Why do we look to the "Tiger Mother" or the French parent to search for answers when it comes to raising children? There must be a problem with the way we raise children in America. As an elementary teacher for almost four decades, it is fair to say that I have been observing the behavior of children in a middle class suburban setting for a long time. In Elementary school you spend your entire day with the same students and work closely with their parents, so you are in a position to evaluate family dynamics.
First, the good news is that over the years I have witnessed a drastic improvement in behavior. Contrary to the bullying we hear about today, boys, in particular, are far less aggressive today. My observations are validated by the decrease in violent crime across American society in the same time period. So we are doing something right! However, boys are less motivated, less responsible, and far less organized than in the past, according to my estimation. Girls, are far more motivated, responsible, organized, and much more mature than in the past.
On the other hand, I have also witnessed some negative effects that modern parents have bestowed upon their children. With both parents working, children are more indulged today with material things, have fewer parameters to live by, and sadly, are more in control of parents than the other way around. Technology has also had an effect on socialization. Children, on the whole, are more withdrawn and less social with each other and with adults. They go to a family gatherings armed with a computer game, go off in a corner, and never interact with family members. Because of this relatively new technology, conversation is a lost art and young people today have a difficult time expressing themselves. They often can't find the words to express themselves and resort to giving examples of what they mean. Vocabulary has deteriorated along with reasoning ability. We used to call it common sense!
Children are coddled far more today than in the past. From birth, they are held constantly and never given the opportunity to explore their new surrounding on their own terms. Playpens are non-existent today but that time alone for infants or toddlers was their time to explore and use their imagination. Today, every waking minute is structured from beginning to end. Even when they are sleeping, they are sleeping with their parents! Parents are too involved in their world and are extremely overprotective. Children need to handle their own problems and structure their own time the way they see fit.
Too much attention is paid to their self-esteem by protecting them from hurt feelings. Today, everyone gets a prize, everyone wins or succeeds, and everyone get invited to the birthday party. Children today have a hard time with rejection, losing, and hurt feelings because they have no coping mechanisms. They have been sheltered from disappointment their whole lives and will even cry and whine to their college professors if they don't get an A. The result is that many young people today are walking around with over-inflated egos because they have been stroked with unworthy praise their whole lives!
Certainly, parents today have good intentions and probably don't realize that too much of a good thing can be detrimental. They want to give their children everything they didn't have in life and they don't want to reprimand them when they barely have time to tuck them in after a work day. Whatever time they do have with their children should be fun time, but they still need to be parents, not friends! Always show you children that you love them unconditionally but always be a parent, guiding them, setting parameters, and allowing them to fail. More is learned from failure, disappointment, and heartache than any indulgent gift you could buy them. The greatest gift you give your children is to be there when they fall, let them know it is OK to make mistakes, and help them learn how to recover. Give them the life skills they will need to sustain them in this crazy world they will enter. Wake up, America!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
On Retirement
Some people have this romantic, misguided notion that they look forward to their entire life. It may be that you never have to set your alarm clock anymore or perhaps it is spending every waking minute on the golf course. This thing we call retirement is the most misunderstood part of life. Some people actually fear it and wouldn't know what to do with themselves. Others think that when you retire death is the next step, so if they keep on working they will live forever. There are many distorted views and this idea of retirement has evolved in recent years.
First of all, people are living longer and can spend thirty years or more in this stage of life. So it is imperative that you be financially prepared for the long haul. Assuming that you have taken the necessary provisions financially, how then will you spend the rest of your life? My father was content to just read, watch TV, cook, and occasionally visit some friends and family until they all started to disappear for one reason or another. He was lucky to have the company of my mother for all of those years, others don't have that luxury. Was he enjoying his retirement? I don't think it ever crossed his mind, he just was content with the simple joys of life. In many ways I envy him. Today, I think people want more out of life. Maybe you look forward to travel, but how many weeks can you do that? How many games of golf can you play before it becomes mundane? There's got to be something more sustaining and that's what we must figure out!
For me, the meaning of life is to have a life of meaning. To have purpose, to feel worthwhile, to still feel like you can contribute something to society is very important for your mental well-being. So it is vital for us, the baby boomer generation, to envision something more for this stage of life. Retirees have so much to offer the younger generations for we have lived through so much and have gained so much knowledge through experience. It would be such a waste to let all of that life experience die on the vine. We need to be writing about it, mentoring young people who are lost in many cases, and we need to become activists making this world a better place to live in. Retirees are the most under-used natural resource we have in this country!
Retirement can also be a very enriching time in your life. Auditing courses at the local university is a wonderful way to learn, without the pressure to achieve a certain grade. Learning for the sake of learning is a wonderful thing and you will find that you have much to contribute to these classes. Professors are grateful to have a senior citizen in their class as a resource person who can share their life experiences with young college students. Most universities today have courses run by retirees for retirees purely for the purpose of enrichment.
