I was trying not to get partisan because I really dislike both sides but when you talk about the Kochs whom I don’t care for, don’t forget to mention all the wealthy lefties like the Kennedys, Gore, Clintons, Soros, 90% of Hollywood, and so on. These folks have a vested interest in staying in control, keeping people dependent on govenment, and moving their world govenment ideas forward.
Minnesota though is 900 feet above sea level so I guess we’ll get a little warning anyway if we start to flood.
Green economics is not about the environment at all. It’s about money making, money grabs, money re-distribution, and altering the economic system. Read up on recently convicted and sentenced Senior EPA official John Beale and his deposition before Congress.
@Bing On a larger scale, the United Nations has many programs they want countries to sign on with, like the Climate Change one. It subtly transfers power to the UN; one reason US the government has been reluctant to endorse many of these policies. Bill Clinton signed the Kyoto Protocol, but Congress wisely refused to ratify it.
For most countries, Kyoto was imply not “doable”. Only a few came close to meeting the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 12% from the 1990 level by 2012. Russia did it simply because their economy, based on many dirty and energy-intensive industries, collapsed, so Russia ended up with a lot of so-called “credits”, which the US was encouraged to use as payment if they could not meet the target. The absurdity of this is hard to fathem.
Some UN sponsored programs are good, such as dealing with acid rain and getting rid of CFC propellants and refrigerants.
I’m bothered by the perception that economic success is a “right”. Perhaps the bulk of the wealth being in the hands of so few is an indication that we’ve simply not developed an educational system or a system of rewards and benefits that gives opportunity to a larger portion of the populous.
China is not becoming an economic powerhouse by accident. For decades now, more than half of the graduate and professional degrees in math, engineering, and sciences have gone to foreign students. It’s long past time that we take a hard look at whether our primary and secondary educational systems are derelict in fulfilling their mandates… or if the mandates themselves foster graduates with less than minimal basic skills. Perhaps it’s even time to limit government loan backing to degrees in math. sciences, and good old “blue collar skills”. Perhaps we should stop funding liberal arts degrees, at least at the undergraduate level.
Economic success should be envied, not criticized.
I'm bothered by the perception that economic success is a "right". Perhaps the bulk of the wealth being in the hands of so few is an indication that we've simply not developed an educational system or a system of rewards and benefits that gives opportunity to a larger portion of the populous.
I don’t believe economic success is a “right”. But it’s a lot different now when when you and I went to school. It’s not that people have less success…it’s that people have less OPPORTUNITY for success. Manufacturing jobs has all but disappeared. Software engineer is a very big growing field. Luckily it’s growing faster then the rate of jobs being outsourced…and the list goes on.
Trickle down economics says that - “When the glass is full it’ll overflow for others to drink.” - The problem is…when the glass is full…somehow it then miraculously gets bigger. There is no more overflow.
It's long past time that we take a hard look at whether our primary and secondary educational systems are derelict in fulfilling their mandates
My kids all went to private high-schools. The public schools around here is very lacking in Math and Science. Mostly because we can’t get qualified teachers. Not one of my Son’s middle-school math teachers in the middle school had a background in Math. One had a degree in English…and the other 2 had degrees in History. The computer science teacher also had a degree in English. The high school level isn’t much better. The the different private schools my kids went to…at least 2 of their teachers had PHD’s in Mathematics. Most had MS in Math. They all had Math or engineering. One teacher is a retired Electrical Engineer.
Great points Mike. Our public educational systems really don’t provide any incentive for those with advanced degrees in math or science to become teachers. The problems with the system are huge and have numerous facets, none of them simple to solve. My own feeling is that the schools have become largely “no child left behind” institutions (in the WRONG sense) and the teachers underpaid, required to be babysitters with their hands tied, and required teach the students what to think rather than how to think. One of the things they’re taught to think is that the successful should share the fruits of their labors with the lazy. NOTE: I do NOT mean those who through no fault of their own need our help. I mean those that don’t want our help… they want our money. There’s a huge difference.
Sadly, the problem is far bigger both in depth and breadth than any single thread could handle.
Hmmm, schools are controlled locally, or at least used to be. So if you are not satisfied with your public schools, look in the mirror and do something about it. Yes we have very exclusive schools too where tuition is $30k and frankly it is more fun teaching in an environment where the kids are from better homes and successful parents, than kids who can’t speak English or one or both parents are in jail. Its not all money, in the public schools and you can find privates both paying more and less but the kids in privates are very different and motivated. If you had a PhD in engineering and highly acclaimed, would you really want to go teach in a public school in southern Chicago? Regardless of the pay? We have gotten so afraid to talk about real issues that we can’t even say anymore that the culture of the kids and parents has changed over the last 50 years from what it was when our parents went to school, poor as they were.
“used to be” is the operative term here. Local schools are controlled by school boards that have to ensure compliance with a multitude of federal regulations. And I should add that my comments apply to the local school board requirements and state regulations too. They are not exempt from my feelings.
The problem is huge. But my main point is that mandated transfer of wealth and criticism of the wealthy is not the solution… IMHO it contribute to the problem.
I can look in the mirror with a clean conscience. In my 17 years in academia (college level) I tried hard to effect some changes. It was like pushing a huge rock up a big hill. The problem is huge. Beyond comprehension.
Hmmm, schools are controlled locally, or at least used to be. So if you are not satisfied with your public schools, look in the mirror and do something about it.
To a point yes…I agree with you. I vote every time for increases in school budget. But MOST do not pass. We have way too many retirees here who want to turn our town into a retirement community. They have a large voting block and are dead set against ANYTHING for the school. Our teachers salaries are PITIFUL. You graduate with a computer science degree and work in the industry…you’re salary will be 3-4 times what teachers salary is.
It’s NOT going to change overnight. People don’t want to spend the money for decent teachers. So we get what we pay for.
Yes Mike, me too and the same here. The libertarians rail against the schools something fierce and the state funding that was put in place to equalize funding for small rural systems competing with large industrial districts, has been diminishing. At the same time, federal and state mandates continue, even in the food service for heavens sake, and the mainstream movement has caused a great deal of stress on a fragile system. Teachers who never signed up for it are now in a position to try and teach those with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities along side the other students. The bright students get left behind. Then along comes some other fad or issue like guns or bullying and a whole 'nother training or curriculum program needs to be put in place further straining an already strained system.
So I’m not sure what the answers are except for sure Washington will not provide them. I have to sympathize with the frustrations of the libertarians but not to their extreme. I sympathize and agree with the conservatives on budget restraint, efficiency, and self-improvement but at the same time do not agree with their extremes. I sympathize with the feel good liberals and their seemingly caring for the plight of people, yet think they are on the long term wrong track on many issues. After 50 years of a war on poverty, there has been little if any impact so time to change direction. One wonders how much better off we would be without that war declaration in the first place.