Opinion

opinion Paul Ruth Published 10:18 PM EST Jan 27, 2019 Teacher strikes gain a vast amount of media attention, from the statewide protest in West Virginia to the recently settled Los Angeles walkout. Teachers in Michigan, as in West Virginia, are banned from striking, but Detroit teachers addressed their concerns with a sickout. A more subtle occurrence is the rise in teacher shortages across the state. It is an old problem being faced across the state, from small to large and rural to urban districts. There are larger factors at play, such as an improved economy and lower unemployment rate both state and nationally. Yet, when this issue is seen as a quiet recourse, it becomes clear that the state has been on the wrong path. Teacher shortages and turnover occur for concrete reasons. This is best understood when comparing traditional school districts to charter schools. A December 2018 white paper by the Michigan Department of Education on teacher mobility rates shows … [Read more...] about Opinion: Michigan must address its teacher shortage

As an expat living and working in Switzerland, I am often asked why I live in Bern and not somewhere more international – usually Zurich. It’s a fair question and I do find it difficult to put my finger on exactly why I like the city so much - even though I've been here for almost three years now.  So, I’ve been wracking my brains to put together a list of my favourite Bernese traits.  For the record, my name is Joe and I first moved to Switzerland from the UK for work. I started off living in Zurich but moved to Bern after a few months and never looked back. I have nothing against Zurich - in fact, I think it's great and have spent lots of time there for work and social reasons - but there's a few things about Bern that really appeal to me... The Aare Photo: Bern.com Swimming or boating down the Aare river is the best way to spend hot summer days. Throw in some food and drinks and you’ve got a recipe for success.  It’s a … [Read more...] about Opinion: 13 reasons why I love living in Switzerland’s capital Bern

opinion Dennis Lennox Published 1:37 PM EST Jan 25, 2019 As usual the swamp creatures and their allies in the national mainstream media are blaming President Donald Trump and the Republican Party he leads for the partial government shutdown when, in reality, the spotlight should be on Democrats. Democrats aren’t just refusing to protect the border. They advocate an open borders policy that not only has led to the cold-blooded murder of police officers, but has also adversely impacted black voters who find themselves competing against illegal aliens for jobs. For years the national mainstream media focused on intra-party divisions within the GOP; first with the tea party in 2010 and then with Trump’s spectacular slaying of a Republican who’s who to capture the party’s presidential nomination and do what no Republican has ever done: Defeat the Clintons. Yet, the deep divisions that have torn apart Democrats since 2008, when Barack Obama’s election … [Read more...] about Opinion: Dems, not Trump, should be in spotlight

opinion David Harsanyi Published 10:18 PM EST Jan 23, 2019 The New York Times recently reported that President Donald Trump has, on a number of occasions, contemplated withdrawing from NATO. This is an important issue for public debate and, ultimately, for elections. There is, however, no constitutional amendment codifying a forever-alliance with select European nations. So if Trump decided to try to pull out of the alliance -- and to this point, he's done nothing to move in that direction -- it would be well within his purview. Even if Trump did so solely to placate Russia in hopes of building better relations with that nation, he'd be engaged in neither a high crime nor a misdemeanor. As it happens, The New York Times also recently reported that the FBI "began investigating whether (Trump) had been working on behalf of Russia against American interests" soon after he fired a subordinate, FBI Director James Comey. In other words, as far as we now know, the nation's top law … [Read more...] about Opinion: Disagreeing with conventional D.C. wisdom isn’t a crime

opinion Evan Carter Published 10:19 PM EST Jan 23, 2019 A pending attorney general opinion on the legality of the newly-created Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority — which signed-off on an agreement in December to build a tunnel buried under the straits that will likely house an oil and gas pipeline — has cast a heavy shadow over the project and will drag the state into a legal battle that will be difficult to win. While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s request for an opinion from Attorney General Dana Nessel got the attention of Enbridge, which plans to construct the tunnel and the pipeline, and fulfilled a campaign promise made both by her and Nessel, it isn’t likely to land a knockout punch on the authority or the legislation which created it. In her opinion request,  Whitmer layed-out six different questions about the legality of the lame-duck bill, which Nessel has said raise “serious legal concerns.” But legal experts in Lansing … [Read more...] about AG opinion on Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority would be a lose, lose