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Jamestown Foundation Issues Commentary: Debate on New Kazakhstan Constitution Exacerbates Linguistic and Ethnic Divides
WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on March 12, 2026, by Paul Goble, specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia, in its Eurasia Daily Monitor:
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Debate on New Kazakhstan Constitution Exacerbates Linguistic and Ethnic Divides
Executive Summary:
* The debate on a new Kazakhstan constitution, set to be approved by referendum on March 15, has deepened the linguistic and ethnic divides and infuriated Moscow, which sees the revisions as threatening the roles of Russian and Russia itself in Central Asia.
* The new basic law reduces the
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on March 12, 2026, by Paul Goble, specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia, in its Eurasia Daily Monitor:
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Debate on New Kazakhstan Constitution Exacerbates Linguistic and Ethnic Divides
Executive Summary:
* The debate on a new Kazakhstan constitution, set to be approved by referendum on March 15, has deepened the linguistic and ethnic divides and infuriated Moscow, which sees the revisions as threatening the roles of Russian and Russia itself in Central Asia.
* The new basic law reduces thestatus of the Russian language to one that exists "alongside" rather than "in equality with" Russian and stops referring to the country as Kazakhstan, a Russian imposition, in favor of Kazakh eli, "the land of the Kazakhs."
* Such changes will speed the exodus of ethnic Russians from Kazakhstan, as well as the shifts among Kazakhs away from Russian and from Astana toward Moscow, and may be the harbinger of changes across Central Asia, alarming Moscow and prompting it to react.
The debate over a new Kazakhstan constitution, set to be approved by referendum on March 15, has deepened linguistic and ethnic divides within the country (see EDM, February 17; RITM Eurasia, March 2; Altyn-Orda, March 9). Moscow sees the revisions as threatening the roles of Russia and the Russian language in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia as a whole (Stan Radar, March 6). Kazakhstan President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, the author of the new version, did not intend this and has long opposed any linguistic radicalism. He has instead insisted that his goal was to simplify the political system by shifting from a bicameral to a unicameral legislature and by putting provisions in place that will force frequent changes in the country's leadership (Spik.kz, April 28, 2025, February 17). While all of Tokayev's changes have been widely discussed, none has attracted more attention inside the country or abroad than those affecting the status of the Russian language and the country's name (Vlast.kz, February 9; Altyn-Orda, February 17; Spik.kz, March 10).
The new basic law reduces the constitutional status of the Russian language to "alongside" rather than "in equality with" the Kazakh language and stops referring to the country as Kazakhstan, a Russian imposition, in favor of Kazakh eli, "the land of the Kazakhs." Some Kazakh nationalists do not feel the changes go far enough. They want all references to Russian eliminated from the country's basic law (Fond Strategicheskoi Kul'tury, March 3). Ethnic Russians in Kazakhstan, Kazakhs who use Russian as their primary language, and Moscow, however, are worried that they go too far and will speed the exodus of ethnic Russians from Kazakhstan as well as shifts both among Kazakhs away from using Russian and of Astana away from Moscow (Spik.kz, July 5, 2024; Novaya Gazeta Kazakhstan, February 12). Both supporters and opponents of such changes have suggested that what Kazakhstan is doing now could well be the harbinger of similar changes in other Central Asian countries, adding to the Kremlin's concern about a loss of influence and possibly even disturbing Turkiye, which has taken to calling the region Turkestan (Window on Eurasia, October 11, 2024; Altyn-Orda, February 17; Fond Strategicheskoi Kul'tury, March 3).
Mainstream Russian media have generally reported the change in status of Russian outlined in the draft Kazakhstan constitution accurately. Some Moscow commentators, however, likely reflect the thinking of many in the Kremlin, which is committed to maintaining a Russian world defined largely in terms of language. These commentators have attacked the new constitution as an insult to Russia and a threat to Moscow's influence in Kazakhstan. At the same time, relatively few have expressed concern in Kazakhstan except for Kazakh nationalists who are upset that the new basic law does not go far enough in reducing the role of Russian in their country. These sentiments are a possible bellwether of where Kazakhstan is going and where other Central Asian countries may follow. (On these patterns of reportage and discussion in Russia and Kazakhstan, see Novaya Gazeta Kazakhstan, February 12.)
