Finally

Maybe it took me longer than it should have, but something is ringing a bell. I'm not certain I buy into the "class warfare" cries, but....

Can the message being sent by government and those who favor more of it be any clearer? Even I have managed, finally, to get it. If you are successful--through talent, hard work, ideas, willingness to take risks, etc.--"we" will take your money. If you are not successful--laziness, lack of effort, failure to take advantage of the free education offered, etc.--don't worry; "we" will provide for you. Now, "providing" means taking from the successful and giving to the unsuccessful. I have zero problems with giving to those who need help; but far too many people who don't need help because of their own laziness, lack of effort, failure to take advantage of free education, etc. get handouts. What kid won't pick up this message? They already have in the schools. How can grades be so high when so many students know so little, do so little?

Speaking of schools, I finally heard it! I don't know what radio show it was, but yesterday some lady said, "Why don't we go back to when the schools were successful and do the things that were being done then--or at least look at them?" Hurray! I think the "things" she's talking about were requiring hard work, establishing standards and sticking to them, getting rid of this "self-concept"/"self-image" crap, etc. That includes getting rid of a lot of teachers who are incapable of imposing rigor and quality in classrooms, forcing those who are capable to actually do this stuff, and recognizing those who already do by asking them to lead those who don't. Another person, a guy, had an interesting view. He thought schools went downhill when women entered the management level of the corporate world. He suggested it was a "brain drain" from the schools to business, taking good, intelligent, demanding women from the classroom. This, obviously, then opened the door for less capable teachers. Hmmm....

Just a thought: I think many of our problems and gripes have to do with envy; too many people covet what others have. How many folks complain about "the rich?" The wealthy are greedy; they don't pay their fair share of taxes. And so on. But, again, how much money is enough? How can anyone with, say, a big screen television, an SUV, a summer cottage or condo, every "I-toy" in existence, etc., who takes a couple vacations each year, be envious of anyone? How can so many people who have so much resent others who happen to have more? Hmmm.... I wonder if they can spell "G-R-E-E-D?" "No, No! It's others who are greedy, not us!" The politics of envy?

You know, it must be one of those days. I had a couple of these ideas better and more clearly formulated yesterday. I'm not sure they came out as well today.