Must Reads for March 16
The Foundry: School choice momentum continues across the country

The positive momentum from the “Year of School Choice” in 2011 is being carried over into 2012, with several states primed to implement major reforms.

Their analysis finds that approximately 3-5 million people will lose their employer based insurance under what they view as the likeliest outcome of the law, noting that "because of the ACA, about 3 million to 5 million fewer people, on net, will obtain coverage through their employer each year from 2019 through 2022 than would have been the case under prior law." Up to 20 million people could lose this employer-based insurance in 2019 under a more drastic scenario.

States and localities make their own decisions on how to finance these health-care policies. Far more government employees than private workers receive health and dental care -- and those plans cost more, require lower employee contributions and provide more comprehensive coverage.

The timing is not befitting to the prevailing economic circumstances, to ask residents to pay more especially when the park district is already holding a large sum of the taxpayer’s money on the side.

When Illinoisans generally are struggling with increased tax burdens and some of the highest unemployment in the nation, it is not time to renew a policy that treats some better than all.

Must Reads for March 15
Featured Letter to the Editor: Minimum wage hike helps trade unions

This upward force on other wages is what the Democrats always have in mind when proposing increases to the minimum wage. They don't care about the teenagers; they care about the dues payers.

Naturally, taxpayers will be footing the bill for the teachers’ lobbying, since the school districts are considering these “professional development” days.

In a similar study last year, Illinois got a C grade and ranked 17th. So we're getting better. But so is everyone else.

ObamaCare is taking on water as we head into the second anniversary since it passed, and the news about the president’s signature legislation gets worse by the day.

Must Reads for March 14
Washington Examiner: CBO: Obamcare to cost $1.76 trillion over ten years

Democrats employed many accounting tricks when they were pushing through the national health care legislation, the most egregious of which was to delay full implementation of the law until 2014, so it would appear cheaper under the CBO's standard ten-year budget window and, at least on paper, meet Obama's pledge that the legislation would cost "around $900 billion over 10 years."

A case study of federal waste in Silver Spring, Maryland

Our government was not intended to work in secret. It was meant to be out in the open, by the people and for the people.

Must Reads for March 13
Chicago Tribune: Change the game in North Chicago

The North Chicago members blew a prime chance to improve educational opportunities for kids in their district. They proved that they believe in business as usual ... in this case, a business that fails nine out of 10 students.

Such increases are "unsustainable," are costing the Chicago region jobs and threaten "financial collapse" unless reversed, said Ted Dabrowski, vice president of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute.

This school year, despite cuts, districts hired 1,799 more new hires than teachers they laid off or saw retire, according to the state Department of Public Instruction.

The analysis backs ups complaints from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups that the president’s regulations are stalling the economy and employment growth.

Greater school choice does not harm academic outcomes for students who remain in public schools.

With unemployment above 8 percent, it is worth examining the effects of penalties on employment under the new health care law. America cannot afford these negative effects on employment.