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Foreign policy impotence gripping U.S.

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:16:31 -0400

In an article published May 15, 2013, American historical social scientist Immanuel Wallerstein wrote, "Nothing illustrates more the limitations of Western power than the internal controversy its elites are having in public about what the United States in particular and western European states should be doing about the civil war in Syria." Those limitations are palpable in both language and ...

Scouts the public square

Fri, 24 May 2013 23:29:54 -0400

The Boy Scouts’ decision to change their position on gay scouts may - or may not - buy them some peace with those who have been working overtime to drive them off the public square. But what will be the fate of those institutions that play equally vital roles in the civic life of our cities and communities but cannot change their practices because of what they believe to be religious law? ...

Week In Politics Obama And Drone Strikes

Fri, 24 May 2013 23:29:49 -0400

Copyright © 2013 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required. MELISSA BLOCK, HOST: As we mentioned, President Obama's commencement address comes the day after he delivered an hour-long speech on national security. The president talked about redefining the effort away from what he called a boundless global war on terror. Here to ...

A next-generation model for MinnesotaCare

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:17:39 -0400

The result of their ongoing hard work this year is a lesser-known but even more pioneering and compassionate Minnesota twist on federal health reform: a next-generation MinnesotaCare program that will roll out in January and begin to take advantage of newly available federal dollars to better cover the working ...

Keep drones in the air as long as terrorists target U.S.

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:09:32 -0400

The United States risks losing the advantage of surprise if individual drone strikes become entangled in slow-motion bureaucracy back home. We fear U.S. warriors shrinking from what in effect are battlefield decisions because they have one eye on Congress, or judges, or some other overseer who is not their commander in chief. We don’t want drone operators hoping their targeted terrorist ...

Readers Write Natural disasters North Korea transit IRS bridge collapse bad drivers state politics

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:09:30 -0400

A child stands in front of a house and vehicle that were destroyed by a massive tornado in Moore, Okla., May 24, 2013. Heading into Memorial Day weekend, cleanup continued and people were still sorting through their damaged and destroyed properties after Monday's Category 5 tornado tore through ...

Letter of the Day Zach Sobiech

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:09:28 -0400

Minnesota is known for musicians, such as Bob Dylan, Judy Garland and Prince. We can now add Zach Sobiech to that list (" 'Clouds' songwriter dies at 18," May 21). Sobiech passed all of the well-known musicians around the country and made it to the No. 1 spot on iTunes for downloads of his song "Clouds." How many people make their biggest contributions to the world ...

Guest Move ahead with environmental study on coal trains

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:59:09 -0400

The foot-dragging on studying environmental impacts of coal trains is holding up a major rural economic-development opportunity in Cowlitz County, writes guest columnist Mike ...

Editorial notebook Swinging to the rescue of Century Ballroom

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:55:12 -0400

Seattle Times editorial page intern Ana Sofia Knauf marvels at how the fans of the Century Ballroom rallied to pay the dance hall’s unexpected state tax ...

Oklahomans roll with the punches

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:55:12 -0400

Seeing Oklahomans discuss the tornado’s rampage in a straightforward manner, writes Froma Harrop, was far more moving than a sensational telling favored by the TV ...

Mr. Mayor youre a mess. And somewhat of a master.

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:02:46 -0400

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford reads a statement to the media at City Hall on Friday, May 24, 2013 in Toronto. Ford denied that he smokes crack cocaine and says he is not an addict after a video purported to show him using the drug. Ford did not say whether he has ever used the ...

Student loan rates must remain manageable

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:02:45 -0400

Earlier this month, I visited the University of Minnesota to hear from students about the impact of student debt. I heard stories like Kirsten’s. She recently graduated from Minneapolis Community and Technical College and plans to get a bachelor’s degree. But she already has $30,000 in student loans, making it difficult to pursue her goals. Student debt has nearly tripled over the ...

U.S. needs a federal media shield law

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:02:43 -0400

reintroduction of the 2009 Free Flow of Information Act , which would create a federal media shield law. The previous version was similar to state-level laws. According to an analysis by ...

My view Voting members perspective on the BSA policy change

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:53:52 -0400

I am just back in my hotel room reflecting on the envelope that was just opened by Wayne Perry, the National President of the Boy Scouts of America in a packed convention room in Texas. It’s one hour ...

Topic of the day President Obamas speech on defense

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:06 -0400

Yesterday, President Obama gave a long awaited speech at the National Defense University, chiefly addressing the concerns on the administrations use of drones. The big takeaway from his speech? It’s time to end the war on terror. Here is a collection of opinions from around the web about Obama's remarks. ';President Obama’s speech on Thursday was the most important ...

