[MD] Barfuesserkirche (ZMM & Dewey)

[Case]

Craig,

Months ago I stopped posting on political threads because for me at least it
is like trying to teach a pig to sing. It wastes my time and annoys the pig.
Arlo has much more patience in this regard and I so seldom disagree with him
that you can just assume that I am nodding as he continues the music
lessons. 

I chimed in here partly because what you were saying was so totally
misguided and partly because Arlo graciously quoted me. Your word salad
below highlights why I ignore politics. We as a nation started down a very
slippery slope with the election Ronald Reagan in 1980. The results speak
for themselves. The rich get richer and poor get poorer and the broadened
gulf threatens the foundation of our society. We cater to the whims of
corporations who focus on next quarter's profits and mortgage the future of
our grandchildren. We ignore global environmental problems. In fact in most
cases we are the problem. We treat energy shortages by denying that they
even exist. We sacrifice civil liberties on the altar of security and have
become a nation of people who fear our neighbors, both at home and abroad.

The point of this thread was that we are turning our colleges into trade
schools and emphasize memorization over problems solving and critical
thinking. 

My response has been to focus on the education and rearing of my own
children and as a result I know that it is possible to overcome many of
these problems, on at least on a small scale. But I am not so naïve as to
think that I am anything more than a statistic anomaly in this regards.

Frankly when I look into the future I see Mad Max not Captain Kirk and I
grieve. 

Case



 

-----Original Message-----
From: moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org
[mailto:moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org] On Behalf Of craigerb at comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 12:45 AM
To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
Subject: Re: [MD] Barfuesserkirche (ZMM & Dewey)

[Case]
> 1) When did non-profits, schools, environmentalist and anyone seeking the>
common good become labeled a "special interest."> 2) Most of the problems
that receive public funding are ones that are either> too large for private
interests or ones that do not lend themselves to the> profit motive....> 4)
The most wasteful thing about the process is all the effort
> that goes into accounting for how the money is spent. Agencies that
receive
> grants have to account for every dime. In contrast private companies don't
> have to account for diddly.Case,I'm not sure where you are coming from,
but it seems terribly naive &/orout-of-date:1) Special interests never
describe themselves as 'special interests'.  Theyalways say they're working
for the "common good".  Don't be so easily fooled!2) In 1996 there were only
3,055 earmarks. In 2004 there were 14,211 of them,costing some $52.69
billion dollars. (Sunlight Foundation)  Update your thinkingon this one.4)
Hello!  Governmental accountability anyone?  Also, Sarbanes-Oxley has
increasedaccountability for private corporations.  It was in all the
papers.Craig    
  
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