The change in wording regarding language reflects the growing importance of Kazakh in the life of Kazakhstan. It will not, however negatively affect Russian speakers, Kazakh officials say (Vlast.kz, February 9). Under the current constitution, officials are obligated to provide any information they release in equal amounts in Kazakh and Russian. Under the new constitution, they will have to supply it in Russian only upon the request of the citizen involved in the proceeding or application process (see EDM, February 17). Over time, of course, that shift will likely intensify the general move away from Russian to Kazakh. Still, it is not, by itself, the kind of change that threatens relations with Moscow that some Russian commentators fear, or the failure to take action in defense of Kazakhs and against the use of Russian in Kazakhstan that Kazakh nationalists have hoped for.
Instead, this change is most obviously the product of the declining share of ethnic Russians in Kazakhstan's population over the last two generations. In the mid-1980s, ethnic Russians accounted for 38 percent of the population, outnumbering the Kazakhs. In contrast, now the ethnic Russian share of the residents of Kazakhstan has declined to 14.8 percent (Altyn-Orda, February 20). Another product is the inevitable nationalizing experiences of independence, including the often and increasingly hyperbolic attacks from Russian commentators on even the existence of Kazakhstan and threats from the Russian capital that Kazakhstan will suffer Ukraine's fate if Astana does not do what Moscow wants (e.g., Nasha Niva, February 11; Altyn-Orda, March 8).
The situation regarding the proposed change in the country's name is similar. The current constitution specifies the name as Kazakhstan, while the new one declares that it is Kazakh eli, "the land of the Kazakhs." For some time, activists and commentators in Central Asian countries have wanted to change the names of their countries now ending in "stan" because they see it as the imposition of a Soviet Russian definition of their states. They also see it as a name that leads many there and elsewhere to dismiss them as "the stans," something exotic and the objects of great power conflict rather than countries and peoples in their own right. Kazakh commentators from the Altyn-Orda portal point out that "the name 'Kazakhstan' appeared in the Soviet system of coordinates," designating a territory but not the historical traditions of the population. The portal continues, "Kazakh eli sounds different: it is not an administration formula but a name arising from the people and its history." This change thus represents "a symbolic break with the era of things Soviet: it is not a denial of history but a sign of the completion of the post-Soviet era". It does not mean that minorities such as Russians do not have a place there (Altyn-Orda, February 17).
It is already the case, these commentators say, that "the young generation does not think of itself in terms of 'the post-Soviet space.'" The youth thinks about itself in "global terms, mobile, and confident." To them, a new name is not a "radical step but a logical continuation of ongoing processes." Moreover, they stress that the term is not about exclusion but about the basis of the state. "The Kazakh people have formed the historic nucleus of statehood, but the present-day state remains a hope for all its citizens. The name fixes the cultural foundation, but it is not about any limiting of rights" (Altyn-Orda, February 17). Some ethnic Russians in Kazakhstan will see this change as threatening and decide to leave, further reducing the share of ethnic Russians in the population. Additionally, fewer ethnic Russians fleeing Putin's repression will see Kazakhstan as a welcoming place, especially if, as is rumored, Astana moves to expel some of those who have gone there since 2022 (Meduza, March 10). The Kremlin will view this as at a minimum a form of lese-majeste against it and even more likely as a Western plot to diminish Russian influence in Central Asia or even to exclude it altogether, something Moscow has no choice but to respond to.
Some may view this as a minor shift in the rules governing the use of Russian in a country far away and a quaint change in its name. In reality, it may set the stage for new tectonic shifts in the region. These shifts are likely to prove more significant than other developments that have attracted more attention in the outside world.
