While attending both presidential conventions was exhilarating and exciting, I returned feeling not only feeling exhausted but as if I had been in a bubble for two weeks.
Although I wrote four blogs from the conventions, listened to the speeches and read the respective platforms, I saw little difference between the two parties with respect to education - especially in regard to school choice. In fact, an article in Education Week points out many of the areas of agreement. The author, Alyson Klein, also printed both parties’ education platforms.
Another article on boston.com, Waiting for the Candidates to Debate Education, by Jim Stergios, outlines the difficulties faced by both parties in articulating their positions, and argues for clarity from both of them.
Stergios writes:
My wishes for the two parties? They’re simple:
• That the Democrats stop substituting government for associations, and not insist that the government is the glue that holds us together. Our rich store of associations means that what holds us together is a lot deeper and nimble than any government bureaucracy. We just need to find how to leverage these American qualities—especially when the alternative is to undertake policies that break three federal laws.
• That the Republicans provide a real alternative to the Democrats’ vision of a centralized Ministry of Education, but not simply based on a vision of individual choice—however important that is. While “Won’t Back Down” is inspirational, and its clear emphasis on parental association and bootstrapping may prove a big addition to urban school reform, a major party needs more than that. They need a vision.
Chicago Teachers’ Strike
There’s lots of room for debate about the Chicago teachers’ strike, which should be of concern to people throughout the nation. The issue of teacher evaluations based on high stakes testing -- a major issue in Chicago -- is playing out in every state. But it is certainly not a justification for striking, especially where the poorest and most vulnerable children and families are being hurt by the school lockout.
The union’s deaf ear to the economic context – where so many are out of work -- is forcing some parents to choose between staying home and watching their kids in a dangerous city or losing their jobs.
My observation as a central office administrator in a large suburban district was that parents love their teachers but have had enough of unions. This is an issue that will undoubtedly have national repercussions.
The New York Times presented the different arguments in its Room for Debate section
The following two articles, one on Huffington Post and the other in Education Week, point out the ways that disadvantaged students are being harmed by the strike.
Should a fireman pass a burning building or a policeman drive by a tragic accident both because they have labor disagreements? They why should the Chicago teachers walk out on the kids, especially knowing that many would be left home alone or on the street? It's not right to leave the kids and families in that situation! They broke the law, but more importantly they abandoned the kids!
So you see, Long Islander, the contract WAS renegotiated, and the loans and equity investments saved not only the several hundred thousand jobs at both GM and Chrysler, but it saved the jobs of about 500,000 to 600,000 workers in the companies who are suppliers to not only GM and Chrysler, but to the other companies who manufacture in the US. And if the volumes from GM and Chrysler had gone away, not only would there be several hundred thousand workers out immediately, those suppliers would have been at risk for their futures, since volume manufacturing leads to efficiencies of scale, and the cost of the components and even raw materials to Ford and others (think of Toyota's, and Nissan's, and Honda's and others manufacturing here) would have gone up. Fior the Japanese transplants, that would mean the Keirertsu would become more cost competitive and would be able to replace some of the US-sourced purchases by the transplants. That, Mr Long Islander, is what is known as an economic death spiral. But, the radical right wing loves to ignore basic economics, as long as they can heap scorn on good things done by Obama.
our choices Choice A) incumbant Obama-" you need to be a President for ALL the People"- apparently he believes ALL the people include ALL the people illegally here from other countries who drain our resources, and those who feel the government OWES them etc etc etc Choice B)Romney- "47%" will go down in history as the Most PC incorrect statement by a Presidential candidate- probably the truest but most definetly the most PC incorrect. So who do we elected The guy who believes that the GOD has nothing to do with government and this country should foot the bill for EVERYONE US citizen or not.(which ironically is more in keeping with GOD's philosophy of taking care of everyone) Or the guy who believes SURVIVAL of the financialy fittest, get off your ass and get a job and trickle down economics is the way to go with GOD leading the Way in full armour on a white horse sword raised . ( which ironcally is the antithist of the teachings of GOD) A CONUNDRUM of monumental proportions.
2. Mitt Romney will bankrupt every single one of you when his tax plan goes into effect. The Republican party is very bigoted, they only support old rich white men. They have no respect for religion or women. 3.Unions have done a tremendous amount of good and people attack them because they protect a large amount of people who don't actually do their jobs and with rising cost of living the unions refuse to take a pay freeze forcing city budgets to go up. We need to remove some of the job security created by unions to allow these workers to understand they live in a capitalist country and that there is competition for their jobs. Before anyone tells me this is not true I have observed large amounts of city, and school employees that when they receive tenure or complete their probationary periods do not do their job to full capacity wasting your money.
Did you tell everyone what really happened to GM after the OBAMA Bailout? He gave GM $80 BILLION in taxpayer's dollars to bailout GM only to help GM BECOME a Chinese Government Car manufacturing company soon to be known as "GM CHINESE MOTORS!" Since the Bailout, every 7 out of 10 GM auto's are made OUTSIDE the USA, mainly in Communist China! It gets worse...GM hooked up with the Chinese Communist Party to form 11 joint ventures (plants) in China. GM now works hand in hand with China's Communist Party's Auto Industry Corp known as SAIC and another manufacturing division of the Communist party known as FAW! That's right, GM went Communist! GM is exporting most of their sophisticated technology to China. Most autos will be built in communist China and assembled in the USA! How's that for $80 billion of USA taxpayer money! It's makes you want to vomit!