Carroll concerned about Seahawks off-field behavior

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:18:22 -0400

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin has been suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season after the league announced he violated the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.(Ben Margot / The Associated Press) Players who get arrested, are put in jail and/or are given citations for inappropriate behavior do not belong on the team. No second chances ["Carroll calls ...

‘Illegal’ vs. ‘undocumented’ immigrants

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:18:22 -0400

I sympathize with guest columnist Hugo Balta's objection to the term "illegal immigrant," but his proposed use of "undocumented immigrant" in news stories is much worse ["These immigrants are not 'illegal,'" Opinion, May 21]. Let's not sacrifice linguistic truth for political correctness. "Undocumented immigrant" implies that someone ...

I-5 bridge collapse raises questions about Washington state bridges

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:53:17 -0400

collapse of the I-5 bridge over the Skagit River, commuters who cross bridges everyday for work and school are taking tosocial media to wonder about the safety of their travel routes. With all of the work and planning being done on the Highway 520 bridge – a floating spancalled ';earthquake- and storm-vulnerable,'; by state Sen. Rodney Tom in ...

Scouting is bigger than any single policy Column

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:53:04 -0400

I hope America will remember that Scouting is bigger than any single policy. Hiking the Appalachian Trail with Troop 103, I learned two things: First, each Scout has his own pace and isn't inclined to hike at anyone else's. Second, everyone in our troop wanted to reach camp before sundown. Since our Scoutmaster made us hike together, we all had to walk at one speed and no Scout was ever ...

Seeking shared views amid IRS AP scandals Column

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:53:03 -0400

No matter who did or did not order government actions, they are offensive. Reflecting our fractured political landscape, much of the discussion of the recent scandals erupting from the executive branch of government has been thoroughly politicized.It's understandable, but it's also myopic and deeply troubling for those who believe that our civic life depends crucially on unfettered ...

The IRS targeted my organization Column

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:52:59 -0400

Linchpins of Liberty . Our motto is "to challenge the imagination of the rising generation." So what does that mean?Well, we mentor high school and college students in conservative political philosophy by engaging them with the great books and teaching them about America's moral and constitutional order. For now, I am a one-man show. Chief-cook-and-bottle-washer, as my parents used ...

YouToon Voting begins on Monday

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:52:56 -0400

The winner will receive a prize worth $250. You sent us more than 100 entries. Now we're picking our top five! Stay turned for your chance to help us pick the winner. Voting begins at noon on May 27 and lasts through noon May 31. The winner will receive a copy of the cartoon with his or her caption in it, signed by the artist and valued at $250. The winner's name and winning caption ...

Is Harbor Point the best deal we can get

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:37:53 -0400

Where's the outrage? The city's Board of Finance, in secret, decided to give $107 million to a wealthy developer for the benefit of an even wealthier corporation ("Harbor Point to get city financing," May 21). Apparently, ordinary citizens ...

Dear Tiny Desk Miss You

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:06 -0400

Tiny Desk , I don't know if you remember me, but I used to work maybe 20 feet from you. Before that, I worked about 10 feet from you, but people used to come stand behind me and breathe their miscellaneous lunch smells on my neck while you were entertaining guests, so I moved. When I saw our new building, it was so open that I assumed I would still be able to hear everything, even though ...

Whos The Best Drinker Dogs Cats Or Pigeons

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:06 -0400

It's a dog drinking water. It's also the answer to a riddle. When you and I take a drink, we can lift a glass, hold it to our mouth, tilt and use gravity to pour the water in. Dogs can't do that. In a pinch, we can kneel down, put our mouth to the surface and suck water up (or, to be polite, use a straw). Dogs can't do that either. They don't have sucking ability. Yet ...

Plimpton A Fond Look At A Man Of Letters

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:05 -0400

With: George Plimpton, Ken Burns, Ric Burns, Graydon Carter, James Lipton, Hugh Hefner, Robert Kennedy Jr., Gay Talese If ever there was a man who made a virtue out of failure, it was George Plimpton. He played quarterback with the Detroit Lions without even knowing where to put his hands to take the snap. He had his nose bloodied by knockout king Archie Moore. He sweated through ...

Breakin The Rules 20 General Principles Suspended In Fast And Furious 6

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:05 -0400

. 1. Newton's Laws Of Motion 2. The Reluctance Of Brilliant Criminal Masterminds To Freely Confess 3. The Inability Of Two Things To Coexist In The Same Physical Space 4. The Integrity Of Vending Machines 5. Gravity 6. Gina Carano's Ability To Snap Most Of These People Like Twigs Pretty Quickly, If We're Being Honest 7. The Hardness Of Cars, Which Are Actually Kind Of ...