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Paul Goble is a longtime specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia.
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Original text here: https://jamestown.org/debate-on-new-kazakhstan-constitution-exacerbates-linguistic-and-ethnic-divides/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Ifo Institute: Middle East War Will Slow Down Growth
MUNICH, Germany, March 13 -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on March 12, 2026:
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Middle East War Will Slow Down Growth
In view of the war in the Middle East, the ifo Institute has revised its growth forecast for Germany downward. A short-term increase in energy prices would slow down economic growth this year by around 0.2 percentage points compared to pre-war estimates, meaning that the institute expects growth of 0.8 percent this year and 1.2 percent next year. "We currently expect the inflation rate to rise to just under 2.5 percent if oil and gas prices fall again within
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MUNICH, Germany, March 13 -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on March 12, 2026:
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Middle East War Will Slow Down Growth
In view of the war in the Middle East, the ifo Institute has revised its growth forecast for Germany downward. A short-term increase in energy prices would slow down economic growth this year by around 0.2 percentage points compared to pre-war estimates, meaning that the institute expects growth of 0.8 percent this year and 1.2 percent next year. "We currently expect the inflation rate to rise to just under 2.5 percent if oil and gas prices fall again withinthe next few weeks. However, if the prices for fossil fuels remain at the current greatly increased level for an extended period of time, inflation could peak at just under 3 percent. This would slow down growth by a further 0.2 percentage points to just 0.6 percent this year and by 0.4 percentage points to 0.8 percent next year," says Timo Wollmershauser, Head of Forecasts at ifo.
According to the ifo Institute, the German economy had embarked on the road to recovery at the end of 2025. This was indicated not only by the strong rise in price-adjusted gross domestic product and the increase in overall economic capacity utilization, but also by the noticeable improvement in the order situation in construction and manufacturing. "Despite the energy price shock, the recovery in Germany is likely to continue in the remainder of this year, particularly because additional government spending on infrastructure, climate neutrality and defense will be expanded and have an increasing impact on demand," says Wollmershauser.
However, the recovery is atypical for Germany, according to the ifo economic experts, because it is not supported by export business. On the contrary, they say that exports of goods have fallen further, although economic output on Germany's sales markets has increased again. Instead, the recovery was initiated by domestic stimuli in connection with the increasingly expansive fiscal policy. In the fourth quarter of 2025, public investment in equipment and government consumption in particular rose sharply, for instance.
The economic recovery will reach the labor market with a slight delay. In all scenarios, the unemployment rate for 2027 will be lower than in 2026. "When the trend reversal will come depends in turn on how long the armed conflicts in the Middle East and the accompanying economic uncertainties last," says Wollmershauser, adding that the number of people in employment would also fall again this year and not rise again until next year, as the recovery progresses.
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Key Forecast Figures for Germany
2026 ... 2027 ... 2026 ... 2027
0.6 ... 0.8 ... 1.0 ... 1.2
45 872 ... 45 960 ... 45 953 ... 46 112
3 009 ... 2 877 ... 2 937 ... 2 747
6.4 ... 6.1 ... 6.3 ... 5.9
2.5 ... 2.5 ... 2.0 ... 2.2
2.2 ... 2.5 ... 2.1 ... 2.4
-180.0 ... -203.8 ... -168.6 ... -181.8
-3.9 ... -4.3 ... -3.6 ... -3.8
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Original text here: ifo.de/en/detail-suche?size=n_10_n&filters%5B0%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B0%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&filters%5B1%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B1%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&filters%5B2%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B2%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&filters%5B3%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B3%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&sort-field=_score&sort-direction=desc
[Category: ThinkTank]
ICTD Reading List Recommendations for International's Women Day 2026
BRIGHTON, England, March 13 -- The International Centre for Tax and Development, an independent research centre that says it focuses on improving tax policy and administration in lower-income countries, issued the following news on March 12, 2026:
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ICTD reading list recommendations for International's Women Day 2026
Stories can shape the way we understand the world and the lives within it. For International Women's Day 2026, women across the ICTD team have shared a selection of reads that have stayed with them.
