CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL COMMENTARY
Pro-Constitution, Anti-Globalist, Anti-Socialist, Anti-Communist, and usually with an attempt at historical and economic context ************************13th Year ----- 2009-2021*****
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts

Friday, May 19, 2017

Our Betters Keep Getting Worse

By Eddie Howell
The leaders of America, as a whole, are failing to improve the lot of our country. We are witnessing what looks like national suicide in progress, abandonment of the rule of law, collapsing “higher education” run by gutless fools and populated by arrogant fascists. Also, we've seen open borders, deliberate release of vicious criminals, deliberate importing of jihadist murderers, and more by people who seem to demand our respect for their superior wisdom and judgment.

Sen. Schumer, Official Portrait
The main exception to this miserable state of affairs among our so-called betters is Donald J. Trump, whose intention is to drain the swamp these lazy louts, crooks, and influence peddlers have created. There is scarcely an area of American life that has not been damaged or hampered or tainted by the political left and their unhinged war on honesty, conservatism, and freedom. The founding principles of America are left to languish in a sea of death, debt, dishonesty, and cronyism. People with Ivy League credentials who claim the leadership positions very often cannot manage their own affairs but are too willing to micromanage other peoples' business.

The ruling class has become nearly as bad as the mafia, complete with criminal activity. The mafia at least is not responsible for leading and protecting the nation or setting a moral example. They are a bad thing, but they are trying to, in some sense, give people what they want. The Left gives some people what they want by means of stealing from others. They probably think they're like Robin Hood, but Robin Hood, whatever else he was, was a thief and essentially part of the corruption.

The main goal of the elite today is to destroy Donald Trump. This now overrides all other considerations for the mainstream media, the liberal universities, Hollywood, the Democratic Party, and the left in general. The anti-Trumpers are stirring up hostility against their enemy with wartime-like propaganda, with such a slanted negativity against the president that a study by Harvard (!) shows it's much more negative than anything thrown at the previous three administrations.

The enthusiasm to investigate Trump is high, with some clamoring for impeachment. But where was the enthusiasm to investigate when it came to investigating the numerous scandals of Obama and Hillary? Real, demonstrated crime was left alone, while seemingly baseless concerns about Trump are made into a constitutional crisis. Someone Trump once associated with had some business dealings that involved a Russian bank. Where's the crime? Where's the evidence? Apparently, it's so well hidden that no one can find it, so we must employ a special counsel. The same Mr. Trump who is presented in media as an inept oaf apparently is so clever he can concoct elaborate plots to hide his actions.

The people who are not destroying the country, as the elites are, would be the factory workers, skilled tradesmen, professionals, business people, and others who refuse to be part of the elites' political, social, and moral cancer on America. They are the ones helping to keep our nation's head above water, while the influential go about raising the skyrocketing debt, killing babies, and regulating us to death. Where are the national leaders who (1) genuinely want the best for Americans, and (2) recognize and observe moral and legal boundaries? They are not plentiful in education, government, journalism, or entertainment.

“For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”* What we're getting from the privileged is disdain for America and ordinary people, a massive overdose of political lies and BS, destruction of our money and economy, and an attachment to the idea of globalist socialist dictatorship. The “much” they are giving is not in line with the spirit of that quoted statement.

The warmongers are getting louder. Russia, the leftists' formerly admired country, is now so bad that some want to risk war. Any administration official who has spoken to any Russians is now considered suspect. Everyone in government should think about supporting President Trump against ISIS and dealing with North Korea, without urging any kind of elective nation-building or regime-change interventions.

What's most needed among the establishment types, is the attitude of understanding and striving to live up to real responsibilities, and recognizing that special interests aren't so special that everyone has to love them. We don't need to all be friends, but we need to respect our country and appreciate its history.

What the left wants is to tear down our history and adopt the globalists' view that the American Revolution was a mistake, all traces of the Confederacy must be obliterated, all religion removed from the military and all aspects of government. Promotion and celebration of transgenderism and homosexuality are required, but the Ten Commandments are evil itself, and our children must be protected from them. In other words, the elites are turning our society's system of values upside down.

For all their faults, previous generations of American leaders have stood up for America and worked for the betterment of American families and society, and maintained a responsible place in the world for the United States. At great hardship and sacrifice, which can hardly be comprehended by most of the people living in the U.S. today, Americans have dealt with slavery, the Depression, and two world wars and several additional conflicts and been willing to follow responsible leadership.

Those who find themselves in positions of responsibility and authority, or want to do so some day, need to consider the good of the nation and the American people when working out their strategies. Is the gaining of power and wealth the main thing? Or is genuine service to be preferred even though it may not pay as well?

Today in America, we have the hard, loud left, and a lunatic fringe considered far-right. But we fortunately have the moderates, liberals, libertarians,and conservatives of the great middle who prefer not to live in an upside-down world. I say let's leave the upside-down to “Stranger Things.”



