writing, Texas' unemployment rate was 6.2% compared to 9.8% (officially) in California, despite the fact that Texas population is growing and California's is shrinking.  Texas consistently beats other states in a wide array of economic and social indicators (*).

So what is the Texas model?!?  According to Chuck DeVore:

Liberty, rightly understood, is the core principle of the Texas model; the benefit of the model is prosperity (4)....Texas spends less, taxes less, sues less, and secures for their people the liberty to earn a living, keep more of what they earn, and live where they want (128).

In other words, Texas trusts Texans to manage their own affairs.

One point DeVore makes that deserves emphasis is that Texas isn't business friendly, we're competition friendly.  As Devore explains: "In Texas, uncompetitive businesses get little sympathy from government; rather, they are likely advised to consult the bankruptcy code (78)."  Texas understands that creative destruction is an essential component of capitalism.

Finally, DeVore spends considerable ink investigating Texas' cost of living.  Cost of living is a frequently overlooked component of Texas' prosperity.  Cost of living also demolishes the Leftist canard about 'low-wage jobs' in Texas.  While it is true that personal income is a little lower in Texas than other states, the fact that Texas has the second lowest cost of living in America means that personal income goes a lot farther in Texas.  As just one example, adjusted for cost of living, "the real poverty rate in Texas could be as much as 10 percent lower than it is in California (32)."

It's impossible to do a book like this justice in a seven paragraph review.  From spending, to taxation, to tort reform, Chuck DeVore delivers an all-inclusive, data-driven, analysis of Texas' economic performance.  My biggest problem with the book is that they didn't make the charts presented in the book available online, so I couldn't use them in this review.  That being said, the data is in the book and it is indisputable.  The Texas Model, by Chuck DeVore, is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand why, while America stagnates, Texas continues to thrive.

* -- The first chart in the book clearly explains this, unfortunately I can't find that chart online.

Cultural Marxism and the Origins of 'Modern' Sexual Morality

This fantastic video outlines how an obscure group of 1930's Marxist intellectuals bequeathed to America our allegedly modern notions of sexual morality:



Highlights:

• Gramsci: Western Culture had to be destroyed before Marxist revolution could take place.
• They needed a cultural revolution against Western Civ.

•  Early 1920's: Bolsheviks introduce radical sex ed into Hungarian schools.
• Deliberately designed to undermine family unity.

•  Horkheimer -- Making culture, not economics, the focus of Marxist efforts.
• Crossing Marx with Freud
• Everyone was 'repressed'
• Sexual 'alienation.'

• Sexual 'liberation' and gender politics.
• Masculinity and femininity were 'socially constructed.'

• 1960's: Marcuse injects cultural Marxism into the new Left.

• Critical Theory -- Criticize everything without presenting an alternative.
• Designed to undermine Western Confidence.

•  Anyone who supports traditional American culture is psychologically unfit.

• Eros and Civilization:
• Condemned all restrictions on Sex.
• Polymorphous perversity and Narciscissm
• Liberating 'non-Procreative Eros.'
• The 'intellectual foundation' for having lots of sex with lots of people.

CSCOPE or CSCAM?!?

On-point broadcasting did a special on CSCOPE the other night.

Anonymous Teacher:



Highlights:

• Teaching Reading without Great Books.
• "There are just huge gaps in CSCOPE."
• Teachers are evaluated on how closely they follow CSCOPE.
• Parents should "hold the elected School Board in your district accountable over CSCOPE."

Dr. Stan Hartzler:



Highlights:

• Kids are going to need a lot of remedial education.
• They're deliberately dumbing down our kids.

Ginger Russell:



Highlights:

• CSCOPE promotes Agenda 21 and Malthusian economics.

Janice van Cleve:



Highlights:

• 800 school districts across Texas have purchased CSCOPE.