Retirees can also be helpful at every level of our public schools today. Employing seniors to work in the schools as tutors, teacher assistants, or lending guidance to children who just need an adult in their life can be very productive and fulfilling at the same time. The same can be done in business. Young people who come out of school would love to have a guardian angel come in once a week who is non-threatening and guide them through the first year of working in the real world. It wouldn't cost much and productivity would increase dramatically if young people had the benefit of forty years of experience to show them the way.
There is much to be done and it seems to be a win-win situation to tap into this under-utilized resource. I'm sure retirees would love to still be part of society and recognized for still having value. Of course, you must still leave time for golf, travel, and the other fun stuff that we all deserve after a lifetime of work. Retirement is a time to share what you have learned so that it will benefit the upcoming generations. It is a new way of looking at senior citizens, unlike the curmudgeon image that is purported in the media. We need to show respect to our elders and make them feel worthwhile which, in turn, will make them feel good about themselves. It is the right thing to do for everyone concerned, now more than ever. Wake up, America!
First of all, people are living longer and can spend thirty years or more in this stage of life. So it is imperative that you be financially prepared for the long haul. Assuming that you have taken the necessary provisions financially, how then will you spend the rest of your life? My father was content to just read, watch TV, cook, and occasionally visit some friends and family until they all started to disappear for one reason or another. He was lucky to have the company of my mother for all of those years, others don't have that luxury. Was he enjoying his retirement? I don't think it ever crossed his mind, he just was content with the simple joys of life. In many ways I envy him. Today, I think people want more out of life. Maybe you look forward to travel, but how many weeks can you do that? How many games of golf can you play before it becomes mundane? There's got to be something more sustaining and that's what we must figure out!
For me, the meaning of life is to have a life of meaning. To have purpose, to feel worthwhile, to still feel like you can contribute something to society is very important for your mental well-being. So it is vital for us, the baby boomer generation, to envision something more for this stage of life. Retirees have so much to offer the younger generations for we have lived through so much and have gained so much knowledge through experience. It would be such a waste to let all of that life experience die on the vine. We need to be writing about it, mentoring young people who are lost in many cases, and we need to become activists making this world a better place to live in. Retirees are the most under-used natural resource we have in this country!
Retirement can also be a very enriching time in your life. Auditing courses at the local university is a wonderful way to learn, without the pressure to achieve a certain grade. Learning for the sake of learning is a wonderful thing and you will find that you have much to contribute to these classes. Professors are grateful to have a senior citizen in their class as a resource person who can share their life experiences with young college students. Most universities today have courses run by retirees for retirees purely for the purpose of enrichment.
Retirees can also be helpful at every level of our public schools today. Employing seniors to work in the schools as tutors, teacher assistants, or lending guidance to children who just need an adult in their life can be very productive and fulfilling at the same time. The same can be done in business. Young people who come out of school would love to have a guardian angel come in once a week who is non-threatening and guide them through the first year of working in the real world. It wouldn't cost much and productivity would increase dramatically if young people had the benefit of forty years of experience to show them the way.
There is much to be done and it seems to be a win-win situation to tap into this under-utilized resource. I'm sure retirees would love to still be part of society and recognized for still having value. Of course, you must still leave time for golf, travel, and the other fun stuff that we all deserve after a lifetime of work. Retirement is a time to share what you have learned so that it will benefit the upcoming generations. It is a new way of looking at senior citizens, unlike the curmudgeon image that is purported in the media. We need to show respect to our elders and make them feel worthwhile which, in turn, will make them feel good about themselves. It is the right thing to do for everyone concerned, now more than ever. Wake up, America!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
It's Observation Time
It may surprise some people outside of education that teachers have always been evaluated. When you read the newspapers you might think that Governor Cuomo invented the idea. Traditionally, in districts on Long Island, teachers without tenure can be evaluated at least three times a year and more recently six times a year or more by a number of administrators. Tenured teachers have been evaluated at least once a year, but teachers have always been evaluated on their ability to teach a lesson! The theory was if a lesson was motivating, engaging, and exciting for the students the teacher was doing his or her job. Now, a teacher will be judged on whether the students are doing their job. Being judged for the shortcomings of others just doesn't seem fair. It is simplistic to think teachers can just command their students to pass a test and it will happen.
