Start with Mitt Romney’s vision for education, ranked in order of priority.
Break up unions.
Privatize Public Education.
Cram students into classrooms; Class size doesn’t matter.
When performance drops in those swollen classes; fire the teachers.
Slash state supported higher educational funding. Students can borrow more if they want to learn.
Education is about tomorrow’s workforce. These policies will leave many behind. Meaning if Romney gets elected, the America of our future, will be very sick indeed.
Of course, we could have a very hopeful optimistic American society, if we’d just tax the wealthy what ever it takes to rebuild this nation, and then move on.
As one democrat, I forget who it was, put so well back in the 60′s,
“The wealthy don’t need more money; it’s the poor who do. If you’re going to give America’s money away to someone, give it to the poor…. If for the only reason, so they can then buy your products….”
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July 10, 2012 at 2:49 pm
anonymous
Educating the generation of American voters:
Why this election matters
Welcome to the corporate controlled climate; it is the children’s future.
Are politicians going to lead us out of our present condition? Certainly the republicans won’t.
Now, corporate money, is in the position – to influence the outcome of – the American vote.
Rmoney tells us, corporations are ‘people.’ Even republicans know that is – the republican lie.
Corporations, in fact, are:
“The most common form of business organization, and one which is chartered by a state and given many ‘legal rights’ as an ‘entity’ separate from its owners. This form of ‘business’ is characterized by the ‘limited liability’ of its owners, the ‘issuance of shares’ of ‘easily transferable stock,’ and existence as a going concern. The process of becoming a corporation, call ‘incorporation,’ gives the ‘company’ ‘separate legal standing’ from its owners and ‘protects’ those owners from being ‘personally liable’ in the event that the ‘company is sued’ (a condition known as ‘limited liability’). Incorporation also provides companies with a more flexible way to manage their ownership structure. In addition, there are different ‘tax implications’ for corporations, although these can be both advantageous and disadvantageous. In these respects, corporations differ from ‘sole proprietorships’ and ‘limited partnerships.’” (Investor Words.) (‘ ‘ emphasis mine.)
A corporation, people, obviously – not the same animal and are not playing by the same rules. Or else, or else, ‘persons’ should have the same legal standing as a ‘corporation.’ Of course they don’t. Sounds like law suits- discrimination of rights, as actual people, do not having the same rights as a newly invented, ‘corporate people.’
Corporation equals a person – laughable, if it weren’t so catastrophic. This should be challenged before the election.
Corporations include the belief in materialism, consumerism, weak industry regulation, restraint on taxes for business and the restraint on taxing of the rich.
The question is: How are these corporate belief systems infiltrating, becoming part of (the lack of) public education.
As an example, take the corporate ‘belief system’ and ‘climate.’
Twenty-eight corporations have spent more the $300 million dollars, lobbying Congress regarding climate legislation.
Koch Industries has spent more the 55 million dollars starting back in 1997 to misrepresent climate science or oppose safeguards to rein in global warming emissions.
Conoco Phillips has backed the campaigns of anti-climate candidates for Congress by a ratio of more than 15 to 1 over candidates who have supported science-based climate policies.
http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/abuses_of_science/a-climate-of-corporate-control.html
http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/scientific_integrity/a-climate-of-corporate-control-summary.pdf
It is a fact – corporations’ are influencing our ‘climate’ by (the lack of) and false education, on climate change, to the extreme of denying its’ existence, even, still, calling climate change a ‘hoax.’
The public needs to be informed of how, by what methods, corporations are influencing the public (lack of) education re greenhouse gas polluting. Of course, influencing the young, is nothing new – it’s easy and it has been going on for decades, generations. Children are taught to perform the tasks of corporate America, rather than – to think.
If Americans were largely, educated individuals (instead of corporate programmed idiots,) capable, morally fit, willing, to consider, evaluate the outcome of their present condition, would Americas be leading the world on course to destroy the environment of the planet, by maintaining and feeding the American monster, corporate greed?
When republican politicians are allow to claim, ‘corporations are people,’ it is for their own political advancement and the advancement of dangerous corporations, not the advancement of the nation, of mankind.
A corporate/government, that ‘permits’ poisoning of the natural environment – does not include human survival.
Environmental destruction of our planet, is hardly a welcomed ‘human’ trait, yet it falls within their range, and this is what some political figures and corporations are pursuing nonetheless.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/climate-change-us-heat-wave-wildfire-flooding_n_1645616.html
Romney, in keeping with corporate fossil fuel interests, is running on the platform of climate change denial.
Romney Quote, “Under the Romney Administration the US will have an official policy of denial.” End quote.
By Brent Youngman, April 6, 2012
Allentown, Pennsylvania – At a rally early Thursday morning Republican Presidential candidate Willard Mitt Romney spent part of speech addressing the United State’s role in the developing world. It is an area of policy that, until now, he has been reluctant to address. The former Massachusetts Governor was specifically addressing Climate Change when he made the claim that his policies will be more beneficial for developing nations than the current policies of the Obama administration. There is wide consensus within the scientific community that the adverse effects of man-made climate change will have disproportional impact on developing nations.