Dr. David Stovall:



Ms. Mac:



Highlights:

• CSCOPE is filled with progressive education.
• About Control, not education

Empower Texans: The Tax Branch of the GOP

I've said it before, I'll say it again: the Republican leadership in the Texas State House is an obstacle to prosperity.  Empower Texans has a must read piece on how Dan Branch, a key Joe Straus lieutenant, doesn't want to lighten the tax burden on hardworking Texans.  Money quote:

Mr. Branch has other thoughts, saying the state’s current taxes are low enough: “I just think we ought to claim victory and say that’s a good thing.”

Contact Rep. Dan Branch:
(214) 745-5444

Washington D.C.: The Greatest Threat Facing Texas

Having just spent three days at the Texas Public Policy Foundation's 2013 Policy Orientation, I'm struck by one takeaway: Washington D.C. is the greatest threat facing Texas' economy.

Texas' economic performance this past decade speaks for itself.  By keeping spending and taxes low, and regulations predictable, Texas has created an environment where God-fearing entrepreneurs can risk their capital and earn a respectable rate of return.  I second Lt. Governor David Dewhurst when he said today that: "Texas' economic performance isn't so much a miracle, it's actually just common sense."

The problem, unfortunately, is Washington.

From the Medicaid expansion in Obamacare, to Education Spending, to Federal Transportation dollars with strings attached, to countless other examples, one of Washington's core objectives these days is to micromanage the states.  We can speculate about their reasons (*cough* control *cough*), but the bottom line is that Washington's desire to intrude in our affairs is very real.  It's up to the states to resist Washington's encroachments.

Fortunately, for Texans, most of our leaders understand this fact.

Governor Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbot have been rock stars on this topic for many years.  Cahnman's Musings expects big things from our new U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.  Even Lt. Governor David Dewhurst has been saying the right things.  Texas' ship of state is stronger than most others'.  That's good, because the storm is coming.

Washington is out of money, but Texas has a little.  As Washington continues down this path of suicidal bankruptcy, expect the assault to get worse.  That's why Washington D.C. is the biggest threat facing Texas.

The Trojan Horse of Federal Assistance

Last week, we linked to this article on 'coercive Federalism.'  Today, we sat in on a panel on the same topic.  Many of the examples they cited were Medicaid related.  Here are the highlights:

• There isn't one example of the Federal government making Medicaid better or cheaper; Federal intrusion into Medicaid invariably leads to Higher Costs and Lower Quality.

• Medicaid has grown because of Federal Mandates.

• Center for Medicaid Services always piles bad regulations on top of whatever bad laws Congress writes.

• Obamacare "made a lot of things worse."

• Federal Money with strings "is one of the ways the Feds are taking over state governments."

• This is an insidious way to nationalize the standards of uncompetitive states.

• The Federal government is running deficits for the states.

Governor Rick Perry: On Creating Economic Growth

Governor Rick Perry spoke at the Texas Public Policy Foundation policy orientation today; the video should be up shortly, but in the meantime here are the highlights:

• To the Texas Legislature: "You can ride into infamy...with how you deal with the Texas Budget over the next 138 days.
• Just because Texas has a little more money doesn't mean everyone can "spend whatever they want on everything anyone might want.:
• Higher Education Reform -- Affordability and Higher Graduation rates.
• "We can have the best infrastructure and workforce, but if government restricts the economic climate, that doesn't matter."
• Me: AMEN!!!
• Texas needs to maintain "an environment where entrepreneurs can risk their capital and achieve a decent rate of return."
• The contrast between Washington D.C. and Texas Speaks for itself.
• Gave an extended plug for the Texas Budget Compact.

It's such a shame this man isn't taking the oath of office in Washington in two weeks.

Jonah Goldberg: On Federalism and the Future of Media

Author's note: Jonah Goldberg did multiple events at the TPPF conference this week; this piece covers all of them.

Federalism is the best system created for maximizing human happiness.

There era were moving into, in terms of openly partisan media, is much more in tune with American history than the mass media era we're exiting.

Where did conservative media go wrong in 2012?!?

• "I would rather see five more conservatives on the faculty at Harvard than five more Hillsdale Colleges."
• You cannot create new 'old' institutions

Conservatism "has to be about persuading people who disagree with you."