Teacher evaluations were based on observations of lessons by an administrator, usually a principal or assistant principal. Teachers have also been observed by the head of a department, superintendents, assistant superintendents, or other district office administrators. For each observation, a teacher must sit down with the observer for a pre-observation screening which must be in written form, and then a post-observation evaluation meeting on the lesson. The whole process can take two hours or more including the lesson. It has always been a formal process and it was always a source of stress for most teachers, and for me personally, even after I received tenure. After teaching a super lesson and having a positive assessment as a follow up, a day later or a week later the concept you taught may be gone! You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
In educational circles we call it," the dog and pony show," but in reality, most teachers want to put their best foot forward, and show their immediate supervisor that they are effective! Even veteran teachers would get a knot in their stomach when being observed, simply because they cared what their principal thought of their teaching ability and took pride in their profession. No one that I encountered in my forty years in teaching was flippant about being observed. In my district, veteran teachers were eventually allowed other options besides observations to advance their professional ability. For example, a teacher can read a book or take a course on a new technique in teaching, demonstrate how it was applied in the classroom, and be required to share it with the faculty. Most teachers thought it was easier to be observed, but I always took the option even though it was more involved than a simple observation. At the end of my career, I thought it was much more valuable for me as a professional.
Now, the good Governor, the President, and the Secretary of Education want to really shake things up by adding children's test scores to the evaluation process. The state tests in math and language arts were meant to measure if a child did what he or she was supposed to do for a particular grade level. It measures what a child has learned or retained, not the ability of the teacher. If they worked hard, studied the rules, paid attention, and did their homework, theoretically they should do well on the test. It is an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned during the year, provided that they actually put the effort into learning. What is never discussed by politicians is that there is a readiness factor, a memory factor, and an ability factor if a child is going to do well regardless of the teacher's ability. Above all, there is no accounting for what a child will do on a timed test.
Even the best students I've had can blank out on the day of the test due to nerves, or lack concentration due to a family crisis. A certain number of them will just put any answer down just to get it done so that they could look smart in front of their classmates. They have learned that it really doesn't matter what you get on the," stupid" test because you go on to the next grade no matter what! Many will fixate on one particular question for ten minutes and then the teacher will announce that there is just five minutes remaining. Most have been trained to not leave any blanks so they will proceed wildly to fill random answers just to put something down. If they skip a difficult question, they often will misnumber the rest of the test and all their answers will be wrong from that point on. Like I said, anything can happen when it comes to children and a timed test!
Yet another factor that enters into the testing is a child's uncanny ability to cheat. They have devised some very sophisticated methods of cheating. They are really quite good at it and will deny it to the end! They will copy answers from a friend no matter how well you supervise the test. Some students know the questions in advance because they have a cousin in another school district who took the test the day before. Although it certainly is not cheating, affluent parents can employ tutors to prepare their child for the tests, distorting the whole process with an unfair advantage. Perhaps what we need to do is to treat these young children like they are taking an SAT. Place them all in the gym with proctors, collect the tests, and immediately ship them off to the Governor's office in Albany. Do we really want to do that to our children?
Now imagine that your entire career, an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars in your education, and the time invested in graduate and undergraduate courses can all be wiped out by the scores of your students. You may have worked extremely hard at teaching the necessary material but your students just don't care. It is just human nature that some teachers will be tempted to enhance their scores any way they can. Some will look over their shoulders and guide their students to the correct answer, some will look the other way during a test, and some will be so bold as to change answers before they hand them in. As unethical as it sounds, it will occur because of the extreme pressure that is being placed on these test scores.
Next, the test itself is flawed because on both the math and language arts tests there are extended response questions that can be interpreted differently depending on who is correcting it. Some may be overly generous while others may be too harsh. If students have excellent computation skills but have difficulty reading, they may fail the math test. If students can read but have difficulty physically writing down a response that is legible, they may fail the language arts test. ESL students are especially in danger of failing because they are forced to take these tests after only one year in this country. I'd like to place Gov. Cuomo in a foreign country and have him take a test in another language after one year! Did I mention many of these students were not educated in their native language? So the Governor would have a distinct advantage.
Another variable that is not accounted for is the make up of your class. A teacher in a poor district who is loaded up with ESL students, mainstreamed special education students, or severe discipline problems who create a distraction for others during a lesson, is at a distinct disadvantage. Whereas, a teacher in an affluent district with a minimal amount of disadvantaged students, and parents who are educated or supply tutors if necessary, will have a huge advantage when being evaluated. As you can see, the system is flawed at all levels!
Too much is riding on these state tests and it is not good for teachers or students to have too much emphasis on them. Ask any administrator who their best teachers are and they can tell by the rapport they see in the classroom, the requests they get from parents, and the overall learning environment created by that teacher during any observation. Actually, the best way to observe a teacher is at random. Principals should ask if it is a good time to observe and become part of the lesson, getting involved with the students as they learn. On the other hand, principals know who is not effective by the number of complaints they get from parents, requests for withdrawal from a teacher's class, and the negative atmosphere created by that teacher. Administrators should be in that teacher's room once a week and offer mentoring to that teacher if necessary. Test scores simply measure a child's ability to recall information and apply it. They should never be used to measure a teacher's ability to teach when some students refuse to put in the effort to learn. Wake up, America!
