Where do the Children Left Behind end up? The Hawaii State Legislature.

I'm not sure one can correctly characterize the Hawaii state cap on wholesale gas prices as "their most recent idiocy" because they actually did it awhile back, but it is now taking effect. Malia Zimmerman, President of Hawaii Reporter, Inc., has the story in OpinionJournal :

Made up primarily of liberal Democrats with no economics training, no business background, an open disdain for the free market, and a lust for price caps (except on state taxes), lawmakers say they have to "do something" about the high price of gasoline.

Yep: drive it up higher, and if possible just plain make it unavailable. The Hawaii legislative types are just that: a type.

Despite extensive studies pointing out why caps wouldn't lower prices, the bill was enthusiastically signed into law in 2002 by then-Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, a Democrat who focused much of his energy on bad-mouthing Chevron and the business climate during his 28 years in government. Gov. Cayetano worked years to earn Hawaii the distinction of being the most costly, the most business-unfriendly, and the most taxed state in the union.

Zimmerman's conclusion: "Living in Hawaii often feels like being part of a bad social experiment."

I have an exceedingly low opinion of the federalization of education, but for generations the ppl of Hawaii have been electing what may be the most economicly ignorant legislature in America. Will No Child Left Behind help correct that....or will NCLB spread Hawaii-type legislators across America?

Thanks to GS for the tip.