"Young people are an iphone generation voting for a post office political party."

------------------------------------

We haven't had a liberalism this unapologetic about its core assumptions since at least the 1930's.

• Liberals dogmatically believe they're right because they're liberals.

One of the reasons we shouldn't lose heart is because a lot of politics IS personalities and moments.

Federalism:

• If you push issues to the most local level, then the people who pass the laws have to look the people who have to live under those laws in the eye.
• Conservatives have been moving too much of our vision for government to Washington in the first place.
• People are more interested in good stewardship at the state level.

Update: Looks like TPPF FINALLY uploaded the first event to YouTube:

Sen. Ted Cruz: On Making the Argument

Sen. Ted Cruz just finished speaking at the TPPF policy orientation.

What happened in November?!?

• November 6th was a very ugly day.
• This election was not a popular affirmation of Obama policy.
• Republicans didn't make the argument
• 47% encapsulated the narrative of this election; Romney made a fatal mistake in writing them off instead of speaking to them about uplifting themselves.

What's the path forward?!?

• Opportunity Conservatism -- Talk about policy in terms of economic ascent.
• Conservative economic policies make people's lives better.
• The policies of the Left have "wreaked devastation" on minorities and the poor.
• "School Choice is about giving poor kids the same options as rich kids."
• Big Business does great with Big Government.
• The rich do just fine in socialist countries; you just don't see new rich people.
• Small Business is the biggest threat to big business.

Texas Must Lead:

• Texas is America on Steroids.
• People don't necessarily connect the policy environment of Texas with our economic success.
• "It is my goal to make the Texas Legislature's job much more difficult."

Upcoming policy debates:

• "The only hope of have any sort of policy shift between now and 2014 is to maximize our few point of leverage to maximize policy concession."
• Divided Government -- Whoever owns the default has the advantage.
• "THE DEBT CEILING DEBATE HAS ZERO TO DO WITH DEFAULT ON THE FEDERAL DEBT."
• With a  backbone, we can extract meaningful concessions on spending and growth.

Update: Here's the video....

Ben Domenech: What went Wrong and How We Get it Right: Conservative Media in 2012 and Beyond

Cultural Disconnect:

• The Paulene Kael line about not knowing anyone who voted for Nixon is still true.
• They think we're a bunch of cousin-marrying hicks.

Combating Media Slander of Texas:

• The onus is on those of us who know the truth about Texas to put out the truth.

J-School prepares journalists very poorly:

• Reporters frequently don't understand the policy issues they're covering.

There's been a 20 year gap where people have consciously forgotten the lessons of the 1970's and the 1980's.

Pop Culture is VERY political:

• Look at the coverage of Fluke and the perception of Mitt Romney would ban birth control.
• Me: The under-30 set hasn't ever been exposed to conservatism, but they've been watching MTV their entire life.

A shift in the way people on the Right engage media:

• We cannot count on the new generation of reporters to have the cultural chops to cover the issues that will be prominent over the next decade.

Building Alternative Institutions:

•  The vast majority of Americans engage in politics in the context of problems right in front of people's faces.
• Conservative media assumes the people reading us have far more knowledge than we think they do. 

Education is an argument that Conservatives have definitively won, but we never talk about it.

Moral arguments, moral arguments, moral arguments.

Erica Greider: "Big, Hot, Cheap, and Right: What America Can Learn from Texas."

Listening to Erica Greider, Author of Big, Hot, Cheap, and Right: What America can learn from the Strange Genius of Texas

Obviously, big and hot explain themselves.

Right:

•  Creating almost half of the country's jobs by ourselves.
•  People are voting with our feet to move here.

Cheap:

• Some of the lowest cost of living in America.

Is the Texas Miracle Replicable?!?

• The policy aspects of the Texas Model are replicable
• Our geographical position is not.
• Energy industry jobs only account for 2-3% of the new jobs in Texas this past year.
• Culturally, skepticism about Government runs much deeper in Texas than other parts of America.

What is not going right in Texas?!?

