Campaign and Legislative Update

Dear Friends,Since my last letter to you, a lot has happened in this race for US Senate.

Last Saturday I attended the Valencia County GOP Convention and was surprised to hear my opponent say that England had chosen to live in a ‘moral vacuum’ and that as a result, England exports more jihadist terrorists than any country in the Middle East.

February/March 2008 Florida Education Monthly

New Report Ranks Nation’s 21 School Choice Programs

Friedman Foundation

A new report by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, “Grading School Choice: Evaluating School Choice Programs by the Friedman Gold Standard,” grades the nation’s 21 existing school choice programs based on how well they live up to the standard of providing school choice for all.

At the head of the class is Florida’s McKay voucher program which earned top marks for providing options to the state’s special needs students. The other top graded programs were in Georgia, Arizona, Vermont, Ohio and Maine. Minnesota’s personal tax deduction & credit received the lowest grade.

For complete article click here: http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/friedman/newsroom/ShowNewsReleaseItem.do?id=20098

To download the complete report click here: http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/friedman/downloadFile.do?id=268

Class-size limits could be eased

Proposal would change way class sizes are measured

Tallahassee Democrat

By Jim Ash

School districts would get some breathing room from constitutionally mandated class-size limits under a proposal that advanced Monday in the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.

Supporters say the measure that passed the Governmental Services Committee would save districts $3.6 billion over the next two years by allowing districts to calculate class sizes based on a district average rather than the school-based average mandated by a 2002 constitutional amendment.

The proposed constitutional amendment would have to be approved by 60 percent of voters in November if it makes it through other committees and a supermajority of the full commission. It would make it easier for districts to reach the mandated 18-student maximum for pre-K through third grade, 22-student maximum in fourth through eighth grades and 25-student maximum in grades nine through 12.

For complete article click here: http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/CAPITOLNEWS/802260330/1010/NEWS01

Chancellor: no changes to Bright Futures scholarships this year

Associated Press

ByDavid Royse

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Bright Futures scholarships, which give top high school graduates a free ride to Florida universities, won’t be targeted for change this year, the state’s top university system official said Thursday.

University presidents and others have said the scholarships are costing the state too much and, with the state facing financial difficulties, officials have contemplated capping the program.

Students with a 3.5 grade point average and good test scores are eligible for full scholarships. Students with 3.0 GPAs and good scores can get partial rides.

For complete article click here:http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_BRIGHT_FUTURES_FLOL-?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-02-28-18-12-26

Lawmakers want to expand school vouchers

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants to double the size of one of Florida’s existing private-school voucher programs within the next five years.

Miami Herald

By Gary Fineout

TALLAHASSEE — In a year when money for public schools is likely to be cut, some Republican and Democratic lawmakers want to dramatically expand the number of children who get private-school vouchers.

The legislation, which would apply to a statewide program aimed at low-income families, would also increase the amount that vouchers are worth and would allow the voucher amount to grow each year.

Such a move could lead to thousands of additional South Florida students heading to private schools, since a quarter of all children already served by the program are from Miami-Dade and Broward counties. There are now roughly 20,000 children enrolled statewide, and the legislation would grow the number by 5,000 children a year for the next five years.

For complete article click here: http://www.miamiherald.com/295/story/438283.html

Speakers’ Bureau

Need a speaker for your next event? JMI’s team and network of scholars are available to headline or participate in your organization’s next gathering. JMI staff will help you match the topic with the appropriate speaker. To learn more contact Leanna at 850-386-3131 or Leanna@jamesmadison.org.

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JMI accepts no government funding so we rely on contributions from people like you. Giving to the Institute is now easier than ever with our secure, online system powered by PayPal. Your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law; your greatest benefit will be a freer and more prosperous Florida. For more information about becoming a JMI member, visit our Membership page or contact Francisco Gonzalez at 850-383-4625 or FGonzalez@jamesmadison.org.

Sen. Graham Returns to Iraq for Military Service

Sen. Graham is in Iraq to complete a third tour of duty according to Stars and Stripes. He was in Iraq in May and August of 2007 as well for short tours of duty. He is an Air FOrce Reservist and teaches at the Judge Advocate General School in Alabama.

Graham told Stars and Stripes in an interview “I’d like to do more, but [with] the day job, you know in the Senate, it’s hard to get away for any long period.”

Graham is proving again that he is dedicated to serving his country, both in uniform and out. It may seem odd for a politician to be in uniform, but there is precedent stretching back in history and Sen. Graham is just another link in that proud history.