From novels, memoirs, and works of fiction, the recommendations reflect a wide
... Show Full Article
BRIGHTON, England, March 13 -- The International Centre for Tax and Development, an independent research centre that says it focuses on improving tax policy and administration in lower-income countries, issued the following news on March 12, 2026:
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ICTD reading list recommendations for International's Women Day 2026
Stories can shape the way we understand the world and the lives within it. For International Women's Day 2026, women across the ICTD team have shared a selection of reads that have stayed with them.
From novels, memoirs, and works of fiction, the recommendations reflect a widerange of perspectives and themes, all through the voices of women.
Adrienne Lees recommends:
The First Woman, by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Set in the brutality of Idi Amin's Uganda, this tale about power and gender roles follows a witty and charming central character discovering her place in the world, weaving together Ugandan folklore and modern feminism.
Amanda Huff recommends:
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows in this book how other living beings - asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass - offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices.
Awa Diouf recommends:
I Am Because We Are: An African Mother's Fight for the Soul of a Nation, by Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr
In this innovative and intimate memoir, a daughter tells the story of her mother, a pan-African hero who faced down misogyny and battled corruption in Nigeria.
Emilie Wilson recommends:
A Different Kind of Power, by Jacinda Ardem
The deeply personal memoir from the former prime minister of New Zealand, then the world's youngest female head of government and just the second to become a mother in office. This book is more than a political memoir. Powerfully evocative and refreshingly open, it is a profound insight into how it feels to lead, it asks: what if you, too, are capable of more than you ever imagined?
EugEnie Ribault recommends:
Marie Curie et ses filles (Marie Curie and her daughters), by Claudine Monteil
A biography presenting the lives of three extraordinary women who achieved outstanding professional success, including winning two Nobel Prizes for chemistry and becoming one of France's first female diplomats. Beyond their careers, their lifestyles contrast with the times in which they lived.
Lorena Edah recommends:
Aya de Yopougon, by Marguerite Abouet
A classic graphic novel series which follows the daily life of Aya, a studious and responsible young woman growing up in the lively neighborhood of Yopougon in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, during the late 1970s. While Aya dreams of becoming a doctor and focuses on her education, her friends Adjoua and Bintou navigate relationships, family expectations, and the social pressures of youth. Through humor and vivid portrayals of community life, the story offers a nuanced depiction of young women's aspirations, friendships, and the changing social dynamics of urban Ivorian society.
Marie Reine Mukazayire recommends:
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, by Cho Nam-Joo
This novel follows one woman's mental health journey as she confronts misogyny at every stage of her life in South Korea. I recommended it to my mother, and we were both struck by how universal its themes are -- across cultures, generations, and decades of "progress", women continue to fight similar battles.
Mary Abounabhan recommends:
Songs for the Darkness, by Iman Humaydan
The story of four generations of women from the Lebanese Dali family, residing in the village of Kasura in Mount Lebanon. These women's legacies span and echo the scarred history of an abused homeland, from the eve of the first World War to the 1982 Lebanon War. In honouring their unfulfilled lives, Iman Humaydan insistently preserves intimate stories of abundant tenacity, generosity, sacrifice--and songs, provisions sorely needed for dark times.
Meeko Angela Camba recommends:
Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in the Philippines, by Patricia Evangelista
This book documents the tens of thousands of killings that occurred in the Philippines in the name of the drug war under the presidency Rodrigo Duterte, through the eyes of trauma journalist Patricia Evangelista. While it is not an easy read (not because of the prose - it's excellently written!), it's an extremely important one as it does not only talk about the brutality and tragedy of these killings but provides insight as to how they happened (and continue to happen) in the oldest democracy in Southeast Asia.