• The Texas Model works very well; tweak it, perhaps, but don't mess with the broad outline.
• That being said, our educational system can stand some improvement.

Random Secesssion Factiod:

• Apparently, at the beginning of the Civil War, Sam Houston was making plans to have Texas secede from the Confederacy!!!
• Me: AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWESOME!!!

On Cowardice in the Texas State House

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9

The vote for Texas House speaker was today, or it would have been if a vote had actually occurred.  David Simpson withdrew without a vote.  Here's Simpson's statement:

If fear of retribution were not so very real, conscientious support for an alternative choice for speaker would not cause such trepidation.  But, since it is, and absent a certainty of winning this contest, at the request of my colleagues, I withdraw my candidacy.

Obviously, that means Straus will retain the Speakership.  I'm not surprised by the result, but I am disgusted by how we got there.  Texas House Republicans are a bunch of cowards.

I was given information, in confidence, about how the final lobbying push went down, but the details are irrelevant.  Members were pressured intensely by Team Straus, yet knew voters back home would not appreciate individual members voting for him.  Simpson's withdrawal allowed legislators to avoid the wrath of either.

And that's what bugs me.

Why are these people so afraid of Joe Straus in the first place?!?  The worst thing he can do is deny them a committee assignment and not raise money for them.  Maybe they'll lose their seat.  So what, stand for principle!  Texas legislators only make $7200 per year.

This result is disappointing, but very predictable.  We still have a solid Governor and the Senate still leaves us cautiously optimistic.  As for the Texas State House, we'll just have to improvise....

There's an organized effort to Normalize Pedophilia

I intended to discuss this story from the U.K. Guardian last Saturday, but didn't have time before I went into work.  Today, Rush discussed it.  I second everything Rush said, then I'll add some historical context at the end that will shock you:



Highlights:

• There's an organized effort to normalize pedophilia.

• Try to recall your first reaction to gay marriage.

• They'll portray opposition to pedophilia as an antiquated morality.

• "Just another sexual orientation."
• "Loving and Natural."
• "Pedophiles are just wired differently."

• There an active campaign in Canada to label pedophilia a distinct sexual orientation.

• "You know who's gonna fall right into line on this?!?  College Kids."
• Me: YUP!!!

• When Rush mentions that 'people warned us about this' back when the push to redefine marriage began, he's partially right.  Actually, only one person had the guts.  His name was Rick Santorum.

Back in September, I linked to a story from my buddy All-American blogger.  He details the history of this 'movement.'  The (very) short version of it is that back in the 1970's the pro-homosexual and pro-pedophilia movement were one and the same; they were de-linked in the 1980's when the activists realized it would be easier to sell the public on homosexuality first then return to pedophilia later.

All-American Blogger's entire piece is must read, you can find it here.

Update: Another blogger pal, Jenny Erickson at Cafe' Mom wrote about this last week; I think she's being waaaaaaaaaay too optimistic (just read some of the comments on her post) and that she underestimates the tenacity of the folks were up against.

Update II: Based on some of the comments I've seen on Facebook, I would like to explicitly point out that the movement to normalize pedophilia predates Obama by a long, long, time. 

Update III: A third blogger pal, Warner Todd Huston, also wrote about the U.K. Guardian story last week; he links to this year-old story from Gawker.

Update IV: LifeSiteNews has more here.

SPEAKER SHOWDOWN II

The 83rd Texas Legislature starts tomorrow. Cahnman's Musings has to spend some time at one of our day jobs today, but will have extensive coverage of the legislature later this week.  In the meantime, pray for a miracle in the Speaker's Race; the vote is tomorrow.

Senator Ted Cruz' CNBC Debut

Shortly after being sworn in, Ted Cruz appeared on CNBC:



Highlights:

• "This administration has engaged in a troubling pattern of trying to rule by executive fiat."

• Legislative powers are entrusted to Congress, not the Executive Branch.

• "I think we have to be prepared...to shut the government down if we don't get some serious policies to stop the out of control spending."

• If there is no action [on the debt ceiling], the result will be that 40 percent of Federal Government spending will stop.

