September 16, 2008
Less Government is the Answer (Armstrong Williams)
Promising every person in America a college education will not necessarily solve our talent dilemma.
As it stands now, we are forced to either export many of our technical industries abroad or rely on a broken immigration bureaucracy to import talent to America. Meanwhile, the rest of the developed world and much of the developing world has far surpassed America in developing the math and science talent needed to keep us competitive.
Assuring that everyone, irrespective of talent or dedication, can have access to a college education does not solve this problem. Rather, imposing rigorous standards in early education assures that students’ talents and abilities are nurtured and honed before they reach the college level.
As it stands, there are more than enough private and public resources to ensure that those who are qualified have a decent opportunity to go to college. The problem with our education really exists on the primary and secondary levels, where social promotion and under-resourced teachers have left our children behind the curve.
Finally, in assessing our government, we must think to the principles we expect of ourselves as individuals. We must stop to consider whether the love of leisure, worldly acclaim and personal fortune are more attractive to us than love of country, personal accountability and respect for our spirit. We should not look to our future in the pop icons of today, which will very soon be utterly forgotten, but in the timeless, disembodied principles that our creator has instilled within us to help guide us in times of turbulence and peril.
Visit www.armstrongwilliams.com
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LIBS are secular. they don't understand your perspective, armstrong.
it is the reason they will lose this election.
Comment by realitycheck — September 16, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
I would take the education problem statement/solution a bit further. It is clear that the unholy alliance between the Democrats and the teachers unions will prevent any structural reform in education standards. It's not like government-controlled math and science education can't work, they clearly do in Scandinavia, parts of China, Japan, Singapore, parts of India. It's just that the present educational system of the US coupled with the diverse population cries out for parental choice. The role of the government should be the same as in some relatively static, but people oriented areas of private business: provide standards and measure all providers against those standards. Objective standards. And then you let the parents decide. I can't imagine that those parents who care about results won't get better results, and it's hard to imagine that for those who don't care results would be worse.
Comment by Igor R. — September 16, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
'Finally, in assessing our government, we must think to the principles we expect of ourselves as individuals.'
Does that include fiscal responsibility?
Comment by uk visa — September 16, 2008 @ 6:08 pm
Nancy Pelosi says "NO", demos
have no responsibility for the
economic downturn. Need I
remind her and the public that
the dems have had control of
the House and Senate for over
two years now. I remember their empty promises, gas will
come down, everything will be
better when we're in charge.
Nothing could be further from
the truth, the problem right
now with the housing situation
goes right back to their
President, Bill Clinton.
Come on now, let's put the
responsibility for the problems
where they really belong,
dems take your medicine, you
are miserable failures.
Step aside and let John McCain
and Sarah Palin take the
wheel. Republicans, take
control of the house and senate
again, you were kicked out
because you didn't get it,
NOW DO YOU GET IT!!!!!
Comment by Pat Weaver — September 16, 2008 @ 6:15 pm
Our American Way is government of, by, and for people, so you, Armstrong, are advocating less of the American people having control and a say about runing this country, and how this country is run.
The power vacuum will be filled by the super-rich, the elite classes from overseas, the corporations, and the business special interests. Survival of the fattest and greediest.
That's why were in the mess were in with the economy.
YOu just don't get it, Armstrong, do you?
Comment by Fred from Oregon — September 16, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
I'm pretty sure David Koresch was all for school vouchers. I know Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson were and are.
It's a proposal that really creates an entitlement for nutcases.
Comment by pghremodeler — September 16, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
I just came across the following statistic: Obama has voted with the Democrats 96% of the time. 96%!!! Do you want more of the same?
Comment by Igor R. — September 16, 2008 @ 8:25 pm
pghremodeler, I bet David Koresch, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson all like or liked ice cream. There: ice cream is bad.
Comment by Igor R. — September 16, 2008 @ 8:26 pm
Dear Armstrong
That was so beautifully and accurately written, that I hope John McCain uses it in his inaugural speech.