The Permanent Things

Exclusive ISI Volunteer Membership Deal Through February Only! Recruit 10 New ISI Members and Receive a Russell Kirk Poster and Copy of The American Cause! Simply… Print out this “Join the Battles of Ideas” recruitment form (PDF) Enlist at least ten (10) students and/or faculty for a complimentary academic membership with ISI (through which they’ll receive, twice annually, The Intercollegiate Review!) Mail your forms to: T. Kenneth Cribb, II Program Officer for Campus Leadership, Intercollegiate Studies Institute 3801 Centerville Rd, Wilmington, DE 19807 *Fax: (302) 652-1760

Spread the Gift of ISI on Your Campus Request Your Back-to-School Recruitment Package Today! Student and faculty membership is the backbone of ISI. As a Campus Representative or Faculty Associate, we depend on you to work aggressively on your campus to recruit new members. It is through ISI membership that our constituents receive The Intercollegiate Review and stay apprised of our integrated educational program. With the start of the spring semester, it is time to begin thinking of efficient methods of promoting ISI on your campus! Setting up an ISI exhibition table is one of the most fun and effective ways to enlist new students and faculty to join the battle of ideas. Optimal sites to set up your table are at student club fairs, back-to-school events, or any day in the most popular campus locations during peak class hours. Upon request, ISI will supply you with the materials needed to exhibit and recruit at your college or university. Please contact Kenneth Cribb, II at kcribb2@isi.org or (800) 526-7022, ext. 119, for your back-to-school recruitment package today! Don’t forget about ISI’s Membership Recruitment Rewards! For every 5 new members registered for ISI membership, ISI will send one free title from ISI Books. For every 25 new members, ISI offers 7 free titles. In addition to receiving free books, the ISI member that recruits the most members each month, will earn the title “ISI Campus Volunteer of the Month” and will be recognized in The Permanent Things for his or her efforts.

ISI Campus Volunteer of the Month Joshua Bachman, Regent University This month, ISI is recognizing Mr. Joshua Bachman, a joint degree-seeker in government (M.A.) and law (J.D.) at Regent University, for his outstanding efforts as founder and president of The Webster-Calhoun Debate Society, an ISI Associated Group comprised of students and faculty within the university community. For its inaugural symposium, The Webster-Calhoun Debate Society took on the resolution, “All government welfare programs ought to end.” The resolution was based on Frederic Bastiat’s classic tract on liberty, The Law. The ambitious resolution failed 16-12, Bachman reports, but not without playful “bouts of name-calling and finger wagging.” “I want ISI to be with me from intellectual cradle to grave!” exclaims Mr. Bachman, who first learned of ISI as a college-bound high school student through ISI’s bestselling college guide, Choosing the Right College. When he is not bogged down with coursework, Bachman likes to spend his time immersed in political philosophy and British and ancient history. Thank you for your tireless leadership as an ISI Associated Group Leader, Joshua!

Simon Fellowship for Noble Purpose Deadline Approaching Fast! Turn Your Dream Into a Reality with $40,000! ISI has established the William E. Simon Fellowship for Noble Purpose to recognize graduating college seniors who are pursuing lives dedicated to and distinguished by honor, generosity, service, and respect. The William E. Simon Fellowship seeks to encourage a fresh appreciation of the importance of the moral and spiritual dimensions of life for all peoples and cultures. Projects may focus on a variety of causes, including education, the building of civil society, life issues, and service opportunities at home and abroad. The Simon Fellowship is a $40,000 unrestricted cash grant awarded to those graduating college seniors who have demonstrated passion, dedication, a high capacity for self-direction, and originality in pursuit of a goal that will strengthen civil society. In addition, two $5,000 cash awards are given to two other outstanding students. Examples of how recipients may use the award include: Engage directly in the civic life of their community. Help to create opportunity for others, including job creation. Advance their expertise (including pursuit of a graduate degree). Fund the ultimate realization of their noble purpose. For more information, please go to www.simonfellowship.org, or contact simon@isi.org.

Hey Students, Want to Work at ISI for the Summer? The Lehrman American Studies Center at ISI is looking for a bright, outgoing undergraduate or graduate student to fill its Summer Fellow in American Studies internship position. The deadline for applying is February 15, 2008.  Fellows will receive $4,000 in compensation plus all official travel costs. Apply today! Click here for a full job description (PDF). For more information, please contact Kelly Hanlon at (302) 652-4600, ext.135, or lehrman@isi.org.

