Mississippi Business Journal » Bill Crawford

CRAWFORD: Medicaid funding is not the issue

Bill Crawford — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 05:01:57 +0000

As we take this time between Memorial Day and Independence Day to remember “one nation indivisible” and ponder how to salvage that ideal, issues of the day interrupt. Viewing them through the lens of “we the people” might be enlightening. Medicaid funding in Mississippi is a big issue. But the wrong focus. Not Medicaid funding [...]

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CRAWFORD: One nation, indivisible, falling apart

Bill Crawford — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 05:01:01 +0000

In between bleeding heart liberals and heartless conservatives abide ordinary Americans with heartfelt concerns about the future of our country. Those of us with deep roots — I am a Mayflower descendant — shudder at the rise of divisive politics and the decline of historic ideals that unite us. In between Memorial Day, when we [...]

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CRAWFORD: Move cautiously on virtual training

Bill Crawford — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:01:29 +0000

More and more parents choose to home school their children. National statistics show the number of home schooled children grows about seven percent each year. Likewise the number of students in charter schools continues to increase, growing about 12 percent each year. A growing number of states, 31 at last count, allow virtual public schools [...]

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CRAWFORD: Newspapers vital to communities

Bill Crawford — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:19:54 +0000

“Have you lost your mind?” a friend responded to one of my recent columns. That got the old noodle off in an unexpected direction. Not about the column in question, but about why I bother to write any column. It’s all about newspapers, I keep reminding myself. I was in the business long ago and [...]

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CRAWFORD: Taint of tyranny infecting our Medicaid standoff?

Bill Crawford — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:47:47 +0000

The dictionary defines tyranny as oppressive power exerted by government. Founder Thomas Jefferson warned, “Experience hath shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” Is a taint of tyranny infecting our Medicaid standoff? Compare the Senate’s actions with those [...]

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CRAWFORD: Reshoring output requires STEM input

Ross Reily — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:29:20 +0000

Reshoring is the catchy name used to describe efforts to bring manufacturing jobs back to America. It includes the return of jobs “off-shored” or “out-sourced” by U.S. companies as well as jobs brought to America by direct foreign investment. While General Electric, Caterpillar and Ford have brought jobs back to the U.S., we see more [...]

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CRAWFORD: Third grade reading reform

Bill Crawford — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:57:03 +0000

“Transformational change” said Gov. Phil Bryant, thanking the Legislature for enacting key elements of his “Education Works” agenda. “I thank the Legislature for working with me to raise the bar for public education and create transformational change for our children,” he said. “Half-hearted” said the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, describing the Bryant’s “Third Grade Gate” [...]

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CRAWFORD: PERS allowed to take higher risks

Bill Crawford — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 14:30:30 +0000

While you were sleeping the governor and Legislature gave PERS authority to make higher risk investments with retirement funds. House Bill 990, introduced by the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Mac Huddleston of Pontotoc, and co-sponsored by committee chairman Herb Frierson of Poplarville, passed the House 82 to 3 and the Senate 52 [...]

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CRAWFORD: Lies, statistics and balanced budgets

Bill Crawford — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 23:46:08 +0000

“Figures often beguile me,” wrote Mark Twain, “particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: ‘There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.’” These days he might have added another with regard to the public sector [...]

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Collins would freeze, not cut, 13th checks for state workers

Bill Crawford — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 06:01:22 +0000

State Sen. Nancy Collins of Tupelo is courageously preparing legislation to address growing financial problems with the state retirement system (PERS). She said her goal was to start a conversation about PERS’ long-term sustainability. “This is the elephant in the room,” she told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. “We should not be afraid to talk [...]

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