Teacher evaluations were based on observations of lessons by an administrator, usually a principal or assistant principal. Teachers have also been observed by the head of a department, superintendents, assistant superintendents, or other district office administrators. For each observation, a teacher must sit down with the observer for a pre-observation screening which must be in written form, and then a post-observation evaluation meeting on the lesson. The whole process can take two hours or more including the lesson. It has always been a formal process and it was always a source of stress for most teachers, and for me personally, even after I received tenure. After teaching a super lesson and having a positive assessment as a follow up, a day later or a week later the concept you taught may be gone! You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
In educational circles we call it," the dog and pony show," but in reality, most teachers want to put their best foot forward, and show their immediate supervisor that they are effective! Even veteran teachers would get a knot in their stomach when being observed, simply because they cared what their principal thought of their teaching ability and took pride in their profession. No one that I encountered in my forty years in teaching was flippant about being observed. In my district, veteran teachers were eventually allowed other options besides observations to advance their professional ability. For example, a teacher can read a book or take a course on a new technique in teaching, demonstrate how it was applied in the classroom, and be required to share it with the faculty. Most teachers thought it was easier to be observed, but I always took the option even though it was more involved than a simple observation. At the end of my career, I thought it was much more valuable for me as a professional.
Now, the good Governor, the President, and the Secretary of Education want to really shake things up by adding children's test scores to the evaluation process. The state tests in math and language arts were meant to measure if a child did what he or she was supposed to do for a particular grade level. It measures what a child has learned or retained, not the ability of the teacher. If they worked hard, studied the rules, paid attention, and did their homework, theoretically they should do well on the test. It is an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned during the year, provided that they actually put the effort into learning. What is never discussed by politicians is that there is a readiness factor, a memory factor, and an ability factor if a child is going to do well regardless of the teacher's ability. Above all, there is no accounting for what a child will do on a timed test.
Even the best students I've had can blank out on the day of the test due to nerves, or lack concentration due to a family crisis. A certain number of them will just put any answer down just to get it done so that they could look smart in front of their classmates. They have learned that it really doesn't matter what you get on the," stupid" test because you go on to the next grade no matter what! Many will fixate on one particular question for ten minutes and then the teacher will announce that there is just five minutes remaining. Most have been trained to not leave any blanks so they will proceed wildly to fill random answers just to put something down. If they skip a difficult question, they often will misnumber the rest of the test and all their answers will be wrong from that point on. Like I said, anything can happen when it comes to children and a timed test!
Yet another factor that enters into the testing is a child's uncanny ability to cheat. They have devised some very sophisticated methods of cheating. They are really quite good at it and will deny it to the end! They will copy answers from a friend no matter how well you supervise the test. Some students know the questions in advance because they have a cousin in another school district who took the test the day before. Although it certainly is not cheating, affluent parents can employ tutors to prepare their child for the tests, distorting the whole process with an unfair advantage. Perhaps what we need to do is to treat these young children like they are taking an SAT. Place them all in the gym with proctors, collect the tests, and immediately ship them off to the Governor's office in Albany. Do we really want to do that to our children?
Now imagine that your entire career, an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars in your education, and the time invested in graduate and undergraduate courses can all be wiped out by the scores of your students. You may have worked extremely hard at teaching the necessary material but your students just don't care. It is just human nature that some teachers will be tempted to enhance their scores any way they can. Some will look over their shoulders and guide their students to the correct answer, some will look the other way during a test, and some will be so bold as to change answers before they hand them in. As unethical as it sounds, it will occur because of the extreme pressure that is being placed on these test scores.
Next, the test itself is flawed because on both the math and language arts tests there are extended response questions that can be interpreted differently depending on who is correcting it. Some may be overly generous while others may be too harsh. If students have excellent computation skills but have difficulty reading, they may fail the math test. If students can read but have difficulty physically writing down a response that is legible, they may fail the language arts test. ESL students are especially in danger of failing because they are forced to take these tests after only one year in this country. I'd like to place Gov. Cuomo in a foreign country and have him take a test in another language after one year! Did I mention many of these students were not educated in their native language? So the Governor would have a distinct advantage.
Another variable that is not accounted for is the make up of your class. A teacher in a poor district who is loaded up with ESL students, mainstreamed special education students, or severe discipline problems who create a distraction for others during a lesson, is at a distinct disadvantage. Whereas, a teacher in an affluent district with a minimal amount of disadvantaged students, and parents who are educated or supply tutors if necessary, will have a huge advantage when being evaluated. As you can see, the system is flawed at all levels!