It is tempting for the poor to cling to Obama's empty promises, and believe that their ship has finally docked.
I can hear the University Registrars just counting the $$$… Lets face it education has become a business, and the liberals run that business, and the liberal want Obama for the tuition…
Look, what matters most in life is honesty, and that promise - is probalbly the biggest "lie" ever promised by any one.
My own parents didn't or wouldn't promise me my education.
I had to work my way through high school, college and grad school. I had to work for every credit and every "A". Believe it or no I had nearly 100% attendance throughout. I had to learn how to compete and work in a team at the same time, be independent. If it were handed to me on a silver platter, like many students, perhaps I would have learned to be a crazy partier or worse.
Obama is selling false hopes for valuable votes.
I hope people become critical thinkers by November, or there will be a lot of disappointed broken hearts in years to come.
I think the education system is broken in many ways, and it certainly need improvements and accountability. It is not the kids fault they cant read when they graduate from highschool.
Providing these empty promises is only going to shatter the educational system beyond repair. Too many greedy hands.
Comment by JFK-HRC — September 16, 2008 @ 8:48 pm
If you are an American citizen and you work and pay taxes, you [or your children] are entitled [bad word] to an education and health care. Tht's what we pay taxes for; not for unjust wars. The public school system is broken; it needs to be fixed, but we should have the right to send our children to any school we elect to. I am an Independent moderate voter, neither democrat nor republican. We owe American younsters decent education; it's what we pay for.
Comment by Joyce — September 16, 2008 @ 10:41 pm
What Igor really meant to say:
I just came across the following statistic: McCAIN has voted with BUSH 90% of the time. 9O%!!! Do you want more of the same?
Comment by Theard — September 16, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
hmm..nice try AW, you and your fellow conservatives seem to forget who has been in power these last eight years.
While I do agree that smaller government is the answer, but we also need better oversight and regulatory control of the markets.
You can start with this idea: The fed will have to regulate all who wish to borrow taxpayer funds.
Personal virtues, morality and selflessness as a possible answer?
Comment by Theard — September 16, 2008 @ 11:02 pm
Republicans say:
Leftists: pray to government for salvation.
People on the Righ: work hard, cut unneeded spending, and rebuild.
_________________________
That is such a false premise and distortion! Because regular people who want to work hard but yet there are no jobs because Government has not looked out for you but for corporations instead, are out of luck! Government who will not put money into rebuilding to produce jobs is not a government working for the people. They can’t even rebuild Ground Zero after seven years — and what is that telling you. And, what has the GOP done for you lately but given you a speech that you are on your own! Yet trillions of dollars go daily to Iraq, a country which should not have been invaded in the first place. Talk about selling someone on the Yellow Brick Road, I mean OIL! Drilling is not going to end our addiction it is a band aid.
Comment by angellight — September 17, 2008 @ 7:21 am
Theard, this tactic of repeatedly saying "What Igor really meant to say" and then stating your own opinion is childish at best. You don't want to argue, and you can outshout me on a blog, so you want to deny the existence of my opinion with a mildly humorous tactic. Why don't you try addressing what I said or just typing your own stuff?
Comment by Igor R. — September 17, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
Igor I am STILL absorbing this statement on Palin:
"I wish she was on top of the ticket"
As much as we disagree, I've always treated you with more respect, I think, than most here. In fact, I really enjoy our debates on foreign policy.
BUT DUDE..Sarah Palin for prez? That's when you lost me!
Helps to highlight the hypocrasy when I can easily subsitute Obama for McCain/Palin on most of your rants and make a valid/substantive counterpoint.
Comment by Theard — September 17, 2008 @ 8:07 pm
We've been getting less and less government since Reagan and look at where it got us
1. 9/11 - not enough government "cops" on the beat.
2. Fincial crisis - not enought government regulation - big game, no referees.
Comment by Fred from Oregon — September 18, 2008 @ 1:07 am
Igor,
Maybe Palin and her husband can tell the oil companies how to find oil without evolution. They'd save a lot of money and could get rid of all those elitist geologist.