Horrendous! This my friends is all in result to the United States Government bailout that was provided to GM, thanks specifically to our President Barack Obama! Thank you Mr. President for giving away our auto industry to Communist China! It's time for Americans to wake up and see the true picture going on here. This next election could push us further into Socialism then ever before
How about the fact that Romney has 100 million dollars in an IRA. How do you get 100 million in an IRA. Not by hard work that is for sure. How about the FACT that ROMNEY'S FATHER was at one time on WELFARE. Thats right Romney is the beneficiary of a welfare check. They had his mother on TV telling everybody . The Romney campaign is spinning out of control . He is down in every poll that was recently taken in the swing states . Even Jeb Bush does not agree with him. Romney knows he is going to lose and is probably looking for his next takeover target after the election
As to the Chinese joint ventures (J.V.), they began in 1996 with Shanghai GM, a J.V. of State-owned SAIC and investor-owned GM. That's the ONLY way you can enter the auto industry in China, the world's fastest-growing market for cars and trucks, Long Islander, but then you may already know that, and just want to twist and distort even more. GM subsequently created more and more J.V's in China, and nearly all of them were created before GM ever went into bankruptcy. US money had nothing to do with it, since they were making more money in China than anywhere else at the time, and could re-invest their profits in new ventures and make even more money, for global GM. Companies from all over the world, including hundreds (yes, hundreds, Long Islander) of American companies are forming J.V.'s with Chinese companies (and, yes, they are State-owned Chinese companies, unless you think that you can single-handedly un-do the 1949 Chinese Revolution), and GM has been one of the most successful companies in China, and has been earning hundreds of millions of dollars there. That helped balance some of their losses in the US, before tanking, and now they are back on their feet doing well in the US as well as in China.
The only problem I have with your post is the stereotypical phrase "the unions protect large amounts of people who don't actually do their jobs" . Remember that if it were not for unions making what they make and the benefits they get then the non union workers would not be getting the aount of money and benefits that they are receiving now. There are lazy union workers out there just like there are lazy corporate people out there .
You speak half truths all the time every time!
A)look for a "hand out" instead of a "hand up" B)People who come here illegaly from other countries & expect, assume and demand the USA taxpayers subsidize their shelter, food,education, medical attention while showing total disregard for this countries laws, language and its Legal citizens. C) People who ABUSE the sytems and think WELFARE is a lifestlye rather then a stop gap or stepping stone. What I DONT question and personaly think we should do MORE for are the Senior US citizens , the brave men and women from the armed forces who have served or are serving their country,US citizens who had paid into the system and have fallen on hard times who need a helping hand to help them get back on their feet. The government subsidies should be about ASSISTING Citizens of the USA to climb out of poverty, find a job, get an education, assist with childcare when needed , take care of our elderly and insure every US citizen has the right to quality health care. IT should NOT be about subsidizing people who arent US citizens, OR people would rather sit on the governments Gravy Train rather then get off their butts and better themselves. Does that answer your question?
Most of these people are not leeches sucking from the government payroll, they're merely poor, working class people and elderly people. I don't understand how, a family of 5 making $50k a year, constitutes them having "no personal responsibility".
The fact is, socialism is merely collective resources pooled to provide a service than an individual can't provide his or herself. So, please, for the sake of us all, remove the "socialism" rhetoric from the daily lexicon because it fails to recognize or understand what socialism is. "socialism is bad" is not a valid argument *anywhere* because every human being in America in some way partakes in a socialist policy.
Welfare should be short term Not a lifestyle. Take away the Excuses of child care, no job training no job placement, make it conditional while helping them every step of the way. Our VETS should be taken care of, RESPECTED with better benefits, housing, salaries & DIGNITY. Incentives should be given to companies who HIRE vets. We should be insuring NO CHILD of this country goes hungry or does without healthcare. These rights should be RESERVED for US CITIZENS. We make it TOO appealing for illegals to come here &STAY. Sucking the financial lifeblood out of this country & taking AWAY from the legal citizens of the USA.
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State." --Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury (Conn.) Baptist Association, January 1, 1802
1) These issues are extremely complex; they involve a combination of local, state, and federal government as well as combination of all businesses, 3rd party and non-profit organizations, and each individual. To say that any issue can be narrowed down to the blame of one party, one group, or one event is a logical narrative fallacy called "monocausal explanation". The UCLA center for History in Schools states: "And nothing is more dangerous than a simple, monocausal explanation of past experiences and present problems." If there was one simple solution or one simple problem, I can guarantee that it would've been solved yet. Complex socio-economic and political policy cannot be reduced to the blame of one President, politician, or candidate. 2) This thread was originally framed as an argument as to how each party should, in a bipartisan manner, go about discussing the ways in which we allocate our tax dollars for the sake of education. That is a really important and crucial debate. The ideals of both small government Republicanism and government interventionist Democratic policy BOTH have merit to think about, depending on each individual circumstance. The question that needs to be asked is not "Who do we blame for the problem?", but more so, "which way, in this particular case, is a good way to approach the future". I don't think, "Anyway other than [this party's way]" is a good solution.
I see your intent and reference , BUT not to be the spoiled sport here, have you looked at our currency? "In GOD we Trust" or Our pledge ? " one nation under GOD" or if you want to go even deeper the Mason and Templar connections. Sometimes Mathew it is not all whats written, read or spoken but what is inferred and I think Long islander has some merit to his comment. But this is another debate ..