Too much is riding on these state tests and it is not good for teachers or students to have too much emphasis on them. Ask any administrator who their best teachers are and they can tell by the rapport they see in the classroom, the requests they get from parents, and the overall learning environment created by that teacher during any observation. Actually, the best way to observe a teacher is at random. Principals should ask if it is a good time to observe and become part of the lesson, getting involved with the students as they learn. On the other hand, principals know who is not effective by the number of complaints they get from parents, requests for withdrawal from a teacher's class, and the negative atmosphere created by that teacher. Administrators should be in that teacher's room once a week and offer mentoring to that teacher if necessary. Test scores simply measure a child's ability to recall information and apply it. They should never be used to measure a teacher's ability to teach when some students refuse to put in the effort to learn. Wake up, America!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Losing the War
To hear the Republican candidates speak of food stamps, lazy poor people, and the unemployed who are raking in the bucks staying home one would think that they don't read the newspapers! I'm pretty sure that the news media carried the story that this recession was the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of 1929. I guess the Republicans don't read a newspaper or turn on a TV. It is almost like they have declared war on poor people oh, but that would be class warfare now, wouldn't it?
In 2010, Republicans took control of the House of Representatives and in essence, took control of the money. Only the House can raise revenue and they have refused every bill that has any tax increase on the wealthy. Cleverly, they have rigged the system and then blamed Obama for a stagnant economy. They continually protect the wealthy, top 1%, because they are the job creator but they have gotten tax protection for the last ten years and still the jobs picture is anemic. In the meantime, millions of public sector jobs have been eliminated because of their lack of cooperation. So they have favored the top 1% at the expense of middle class public sector workers. It is almost like they declared war on the middle class worker but that would be class warfare, wouldn't it?
Mitt Romney brags that he probably pays only 15% taxes on his 200 million dollar plus annual income because he derives his income mainly from investments. The proceeds from his book went to charity and he only made a mere $374,000 from his speaking engagements which he thought was funny for some reason. Most middle class people are paying 35% in taxes because it is earned income, so once again, the working stiff gets the short end of the stick! It almost sounds like the working class stiff is losing in this class warfare doesn't it? Oh, I forgot, it is only class warfare when you raise taxes on the wealthy, according to the Republicans, so the poor and middle class can't be losing the war!
The Republicans are right! They have been against the socialist idea of redistribution of wealth in America since Joe, the plumber, remember him? Raising taxes on the wealthy is wrong because we would be taking from the rich to give to the less fortunate. I guess those rules don't apply to the middle class guy who pays 35% or more of his salary in taxes. So let me get this straight. It is wrong to redistribute the money of wealthy people but it is perfectly acceptable to redistribute the earned income of the working class who pays a much higher tax rate. If you really don't want to redistribute wealth to the less fortunate, we should just cut them off altogether. Just do away with the social safety net and there will be no more redistribution of wealth in America. After all, it is a socialist idea to have Social Security, Welfare, or Unemployment among others. That would be declaring war against the less fortunate and only Democrats are waging class warfare, right?
This whole idea of class warfare and redistribution of wealth is a shell game that Republicans have been playing for years. All taxes can be considered a redistribution of wealth when you take money away from one individual and give it to another. It is a silly argument because that's how tax dollars are utilized, to pay for those who are less fortunate. There has always been class warfare and the poor and middle class have always lost that war! Republicans have always played these cards because they appeal to the worst in people. They want you to resent those who are less fortunate because those people are associated with minorities who are easy to hate. It is such a hot button issue that they could actually get people to vote against their own self-interest! They are masters of the game of manipulation of the masses, better known as politics!
Their latest angle that they are testing out is that it is wrong to speak of the disparity between rich and poor because it divides our country. It is un-american to be so bold as to speak out against the injustice and unfairness in our tax codes. These divisive tactics are being used by the Occupy Movement and anyone who agrees with them is un-patriotic, too! It is very easy to play the patriotic card when the wealthy are winning the game and the poor and middle class are losing! It is laughable that we cannot criticize the wealthy for not paying their fair share without being accused of dividing America! If you buy that argument you have been manipulated once again by the Republican spin machine. Wake up, America!
In 2010, Republicans took control of the House of Representatives and in essence, took control of the money. Only the House can raise revenue and they have refused every bill that has any tax increase on the wealthy. Cleverly, they have rigged the system and then blamed Obama for a stagnant economy. They continually protect the wealthy, top 1%, because they are the job creator but they have gotten tax protection for the last ten years and still the jobs picture is anemic. In the meantime, millions of public sector jobs have been eliminated because of their lack of cooperation. So they have favored the top 1% at the expense of middle class public sector workers. It is almost like they declared war on the middle class worker but that would be class warfare, wouldn't it?
