The Forum Archives | Georgia Public Policy Foundation

News Release: Foundation President McCutchen Stepping Down at Year’s End

posted 1 year ago on November 30th, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release November 30, 2017 Contact: Benita Dodd, Georgia Public Policy Foundation benitadodd@georgiapolicy.org | (404) 256-4050 Foundation President Kelly McCutchen Stepping Down at Year’s End Atlanta – Kelly McCutchen, President and CEO of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation since 2010, is stepping down at the end of 2017 to devote more of his time to health care policy. McCutchen, who was Assistant Vice President in the Trust Department of Trust Company Bank in Atlanta before joining the Georgia Public Policy Foundation in 1993, will continue his relationship with the Foundation as a Senior Fellow. In 2018, he will become Executive Director of the Healthcare Institute for National Renewal and Innovation (HINRI), a venture philanthropy located in Atlanta.… View Article

A Thanksgiving to be Grateful for Leaders with Integrity

posted 1 year ago on November 17th, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

By Benita M. Dodd (Third in a series on the speakers at the 2017 Georgia Legislative Policy Forum held in Atlanta on October 13, 2017) When the Georgia Public Policy Foundation invited Tim Huelskamp to be the lunch keynote speaker for the 2017 Georgia Legislative Policy Forum in Atlanta, the former Kansas Congressman readily agreed, with one caveat: He had to get back home to Illinois that day in time for his children’s football games. It took some tweaking of the October 13 Forum schedule, but the father of four was home in time. But his simple expectation speaks volumes about the values of the new president of the Illinois-based Heartland Institute. Huelskamp, a fifth-generation family farmer in Kansas, farmed… View Article

Friday Facts: November 17, 2017

posted 1 year ago on November 17th, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

It’s Friday! We’re saddened to share with you the news of the passing of Dr. Michael H. Mescon, the 2016 recipient of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s prestigious Freedom Award at the Foundation’s 25th anniversary celebration. The Freedom Award is presented by the Foundation to a notable Georgian who has exemplified the principles of private enterprise and personal integrity. Quotes of note “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day … View Article

New Report Lauds Transit Contracting

posted 1 year ago on November 15th, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

By Baruch Feigenbaum In late September, the Eno Center for Transportation released “A Bid for Better Transit,” a report focused on improving transit service via contracted operations. I recommend reading this well-written report, which provides a snapshot of contracting throughout the world. U.S. transit service has long been among the worst in the developed world. One of the biggest differences between U.S. and European agencies is the prevalence of contracting for services. In Europe contracting out is a normal procedure. But in this country, contracting is bitterly fought by unions, urban Democrats and some transit rider groups as inherently inferior to directly operated service. The Eno report starts by providing a history of U.S. transit operations. It reminds… View Article

Foundation Mourns Passing of Dr. Michael H. Mescon, 2016 Freedom Award Recipient

posted 1 year ago on November 13th, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Atlanta — Dr. Michael “Mike” H. Mescon, 2016 recipient of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Freedom Award, “father of economic education in Georgia,” and the man The Wall Street Journal once called “the Pied Piper of Private Enterprise,” passed away in Atlanta Sunday night. He was 87. Sharing the news of Dr. Mescon’s death in an email today, Dr. David Martin, a longtime friend, said, “He leaves us all with a wonderful legacy. What an honor it has been for all of us to know and work with him.” Dr. Martin, executive director of the Georgia Council on Economic Education from 1979 until retiring this year, presented the prestigious 2016 Freedom Award to Dr. Mescon on behalf of the Georgia… View Article

Despite the Hype, Changes in Sea Level Turn on a Dime

posted 1 year ago on November 10th, 2017 by admin 2 Comments

By Harold Brown Anybody paying attention to 2017’s hurricanes and, even more recently, the Paris Agreement, is aware that political posturing amplifies how complicated and controversial is the science of climate change and, with it, sea level rise. Environmentalist activists see sea level rise as a catastrophe in the making – the simple result of melting glaciers and ice caps and warming of the oceans. But the complications mire this in controversy ever since global warming became popular. According to the International Panel on Climate Change, the global sea level rose at the “very likely” rate of 1.7 millimeters per year from 1901-2010. Therein lies one of the complexities. Imagine the difficulty in accurately measuring the increase when the sea… View Article

Friday Facts: November 10, 2017

posted 1 year ago on November 10th, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

It’s Friday! Quotes of note “From the first shots of the American Revolution until this day, what has distinguished American Patriots then and now is their willingness to sacrifice all in defense of Liberty — for themselves and their posterity. It’s an unfortunate truth today, however, that too many Americans know too little of such devotion and sacrifice. This week, we observe Veterans Day, first designated Armistice Day marking the end of World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. In 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower, former Supreme Allied Commander of World War II, signed legislation formally changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day.” – Mark Alexander “It is the soldier,… View Article

2017 Forum Delivers on Education Innovation

posted 1 year ago on November 3rd, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

By Benita M. Dodd Ask around the Gold Dome whether Georgians can expect significant reform in education in 2018 and you’ll probably hear, “It’s an election year; nobody wants to rock the boat.” Ask those who heard Vicki Davis and Gordon Rogers outline opportunities in Georgia education during their talks at the 2017 Georgia Legislative Policy Forum and you’ll hear optimism: Change can still happen, for students, teachers and classrooms. Davis’ infectious enthusiasm reflects why the teacher from the tiny town of Camilla, Ga. – blogger “Cool Cat Teacher” – has 138,000 Twitter followers, hosts two iTunes chart-topping podcasts and has logged more than 200,000 views on her YouTube tutorials. “Every single child can learn,” Davis insists; they just… View Article

Friday Facts: November 3, 2017

posted 1 year ago on November 3rd, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

It’s Friday! Quotes of note “What can only be taught by the rod and with blows will not lead to much good; they will not remain pious any longer than the rod is behind them.” – Martin Luther, who posted his 95 Theses on the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church in Germany 500 years ago this week and launching the Protestant Reformation “Friend, you cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. And what one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government can’t give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody. And when half of the people get the idea they don’t… View Article

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