Destroying the dreams of children.

Slate has an article today entitled "New Hampshire Legislators Kill Fourth Graders' Bill, Dreams In Front of Them."  The story concerns how fourth grade students from Hampton Falls, New Hampshire had proposed a bill making the Red Tail Hawk the "State Raptor" for New Hampshire.  The bill apparently sailed out of committee and last week the students attended a session of the New Hampshire House of Representatives where, I assume, the student thought their bill would pass, especially after the representatives gave the kids a round of applause.  But the bill didn't pass.  

Will North Dakota eliminate property taxes?

North Dakotans are voting today.  Or, more accurately, some North Dakotans are voting today.  Among the items on the ballot is a ballot initiative called "Measure 2" that would prohibit property taxes in North Dakota.  The initiative is the result of a group called "Empower the Taxpayer."  The group believes that the power to tax property means that the citizens of North Dakota do not own their homes.  Instead, the various entities that can tax property own the homes of everyone in North Dakota.  Mr. Torvik has more of a background with philosophy so he may understand this point better than I.

More on Montana and Citizens United

Earlier this year, Mr. Torvik and I had a Conversation™ about how the Montana Supreme Court stuck its thumb in the eye of the United States Supreme Court regarding the Citizens United decision.  It turns out that the Western Tradition Partnership, Inc., v. Attorney General case was just the the beginning of Montana's attack on the decision.

The Minnesota Legislature also knows how to disappoint children.

A few days ago I posted about how Wisconsin ended up with a state dog.  Perhaps unhappy that Wisconsin received some attention for disappointing children,  Minnesota's legislature has decided to get in on the action.  According to Vicki Froslee's opinion piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, a group of first-graders from Andover, Minnesota was rebuffed in their efforts to name the black bear Minnesota's "state mammal."  Among other indignities, the kids were promised a hearing before one of the committees in the Minnesota House of Representatives but the hearing never took place.  According to Ms. Froslee the hearing was "held up by House leaders."   

More on Wisconsin's state symbols.

Yesterday, I posted the story of how Wisconsin named the American Water Spaniel its official state dog.  Mordecai Lee, one of the players in that story, subsequently emailed me with his thoughts on the post.  I asked Professor Lee for permission to post his email on the blog and he graciously said yes.  I stress that Professor Lee emailed me directly rather than post on the blog.  I don't believe that Professor Lee intended that the email get published here. I think he was just trying to give me some more background for the post. As such, and for reasons that should be obvious, I am sure that Professor Lee is not seeking to have a debate with our Reader(s)™ about something that happened almost 30 years ago.   

Wisconsin state legislators mock children.

For anyone who thinks that Wisconsin's propensity for unpleasant politics is a new thing that resulted from the GOP taking over all three branches of Wisconsin's government last year, I bring you the sad story of how Wisconsin got its official state dog.