In case you missed it…
Free speech:
Nineteen United States senators took to the Senate floor earlier this week in an organized attempt to shame and even criminalize political dissent. Senator Harry Reid even went so far as to single out NPRI by name — describing the Institute as a front group for big oil. For some power-hungry Washington elites, thoughtful policy discussions are apparently too much of a danger to allow. (Read more)
Climate change:
The Attorneys General who are spearheading an effort to obtain documents from researchers and think tanks that dissent from the environmentalist left’s position on global warming may soon have to come clean about their ties to green energy groups. A United States House committee has subpoenaed two of the attorneys general, demanding that they reveal the green energy activists encouraging them to pursue an investigation into groups that are skeptical of man-made climate change. (Read more)
Education:
About 56 percent of all teachers in the Clark County School District were absent for more than 10 days of school in 2013-14, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Statewide, Nevada almost doubled the average national rate of teacher absenteeism. With critical teacher shortages already a major concern in recent years, maybe something ought to be done to make sure the teachers CCSD already hired improve their attendance records. (Read more)
Healthcare:
Another month, and there’s another Obamacare co-op failure. Oregon’s second taxpayer-funded healthcare co-op has closed its doors, leaving 40,000 consumers without federally mandated insurance. This most recent failure means that a total of 15 co-ops have now gone under, costing taxpayers more than $1.5 billion. (Read more)
Political correctness:
NASA is planning on spending $73,500 to teach its astronauts about diversity, “unconscious biases” and white privilege. The program will focus on how to avoid “micro-aggressions” in the workplace, while combating unintentional personal biases. The firm providing the politically correct sensitivity training describes itself as “a minority and woman-owned firm that advocates taking action.” According to its website, the company “is a catalyst for change,” adding that “the diversity journey has evolved.” (Read more)
Presidential politics:
A recent graduate from Reno High School, nineteen-year-old Ryder Haag, will be one of the youngest delegates at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on Monday. After getting interested in speech and debate in high school, Haag says his main concern has been economic policies. “Balanced budgets just make sense,” Haag explained. “It’s the right things to do with our communities. You just can’t be leaving a large amount of debt to your grandchildren.” After campaigning for himself at the county and state level, Haag now heads to Cleveland as the youngest delegate from the Silver State. (Read more)