In spite of the scientific evidence Mr. Romney was very critical of the President’s policies.
“President Obama’s views on Global Warming will make life even more difficult for those who are already the least well off. For years Al Gore and others have lectured us with a litany of damages that Global Warming will inflict upon the developing world. I refuse to believe any of what he says.”
Willard M. Romney continues:
“As President my policy of denial will be much more beneficial to those nations and their citizens. I don’t believe in the science. I reject the dismal outlook. I do not accept the gloomy predictions.”
Romney makes clear, his ‘official policy of denial.”
“Under the Romney Administration the US will have an official policy of denial. This will do away with the myth of Global Warming and as a result the third world will NOT suffer from drought, famine, rising sea levels and killer heat waves. The President cannot make that assertion. That is why I am the candidate that cares most about the people of the developing world.”
This is exactly why Willard M. Romney is the republican candidate for President; and this is exactly why fossil fueled corporate ‘business as usual’ will funnel tens of millions of dollars, for the election of Willard M. Romney ; and this is why, every
‘human’ vote must be cast to stop, deadly corporate greed.
Imagine America, not a leader; not even as a follower; but a dumbed down mass of people, suffering in ignorance and denial.
After all, when Mother Nature makes her 100% indisputable future, recognizable to the dumbed down American masses, it will more than likely be, too late. Better to listen to the decades of warnings (which are now happening,) from the 99.9% legitimate climate scientists from around the world instead.
Time for American heroes, informed scientists, journalists, politicians, religious leaders, teachers, professors, etc. to step forward and educate the voting pubic.
It is interesting how Willard chooses the ‘policy of denial,’ fitting the anti hero definition, complete with his method of acquired wealth, lack of financial disclosure, offshore holdings,14% tax rate, quarter billion dollar trappings, his climate change supporters, his public conflicting, changing, opposing attitudes, his ‘ordinary’ billionaire friends, his many homes, his sons’ 100 billion dollar tax free educational fund, etc. A 100 million dollar “educational’ fund – held by a denier; that’s quiet a statement.
Those ordinary people sitting in the theater, hoping, waiting for that super hero to save the day; when the real heroes are those same, ordinary everyday, ‘real’ people’ who know the truth, and must vote as if their lives and future generations depend upon it.
Others will think, anti hero Willard will come down in his car elevator and save Dick and Jane and Spot from their blight and plight. How can he, when he’s just the cardboard poster, corporate ‘person,’ Mr. Corporate Denial.
July 10, 2012 at 2:50 pm
anonymous
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July 13, 2012 at 8:46 am
Steve Newton
OK i admit it–that first comment was so long I didn’t read it. (Then it was made up for by the second comment, which wasn’t there, so I didn’t read it, either.)
Just to speak to higher education funding: it is not so much that the government needs to spend more on higher ed funding–it doesn’t. Higher ed needs to get its shit together with regard to costs.
The costs of infrastructure (buildings, power, computers, etc.) and faculty are going up at the rate of inflation. The cost of a college education is going up at roughly 4-6x the rate of inflation. Why?
1. Universities are borrowing heavily to invest in student unions, gymnasiums, campus centers, and other frills that have nothing to do with actually providing an education but everything to do with recruitment.
2. We have an excess college capacity in this country which is a case where the free market should be allowed to work. If 15-20% of the colleges in America went out of business we would be back to a rational capacity, and would stop recruiting marginal students and ripping them off with student loan debt.
3. We need to find some way to separate the research functions of many universities from the education functions. It is a too-prevalent myth that having massive research grants improves teaching at our universities. In most cases what it does is guarantee that most undergraduates will never have a class with world-class faculty or access to their labs, etc.
4. We need to change the “job training” model employed by most colleges and universities back towards the “liberal arts tradition.”
July 13, 2012 at 12:14 pm
kavips
You sold me with your last three words: “Liberal Arts Tradition”.
I would venture a guess, that a very large portion of the blogging community, especially those with recognizable names, all hail from that segment of upper education, simply because I feel so at home here.
I find it rather amazing, how in having a conversation with a person on the street and if we seem both to be on the same level, it is because of similarities in our higher education backgrounds. It doesn’t matter what their interests are; science, math, language, arts, music, religion; It is that shared distinction of recognizing that “oh, you’re an open minded person; capable of thinking for yourself; how refreshing”….
Quick question: I know the scenario you state in 1 applies to Del State. I see the construction. Can you point me to info that quantifies that on a national scale? (I’m looking for items not on the front pages of search engines… btw. )
July 13, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Steve Newton
A couple years old, but try a book called “Branded Nation” in which one of the three main chapters is about colleges.