Pitbull Gets Epic You Constantly Have To Defend Your Success

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:05 -0400

. Armando Christian Perez -- better known as Pitbull or Mr. Worldwide -- has sold five million albums and had No. 1 hits in more than 15 countries. He's worked with artists like Usher, Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez. Now, he brings the party to the big screen in the new animated feature ...

Douglas Damon Illuminate HBOs Candelabra

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:05 -0400

- when you just consider the concept of the TV movie and its casting -- this new HBO Films production raises all sorts of questions: How much will be based on verifiable fact, and how much will be fictionalized? On an anything-goes premium-cable network such as HBO, how graphic will the sex scenes be? And the most important questions involve the drama's two leading men, playing an ...

IRS questions political groups

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:37:20 -0400

Republican strategist Karl Rove walks the floor of the 2012 Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. (Glen Stubbe / Minneapolis Star Tribune) Isn't it the responsibility of the IRS to protect taxpayers by denying 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status to partisan groups? I'm neither Republican nor a Democrat, but it seems to me that many conservative groups are blatantly ...

Sexual assault in the military

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:44:03 -0400

If Congress is serious about curbing rape in the military, it should remove all such cases from the military-justice system and place them in the civilian criminal court system ...

Catholic health-care systems in state hospitals

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:44:03 -0400

While everyone has been fearing Obamacare, what the people in Washington should fear is "popecare," as more and more of our local and regional hospitals are being turned over to the Catholic Church ...

Punchlines Prom season for Obama

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:43:45 -0400

Time magazine obtained photos of President Obama in 1979. One comedian questions what that weed is around his neck. Take a look at our favorite jokes, then vote for your own at ...

Where are the STEM jobs

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:28:37 -0400

Republicans and Democrats appear to agree on at least one thing: that the United States is facing a STEM (science, technology engineering and math) crisis. In his most ...

What do you want to hear from the Seattle Mayor candidates

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:49:30 -0400

Before Seattle City Council member Tim Burgess suddenly dropped out of the Mayor’s race, he mostly stuck to his core issues of Seattle Police reforms, better public schools and road maintenance. He led the field in fundraising, but he fared badly in several recent endorsements, including the King County Young Democrats and the 46th Legislative District Democrats. The most ...

Legislature considers tougher DUI laws

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:49:26 -0400

Just say yes to tougher DUI laws ," NWThursday, May 16]? A person convicted of a DUI can be sentenced to have a Breathalyzer in their car, but why not make it easier for everyone? Is the law meant to protect the innocent or to make money for the state from tickets? People stop for a drink after work and often do not know when they are over the limit. That is not an excuse, but they would ...

Graham Greenie flies into Senate race

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:36:12 -0400

"NextGen, working with our local partners, will be seeking to be a politically disruptive force between now and Election Day." -- A memo on billionaire greenie Tom Steyer's plans for the Markey/Gomez senate ...

Newspaper unfair to Minneapolis police

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:15:30 -0400

Whenever interactions between police and citizens result in death or serious injuries, in what is commonly called a "critical incident," the public needs to know what happened and whether their police officers acted properly in these tragic circumstances. Clearly, the media plays an important role in gathering and disseminating the facts so that the public can make its determination. ...

Proposed lower alcohol limit for drivers too severe

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:15:28 -0400

The earlier progress came after states lowered the blood alcohol concentration for driving under the influence from 0.10 to 0.08, raised the drinking age and adopted a "zero tolerance" rule for drivers under age 21. With the most potent changes already in place, public safety improvements have gotten a bit harder to come ...

Barack ‘prosecutes’ his war

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:11:33 -0400

President Obama Mind you, he said all this - complete with references to civil rights - at a time when the IRS has grossly violated the rights of conservatives and his Justice Department has suggested a Fox News reporter is a criminal. To cap it off, he closed with a line he ripped off from Bush’s surge speech, a reference to how victory in this war will not take the form of a ...

The J-joke’s on us

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:11:32 -0400

We agree with Andrew Cuomo.Earlier this week he told reporters that the state ethics commission that investigated the gropings of Vito Lopez but not the coverup by Shelly Silver was "the best" he could get through the state Legislature. And he’s right. It’s just not what he told us at the time. On that August day in 2011 when he signed the bill into law, there was no hint ...

Clothing the world shouldn’t be a death sentence

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:32:25 -0400

The following editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Monday, May 20:In Third World countries, workers often toil for pennies a day in backbreaking, life-threatening sweatshop jobs that are the margin between feeding a family and starvation.That imagery represents an uncomfortable truth about capitalism and global trade: Products marketed by mass retailers in Dallas, New York or London ...

