(This article first ran in The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, VA on December 11, 2011.) A new book raises serious doubts about the allegation that Thomas Jefferson had a sexual relationship with the enslaved Sally Hemings that produced one or more children. Entitled “The Jefferson-Hemings Controversy: Report of the Scholars...
As Virginia tries to tackle its growing traffic congestion problems, some are looking to Congress to bring more money to the table. Bob Poole’s article below outlines what is likely to happen in Congress and how toll roads will become a larger part of our future road trips. Even if...
(Many current Virginia state government officials are skeptical of the climate change crisis rhetoric. Many local governments have bought into the climate change crisis. This article by a Virginian brings some important issues to the forefront of this discussion.) In a repeat of Copenhagen, on the eve of the Durban...
(This article first ran in the Richmond Times Dispatch) Commercial office space is the other shoe that many investors thought would fall and disrupt the banking system in a manner similar to housing foreclosures. Despite the large employment losses, that hasn’t happened. At least not in the Richmond market. Richmond...
Shortly after I was elected to the Fairfax County School Board 15 years ago, a gentleman stood up at a school budget meeting and asked, “Can’t we charge these kids for their textbooks?” The legal answer was, “No, not without losing all your state aid.” The larger answer, however, dealt...
The day before Thanksgiving provided a little joy for American farmers. The cause for celebration is that a U.S. District Court in Arizona reversed a September 27, 2011 decision regarding consultation requirements under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) involving pesticides. The federal Court on November 23, 2011, reconsidered its September...
Some argue that the emails of University of Virginia professor Michael Mann should be protected from public release on the grounds that to do otherwise would “chill” the work of scientists and academics. Others argue that Mann is doing nothing more than trying to keep secrets and let no one...
In it’s December 2011 report, the Thomas Jefferson Institute reviews its work with Governor McDonnell’s Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring; its support for educational reform, including new options for students and it’s work to promote market-oriented economic development policies.
... Celebrate EPA’s withdrawal of job-killing ozone standards – but prepare for more onslaughts Millions of Americans recently celebrated the demise of the Environmental Protection Agency’s job-killing ground-level ozone regulations. While a toast was appropriate, we shouldn’t drink too much champagne just yet. As with the Battle of Midway and...
The Jefferson Journal: How Should We Fund ‘Students Without Borders?’
Our system of geographically-based education is challenged by the onset of virtual education, in which a student may live anywhere in the state and receive an education from anywhere in the state. Currently, education is largely funded by state and local taxes, with huge variations based on the relative “wealth”...