Two Quick Matters

First, (and remember I know "Bush lied!," although he really didn't) I can't imagine there isn't a greater outcry about the executive department bombshells--IRS, Justice Department, State Department.  That our government has so behaved is, frankly, chilling, very chilling.  I don't think that's a new strain of paranoia overcoming me.

Imagine the IRS targeting groups, then intimidating them by asking questions such as, "About what do you pray?"  What business is that of government?  Where, BTW, is our US Senator Carl Levin with this?  I ask only because some have--quite erroneously--labeled him "the Conscience of the Senate."  (As I've written before, Phil Hart must be spinning in his grave!)  How about asking anti-abortion groups if they will promise not to demonstrate against Planned Parenthood?  (See my previous post about "the low value we place on human lives."  C'mon!  That some in the Obama administration knew about such actions, but didn't tell him--yeah, I'm going to believe that.  Even if I did, my next question would be, "Doesn't this guy have any control over his administration?"  Of course, we can wait a few minutes and get a newer version, like the 15 or so that have come out about  Benghazi.

Imagine, too, the IRS supervisor who was in charge while all this was going on is now going to run the IRS operations involving ObamaCare--yet another intrusive, unconstitutionl government power-grab.  (Usually, I side with the Supremes, even when I disagree, but not this time.)

Not to make light of the multiple tragedies the US has experience over the past month or so, but perhaps it's fortuitous, for the Obama administration, that they occurred when they did.  I know, I know, "But Bush lied!"

Equally troubling for me is the current thread going around, "Is college worth it?"  "It," of course, is the cost of a college education.  I'm not sure where this started, but Bill Bennett has co-authored a book of the same or similar title.  Now, I shouldn't grouse since Amherst was one of the 43 colleges and, I think, only one of a dozen private schools to be deemed "worth it."  (It's disappointing to me that Bennett would suggest this.)  The implication, maybe even it's stronger than an implication, is that a college education is "worth it" only if it leads directly to a job.  What a misguided idea!!!!!!  Jefferson disagreed with Hamilton on the ability of people to rule themselves, but he had a caveat.  People needed to be educated.  (When Jefferson was asked what he wanted on his tombstone, his purported reply was that he was the author of the Declaration of Independence, that he wrote the Virginia religious freedom statutes, and that he was the founder of the University of Virginia.  Note, he didn't mention being President of the US!)  To be "worth it," a college education must be focused primarily on jobs.  Again, what a misguided idea!!!!!!  What about civic responsibility?  What about quality of life?  What about the ability to think, to engage in dialogue!?!?!?  "Is love of learning no longer enough?"  Now, I would agree that many, likely most jobs, do not require a college education.  Therefore, if one believes college is merely to "get a job," then it might not be "worth it."

Perhaps I rely too much on my own experiences.  They have influenced my life in more ways than I can imagine and I often discover new ways.  I've written many times about that, so there's no reason to rehash it.  Maybe I've just been very lucky/fortunate in having the college experience I've had.  My next question then would be, "Why aren't others getting the same or a similar experience?"