Mitt Romney brags that he probably pays only 15% taxes on his 200 million dollar plus annual income because he derives his income mainly from investments. The proceeds from his book went to charity and he only made a mere $374,000 from his speaking engagements which he thought was funny for some reason. Most middle class people are paying 35% in taxes because it is earned income, so once again, the working stiff gets the short end of the stick! It almost sounds like the working class stiff is losing in this class warfare doesn't it? Oh, I forgot, it is only class warfare when you raise taxes on the wealthy, according to the Republicans, so the poor and middle class can't be losing the war!
The Republicans are right! They have been against the socialist idea of redistribution of wealth in America since Joe, the plumber, remember him? Raising taxes on the wealthy is wrong because we would be taking from the rich to give to the less fortunate. I guess those rules don't apply to the middle class guy who pays 35% or more of his salary in taxes. So let me get this straight. It is wrong to redistribute the money of wealthy people but it is perfectly acceptable to redistribute the earned income of the working class who pays a much higher tax rate. If you really don't want to redistribute wealth to the less fortunate, we should just cut them off altogether. Just do away with the social safety net and there will be no more redistribution of wealth in America. After all, it is a socialist idea to have Social Security, Welfare, or Unemployment among others. That would be declaring war against the less fortunate and only Democrats are waging class warfare, right?
This whole idea of class warfare and redistribution of wealth is a shell game that Republicans have been playing for years. All taxes can be considered a redistribution of wealth when you take money away from one individual and give it to another. It is a silly argument because that's how tax dollars are utilized, to pay for those who are less fortunate. There has always been class warfare and the poor and middle class have always lost that war! Republicans have always played these cards because they appeal to the worst in people. They want you to resent those who are less fortunate because those people are associated with minorities who are easy to hate. It is such a hot button issue that they could actually get people to vote against their own self-interest! They are masters of the game of manipulation of the masses, better known as politics!
Their latest angle that they are testing out is that it is wrong to speak of the disparity between rich and poor because it divides our country. It is un-american to be so bold as to speak out against the injustice and unfairness in our tax codes. These divisive tactics are being used by the Occupy Movement and anyone who agrees with them is un-patriotic, too! It is very easy to play the patriotic card when the wealthy are winning the game and the poor and middle class are losing! It is laughable that we cannot criticize the wealthy for not paying their fair share without being accused of dividing America! If you buy that argument you have been manipulated once again by the Republican spin machine. Wake up, America!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Obama Does an End Run
President Obama has boxed in Republicans once again! He has diffused their attacks upon him as a reckless, tax and spend, liberal socialist which just doesn't get any traction with the general public. Obama has very cleverly beat down his opposition by defeating them at their own game. He has found common ground that both the left and the right can agree upon like doing away with waste in government, immigration, and actually paying for any new government expenditures.
Most recently, President Obama has asked Congress to grant him the power to shrink the size of the federal government by merging trade and business agencies that would replace the Commerce Department, saving three billion dollars and cutting up to two thousand jobs over ten years. Also, he wants to decrease the bulging defense budget by streamlining the military with a smarter, high tech approach and a redeployment of troops. Most military experts agree it is the right thing to do. In doing so, it would be very difficult for his opponents to label him as a big government socialist. In fact, the Republicans have increased the size of government under Bush, along with the deficit, so it seems that they have lost all credibility on that argument too.
Obama's jobs bill was another example of a much needed program that was paid for and would have given the economy a second shot of adrenalin just at the right time. Included in that bill was money to repair our crumbling infrastructure which, in the past, was always agreed upon by both parties, and this was paid for without adding one cent to the deficit. Republicans want to keep Bush tax cuts which were never paid for, along with the two wars, the prescription drug plan, and the expansion of the Department of Homeland Security, all of which gave us record deficits. So who is the party of deficit reduction?
Tax cuts are another area in which Obama has demonstrated that he doesn't fit the label of "tax and spend liberal". He has never suggested a tax increase on the middle class but he has insisted on increasing taxes on the wealthy. Polls show overwhelming support for this plan but the Republicans refuse to give in, knowing we are in desperate need of increased revenues. Under Bush and Obama, emergency funds were needed to avoid a worldwide financial collapse. Republicans recognized the severity of those times and want to pay for them by gutting government rather than raise taxes on the wealthy. A tax increase on the wealthy is a small price to pay for avoiding a depression. Obama has since granted seventeen tax cuts to small businesses and has aggressively tried to bring manufacturing jobs back to our shores with his new insourcing program. The Republicans are usually the party of big business and should be cheering him on!
Obama has demonstrated a willingness for offshore drilling opening a record eighty new sites in the Gulf last year and he will approve the Canadian pipeline at the risk of losing the environmental vote. He has shown real toughness when it comes to immigrtation by deporting more illegal aliens than any other president. He is a reasonable man who has proven to the American people that he is far from this left leaning, liberal socialist that Republicans insist that he is. In essence, Obama has diffused their game and it will be very difficult for them to convince the informed American voter otherwise!