*Luke 12:48b, NKJV, words of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Obama Wants More School Days and Hours for American Students


President Barack Obama wants to extend the length of the school day for American children and also extend the school year, wiping out much of the current summer vacation many enjoy. According to an Associated Press article by Libby Quaid (09/27/09), the president “says American kids spend too little time in school, putting them at a disadvantage with other students around the globe.” [1]

Also, according to the article, Education Secretary Arne Duncan says, “Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today" [2]

The article cites examples of efforts in some school systems to expand school hours and cites some possible benefits. The president seems to focus on the comparison between American results and those of other countries. As appealing as the above-cited statements may seem, there are serious matters to consider in the discussion that are not being mentioned by the president or the secretary.

1. Why is the federal government so anxious to have this control over local schools? Eventually, the Department of Education is likely to be the authority over local schools, in contrast to historical tradition and structure, simply through executive decree or teachers’ union influence growing year by year.

2. Is competitiveness on standardized tests the ultimate measure of educational success? Teacher LaDonna Hatfield asks, “Why are we no longer focused on developing the individual student's aptitudes and abilities in favor of competing with the world's smartest kids on a test? Why are we opting to spread this hogwash in the media instead of lobbying for more vocational programs and specialized curricula that will help our students achieve their goals in life?” She goes on to say, “If I knew how write this so that the reader could hear the venom in my voice, I would do it.” [3]

She points out that in Asian countries, students often have six hours a day of homework, and, depending on their assigned specialties, are taken from their parents at some point to focus on their studies. The brightest students in various disciplines are chosen for more concentrated studies. Is this what American education is coming to?

Even if, as the AP article notes, American children spend more hours in the classroom, they tend to be much less burdened with hours of homework.

3. “Aside from improving academic performance, Education Secretary Duncan has a vision of schools as the heart of the community.” [4] While schools are an important part of the community, should they be the “heart” of it? Traditionally, the heart of an American community is not the school, not the city hall, not the grocery store, not even the church – it is the home, the family. The liberal-socialist-progressive vision has usually been to usurp the parents’ role in education. “It takes a village.” This attitude, so often found in educational institutions, suggests that students must reject much of what their parents have taught them they should believe, and accept a “more sophisticated” view of the world, whereby they must rethink everything they’ve been taught. Students ought to be taught how to think, but very often the thinking has already been done for them by the educators, and they are to simply absorb the doctrine. I believe most of America’s social problems stem from our educational system’s usurpation of and refusal to reinforce parental authority.

4. As I mentioned in a previous post, I believe the United States Constitution, by the Tenth Amendment, prohibits the federal government from controlling education, and to a great extent, that is what they are trying to do. It has been the tendency of the Obama Administration to try to control as many things as possible, especially things that touch the daily lives of Americans. We still have local school districts and school boards, and state departments of education. They should be the ones to whom the parents delegate some authority for their children’s education, subject to the voters at election time, and always considering the parents’ wishes.

It may be good to debate ideas such as expanded school schedules. Not so good would be the imposition of federal standards for this on local schools either by executive decree or legislation.


[1] Libby Quaid, “More School: Obama would curtail summer vacation,” Associated Press, 09/27/09, at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090928/ap_on_re_us/us_more_school;_ylt=AqXBhoUj_JJPUq0IG78vSz.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTMwZmszZGtsBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwOTI4L3VzX21vcmVfc2Nob29sBGNwb3MDOARwb3MDNQRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA21vcmVzY2hvb2xvYg--

[2] Ibid.

[3] LaDonna Hatfield, “Comparing American students’ academic performances to other countries,” Helium.com, at http://www.helium.com/items/1237654-comparing-test-scores-standardized-tests-measuring-achievement-fair-measures-in-education
[4] Quaid, see [1].

Photo: Dreamstime.com

Thursday, September 3, 2009

“I Really Underestimated the Creepiness”



(Apologies to the people involved in that commercial featuring the baby stock trader)

President Obama is scheduled to deliver an address to “students across the nation” on September 8. Some people find this disturbing and objectionable, I among them. There is also a video contest for kids 13 and over. They are encouraged to produce a video of two minutes or less in response to the speech and upload it to YouTube.

Knowing how Obama’s handlers and the media have tried so hard to build up a personality cult centered on him, I can’t help but be reminded of how little children in North Korea sing songs to the Dear Leader. One might suppose that a speech that is supposed to emphasize the importance of education would be innocuous enough, but consider:

1. During Obama’s campaign, he placed special emphasis on early education, to the point that it could be seen as government intrusion into family life.

2. Many parents already, with considerable justification, think of public education as a vehicle for political indoctrination by the left. What more effective method than a direct address from the president?

3. What business does the president have addressing students about anything? Is there any part of our lives that he doesn’t feel he needs to be personally poking into?

4. Will this be the first of many such occasions during the school year?

5. Is he following the path of other dictators in trying to win over the young people and set them against their parents politically? Or use them to try to persuade their parents about supporting his agenda? Remember, this type of thing has been a frequent tactic in the global warming controversy, requiring kids to watch Al Gore’s film, etc.

6. Aren’t parents right to be concerned and possibly not allow their children to participate in this exercise?

Students are to deal with questions like, “What is the president trying to tell me?” and “What is the president asking me to do?” See the Department of Education website at http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html for their page about this, also with pdf or Word files of “Menus of Classroom Activities” and “Frequently Asked Questions” concerning the broadcast speech.

You may think this is normal and OK. I think it’s creepy.

Photo: opendomain.blogspot.com