In an encouraging step for New Jersey children, the state’s Senate Economic Growth Committee has approved a K-12 scholarship donation tax credit bill like the ones already operating in Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Iowa, and Rhode Island. It would allow businesses to make donations to nonprofit scholarship funds that would in turn bring the option of private schooling within reach of low-income families.

Needless to say, the bill has earned the “intense opposition” of New Jersey’s large and powerful public school employees union. The last time somebody offered Jersey’s poor kids an escape from the union-dominated public schools, the union made that somebody an offer that was difficult to refuse.

The “somebody” in question was PepsiCo. As I wrote in Market Education:

In late October of 1995, officials of the Pepsi company announced at Jersey City Hall that their corporation would donate thousands of dollars in scholarships to help low-income children attend the private school of their choice. The immediate response of the local public school teachers? union was to threaten that a statewide boycott of all Pepsi products could not be ruled out. Pepsi vending machines around the city were vandalized and jammed. Three weeks later, company officials regretfully withdrew their offer.

And you thought the Sopranos were nice.

In his excellent blog, Roger Pielke, Jr., notes that “On NPR’s Fresh Air earlier this week, Al Gore suggests that Typhoon Nargis, which may have killed 100,000 people in Myanmar, is linked to greenhouse gas emissions, or does he? He said ?we?re seeing consequences that scientists have long predicted might be associated with continued global warming.?”

So I checked the sea surface temperature (SST) ?anomalies? (that is, differences in temperature from the long-term average) along the track of Cyclone Nargis to see if SST might have been unusually warm from April 28^th to May 3^rd (when it hit Burma) of this year compared to last year. Comparing the SST anomalies from NOAA for April 28, May 1, and May 5 of 2008 against April 28, May 1, May 3, and May 7 of 2007, SSTs along the track of Cyclone Nargis don?t look that much different from last year. And for April 30, May 3, and May 7 of 2005, the Bay of Bengal seems to have been noticeably warmer.

Granted, this is based on a cursory eye-ball view of the maps using a non-continuous data set. I await more detailed analysis with bated breath.

Excellent.

It?s an all-too-common tactic employed by opponents of educational freedom to demonize school-choice advocates as hell-bent ideologues rather than actually tackling their arguments and evidence. One suspects that this occurs for two primary reasons: (1) smearing is easier than debating, and (2) too many choice opponents don?t have the evidentiary ammunition they need to defend their arguments.

Well, on Jay Greene?s blog today, at least one ardent supporter of school choice ? the Friedman Foundation?s Greg Forster ? fires a huge shot across the bow of choice detractors especially on the right, letting them know that he?s had it with their ignoring empirical evidence and resorting to playground name-calling. (In fairness to the Manhattan Institute?s Sol Stern, Forster?s primary target, he did come to Cato to debate his recent critique of choice ? more than others on his side seem willing to do ? though that doesn?t mean he isn?t still dodging inconvenient evidence).

With a little luck, Forster?s essay will help ignite a rational debate on market education reform that?s long overdue, and this time conservative choice detractors won?t just hide behind ?ideological? smoke.

President Bush addressed the Council of the Americas yesterday, a business organization whose stated goal is to promote democracy and free markets in the Americas.  Among the different subjects he touched in his speech, Bush highlighted the work of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in Latin America.

The MCA’s goal is to provide bilateral aid to countries whose policies promote good governance and economic freedom. In Latin America, some of the standard bearers of good governance and economic freedom according to the MCA are Honduras, Nicaragua and Paraguay.

Bush proudly said in his speech that “In Paraguay, we’re working… with local leaders to reduce the cost of starting new businesses.” It sounds quite good, but when you look at the MCA’s Threshold Quarterly Report for Paraguay, you find among the accomplishments of the program this:

The Finance Ministry conducted simulated purchases to detect firms not following local tax regulations, resulting in the suspensions of more than 70 businesses. The business suspensions received significant positive media coverage and have generated greater tax compliance overall.

It sounds like U.S. aid money is being spent to shut down businesses in Paraguay. That hardly fits my idea of encouraging economic freedom in Latin America.  

Here’s Michael Goldfarb:

As to whether Bush is a recruiting tool for terrorists–who cares? Al Qaeda was recruiting before Bush was in office and they will continue to do so after he’s gone. The important thing is that we keep killing those recruits. Eventually, one side will give up.

