News Roundup

Normally, I would never read USA Today. At college we called it the "picture pages" and ignored it as it sat in our dining hall begging to be read. Be that as it may, while picking up my free copy of the New York Times (thanks, College Readership Program!) I grabbed the USA Today when I saw the headline "College overhaul called 'overdue.'"

My first whiff of this particular story came from the Cato Institute. I went there on Monday for a discussion on teacher quality (the Cato conclusion being, free market education will solve the problem. How predictable. Although school choice is sounding better and better to me... I'll have to write about that at another juncture.) Anyway, they hate Spellings plan to create a "national database to track how well students learn" because of the huge federal involvement in education it will create. Think billions of dollars... to survey a system that has often been called the "crown jewel" of American education and attracts thousands (more?) students from all around the world.

It's funny how Democrats and "Liberal" (as in "free market") Republicans are beginning to see eye-to-eye on things. Like how I believe things like gay marriage (and maybe abortion?) should be left to the states - wasn't that the Republican mantra of yore? States rights? Sometimes I don't know whether Democrats have come to these conclusions via reasoned, thoughtful avenues or if it's just knee-jerk reactions to Republican positions. Anyway.

Well, Barak Obama is on campus today campaigning for Ben Cardin. Wish I could go!