Common Sense School Reform

Frederick Hess, Beacon Hill Institute – June, 2004 (Guest Columnist)   A Measure of the Need for Reform America’s schools are in a state of crisis. Few of our schools are excellent, many are mediocre, and yet we, the adults responsible, are content to tinker and theorize. Demands for radical change are consistently met by protestations […]

Wheels of Justice or Wheels of Hate?

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL May, 2004    “Wheels of Justice” is an organization made up of individuals who disguise themselves as an advocates of “peace” and love for all. They were recruited to speak to two sophomore classes at North Andover High School by history teacher Barry Humphreys, who didn’t clear it with Superintendent Harry Harutunian […]

Education Myths Debunked by Real Life Examples

PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN   By: Tom Duggan – May, 2004 Recent headlines in Merrimack Valley newspapers have proven that the sacred cow ideologies of public education espoused by liberals are in fact, myths. Myth #1 Money equals education: Most people have bought into the myth that spending more money on education results in […]

Torture at the Hands of the IRS

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL   April, 2004 While working on your Federal tax returns you may come across the following general rule taken verbatim from Title 26, Subtitle A, Chapter 1, Subchapter Q, Part II, Section 1311 (a): General rule — If a determination (as defined in section 1313) is described in one or more of […]

Marcos Devers Has it Right More Speech is Always Better – Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan

Marcos Devers Has it Right More Speech is Always Better – Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan

  March, 2004 When Lawrence City Councilor Marcos Devers was council president (2001-2003) there were no limits on discussion. Members of the public and fellow councilors had no limit on debate as long as the topic was on the agenda. Devers had a basic philosophy that his fellow councilors would be wise to adopt; more […]

Let the Market Dictate Insurance Rates

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL   March, 2004  Mayor Sullivan wants the legislature to modify the formula for auto insurance rates. The solution lies not in tinkering with government regulations, but in eliminating them.  Massachusetts’ legislators have been trying to engineer our auto insurance system for decades and they just can’t seem it get it right. But […]

Specious Education (a.k.a. Special Education) – Thinking Outside the Box

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX   By: Dr. Charles Ormsby – January, 2004 Specious: Adj. 1. Seemingly fair, attractive, sound or true, but actually not so. While “Specious” may not describe Special Education perfectly, it comes pretty close. Special Education is not fair, attractive, or sound, and any claim that it is an effective way to […]

Outgoing President, Devers Says Council Drove Last Two Years

Outgoing President, Devers Says Council Drove Last Two Years

(on Loan from Tom Duggan’s Private Archive)   Text of Marcos Devers’ Speech 01/02/2004  Good evening:  Mr. Mayor, City Councilors, current and past authorities, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight we are saying farewell to two years of great achievements performed by the City Council that served during the term 2002-2004. Councilors Alvarez-Rodriguez, Blanchette, Dimarca, Frechette, Gosselin, Kolofoles, […]

Move Afoot to Unseat Devers As Lawrence Council President

  By: Tom Duggan  –  November 18, 2003 (on Loan from Tom Duggan’s Private Records – Published originally on tommyduggan.com) According to some current and soon-to-be City Councilors there is a move afoot to replace Council President, Marcos Devers in January with Council Vice-President Patrick Blanchette. Some on the Council have complained that President Devers created […]

Why the Left Hates America

Why do they Hate you so much Mr. President?    By: Tom Duggan This column was originally posted on tommyduggan.com in November of 2003.  Yesterday, a reporter asked President Bush why the protesters hate him so much. Bush gave the diplomatic answer, saying that “freedom is wonderful” and reminding the world that the people of […]