Do they edit this stuff before putting it up? By this logic, why don’t we airdrop a bunch of copies of Penthouse Letters into the Kabaa? After all, al Qaeda will continue recruiting whether we do it or not. Or maybe we could declare war on all of Islam. After all, al Qaeda was recruiting before we declared it. Or maybe we could send Senator McCain’s “moral compass and spiritual guide” onto al Hurra to tell Muslims that “America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed.” After all, it’s not like al Qaeda’s not recruiting today.

The Style section of today’s Washington Post features a terrific article about the National Security Archive, the nonprofit group dedicated to unearthing goverment secrets. The privately funded group, about 35 strong, uses the Freedom of Information Act to collect about 75,000 documents a year, which staffers analyze and then post on the website. The Archive’s greatest hits (see, e.g., here and here) demonstrate that as Patrick Henry put it, one should “never depend on so slender a protection as the possibility of being represented by virtuous men.” Don’t trust: verify.

One of my favorite documents on the site is the Operation Northwoods Memo, prepared by the Pentagon in the wake of the Bay of Pigs disaster:

titled ?Justification for U.S. Military Intervention in Cuba? [the memo] was provided by the JCS to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara on March 13, 1962, as the key component of Northwoods. Written in response to a request from the Chief of the Cuba Project, Col. Edward Lansdale, the Top Secret memorandum describes U.S. plans to covertly engineer various pretexts that would justify a U.S. invasion of Cuba. These proposals - part of a secret anti-Castro program known as Operation Mongoose - included staging the assassinations of Cubans living in the United States, developing a fake ?Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington,? including ?sink[ing] a boatload of Cuban refugees (real or simulated),? faking a Cuban airforce attack on a civilian jetliner, and concocting a ?Remember the Maine? incident by blowing up a U.S. ship in Cuban waters and then blaming the incident on Cuban sabotage.

Sounds like tinfoil-hat stuff, I know, but thanks to FOIA and the National Security Archive, you can check for yourself [.pdf]. But if Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld had had their way, you couldn’t. As top aides to Gerald Ford 34 years ago, they urged the president to veto amendments strengthening FOIA (he did, and Congress overrode his veto). The Archive has the documents on that too.

(cross-posted on genehealy.com)

Nearly two years after its release, David Hyman’s satire Medicare Meets Mephistopheles is still generating reviews — and controversy. 

In the April 2008 issue of the Michigan Law Review, Michigan law professor Jill Horwitz raves:

Hyman is extraordinarily knowledgeable about health care regulation and his exposition is succinct. The book is filled with informative and accurate summaries of Medicare?s complicated program design and related laws. The summaries of fraud and abuse law, for example, make my heart sing. I?ve seldom seen such an accessible and accurate primer.

It would be a stretch, however, to claim that Horwitz and Hyman see eye-to-eye.  Horwitz concludes her 19-page review thus:

Medicare Meets Mephistopheles is a terrific overview of a troubled system, but a missed opportunity to help reform Medicare. Providing health care fairly and efficiently is a complicated process that necessarily involves a heavy dose of government. Libertarian railing against big government, regulation, and all lefty foolishness that market proponents despise doesn?t get one very far in determining how to get health care to 300 million people. In the end Hyman doesn?t offer any realistic alternative to this government-regulated muddle because, God knows, his plans are unacceptable anywhere but in hell.

Ay caramba!

The president of West Virginia University, Michael Garrison, is hanging on after the school’s faculty voted 77 to 19 to demand his resignation. Faculty members are outraged that Garrison retroactively awarded an MBA to a friend, who is the daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin III. The Washington Post reports:

Garrison’s critics note that he is a former classmate of Bresch’s. He once worked as a lobbyist for Mylan Inc., where Bresch is an executive and whose chairman is one of WVU’s biggest donors. They also note that Garrison was chief of staff for former West Virginia governor Bob Wise (D).

The Post failed to add the detail that Garrison served on Manchin’s transition team when he succeeded Wise. So yes, when you hire a lobbyist and political operator to run a university, you can expect some favors for politically connected friends.