Perhaps more than any else, Obama has stripped away the mantle that Republicans are the party of national defense and are the only ones to protect us from terrorism. In this area, Obama has proven to be an intelligent Commander-in-Chief, making it a priority to get Osama bin Laden along with scores of other top Al Qaida leaders. From the very first threat from pirates in the Indian Ocean, right up to the victory in Lybia in which no American blood was spilled, this President cannot be faulted when it comes to foreign policy and national defense. He kept his word on pulling out of Iraq, and reneged when he had to on closing Guantanamo which was the right thing to do. He has worked tirelessly on sanctions against Iran which is really our only alternative. We cannot afford to attack Iran economically and doing so would be reckless. It is estimated that such actions would disrupt the supply of oil, cause the price of gasoline to go up to $10 to $12 a gallon, and set off a worldwide depression. I don't think anyone is in favor of that!
When you examine the decisions this President has made it is clear that he is an intelligent leader who has made the right choice regarding the economy and international affairs. Considering the fact that we as a nation have survived and are slowly recovering from the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression, our economy is not that terrible. Globally, we are still considered to be the best in the world. The dollar is getting stronger, the Stock Market is getting better, and unemployment is moving in the right direction. Obama saved the auto industry against the wishes of Republicans who would have let them go under, and now they are expanding, creating new jobs, and producing superior products. Even the much criticized health care program rejected the big government public option for a more free market approach.
On balance, you can't argue with success and even his harshest critics must give him credit for working hard, and making the tough decisions when they arise. Obama is in favor of tax cuts and he is for gradually balancing the budget, and making government more efficient. He is more of a center right President than the socialist he is made out to be and the polls show that the American people agree with more of his positions than Republicans. He deserves a second term and has proven to be far superior than anyone running against him. Wake up, America!
Most recently, President Obama has asked Congress to grant him the power to shrink the size of the federal government by merging trade and business agencies that would replace the Commerce Department, saving three billion dollars and cutting up to two thousand jobs over ten years. Also, he wants to decrease the bulging defense budget by streamlining the military with a smarter, high tech approach and a redeployment of troops. Most military experts agree it is the right thing to do. In doing so, it would be very difficult for his opponents to label him as a big government socialist. In fact, the Republicans have increased the size of government under Bush, along with the deficit, so it seems that they have lost all credibility on that argument too.
Obama's jobs bill was another example of a much needed program that was paid for and would have given the economy a second shot of adrenalin just at the right time. Included in that bill was money to repair our crumbling infrastructure which, in the past, was always agreed upon by both parties, and this was paid for without adding one cent to the deficit. Republicans want to keep Bush tax cuts which were never paid for, along with the two wars, the prescription drug plan, and the expansion of the Department of Homeland Security, all of which gave us record deficits. So who is the party of deficit reduction?
Tax cuts are another area in which Obama has demonstrated that he doesn't fit the label of "tax and spend liberal". He has never suggested a tax increase on the middle class but he has insisted on increasing taxes on the wealthy. Polls show overwhelming support for this plan but the Republicans refuse to give in, knowing we are in desperate need of increased revenues. Under Bush and Obama, emergency funds were needed to avoid a worldwide financial collapse. Republicans recognized the severity of those times and want to pay for them by gutting government rather than raise taxes on the wealthy. A tax increase on the wealthy is a small price to pay for avoiding a depression. Obama has since granted seventeen tax cuts to small businesses and has aggressively tried to bring manufacturing jobs back to our shores with his new insourcing program. The Republicans are usually the party of big business and should be cheering him on!
Obama has demonstrated a willingness for offshore drilling opening a record eighty new sites in the Gulf last year and he will approve the Canadian pipeline at the risk of losing the environmental vote. He has shown real toughness when it comes to immigrtation by deporting more illegal aliens than any other president. He is a reasonable man who has proven to the American people that he is far from this left leaning, liberal socialist that Republicans insist that he is. In essence, Obama has diffused their game and it will be very difficult for them to convince the informed American voter otherwise!
Perhaps more than any else, Obama has stripped away the mantle that Republicans are the party of national defense and are the only ones to protect us from terrorism. In this area, Obama has proven to be an intelligent Commander-in-Chief, making it a priority to get Osama bin Laden along with scores of other top Al Qaida leaders. From the very first threat from pirates in the Indian Ocean, right up to the victory in Lybia in which no American blood was spilled, this President cannot be faulted when it comes to foreign policy and national defense. He kept his word on pulling out of Iraq, and reneged when he had to on closing Guantanamo which was the right thing to do. He has worked tirelessly on sanctions against Iran which is really our only alternative. We cannot afford to attack Iran economically and doing so would be reckless. It is estimated that such actions would disrupt the supply of oil, cause the price of gasoline to go up to $10 to $12 a gallon, and set off a worldwide depression. I don't think anyone is in favor of that!