ISI Volunteer Essay of the Month “Learning in War-Time (PDF),” by C. S. Lewis The essence of conservatism is grasped only through the rigorous study and deep reflection of the central (and competing) ideas of the conservative disposition. At ISI, we are committed to the exploration and celebration of the cultural, spiritual, and economic principles that define the West. Knowing that, each edition of The Permanent Things will contain one carefully selected reading by ISI staff . . . or by you. If you would like to recommend an essay, please send it to Kenneth Cribb, II at kcribb2@isi.org. Include a brief paragraph explaining the rationale for your selection. January’s essay selection has been recommended by the Institute’s newest addition, Mr. Douglas Minson, who serves as Executive Director of Educational Programs.  Mr. Minson has recommended C. S. Lewis’ timely essay, “Learning In War-Time,” for your edification. He offers the following introductory insights: “Unlike the students at Oxford to whom C. S. Lewis offered this lay sermon on vocation on the brink of World War II, there is little indication that American students are restless to leave their studies to join in our country’s own military efforts. Which is not to say that there is not a host of pressing concerns to draw students away from their studies. Perhaps a better analogue to Lewis’ time is the 2008 election season that is now in full swing. The conscientious and civic-minded young people who appreciate the work of ISI cannot help but find the campaign season alluring—as they rightly should. But even these substantial concerns must be considered in light of the permanent and enduring, and care given to one’s own existential obligations. ‘“Learning in War-Time” provides timely application of timeless wisdom. Lewis’ sage counsel is both a compelling charge and insightful aid to engaging in the Socratic Operation of self-examination. As the intoxicating enthusiasm of a presidential election mounts, Lewis offers a sobering chaser to the strong drink of retail politics.”

2008-09 Honors Conference Deadline February 28 This year’s Honors Program will examine “Civilization and Civilizations: The West in Context” and applications must be postmarked by Thursday, February 28, 2008. The Summer Conferences will be held in Québec City June 23-June 29 & July 28-August 3, 2008. The ISI Honors Program is a highly selective, year-long mentoring fellowship for fifty of the nation’s most promising undergraduates. Honors Fellows are assigned an Academic Mentor who guides them through reading projects and advises on intellectual questions and career options. Fellows explore the West’s intellectual tradition at a week-long, all-expenses-paid summer conference, at a weekend colloquia, and through an online listserv. Fellows receive an array of ISI publications, including American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia and Modern Age, and are notified of employment, fellowship, and internship opportunities. For more information on the Honors Program, please contact John Joseph Shanley at honors@isi.org or (800) 526-7022.

Coming to a Campus Near You ISI’s Culture of Enterprise Lecture Series Part of ISI’s ongoing Culture of Enterprise Initiative (COE)—an international educational and publishing initiative funded by the John Templeton Foundation that also includes an undergraduate essay contest; significant book and article awards; and a new book series—the COE Lecture Series is designed each year to bring ten renowned scholars from the interdisciplinary field of humane economics and culture to major cities across the country for the purpose of examining, in an age of globalization, the cultural underpinnings of moral, prosperous market societies. This year’s line-up reflects the intellectual and professional diversity of our stable of speakers, as it is our intent to help bridge the gap that still exists between the theoretical world of the scholarly community and the practical worlds of business and public affairs, and will include speakers like: Dr. Thomas E. Woods Senior Fellow, The Ludwig von Mises Institute “Prosperity and Globalization: What Recent History Can Teach the Churches” (download) Dr. Roger Scruton Public Intellectual and author of The West and the Rest (ISI Books) “The Free Market and the Common Good: Wilhelm Ropke and the Future of the Humane Economy” Dr. Nick Capaldi The Legendre-Soule Distinguished Chair in Business Ethics Loyola University – New Orleans “The Ethical Foundations of Free Market Societies” (download) Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse Senior Fellow, The Acton Institute “A Humane Alternative to Modern Feminism: Free-Market, Family-Friendly, Faith-Filled” For more information about the lectures series and the overall initiative, please go to www.cultureofenterprise.org.

Notes from the Field Networking Advice from a Guide on the Side Take a look at this insightful perspective on giving and receiving career insights as prepared by the Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence. Those serving as mentors as well as individuals seeking advice will benefit from this short guide to making the most of your next ‘networking’ encounter. http://www.actonmba.org/pdfs/NaiveNet_PROR1.pdf

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“I got my diploma from the university, but I received my education from ISI.”—ISI Member

Letter to Senator Kit Bond regarding Foreign Intelligence Srveillance

I believe that your office is trying to cover up the President’s wrongdoing. According to the Washington Times there is an assessment from your office that says the following: “There is nothing new or aggressive about relying on Article II authority in the context of foreign intelligence surveillance.”

There would be nothing new or aggressive about relying on Article II authority in the realm of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance if there had been no FISA in 1978, no Patriot Act in 2001 & 2006 and the Protect America Act last year. These laws set a framework of how the President is supposed to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance. He cannot use Article II authority to do something that the law does allow. Congress makes the laws and the President signs them. Why should this be the case if we are going to allow a President to conduct activities that run a foul of the law and claim Article II protection so that anything can be done that the President likes; when the President likes. I keep emphasizing the President because this would apply to any President not just this one.