A TV News helicopter filmed Philadelphia police officers as they repeatedly kick three suspects as they lay on the ground.  Go here to see the video clip.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says 5 officers have been taken off street duty because of their actions.   Why are those 5 not under arrest for battery?

Philadelphia authorities reportedly hope to identify the other police officers involved in the incident.  Hope?!    If the Commissioner can’t or won’t issue an order to come forward or face dismissal by the close of business, there are deeper problems with the police department.

It appears Chuck Baldwin’s website just went live, although it certainly isn’t fully fleshed out yet. Chuck Baldwin is obviously relying heavily upon a candidacy which portrays him as a surrogate for Ron Paul. His main page says he is “continueing the Revolution”. Baldwin’s site also features a quote from his acceptance speech at the Constitution [...]

by David Nolan Here, for everyone’s amusement, are plausible (OK, semi-plausible) scenarios outlining how each of the six leading contenders COULD win the LP nomination for President at the upcoming national convention in Denver. Some, obviously, are more plausible than others. Consider this speculative fiction, nothing more. BOB BARR – Announces on May 12 that he’s really [...]

LP National Chair Bill Redpath will be live on the air, Monday May 12 at 9 pm Eastern (6 PM Pacific time) on the Steve Kubby radio show. http://blogtalkradio.com/stevekubbyshow The show is on at 9 PM Eastern and the call-in number is 646-378-1107. Likely topic of discussion: changes at the LP HQ.

by Dr. Mary Ruwart In just a few weeks, the Libertarian Party’s national convention delegates will choose our party’s 2008 presidential nominee, who will become our de facto leader and public face of the party for the next four years. Will we choose wisely? Will we choose someone who believes in liberty? When I first ran as [...]

From Barrett for Congress: Two years ago, the politicians wanted Kevin Barrett fired from his teaching job. Now Barrett is turning the tables. Barrett is calling on the voters to fire the politicians, starting with his own 3rd District Representative, Ron Kind. “The Democrats were elected in 2006 to end the war,” Barrett explains. “They failed. Ron [...]

Christine Smith discusses child pornography, the FBI, anarchism, rule of law, the future of the LP, and more. She defended Shane Cory, stating that he didn’t overstep his bounds. She also defined her view about the proper role of government and accuses Mary Ruwart of living in a fantasy world. She called [...]

From Phillies 2008: Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies proposed that the Federal government should actually do something to improve the energy price situation. “Sensible Libertarian approaches have two important features,” he said. “First, they are based on reality. Second, they do not ask the Federal government to do things it does poorly.” “The rapid climb in energy [...]

From the Barr 2008 Presidential Exploratory Committee: Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr will hold a press conference on Monday May 12 to discuss his future plans and the 2008 election. Rep. Barr (bio here) launched an exploratory committee last month to determine whether he should file as a candidate for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination. Who: [...]

There are still ongoing rumors and speculation that California’s American Independent Party may not be united with the rest of the Constitution Party’s decision about their presidential nominee. Ballot Access News just reported: However, [American Independent Party of California State Chair Ed] Noonan told me on the telephone on May 7 that he still will work to [...]

For the record, I’m still in love with Liv aka Mona aka Ron Paul Girl. While Gravel is busy chasing after Obama Girl, I’m at least getting some internet play from Ron Paul Girl. Mona still provides some linky-love to one of my websites and hasn’t dropped me as a Facebook friend (yet). Here’s Ron [...]

Ticket Quotas for police departments made it as a news item in today's Star Ledger yet this is not news, this has been going on for decades. The local municipality needs to beef up their budget after increasing their spending and can no longer drain enough money out of the residents in the form of taxes, permits, licenses, and fees. Their solution to this dilemma is to direct the local police department to issue a minimum number of tickets for parking and driving violations to increase the inflow of money.

Why is it in the news now? Because the police officers are now being evaluated based on meeting these quotas.

This is a sick process. Do we tell our police officers that they have to arrest 10 murderers a year or they have to catch 15 burglars a month. The local government is relying on local violations for income and using the law enforcement to collect it. Some police officers find this method humiliating as their job is to fight crime not to collect taxes. Quotas are what lead police officers to spend days hiding behind a billboard sign and doing nothing but waiting for a speeding car. It is an inefficient use of their time and takes away from the security of the rest of the municipality.