Rhea Millward-Thompson recommends:
Girl, Woman, Other, by Bernardine Evaristo
Girl, Woman, Other is a remarkable novel that follows a cast of twelve characters as they embark on personal journeys across the United Kingdom, spanning the past hundred years. Through the interconnected stories of these black British women, Evaristo explores profound and enduring questions surrounding feminism and race. Their experiences and perspectives are woven together, offering a nuanced portrait of both individual lives and wider societal issues.
Stephanie Alkoussa recommends:
Mornings in Jenine, by Susan Abulhawa
Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary and with more than one million copies sold across the globe, Mornings in Jenin is a profoundly moving novel that explores themes of love and loss, war and oppression, heartbreak and hope. The story unfolds over the course of several decades, traversing five countries and spanning four generations, as readers are immersed in the experiences of a single family. Through their journey, the novel bears witness to the struggles faced both before and after the Zionist colonisation of Palestine.
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Original text here: https://www.ictd.ac/news/ictd-reading-list-recommendations-for-internationals-women-day-2026/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Rochester Police Involved in Fatal Officer Involved Shooting With Mentally Ill Man
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, March 13 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 12, 2026, by public safety policy fellow David Zimmer:
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Rochester police involved in fatal officer involved shooting with mentally ill man
On Wednesday evening March 11th, 2026, at about 9:30 pm, Rochester Police fatally shot a man who reportedly grabbed an officer's gun while being detained for a mental health hold. The fatal shooting was the first involving the Rochester Police Department
... Show Full Article
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, March 13 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 12, 2026, by public safety policy fellow David Zimmer:
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Rochester police involved in fatal officer involved shooting with mentally ill man
On Wednesday evening March 11th, 2026, at about 9:30 pm, Rochester Police fatally shot a man who reportedly grabbed an officer's gun while being detained for a mental health hold. The fatal shooting was the first involving the Rochester Police Departmentsince 2007, and it occurred despite a co-response by a mental health professional from the Olmsted County Crisis Response Team (CRT). The incident illustrates the difficulties and dangers facing our public safety personnel when dealing with the mentally ill.
The incident
The event began with a 911 call for a domestic related issue involving a man believed to be experiencing a mental health crisis. This triggered a co-response by the CRT member - a model becoming more common around the state and nation as a way to help de-escalate potentially volatile situations involving the mentally ill. Olmsted County's CRT co-response protocol went into effect in January 2025.
Once on scene the CRT and the police determined the man was a threat to himself and others and attempted to detain the man for transport to the hospital on a mental health hold. The man physically resisted and during the struggle he reportedly grabbed the firearm of one of the officers. Another officer assessed that action as an imminent threat to the life of those present and shot the man. Life saving measures were conducted at the scene and the man was transported to St. Mary's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
As is customary in officer involved shootings, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's (BCA) Force Investigations Unit was called to investigate the use of deadly force by the police officer. Results of that investigation will be turned over to the Olmsted County Attorney's Office who will determine, either independently or through a grand jury, whether the use of deadly force was justified under the law.
The law
Minnesota state statute 609.066 authorizes peace officers to use deadly force in limited situations including:
""...if an objectively reasonable officer would believe, based on the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the time and without the benefit of hindsight, that such force is necessary:"
"(1) to protect the peace officer or another from death or great bodily harm, provided that the threat:
"(i) can be articulated with specificity;
"(ii) is reasonably likely to occur absent action by the law enforcement officer; and
"(iii) must be addressed through the use of deadly force without unreasonable delay...""
The investigative and legal determination process can take months to over a year to complete. The officers involved have likely been placed on administrative leave for several days, and the Rochester Police Department will evaluate when each officer is fit for a return to duty on an individual basis.
Based on the limited information available, it appears the response was handled properly, especially as it included the CRT co-response in an effort to de-escalate the volatile situation. The fatal shooting illustrates that despite best practices being employed, dealing with the mentally ill in a crisis can turn dangerous for first responders without warning - a heartbreaking reality for everyone involved.