Are White House scandals a Big Government scandal

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:32:23 -0400

BEN BOYCHUK and JOEL MATHISScripps Howard News Service05-23-13By BEN BOYCHUK and JOEL MATHISCongress this week delved deeper into claims that the Internal Revenue Service improperly targeted conservative and religious nonprofit groups for extraordinary scrutiny in 2009 and 2010, and kept mum about the until after the 2012 election.Meantime, the Washington Post reported that the Justice Department ...

Letters Bennett is right

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:30:28 -0400

What a breath of fresh air to read former Sen. Bob Bennett's article regarding John Swallow — something that really makes sense instead of the wild rhetoric to which we are exposed on a daily basis ("Swallow needs administrative leave," May 20). Regardless of whether Swallow is falsely accused or blatantly guilty, Bennett's suggestion that Swallow be placed on the ...

White House press corps has been turned into potted plants

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:30:28 -0400

On days when the president is coming, the White House press room, the East Room and even occasionally the Rose Garden are ornamented with dozens of objects that perform the decorative and utilitarian purpose of potted ...

Letters Let organizations decide

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:30:27 -0400

Rich McKeown, spokesman for Count My Vote (CMV) said, "We just think we can do better" (GOP delegates reject changes to nominating system," May 18). A few people believe their ideas on how to improve the process private organizations use to select their representatives. Then when the groups don't agree, these ideas should be imposed on them by force of law. If my friends and ...

Letters Murdock Canal trail

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:30:27 -0400

Fifteen years ago while serving as mayor of Highland, I sat in meetings with other elected officials where we discussed the possibilities of a trail along the Murdock ...

What others say Solving a non-problem

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:30:26 -0400

The following editorial appeared recently in the Philadelphia Daily News: Think back — back before we knew that the IRS was unacceptably targeting right-wing groups for scrutiny or that the Department of Justice was unbelievably searching the phone records of journalists. Think all the way back to February, when all anyone in Washington was talking about was the country's fiscal ...

Serious issues in Colorado prisons parole division

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:13:17 -0400

The Colorado Department of Corrections announced Wednesday that Tim Hand, director of the parole division, had been placed on a temporary paid leave of absence. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post) ( | ) The announcement Wednesday from the Department of Corrections that Tim Hand, the director of the parole division, had been placed on a temporary paid leave of absence coincides with the latest ...

Sergio Garcia chicken gaffe reveals our thin skin

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:40:08 -0400

Things weren't always so tense between Tiger Woods, left, and Sergio Garcia. They reached a low-point this week with Garcia's fried chicken remark. (ELISE ...

Throw Detroit pension trustees overboard

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:40:08 -0400

Scores of public sector pension fund administrators are skipping this ...

State Rep. Jeff Irwin Prisoner Re-Entry an investment in public safety

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:40:07 -0400

Prisoner Re-Entry (formerly the Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative). Prisoner Re-Entry provides housing and employment assistance, as well as other services, to inmates before and after they are released from prison. The goal is to reintegrate former prisoners as functioning and productive members of the community. Beginning in prison, inmates meet with outside agencies to coordinate their ...

Jay Evensen On Memorial Day look beyond the fog of war

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:46:51 -0400

Looking back 70 years with the sure knowledge that allied forces defeated the Nazis, it's hard to feel the heart-pounding fear of that day as crews loaded their B-17s, revved their engines, took their places behind guns or as navigators or pilots, walked the narrow catwalk above bomb bays and wondered if they had safely touched ground for the last ...

In our opinion Utahs caucus system needs reform

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:46:50 -0400

Many Utah voters, however, feel disenfranchised by the process, and some experts cite disillusionment with the caucus system as one of the primary reasons behind Utah's declining voter turnout in recent years. Many feel the decision has already been made for them by a relative handful of people, and, in some cases, that's exactly what happens at the state ...

In IRS Benghazi and AP scandals answers elusive Your Say Interactive

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:41:03 -0400

The Obama administration is juggling three controversies at once. The IRS is being scrutinized for targeting conservative groups. The Justice Department seized journalists' phone records. And the attack in Benghazi that left Americans dead is still be investigated. How much do the scandals matter? Here's how the public sees ...

Taking the Fifth blocks search for truth tellusatoday

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:41:01 -0400

We asked Twitter followers for thoughts on Lois Lerner citing her right against self-incrimination. The IRS official was placed on administrative leave Thursday. Comments are edited for clarity and grammar:Two statements that are incompatible: I did nothing wrong, and I'm taking the Fifth.-- @RandyCole13She is hiding something or protecting someone. The buck stopped with her as head of the ...

