The World Around You

The US News and World Report cover story this week is on the 100 Documents that Shaped America. I encourage you to visit their website here and vote for your top 10. This is a great effort to recognize the importance of the written word throughout America’s history.

My Top 10 in Chronological Order

Steven notes that the California recall has put on hold by a federal court, because of the “punch card” issue.

UPDATE: As usual, James is on top of the analysis from various sources.

The Birmingham News reports today on another element of the cuts that may be approved by the Alabama Legislature in the next two weeks,

Alabama would join Wyoming and South Dakota as the only states that provide no state program of financial aid to college students if Gov. Bob Riley’s proposed budget becomes law. The budget will be discussed in a special session of the Legislature which starts at noon today.

The complete elimination of state-sponsored scholarships and financial aid is one of the many areas in which state cuts will be magnified by complementary cuts in federal money. Last year, Alabama put $1.3 million into the student assistance program, an amount matched by the federal government with $2.6 million. That money was distributed in small grants to students based on financial need.

Alabama already had one of the most paltry programs in the country, but this is a difficult time to be eliminating aid for needy students, said Michael Malone, the director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. “I grieve for students who will have to make this up at the same time tuition is going up astronomically,” he said.

Also disappearing would be small state-sponsored scholarships for National Guard members, for teachers, chiropractors and the survivors of policemen killed in the line of duty.

Indications are starting to be seen that some legislators plan to make a push for revenue measures, even though it will require a two-thirds vote of both houses to even consider them (not likely). There also some legislators criticizing particular cuts as “unbalanced”. The Montgomery Advertiser editorial page has the right attitude about the situation,

But any legislator who tries to continue pork money or even line-item financing for museums or private schools or colleges or halls of honor should be voted out of office at the next election.

Bringing such projects back under the state budget umbrella would require one of two things — over-estimating revenues for next year, or taking even more money away from legitimate functions of government that are already being drastically cut.

Either step would show the public that legislators are just as irresponsible as ever.

The legislators have to face up to their responsibility and be honest with the people. You asked for less government and now you are getting it.