• Kudlow: The debt ceiling "can be a very important bargaining tool."

Congressman Roger Williams: Starting Strong

Cahnman's Musings was very critical of Roger Williams during his runoff against Wes Riddle.  We got to know Roger better during the general election campaign.  In that spirit, we commend Roger's strong start to his Congressional career.

In his first consequential vote as a Congressman, Roger Williams voted AGAINST the Hurricane Sandy boondoggle.

This is an encouraging sign.  Disaster 'relief' bills are a place where Congress frequently substitutes cheap sentiment for effective policy-making.  That Roger Williams saw through the cheap demagoguery to recognize this boondoggle speaks highly of him; well done sir.

The National Interest: The Federal-State Crack-up

Excellent piece on the coercive nature of 'cooperation' between the Feds and State governments; sample quote:

These governance schemes are generally of two kinds: one erodes the separation of powers between Federal and state governments, while the other erodes the separation of powers within the Federal government. In the first category is “cooperative federalism”, whereby the Federal government uses monopoly powers to coerce and subvert the prerogatives of state governments. In the other is Congress’s delegation of vast rule-making authority to administrative agencies.
These two categories of concern are often treated as being entirely distinct, but they share profound similarities. Both are methods for Congress to escape accountability by hiding its power in other institutions of government. Cooperative federalism allows Congress to hide its power within the decision-making of state governments, while its delegation of rule-making authority allows it to hide its power in the far-flung bureaucracy of the Executive Branch.

 Read the whole thing.

Everything's Bigger in Texas, including the economy

This two year old video is a great summary of why Texas outperforms the country economically:



Highlights:

• No personal income tax.

• Second Lowest Cost of Living in America.

• (Relatively) low business taxes

• More than half of the new jobs in the U.S. since 2009 have been created in Texas.

• Consumption taxes are more efficient than income taxes.

CSCOPE: Texas Students Chart 'Journey to Mecca'

Another Shocking Find from Red Hot Conservative:

Our children are not being taught about the great men and women who sacrificed their lives for this country nor or they taught that these sacrifices attribute to the FREEDOM we have been so fortunate to enjoy.Instead our children are being indoctrinated  with a pro Islamic, anti christian view. Texas students could benefit greatly from studying the lives of great men such as  Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Abe Lincoln or better yet the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul. Unfortunately for our children Cscope writers felt it more important that 6 grade students chronicle Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta’s pilgrimage to Mecca and  Mohammad’s tomb in Medina.

 The 83rd Texas Legislature has no business authorizing one dime for education until we get to the bottom of this growing scandal.

Louie Gohmert: "We can't afford Business as usual."

Sadly, (my pal) Louie Gohmert nails it on Fox News a couple hours ago:



Highlights:

• We can't be about 'business as usual'

• It's time for something different.

Personally, I think it's time to cut up Washington's Credit Card.

'Cut Washington's Credit Card' -- An Open Letter to SENATOR Ted Cruz

Greetings Senator Cruz,

First things first, it's good to finally call you Senator; I look forward to seeing you next week in Austin.

I wish we could give you some time to settle in, but America's deteriorating finances make that impossible.

In the next few weeks, Obama is going to ask for yet another debt ceiling increase.  Just say no.  The time has come to cut-up Washington's credit cards.

The debt ceiling is our only point of leverage.  Don't raise it.  The time has come to cut-up Washington's credit cards.

Refusing to hike the debt ceiling is the only way to force Washington to cut spending.  The ususal suspects will bitch and moan, but so what?!?  The time has come to cut-up Washington's credit cards.

$16 trillion in debt is enough.  A debt to GDP ratio north of 100% is enough.  Enough is enough; the time has come to cut-up Washington's credit card.

When the next debt ceiling fight comes up, don't raise it.  Exploit your leverage.  The time has come to cut up Washington's credit card!!!

Sincerely,
Adam Cahn
Austin, TX
January 3, 2013

'Choose Wisely' -- An Open Letter to Texas House Republicans

Gentlemen and Ladies,

Last night, John Bohener screwed America's finances; in so doing, he put each of you under our microscope.