Click here for the article.

When I ran for office one of the things I did to plan out my campaign was to make a list of all the special interest groups that I might have been able to get an endorsement from. One of the was Garden State Equality, a NJ gay rights group. A Republican could never get their endorsement, especially with candidates like Joe Pennacchio who maintains the stance that a state that would legalize marriage can't be trusted. Just a couple of days ago Garden State Equality gave their endorsement to Frank Lautenberg. Surprise, Surprise. The organization knows that Lautenberg is not going to fight for gay marriage or anything else that might jeopardize his campaign, the only reason they are endorsing him is because they know he has the best chance of winning and by endorsing him they will have special privileges come election day.

This to me seems counter to the whole idea behind endorsements. I always thought that the purpose was to support the candidate you believe would best represent the interests of your organization rather than bet on the winning horse and hope that you get a favor in return. Garden State Equality should know by now that the Libertarian Party believes that the government should not have the power to decide who can marry who when it comes to consenting adults. Libertarians such as myself believe that they have the right to get married and obtain the same benefits that every other married couple retains.

But will this ever get me an endorsement, probably not. Maybe a pat on the back behind closed doors but that will probably be it. I wish these organizations had more faith in themselves and less faith in the system and would support the underdogs who really wish to change the government. Boy am I a hopeless romantic.

Republicans who were running on the Sabrin line in Bergen county for freeholder were all rejected due to a challenge to their petition that ended in the revoking of enough signatures to get them off the ballot. Murray Sabrin has been urging Republicans that are for reform to run on his ticket and the Republican leadership has been attacking this move. It is no surprise that an organized effort by libertarian leaning Republicans would cause such a reaction from the state party leadership.

Click here for the story.

The NJLP has been discussing plans for the future aiming at becoming a powerful presence in NJ. One of the pieces of this plan is to upgrade the website to one that can compete with those of the state Democrats and Republicans. Another is to send out a mailing to all the members of the national party that live in the state with both a letter from the NJLP as well as one from their local contact such as a county committee chairman like myself. The letter will also include a membership and donation form.

Armed with a list of over 9000 names and addresses this will offer an opportunity to expand membership. The party is also looking at registered independents,which make up a majority of NJ's registered voters, as a place to look for disenchanted Americans who have found themselves caught between two parties that have landed us in the mess we are in now. NJ is infamous for reelecting politicians who have shown themselves to be corrupt and incompetent because we feel that we have no other choice and it is our job to show them that they do have another choice.

We are open to suggestions and comments and would love to hear from our readers.

There isn't much else that a Libertarian hates most than corruption spawned by big government. James Sharpe was supposed to be a man of the people, a gym class teacher who spoke against corruption and for the rejuvenation of Newark. But when given the chance he used his position to womanize and make profit. He sold city land to his ex-girlfriend at a discount who then sold it at a premium to developers. This is a pattern that many NJ politicians, both Democrat and Republican, have followed. Both Wayne Bryant and Joseph Coniglio are currently awaiting trial and Sharpe will probably have to go back to court on grand larceny charges for spending $58,000 of city money on personal expenses.

What is the lesson that can be learned from this? The less money and power the government has the less damage it can do. Whatever the government can give to the people it can just as easily take away.

In the last week Trenton Police TAC Unit #2 arrested 18 people. There was one charge that was common among 15 of the arrests, and in 8 of them it was the only charge, and that was maintaining a nuisance. I was not sure what the legal definition of that charge because I know a lot of people who are a nuisance but who don't get arrested for it. Here is the legal definition referenced from N.J.S. 2C:33-12:


2C:33-12. Maintaining a nuisance


A person is guilty of maintaining a nuisance when:


a. By conduct either unlawful in itself or unreasonable under all the circumstances, he knowingly or recklessly creates or maintains a condition which endangers the safety or health of a considerable number of persons;


b. He knowingly conducts or maintains any premises, place or resort where persons gather for purposes of engaging in unlawful conduct; or


c. He knowingly conducts or maintains any premises, place or resort as a house of prostitution or as a place where obscene material, as defined in N.J.S. 2C:34-2 and N.J.S. 2C:34-3, is sold, photographed, manufactured, exhibited or otherwise prepared or shown, in violation of N.J.S. 2C:34-2, N.J.S. 2C:34-3, and N.J.S.


