I'm not totally caught up on my economists, but honestly, I think their election coverage has been somewhat thin. The British edition naturally has more coverage, especially the April 10 edition. If you're a subscriber, you can easily access the British articles on line.

TenuredVulture wrote:I'm not totally caught up on my economists, but honestly, I think their election coverage has been somewhat thin. The British edition naturally has more coverage, especially the April 10 edition. If you're a subscriber, you can easily access the British articles on line.

I am, and I don't know why it has never occurred to me that the British edition would be different from the American one, considering that it is, in fact, a British publication, but it hadn't. Sonofabitch.

It gets hard for me especially once Phillies season starts. I have less time for leisure reading because I am watching those jerks three hours a night whenever I can.

According to our rotund governor, 79% of districts where the teachers accepted a wage freeze passed their budgets, compared to 41% where they didn't.

Kinda pathetic that it wasn't 100% where the teachers accepted the freeze, but almost 2x the pass rate of the other budgets.

That's the messed up part. I get being frustrated with teachers and administrators, but that's not the entire school budget. 1060 had someone on talking about how a lot of this was anger at the teachers unions, but there's a big spread on that shotgun if you approach it that way.

Still, this is coming from someone who is okay with canceling extracurricular activities during a recession/budget adjustment.

I have to say that I really supported what Christie was doing early on even when I knew that it was going to be a tough row to hoe going forward. But he has lost almost all of his goodwill with me with how he has handled this school budget situation. I truly believe that he has no business sticking his nose into local matters; using his power as Governor to influence school budget voting seems abusive and intrusive. Do you think Christie would appreciate federal interference on some NJ state issue?

While there is certainly no love lost between Christie and the union, at some point, this whole thing became less about getting the state back onto solid financial footing and more about going out of his way to break the back of the NJEA. I think he needs a reminder that he is not a prosecutor anymore. The NJEA is far from perfect but it is not on trial and the education of our children is not a game to be won or lost. This war between Christie and the NJEA is hurting nobody except our kids and the sooner BOTH parties realize that the better.

My comments are not meant to imply that some school budgets were not justifiably rejected. When I hear stories about trips to exotic locations and schools with one principal but seven vices, it is difficult for me to "get it" because (to the best of my knowledge) that stuff just flat-out does not occur in my district. Those types of districts should have their budgets rejected. But I believe those types of districts are more the exception, by far, than the rule and a lot of districts were unnecessarily put further behind the eight-ball because of rejected budgets.

Just one man's rantings (which should probably stop now that I am a school board member).

mozartpc27 wrote:Anyway, I need to get caught up on my back issues of The Economist so I am all ready for this election in the UK. Also, I nearly panicked earlier in this thread, jersey, when you put up the "I Voted" sticker, because I thought I had somehow missed the Pennsylvania primaries. Me likes to vote.

So, for you Dems out there, who should I vote for: Specter or Sestak? I've been busy and haen't had time to really sit down and think this through yet, so I am still listening to either side on this one.

And how about in the gubernatorial primary? I need to do my homework, obviously, but I am interested in what people here have decided, if they are voting, and their reasoning.

Democratic Specter has been pretty darn reliable and in lock-step with the Democratic agenda. I think I'm voting for him. I just don't get the Sestak love that some progressives and liberals are having.

As for guv, I don't know. It seems like the money is going for Onorato's way, but I like Joe Hoeffel or Anthony Williams a lot more. However, it's basically a 3 way race between Onorato, Jack Wagner and Hoeffel, in that order. Basically, two pols from Pittsburgh, two pols from Philly. I'm going with Hoeffel. Honestly, I don't know Jack Wagner's views. He's part of a lot of clubs and italian societies and junk, so there's that.

pacino wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Anyway, I need to get caught up on my back issues of The Economist so I am all ready for this election in the UK. Also, I nearly panicked earlier in this thread, jersey, when you put up the "I Voted" sticker, because I thought I had somehow missed the Pennsylvania primaries. Me likes to vote.

So, for you Dems out there, who should I vote for: Specter or Sestak? I've been busy and haen't had time to really sit down and think this through yet, so I am still listening to either side on this one.

And how about in the gubernatorial primary? I need to do my homework, obviously, but I am interested in what people here have decided, if they are voting, and their reasoning.

Democratic Specter has been pretty darn reliable and in lock-step with the Democratic agenda. I think I'm voting for him. I just don't get the Sestak love that some progressives and liberals are having.

Because Specter's a tool?

