Academics and state wealth
By David Shaffer and David Wright, Special to Stateline.org, posted 03/17/2010

This commentary is provided by David Shaffer and David Wright of The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute

States that once could dangle their low costs of doing business to lure industry from other states have suddenly faced competition from even lower-cost places such as China and Southeast Asia. Many have been scrambling to catch up with ever-growing packages of tax incentives and grants. But while states scramble, the ground has shifted beneath them. The economic development contest is changing.

In a Stateline.org commentary, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government's David Schaffer and David Wright argue that the key asset states must now deploy in the "knowledge economy" is, actually, knowledge.

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Politically Uncorrected: The 99 percent rule
By G. Terry Madonna and Michael L. Young, syndicated columnists, posted 02/24/2010

Call it the 99 percent rule. 99 percent of criminal trials only matter to a small cadre of participants. Defendants, victims, judges, defense lawyers, and prosecutors all play their respective roles. And, of course, society has an abstract stake in it all. But win, lose or draw it is this finite group for whom the personal stakes are the highest and the outcome truly matters. Read More

An era of federal opportunity for cities and regions?
By Neal Peirce, syndicated columnist, posted 02/14/2010

WASHINGTON — For America’s cities and regions, this seems the worst of times. But take a look at their partnership with the federal government. It’s a rapid turn for the better. Read More

Politically Uncorrected: The mandate myth
By G. Terry Madonna and Michael L. Young, syndicated columnists, posted 01/29/2010

“Voters,” political scientist V.O. Key famously remarked, “are not fools.” By and large that’s true. The specious corollary drawn by many politicians, however, is not so true. Since voters are not fools, politicians reason, they must have clear, thoughtful, and decisive expectations for a new president coming into office. By and large that’s false. Read More

States' fiscal agony: No end in sight?
By Neal Peirce, syndicated columnist, posted 01/24/2010

“This may be the most calamitous fiscal year states have known in decades,” reports Rob Gurwitt in Governing magazine, the 23-year old bible on coverage of state and local governance across the continent. Read More

Politically Uncorrected: Restoring confidence
By G. Terry Madonna and Michael L. Young, syndicated columnists, posted 01/23/2010

It’s pretty grim. The successive crises of the last several years have produced the greatest erosion of public confidence in the Pennsylvania legislature in modern history. The low confidence levels have been repeatedly demonstrated in recent polls. Last month’s Quinnipiac University Poll reported only one in four voters approve of the job the state legislature is doing. Read More

State political trends in 2007, 2008 showcased in "Out There" columns
By Louis Jacobson, Special to Stateline.org

The political seasons of 2007 and 2008 are chronicled in a series of "Out There" columns written by political journalist Louis Jacobson and published by Stateline.org. Read More