I am guessing that all these people were charged with doing part a. of this law which is very vague. It sounds oddly familiar to a loitering law where if a person is hanging out on a street corner they are considered a danger to the public. This also seems redundant because are there no laws in place against reckless endangerment and the such? These are the kinds of laws of which I am wary.

Nothing encourages abuse more than nondescript laws.

A study has come out showing that in NJ U.S. citizens are twice as likely to land in prison as legal and illegal immigrants. The liberals have been using this as a counter to the conservative argument that illegal immigration increases crime. In this case both sides are wrong. First of all if you are an illegal immigrant then you have already broken the law and are a criminal which cancels out the liberal argument. Secondly the conservatives have been focusing on a faulty argument when the real issue is that illegal immigrants are draining services that are paid with taxes collected from legal immigrants and US citizens.

BlueJersey, a liberal blog, stated this on their site: "Contrary to what the Donald Cresitellos of the state would have you believe, citizens are twice as likely as immigrants to wind up in behind bars in New Jersey." Mayor Donald Cresitello is the mayor of Morristown who created much controversy when he applied for a federal program under which his town's police force would receive training and the authority to enforce immigration law. Whether Cresitello made this argument or not is irrelevant. Every constitutional law needs to be enforced or else it diminishes the ability of the police force to enforce all laws. Once we start to nick pick which laws should be enforced and which ones don't we fore go the reason why we have laws in the first place.

Immigration laws need to be enforced. If you have a problem with the law then deal with the law itself, don't attack the ability of the police to enforce it.

Click here for the news article.

Newark is cracking down on illegal gambling in the form of electronic Keno style games. These used to be legal under an older ordinance but has now become illegal under the Cory Booker administration. The reason for this change in policy? Illegal gambling machines have long been associated with organized crime, at least this is what is reported by The Star Ledger. But this makes absolutely no sense. If you legalize gambling doesn't that bypass the problem of organized crime using this logic?

As we have learned from prohibition and the drug war, when you make something illegal it automatically creates a black market for that service or product which is impossible to quash as long as there is a need for it. I know the type of machines you are talking about and they are not gambling machines. The machine doesn't give you any money back. Yes, it is a game of chance but you can say that of some arcade games. Are we going to start banning arcade games because you are putting money in it to see if you can win, the same motivation behind playing one of these Keno style games.

The logic behind this kind of policy is twisted and self fulfilling. If you want there to be an association between gambling and organized crime then make it illegal and it will only be the organized crime members who can offer the service to others. If you legalize it then it will be the Trumps of the world that will offer it to the public.

Click here to read the news article.

The bill of the day is A223 which requires inmates with sufficient means to pay their incarceration costs. This is real solution to a real problem. One of the bigger money drains is the penal system.

You may remember the Schools Construction Corp. that went through $8 billion in record time. It's back with a new name -- Schools Development Authority -- and a new chief, Corzine pal Scott Weiner, and new public relations as Corzine tries to fund it with $2.5 billion more to carry on its, ah let's call it, mission. Weiner is launching an public relations initiative to place webcams at school construction sites. This for transparency, he says. Sure, if we had webcams last time we could see the outrageous salaries, the plush perks, the unwarranted bennies, the waste, incompetence and corruption clear as day. Maybe Attorney General Annie "Got No Guns" Milgram can stare into her computer to find where the original $8 billion went.

The Meadowlands Commission has killed the EnCap project to build condos and golf courses atop old landfills. The state says Donald Trump failed to commit the cash to finish the complex and landfill closures. Trump told reporters the Corzine administration had misled him and would be responsible for any boondoggle that develops. So now we ask: Who will pay to close the landfills? What is the status of the $300 million in public bonding and $51 million in direct loans EnCap got? The state can pursue a $149 million insurance policy the original EnCap developers obtained. Expect all of this to end up in court. Earlier, N.J. Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper issued a critical report on EnCap that conveniently didn't mention what role government officials played in giving the project public loans. No realistic person would expect the Attorney General's Office to have a clue, either.