Does Anthony Weiner deserve a second chance Your Say

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:40:59 -0400

Anthony Weiner announced this week that he would be running for New York City mayor. He resigned from the U.S. House after a sexting scandal in 2011. Comments from Facebook and Twitter:Stay out of the spotlightI miss the good old days when the politicians got caught doing something stupid, humiliating or embarrassing, then resigned and slipped away to live out their lives in obscurity.-- Mike ...

Readers take issue with Jolie coverage Objections

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:40:57 -0400

Cancer patient: Angelina Jolie isn't the brave one ."Are we as a society being socialized to believe that we're in such an archaic competition with each other that we must even battle over which of us is the bravest? Bravery and responsibility are not mutually exclusive. Angelina Jolie put her entire career on the line to selflessly provide support to other people struggling with ...

May 24 Letters To the Editor

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:27:59 -0400

Margery Eagan ignores the well-documented health, economic and environmental benefits of bicycle use in her column ("There’s just no more road to share," May 21).Bikes are great. So, how can we collaborate to make our roadways a safe and friendly place for both cars and bikes? That’s the conversation we should be having. Perhaps Eagan should hop on a bike and ride around our ...

Obamacare Covering everything but what you need

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:27:58 -0400

They wouldn’t cover things such as surgery, hospital stays or prenatal care. That sounds similar to an auto insurance policy that reimburses you when you change the oil but not when your car gets totaled.You might ask how Obamacare could encourage the proliferation of such policies. It was sold as a way to provide more coverage for more people, after all.And people were told they could keep ...

Obama drone policy strikes balance Our view

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:52:26 -0400

A Navy drone launches off the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush off the coast of Virginia. It will help develop other unmanned, carrier-based ...

Drones weaken USAs moral might Opposing view

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:52:24 -0400

There are more effective ways of winning hearts and minds and creating livelihoods worth living, not sacrificing. Armed drones, at first blush, are a boon to America's military toolkit, as President Obama reinforced in his counterterrorism speech on Thursday. Drones, in the short run at least, could mean fewer U.S. troops deployed and fewer American lives lost. OUR ...

Boy Scouts march half-step forward Our view

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:52:21 -0400

Thursday's vote might well make it easier to fight prejudice in a new generation of Scouts. Sometimes progress comes in unsatisfying increments. That was true Thursday, when the Boy Scouts of America approved a half-measure that will allow openly gay Scouts into the organization for the first time, effective Jan. 1. Cheers should surely be muted because the Scouts couldn't bring ...

For Feuer no time to waste on L.A. medical marijuana issue Opinion

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:45 -0400

Los Angeles voters' approval of Proposition D on Tuesday, after a California Supreme Court ruling earlier this month, helped to clarify city officials' objectives when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries but hardly solved the legal complexities. Both because the immediate goal is clear and because achieving it will be difficult, it's vital that elected L.A. city ...

Editorial California must keep politicians pay in check

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:45 -0400

State revenue is up. The California budget deficit appears to be gone. Sacramento is debating what to do with the expected surplus. Use it to improve government services and help the poor? Save it so that the next recession isn't as painful as the last? Naturally, elected officials would like some of it to be used to make life easier for ... elected officials. They have (just) enough ...

Rebuilding in Oklahomas Tornado Alley

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:01:06 -0400

At day’s end Monday, the number killed by a massive tornado was reported to be at least 51, with more expected as rescue workers dug through the wreckage. That was more than twice the number later confirmed dead. A spokeswoman for the examiner’s office blamed it on ...

SEC should adopt Franken plan on credit ratings agencies

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:01:05 -0400

A sensible, bipartisan solution to the conflicts of interest that too often arise between credit ratings agencies and the firms that hire them to judge their products should be adopted by the Securities and Exchange ...

Tax reform Are you really a believer

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:01:03 -0400

Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, flanked by Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's chief financial officer, left, and Phillip A. Bullock, Apple's head of Tax Operations, are sworn in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, prior to testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent ...

Guest Repeal liquor fee for retailers to supply restaurants

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:52:19 -0400

The 17-percent fee when local retailers and grocers supply liquor to restaurants has left local businesses at a competitive disadvantage, according to guest columnists Anthony Anton and Joe ...

The multiplier effect of skimping on higher education

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:46:04 -0400

Higher education in this state does not get the respect it deserves for the role colleges and universities play in powering Washington’s economy. Lawmakers meeting in special session to sort out a state budget need to remember the payoff that comes, literally, from investments in higher education. For too long the Legislature has been pinching pennies on funding for higher-ed ...