I'd probably hold my nose and vote for Specter in the general if I lived in PA, but he's still an amazing douche.

pacino wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Anyway, I need to get caught up on my back issues of The Economist so I am all ready for this election in the UK. Also, I nearly panicked earlier in this thread, jersey, when you put up the "I Voted" sticker, because I thought I had somehow missed the Pennsylvania primaries. Me likes to vote.

So, for you Dems out there, who should I vote for: Specter or Sestak? I've been busy and haen't had time to really sit down and think this through yet, so I am still listening to either side on this one.

And how about in the gubernatorial primary? I need to do my homework, obviously, but I am interested in what people here have decided, if they are voting, and their reasoning.

Democratic Specter has been pretty darn reliable and in lock-step with the Democratic agenda. I think I'm voting for him. I just don't get the Sestak love that some progressives and liberals are having.

Just wait till he gets past the primary, and he can become an independent voice for Pennsylvania again.

well, looking at sestak's voting record, he is in line, and obviously didn't just recently do a flip over the aisle.

now i don't know what to do. i think i will vote sestak in the primary, and hope that whoever wins at least beats out toomey

Where are their flag pins?!

pacino wrote:(img)

Where are their flag pins?!

"Made in China"... prolly got held up in customs.

It sounds like this is (happily) almost over, but anyone who wants to quickly grasp the issues at play in the proposed financial reform could do a lot worse than read Ezra Klein's recent interviews with Mark Warner and Bob Corker.

Goo-goo that I am, I also just found it heartening to read about two Senators actually working on the substance of an issue rather than solely playing sound-bite politics. More of that, please.

I had to watch something where Warner gave a speech to some liberal group about a month ago. He mentioned this work with Corker among other things, and on the whole came across remarkably well. Would not be surprised if he gets on the fast track in Senate leadership if Reid loses, and there's a shake up. He'll also make a very plausible presidential candidate in 2016.

What I'm reading instead of sleeping at 3 AM:

The Man The White House Wakes Up To - Interesting NYT Mag profile of Mike Allen, Politico Reporter

The Beholden State - How public-sector unions broke California - Probably trumped up, but overall pretty devastating. At least in my biased opinion.

jerseyhoya wrote:What I'm reading instead of sleeping at 3 AM:

The Man The White House Wakes Up To - Interesting NYT Mag profile of Mike Allen, Politico Reporter

The Beholden State - How public-sector unions broke California - Probably trumped up, but overall pretty devastating. At least in my biased opinion.

Good stuff.

The Beholden State piece turns a blind eye to the structural problems that enable SEIU to thrive - but also enabled the likes of Howard Jarvis & Prop 13 [EDIT: passage of which the City piece references, but positions as a prudent response to "swelling government payrolls"]. SEIU ain't the Wobblies - but they're mostly sponging off CA's problems, rather than being the source of them.

pacino wrote:well, looking at sestak's voting record, he is in line, and obviously didn't just recently do a flip over the aisle.

now i don't know what to do. i think i will vote sestak in the primary, and hope that whoever wins at least beats out toomey

See, I am thinking I'll vote Sestak in the primary partly because Toomey is winning regardless. Actually, though, maybe that is a reason to vote for Specter; why waste a run from a viable person now?

Fivethirtyeight makes the chances for the Dems look pretty grim here, even if the GOP is running a far-right nutjob.

jerseyhoya wrote:I had to watch something where Warner gave a speech to some liberal group about a month ago. He mentioned this work with Corker among other things, and on the whole came across remarkably well. Would not be surprised if he gets on the fast track in Senate leadership if Reid loses, and there's a shake up. He'll also make a very plausible presidential candidate in 2016.

GW grad! so is that little douche Cantor

mozartpc27 wrote:

pacino wrote:well, looking at sestak's voting record, he is in line, and obviously didn't just recently do a flip over the aisle.

now i don't know what to do. i think i will vote sestak in the primary, and hope that whoever wins at least beats out toomey

See, I am thinking I'll vote Sestak in the primary partly because Toomey is winning regardless. Actually, though, maybe that is a reason to vote for Specter; why waste a run from a viable person now?

Fivethirtyeight makes the chances for the Dems look pretty grim here, even if the GOP is running a far-right nutjob.

i guess pa didn't learn from electing Rick Santorum.

A vote for Specter may very well turn into a vote for a Republican (at least temporarily) pending the result of the governor's race, if you get my drift.

what, meaning you anticipate Specter dying and Corbett installing a republican?