Today’s Links: September 13, 2012

OPINION

MATTHEW YGLESIAS: “For Immigrant Kids, Canada and Australia Are The Real Lands Of Opportunity”
“The story of immigrant success—usually hard work for modest gain on the part of the migrant, rewarded by bountiful opportunity for the migrant’s children—is an ingrained part of the American cultural fabric. But is it really true that ‘only in America’ do these opportunities suggest? Some new research indicates that Canada and Australia, two countries that share some important characteristics with the United States, are the real lands of opportunity.”

KEN WHITE: “Should Sam Bacile Be Jailed?”
“What does it take to be a professor at an Ivy League university and to get an opinion published in USA Today? Anthea Butler is an associate professor of religious studies at Penn. Yesterday she called for the arrest of ‘Sam Bacile’ — the ‘person’ associated with the anti-Islam movie associated with violent riots in Libya and Egypt. […] The First Amendment only permits punishment of “incitement” that is intended to cause, and likely to cause, imminent lawless action. Action that is ‘indirect’ and ‘inadvertent’ cannot be actionable incitement. You’d think that a college professor, before she spoke, would . . . you know, never mind.”

EVAN SOLTAS: “Stay Tuned for the Fed’s Admission of Failure”
“Today the Federal Open Market Committee, which decides American monetary policy, will issue its bi-quarterly statement. Odds are the Fed will extend its promise of ‘exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate’ through 2015. (The committee is also likely to announce further asset purchases.)”

NEWS

ENERGY – Solar Energy Industries gives General Motors #1 ranking
“Pigs have officially flown and hell is frozen over – who would ever have guessed the company responsible for manufacturing the gas-suckin’ Suburban and the road-hoggin’ Hummer would end up being praised for its use of solar energy? But that’s just what GM’s managed to do recently when it was voted the #1 user of solar power in the U.S.A., according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, or SEIA. GM also ranks #13 of the top solar-powered companies in the United States.”

EDUCATION – Teacher Evaluation At Center of Chicago Strike
“Educators in Los Angeles just signed a new deal with the city’s school district. So, too, did teachers in Boston. Both require performance evaluations based in part on how well students succeed, a system that’s making its debut in Cleveland.”

KATHLEEN SEBELIUS – Sebelius Illegally Campaigned on Taxpayer’s Dime
“Independent federal legal officials have concluded that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius violated federal law by conducting political activity “in an official capacity,” according to a statement released on Wednesday.”