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David Zimmer is a Public Safety Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
David.Zimmer@americanexperiment.org
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Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/rochester-police-involved-in-fatal-officer-involved-shooting-with-mentally-ill-man/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Don't Make Europe's Mistake on Nuclear Power
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, March 13 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 11, 2026, by policy fellow Bill Glahn:
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Don't make Europe's mistake on nuclear power
It was a "strategic mistake" for Europe to "turn its back on a reliable, affordable source of low-emissions power." That's Bloomberg quoting the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, no less.
The occasion for her remarks was a nuclear power summit being held in Paris this week. Bloomberg
... Show Full Article
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, March 13 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 11, 2026, by policy fellow Bill Glahn:
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Don't make Europe's mistake on nuclear power
It was a "strategic mistake" for Europe to "turn its back on a reliable, affordable source of low-emissions power." That's Bloomberg quoting the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, no less.
The occasion for her remarks was a nuclear power summit being held in Paris this week. Bloombergreported that she noted "that only 15% of Europe's electricity comes from nuclear sources compared with a third in 1990."
That's left the continent too dependent on energy from Russia and the Middle East. Bloomberg notes that,
"[Pres.] von der Leyen announced a Euros200 million guarantee to support private investment in innovative nuclear technology backed by the the Emissions Trading System, the cornerstone of the EU's climate policy."
Minnesota made a similar strategic mistake back in 1994 when the state government formally banned the construction of new nuclear power plants. Fast forward 32 years later, and the state still gets around a quarter of all it its electricity from the two nuclear plants owned by the state's largest utility, Xcel Energy. All of the state's nuclear units date from the early 1970's, about 20 years before the moratorium was put in place. In the one-third of a century since, no significant incidents have occurred.
Future generations will wish that the moratorium was lifted in time to keep this "reliable, affordable source of low-emissions power" as part of the state's portfolio.
For more see our campaign at FreeTheNukes.Com.
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Bill Glahn is a Policy Fellow with Center of the American Experiment.
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Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/dont-make-europes-mistake-on-nuclear-power/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: DFL Political Word Games Will Have Real Costs for All Students
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, March 13 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 11, 2026, by policy fellow Catrin Wigfall:
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DFL political word games will have real costs for all students
The Minnesota House Education Finance Committee held a hearing Tuesday (March 10) on H.F. 3490, which would opt Minnesota into a new federal education tax-credit program that allows scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) to provide scholarships to eligible public school, non-public
... Show Full Article
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, March 13 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 11, 2026, by policy fellow Catrin Wigfall:
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DFL political word games will have real costs for all students
The Minnesota House Education Finance Committee held a hearing Tuesday (March 10) on H.F. 3490, which would opt Minnesota into a new federal education tax-credit program that allows scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) to provide scholarships to eligible public school, non-publicschool, and homeschool students.
The federal tax-credit program was enacted by Congress last summer and is now part of federal law. However, scholarships will only be awarded if governors opt their states into the program. More than half of states have announced their intent to participate, but Minnesota is not among them. H.F. 3490 would change that, adding Minnesota to the list.
As a federal tax-credit program, opting in would not increase state spending or reduce public education funding. Instead, it would expand educational support for Minnesota students through private donations incentivized by federal tax credits while leaving existing state education dollars unchanged.
Because roughly 90 percent of Minnesota students attend public schools, most students eligible for scholarships would likely come from the public school system -- a point I emphasized in my testimony. Despite this, several Democratic legislators indicated they would oppose the bill because it would allow private school students to receive scholarships too.
Democratic legislators also repeatedly referred to the bill as a "voucher" program, as did testimony from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota School Boards Association. However, the proposal operates differently. Unlike vouchers, the tax-credit scholarship program is funded by private donations, not direct government payments. Vouchers can typically only be used toward tuition at non-public schools. The federal tax-credit scholarship can be used by eligible students in all learning environments for a variety of educational services.
Perhaps the distinctions between the two policies simply aren't understood, given that the "voucher" label continued to be used throughout the hearing. Or perhaps using the politically loaded language is more convenient for opponents.