Washington, at least for now, is a lost cause; Austin isn't.

The 83rd Texas Legislature has a once-in-a-generation opportunity.  With structural reforms to state spending, School Finance, and Medicaid the 83rd Legislature can lay the foundation for another two decades of prosperity.  Our challenge is to get good legislation to Governor Perry's desk without watering it down.

That's where you come in.

The Texas Senate leaves us cautiously optimistic.  The Texas House...not so much.  The current leadership of the Texas State House is an obstacle to prosperity.

Joe Straus can dole out campaign cash and committee assignments, but we live in your districts.  The grassroots might not be able to control events in Washington, but we can be a pain in your ass.  Ask Vicki Truitt.

The 83rd Texas Legislature needs to deliver.  Structural reforms to state spending, school finance, and Medicaid need to reach Governor Perry's desk without getting watered down.  Choose wisely, Texas House Republicans, choose wisely.

Sincerely,
Adam Cahn
Austin, TX
January 2, 2013

CSCOPE Document Request Form Letter

Texas CSCOPE Review has created this form letter for parents who want to know how deeply their local school board is in bed with CSCOPE:

Dear Superintendent _____________,
In light of recent criticism of the CSCOPE Curriculum, and in keeping with my parental right in accordance with Texas State Education Code 26.006, I am respectfully asking for a copy of the ____________(subject, grade) CSCOPE lessons from September, 2011 to May, 2012.
Thus, this request is made under the Texas Public Information Act, Chapter 552, Texas Government Code. The Open Records Act guarantees a citizen’s access to information in the custody of governmental agencies. Disclosure of this information is in the public interest because providing a copy of the information primarily benefits the general public. I therefore request a waiver of all fees and charges pursuant to Section 552.267 of this Act.
According to Wade Lebay, Texas State CSCOPE Director, as quoted in a recent article by Ann Work (12/2012, Wichita Falls Press) parents may view and have a copy of CSCOPE lessons and materials used in the classroom.
So that I may evaluate the CSCOPE lessons and handouts and have the material evaluated independently by a professional, I respectfully request copies of the material associated with this course.

Sincerely,

Parent will submit their name and address

Welcoming Brietbart Sports

This morning, Breitbart.com announced the addition of Breitbart Sports to the Breitbart family; this is a welcome development in the culture war.

Sports media is a primary transmission mechanism for what Andrew called 'liberalism by osmosis,' where a generally apolitical population receives Marxism in small, subtle, doses that shifts public opinion over time.

The best way to illustrate this phenomenon is with an example from my personal life.  Back in 2008, I was looking at polling data from that election with ESPN playing in the background.  I was trying to understand why public opinion had shifted so dramatically against Sarah Palin when, on cue, the ESPN anchors chimed in with back-to-back-to-back 'Sarah Palin is stupid' jokes.  People who didn't follow the news got their view of Sarah Palin shaped by ESPN.  That moment was my personal epiphany, but the insidious role of sports media is obvious to anyone paying attention.

Since 2008, it's gotten worse.  From denigrating Tim Tebow's faith, to Bob Costas' recent endorsement of gun-grabbing, sports media's influence on our culture is undeniable.  It's long past time to hold sports media accountable.

In the short term, this means getting in front of this phony NFL-concussion 'issue.'  Lawsuits are here, and the sports media will help turn this into a boondoggle for trial lawyers.  Bullcrap.  Most NFL players who go broke do so through their own stupidity.  The coming cultural kerfuffle over NFL concussions is a fight we can win.

Culture is upstream of politics, and sports is often at the front line of culture; this is a shrewd move by the Brietbart crew.

#WAR

Update: Talk about God's perfect sense of timing.  About two hours after I posted this, I'm watching Ken Burns' The Tenth Inning on MLB Network.  Who is doing the commentary for this documentary?!?  Keith Olbermann, Bob Costas, and Chris Rock are talking about 'economic pressures' as an excuse for steroids.  Textbook example.