Border Crisis Part II: Education, Privatization and Economic Liberation

I believe every major domestic issue we face is rooted in a lack of basic education. What I mean is, we don't have any central values being taught to our children in the public school system. We have no principles for success being taught in our schools. We teach plenty of facts and theories, but no virtues. As a nation, we're not teaching young people to care and to be involved and to exercise and defend their inalienable rights, so as a whole, they don't. We don't champion hard work, individual talent and individual responsibility, so those concepts are lost on much of the nation. We don't emphasize the importance of being informed about what's going on in the world, so people just don't pay attention. Why do you think private schools churn out so many successful kids? It's not money, it's substance. They usually have a set of values that are reflected in the curriculum and in the staff. That's what public schools should be doing as well. There are plenty of kids that come out of public school and go on to be great successes, but it's because somewhere along the line, from parents or specific teachers or friends or some other source, they learned the values and virtues that are vital to success. We need to start incorporating these lessons system wide, from day one of kindergarten to high school graduation day. If we teach every kid the principles and virtues necessary for success, the number of kids graduating college and going on to success will automatically rise exponentially. It's not rocket science, it's the law of averages (and common sense). Until we address this central issue, this lack of core values in our public education system, nothing can be fixed in this country for any length of time. I believe that now more than i ever have.

Aside from education, you've got another huge factor in the state of our national economy: unemployment, underemployment, smallest work force in decades, high uncertainty, high taxes, excessive regulation, the slim availability of good jobs, political corruption, our declining perception in the world, inflation- oil prices, food prices, ALL prices going up! It's a big, messy picture. You have to consider the economy because the harder it is to get a good job or buy groceries, the more prevalent poverty and crime become. That's just the way it is. When you get past all of the gritty details, there are two problems at the center of poverty and crime in America: 1. The federal government is too involved while state and local governments/private entities are hampered, and 2. Too many federal, state, local and private resources are being funneled into staving off symptoms rather than solving root problems. That combination is perpetuating poverty, prolonging hunger, and not helping anyone.

Here's the first step to a lasting solution solution:

Take the resources we spend at the federal level on poverty, crime and other similar issues, and invest in private entities. I'm talking churches, charities, elk lodges, rotary clubs, men's clubs, other nonprofit organizations, boy scouts and girl scouts, private companies, etc. I could go on for days listing all of the private entities that could do a hell of a lot more good for far less money than the government! The point is there are millions of people out there every day making far bigger gains on these problems than the federal government. Let's invest in them and let them do what they do far better than the federal government ever could. If not directly, then through tax credits, advertising, PSA's, vouchers and other methods of helping people to give their money to non-government entities that can truly solve problems. If we do that poverty will plummet, hunger will plummet, crime will plummet, and the need for a very large chunk of the federal budget will also plummet. Then, we can start giving more money back to taxpayers (fair tax anyone?), creating a cycle that will funnel more funds to entities that actually do lasting good in this world. It's not the final draft, but it's a damn good starting point. It will improve efficiency, lower costs, and best of all it gives people the ability to CHOOSE where their hard earned money goes. We can't trust politicians and bureaucrats to have anyone's best interests in mind but their own, so it makes perfect sense to give Americans the ability to ascertain for themselves who is really succeeding in eradicating poverty and crime, and allow them to choose to send their money that direction. Even if you took some of the money we spend on programs like welfare and food stamps, and donated a certain amount per person, on their behalf, to the entity of their choosing (private sector charity or nonprofit organization), it would do wonders for our success in combating crime and poverty. There are a number of solutions here folks, if you're willing to see them. Of course, if you're concern for those coming over the border is not truly rooted in the well being of those people, you'd have every reason to ridicule and dismiss these ideas, wouldn't you? But I digress...

God Bless