Comment by Fred from Oregon — September 18, 2008 @ 1:09 am
Theard, there seems to be a rather non-obvious connection between "losing" me and almost literally trying to put words in my virtual "mouth". Just because I judge people by what I see as their potential and not just the length of their record or the schools they went to doesn't mean my opinions have to be translated into their exact opposites. Of course you can type anything Mike will let you, but I would rather you disagree, even without much respect, than use this particular tactic.
Comment by Igor R. — September 18, 2008 @ 1:49 am
"Just because I judge people by what I see as their potential and not just the length of their record or the schools they went to doesn't mean my opinions have to be translated into their exact opposites"
What is it with you guys and visuals lately? Your statement above is curiously similar to this little number:
"I have foreign policy experience, AK is next to Russia!"
I am not kidding man, I am in complete shock with the following
"I wish she was on top of the ticket" and until you retract the above statement, (and I promise on my virtual honor, I will not hold it against u) I will continue to ridicule.
Comment by Theard — September 18, 2008 @ 11:30 am
Theard, the part about being able to see Russia wasn't the smartest statement. Is she perfect in general? Not at all: I wouldn't keep repeating outtakes from her convention speech on the trail endlessly. I also didn't agree with the tone and emphasis on corporate greed in her Hannity interview yesterday. They did "edit out" a lot of what she said about meeting not with heads of state by important delegations from foreign countries in the Gibson interview, so she came out looking both more warlike and incompetent than she really was.
Overall I see a sharp woman with a good brain and good reflexes. She want to drill in ANWR and I'm sure she is closer to my position on immigration than McCain. Just because she doesn't have a lot of foreign policy experience, as if all the governors that became Presidents in the last few decades had, I will continue to support the one who is a lot closer to me ideologically without apologizing.
Comment by Igor R. — September 18, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
I am not looking for an apology and none is expected. In fact, I am glad that you like her and think that she is intelligent, but you also said that you wished that she was on top of the ticket. Perhaps that was your way of expressing your unequivocal support for the GOP, but you could have simply stated “I fully support McCain-Palin” and it would have been sufficient.
BUT….you had to go there: Sarah for Prez! LOL!!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable!
Sarah Palin is the political equivalent of a mail order bride, after the initial hysteria, you are now seeing her flaws and the nightmare choice McCain made.
This is indicative of the GOP propaganda machine {choose a seemingly likeable individual and sell the image to the low info public with the complicity of the gullible media} I even remember you proclaiming the following, “Her hubby Todd is a union guy!” She is a distraction Igor nothing more, and unfortunately or fortunately, the economy is in such dire straits that even low info voters are seeing through the bullcrap.
You see, if I thought you were a complete idiot, I would not be giving that much flack about Palin.
Comment by Theard — September 18, 2008 @ 3:10 pm
Theard, let's agree to disagree. Of the four candidates running, the only one I expect to shake things up is her. Currently she has no choice but not to contradict McCain, but I bet if and when she is fully in charge, like four years from now, you will not be seeing business as usual in DC. Past performance IS somewhat predictive of future results in these situations, and she does have a record of disturbing the status quo.
Comment by Igor R. — September 18, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
I was ready to let this go..
When she is fully in charge in four years? In charge of what? Are you kidding me?
I was ready to give you the benefit of the doubt, I had hoped that you were simply expressing strong support for the GOP ticket.
Now I actually think that you BELIEVE that this woman is ready to be president?!!
let me get this straight..
Do u stand by the following statement?
"I WISH SHE WAS ON TOP OF THE TICKET"
And truly believe this? Or are u some sort of GOP operative and need to show your support for the ticket?
Your sensitivity towards your posts here leads me to believe that perhaps Igor is known in some GOP circles..
If that's the case, I understand..(u see, I am giving you an out)
Comment by Theard — September 18, 2008 @ 8:37 pm