Category: Uncategorized
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Three Former Rectors Defend Former Hospital CEO
by James A. Bacon Three former rectors of the University of Virginia have written a letter defending Craig Kent, the UVA Health system CEO who resigned in February after an investigation into alleged abuses at the UVA Medical Center. “We have a strong impression that there may be just a very small handful of doctors…
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What Does This Tell You?
After the University of Virginia Board of Visitors passed a resolution abolishing the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and banning racial preferences at the university earlier this month, it took a week or longer for the University administration to take down the DEI web page — and only after the newly-fired board member Bert…
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Ethiopians, Unite!
Who knew that many of the unarmed security guards at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport are of Ethiopian origin? For that matter, who knew there were so many Ethiopians working in any capacity at Reagan National and Washington Dulles International? Or that many have worked there as long as 15 years? Or that many are…
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The Cadet Fact Checks VMI Superintendent
by James A. Bacon Two weeks ago, following the decision of the Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors not to renew his contract, Superintendent Cedric T. Wins, defended his record and asserted that the Board’s decision was influenced by political bias rather than job performance. Bacon’s Rebellion posted his statement here. The Cadet, VMI’s independent…
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Geology and the Civil War
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Just about any aspect of Virginia history is intertwined with the Civil War, and geology is no exception. Pictured is the Catherine Furnace on Massanutten Mountain. Some of the pig iron used in Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond to manufacture cannons and other items for the Confederacy came out of this furnace.…
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Should SATs Be Optional in College Admissions?
By James A. Bacon What might a meritocratic admissions system at the University of Virginia look like now that the Board of Visitors has banned racial preferences across the board? Board members got a glimpse at some of the factors that could be considered and the tradeoffs involved during a discussion two weeks ago during…
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Regulate It, Make It Unaffordable, Subsidize It
by James A. Bacon “If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” So said former President Ronald Reagan in one of his pithier takedowns of government intervention in the economy. I don’t believe that daycare providers were ever singled out for taxation, but here in…
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Statement of Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85
Virginia Military Institute Superintendent Cedric T. Wins, whose contract the Board of Visitors declined to renew, published a statement March 6 in defense of his tenure. Given all the commentary we have published that was critical of Wins, I thought it appropriate to share his perspective. — JAB I am extremely proud of what my…
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The Social Cost of Free Lunch
By Derrick Max After failing to pass legislation last year that would have made breakfast and lunch free for all public school students regardless of income (at a staggering cost of $201.5 million), state Senator Danika Roem, D-Manassas,) pared down that bill to focus solely on funding a universal free school breakfast program this session. Fortunately, the…
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Bacon Bits: Culture War Updates
GMU free speech conundrum. The George Mason University Board of Visitors passed the following resolution on antisemitism last month after extensive debate, reports the GMU student newspaper The Fourth Estate: “This board directs the University, including all of its administrative departments, offices, schools, and academic units, to refrain from sponsoring or endorsing any organization, event,…
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The Trump Tariffs and Virginia Farmers
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Virginia farmers will soon feel the effect of President Trump’s 25 percent across-the-board tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 percent tariff on products from China. According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer services, the top two export markets for Viriginia agricultural products in 2023…