Taking on the Teachers Unions

My column this week can be found by following this link here. It is entitled "That's billion...with a 'b,'" and is a reaction to a new education funding study put out by lobby groups for the majority of the state's teachers unions.

I hate doing columns like this. It would be much easier if I worked for a much larger publication and was removed from the center of the issue. Community newspapers, though, don't have the luxury of that anonymity. That may be the reason why community newspapers are loathe to take a stand or have an opinion at all.

In this case, my column is sure to stir the passions of the local teachers union. That will make the next school board meeting a real barrel of laughs for Yours Truly.

It is usually about this time of night that I experience buyers remorse over a column like this. I want to call the plant and say "stop the presses!" Today is no different.

If there is one thing I have learned though, is that the reaction is never as angry as I imagine it will be between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Hell, only one person called and threatened to cancel their subscription after my Bush column. Since then we have added over two dozen new subscriptions.

Perhaps in this case too, my sentiment is not that contrary to the community's, as they voted down two operating levies in as many years.

On a sidenote, doing this column gave me a chance to talk with David Strom of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, who also has his own weekend talk show on the AM dial. He turned out to be a pretty nice guy and a few snappy digs at state Democrats and we were talking like old friends. Along the way he gave me a scoop.

It looks like the greatest talk show host in all the land, Jason Lewis, is returning to town in about a year. Tom has since found this verification. Lewis is a constitutional Superman and the local talk show landscape has been miserable since he left a couple of years ago. His old station has been in a downward spiral ever since.

Personally I am counting the days. My dearly Befuddled though, had a less than enthusiastic reaction to the news. She never cared for Lewis. Not because she disagreed with his politics mind you, but rather she objected to how surly I was after a few months of main-lining his show. To date, his is the only show that my wife has insisted I take periodical breaks from.