Message from the Publisher – J. Stanley Marshall
The shameful history of the Florida’s Constitution’s “Blaine Amendment.”
From the Editor’s Desk
Twenty-five years after the “Nation at Risk” report, American education still lags.
Letters to the Editor
Readers sound off on governmental transparency and California’s woes.
Cover Story
An Analysis for Florida Voters: November’s 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 Constitutional Amendments – JMI Staff
An analysis of the background, pros, and cons of the nine proposed amendments that Florida voters will (probably) face this fall.
Articles
Florida’s Blind Spot on School Spending – Greg Forster
Survey says: The public is misled.
Study: McKay Vouchers Aid Pupils Who Have Disabilities – Jay P. Greene and Marcus A. Winters
The success of the McKay Scholarships demonstrates how voucher programs can improve the educational experience of pupils poorly served by government schools.
Junior Colleges to State Colleges: The Evolving Role of a Florida Treasure – Will Holcombe
The Chancellor traces the system’s progress from junior colleges to state colleges offering selected baccalaureate degrees.
Property Insurance Gamble: Florida Risks Its Fiscal Future on a Quiet Hurricane Season – Eli Lehrer
Misguided policies are destroying the private-sector market for property insurance.
It’s Time to Update Obsolete Policy on Offshore Drilling – David L. Batt
Gasoline at $4 a gallon is more of a threat to Florida’s tourism and economy than an oil spill now that the petroleum industry has improved its environmental safeguards.
A Historian’s Analysis: The Origins of the “Blaine Amendment” – Thomas V. DiBacco
This relic of 19th Century anti-Catholic bigotry remains in Florida’s Constitution.
Book Review
Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government’s Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives – Reviewed by Michael J. Carroll
Grover Norquist’s latest book argues that most elements of the conservative coalition share common ground – an aversion to intrusive government – while the special interests in the liberal “takings” coalition are prone to fighting over the spoils of power.