Either way, by the end of the hearing, the policy divide became clear. Democratic legislators on the committee are willing to jeopardize millions in potential scholarships for public school students just to block non-public school students from receiving the scholarships as well.
This opposition reflects longstanding resistance to school choice policies, but it reaches a new level with this policy, considering it would significantly benefit public school students and teachers.
For example, public school students could use the scholarships for supplemental services such as tutoring, specialized therapies, test preparation courses, or exam fees. They could also use the dollars for supplies, an expense teachers often pay out of pocket. According to estimates from Education Reform Now, if just 30 percent of Minnesota taxpayers made donations to SGOs and took the full federal tax credit ($1,700), more than $487 million could be available for scholarships each year.
Refusing to opt in will come at a great cost to Minnesota students in all learning environments, while the "wealthy" families that Democratic legislators decry as the only beneficiaries will see no negative impact. They, along with other interested Minnesota taxpayers, can still claim the dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit by donating to eligible SGOs in the 27 other states that have already opted in, including our neighbors North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.
Those philanthropic dollars should remain here in Minnesota, supporting our students, our schools, and our communities. Regrettably, misinformation and political word games could make students statewide pay the price.
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Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL-Minneapolis) wasted no time speaking out against the "private school vouchers" that would be "at the expense of everyday kids earning a public education."
Listen below to American Experiment's Bill Walsh fact-check her claims.
Spoiler alert: Rep. Jordan fails the lie detector test.
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Catrin Wigfall is a Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
catrin.wigfall@americanexperiment.org
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Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/dfl-political-word-games-will-have-real-costs-for-all-students/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center for American Progress: How the Trump Administration Could Lower Energy Prices and What It's Doing Instead
WASHINGTON, March 13 (TNSrep) -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release:
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How the Trump Administration Could Lower Energy Prices and What It's Doing Instead
The Trump administration is reportedly looking for ways to lower energy prices that are surging due to the needless war against Iran. But a new analysis (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-the-trump-administration-could-lower-energy-prices-and-what-it-is-doing-instead/) from the Center for American Progress finds that Trump administration officials are not pursuing some of the most obvious solutions
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 13 (TNSrep) -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release:
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How the Trump Administration Could Lower Energy Prices and What It's Doing Instead
The Trump administration is reportedly looking for ways to lower energy prices that are surging due to the needless war against Iran. But a new analysis (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-the-trump-administration-could-lower-energy-prices-and-what-it-is-doing-instead/) from the Center for American Progress finds that Trump administration officials are not pursuing some of the most obvious solutionsthat would have the most impact.
This analysis outlines four actions the Trump administration could take if it really cared about delivering lower gas and energy prices to Americans instead of increasing profits for the oil industry:
* End the war in Iran to restore normalcy to the energy markets and bring gasoline and home energy prices back down.
* Restore tax rebates and fuel economy standards that made the country less dependent on oil and reduced Americans' exposure to price fluctuations caused by global crises.
* Change the export policies for oil and liquefied natural gas to decrease the exposure of Americans to spikes in the price of oil and natural gas.
* Institute a windfall profits tax to ensure that oil companies can't reap major financial benefits during a crisis at the expense of the American people.
Instead of pursuing these real solutions, the Trump administration has taken harmful actions such as waiving Russian oil sanctions and waiving shipping laws that protect American workers. These and other proposals will result in negligible cost savings for Americans yet keep the oil and gas industry's profits intact.
Read the analysis: "How the Trump Administration Could Lower Energy Prices and What It Is Doing Instead" (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-the-trump-administration-could-lower-energy-prices-and-what-it-is-doing-instead/) by Courtney Federico, Sophie Conroy, Leo Banks, and Jenny Rowland-Shea
For more information, or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at shananel@americanprogress.org.
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Original text here: https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release-how-the-trump-administration-could-lower-energy-prices-and-what-its-doing-instead/
[Category: ThinkTank]