The Senate Education Committee unanimously passed a bill to establish a state task force charged with determining whether recess should be mandated in elementary schools. Bill sponsor Sen. Robert Singer said schools feeling a budget crunch or pressure due to mandated tests have whittled down time for kids to relax and take a break. He could have mentioned growing problems with being overweight like diabetes. Who needs a task force and nine months to get to the bottom of it? Of course kids should get recess. Let them be kids for crying out loud.

Things are so good here in Jersey, Corzine flew to North Carolina yesterday to give voters in the Tar Heel State the benefit of his input on who they should vote for today in their presidential primary. He's for Hillary Clinton because he sees it as a way out of his problems if she gets elected and appoints him to something in Washington. Interesting Corzine should choice a state where so many Jerseyans have fled the government here. Apparently no one told Corzine how Southerners hate having outsiders tell them how to vote. Especially outsiders with his kind of record. Barack Obama, you're a lucky man.

A construction group that employs state Sen. Paul Sarlo was awarded a $18.6 million contract by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to build a Meadowlands rail terminal despite two competitors having lower bids. Outside counsel termed the lower bids were "deficient," but why they're "deficient" is a secret. Sarlo, from Bergen County where the project is located, is the chief engineer for the winning company and was listed in bid documents as the firm's chief operating officer. Sarlo has been a strong advocate for a rail stop at the Meadowlands. The senator says his role as a lawmaker for the district and his job at the company played no role in getting the contract. He said because he has no ownership in the firm there is no conflict. No legislation was needed to secure the funding for the project, but Sarlo was vocal about getting the ball moving. And something about this just doesn't smell right. To read Michael Rispoli's story click here.

As Corzine looks for ways to save money, he might want to read a report by my colleague Jason Method who writes overtime costs for state employees went up $16 million, that's 7 percent, last year from 2006. This happened as the state work force declined 1 percent. Some of it was defensible, like the workers at the state's psychiatric hospitals or facilities for the disabled. Some is questionable like a state law that requires prison corrections officers to stay past their shift to tell officers on the next shift about conditions. Can't they accomplish that by writing a brief report during regular work time? And other OT is downright stupid -- six hours a month to charge cell phones in the Union City School District, although Education Commissioner Lucille Davy says there is nothing the state can do, it's in the bus drivers' contract. Yeah, sure. On the positive side, State Police trimmed its OT for enlisted personnel by 12 percent. To read Jason's story click here. To see the entire data base, click here.

Murray Sabrin, candidate for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate, says he will take proceeds from one hour of on-line fund-raising yesterday and put it all on Cowboy Cal to win the Kentucky Derby. At 20-1, that could be a lot of campaign loot if Cowboy Cal delivers. As long as Sabrin, who teaches college economics, invests the money in his campaign, it looks to be lawful. But, it is unique in my reporting experience. I will be, as I usually am, at a Derby party at the home of my friends, Glen and Sue, where I will place a few bucks on the outcome, but probably not Cowboy Cal. Always hated mint juleps and never had any interest in racing until I met, in his post-Triple Crown days, the great Secretariat. Now, there was a horse you couldn't forget. There's a wonderful book about him called "The Horse That God Built" that I highly recommend. Have a great Saturday whatever you do.

Gov. Corzine is thumping his chest over the arrival of a stem-cell firm in New Jersey which was lured from California with promise of state grants worth up to $589,000. StemCyte Inc. has five employees. It gets the grants on the expectation it hires up to 12 employees over the next 10 years. Nevermind that Corzine is cutting higher education funding. Nevermind that voters rejected a plan to borrow $450 million to support stem-cell research -- the governor says he may bring the issue back soon. This guy just doesn't get it, he was elected governor not king. Whatever good for mankind that comes from StemCyte's work would happen if the company remained in California or operated out of its Taiwan office.

They never change. Advocates for the school districts formerly called Abbotts (Type 1 is the new moniker.) say the new school funding formula is unfair to the underprivileged. The Education Law Center is back before the state Supreme Court, which should tell the outfit to pound sand. The original argument from ELC is flawed in that it is based on more money spent equals better education and all education takes place in the classroom. Neither is true. Over the decades billions have been poured down Abbott rat holes with little to show for it. The real unfairness to the underprivileged is this social experiment has failed them big time and limited their opportunities.

... The governor's deputy chief of staff, Javier Inclan, resigned late Wednesday.