When you examine the decisions this President has made it is clear that he is an intelligent leader who has made the right choice regarding the economy and international affairs. Considering the fact that we as a nation have survived and are slowly recovering from the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression, our economy is not that terrible. Globally, we are still considered to be the best in the world. The dollar is getting stronger, the Stock Market is getting better, and unemployment is moving in the right direction. Obama saved the auto industry against the wishes of Republicans who would have let them go under, and now they are expanding, creating new jobs, and producing superior products. Even the much criticized health care program rejected the big government public option for a more free market approach.
On balance, you can't argue with success and even his harshest critics must give him credit for working hard, and making the tough decisions when they arise. Obama is in favor of tax cuts and he is for gradually balancing the budget, and making government more efficient. He is more of a center right President than the socialist he is made out to be and the polls show that the American people agree with more of his positions than Republicans. He deserves a second term and has proven to be far superior than anyone running against him. Wake up, America!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Growing a Backbone?
Gone is the talk of bipartisanship. Gone is the spirit of let's work together to solve the nation's serious problems. Gone is the thought that if we cooperate and compromise with each other, government can work for the good of the people. The Republicans said no, one too many times and killed any hope of getting things done. Speaker Boehner bragged that he got 98% of what he wanted by extending the Bush tax cuts and Obama's approval ratings have gone down ever since. At that point, Obama became their whipping boy. They thought they could run the table on this weak, spineless President who lacked leadership and who had lost the respect of his constituents. Suddenly, President Obama has found religion! Could it be that he has grown into the Presidency and has finally figured out how to lead?
It started with the two month extension of the payroll tax deduction and unemployment benefits. Obama stood firm and was granted a two month extension. It was a very small victory for him but it was a sign that they can be broken! We shall see what the outcome will be in February when the extension runs out. In the meantime, Obama appointed Richard Cordray director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau which was an appointment that was being stonewalled by Republicans since the summer. The appointment over the holiday recess was a defiant move by Obama signaling once again that he is ready to take them on. The more he runs against this right wing Congress, the higher his approval ratings will go because most people disapprove of this Congress much more than the President!
It is obvious at this point in time that team Obama has figured out that there will be no cooperation from the opposition party. They were naive to ever think that Republicans would ever give this black President a victory. Their game was simple, to stonewall, to play rope-a dope, to obstruct so that government became dysfunctional and then blame Obama and the government for failing the American economy. It was working so well, Obama's approval rating dipped into the low forties, unemployment was stubbornly stuck between 9-10%, and there was talk of a double dip recession. Consumer confidence was in the crapper, the government bond rating dropped, and any advances in the economy always seemed to have set backs, like a tsunami in Japan or the European debt crisis which has a direct effect on our economy. All of which was blamed on the failed Presidency of Barack Obama.
It was a perfect setup for a Republican victory in 2012. The American people would be eager to blame this black, inexperienced President for all the woes this country has suffered. It may still happen that Republicans take total control of Congress and the Presidency, except that this President, all of a sudden, has grown a backbone! Finally, he stood firm on the extension payroll deduction rollback, at least for the next two months, along with the extension of unemployment benefits. People in this country respect defiance, arrogance, and boldness which we got a glimpse of in this last round of the manufactured fiscal crisis. Clinton stood up to them in the nineties and allowed the Republicans to shut the government down. He was respected for standing up to the bullies and left office with an approval rating in the sixties even after the impeachment. The American people recognized that right is might and blamed the Republicans for the shutdown. Obama could learn a great deal from Bill Clinton!
Another thing the Republicans didn't count on was the number of buffoons who would run in their primary. With each passing debate, each of their candidates exposed themselves as the most pathetic, small minded, empty suits one could ever imagine. Not one of them would be capable of getting elected dog catcher, let alone President. Again, with each passing debate, Obama's approval rating climbed higher and higher. People started to realize that he may lack leadership but he works hard, has a plan, and he doesn't give up. Obama is growing into the job! People like him and even though he has his faults, they are seeing that he is much more capable than any one of his opponents.
The last thing the Republicans didn't count on was that regardless of all the fiscal crises they manufactured, the economy has been steadily improving! In spite of their obstruction to virtually every plan Obama has come up with, the economy is slowly getting better! Twenty three consecutive months of job growth with the last five months producing over hundred thousand jobs, unemployment down to 81/2 %, Detroit having a banner year, and the DOW over 12 thousand are all signs of a recovering economy. The Holiday season was great, housing is improving, and a mild winter so far is also helping the economy.. If private sector jobs had been retained, another million jobs would have been saved nationwide. Good economic news is bad news for the Republicans because they can't run on ideas, so they must run on fear and anger. People are hopeful that maybe we have weathered the storm and we can now start to chip away at the deficit.
Now Obama needs to capitalize on the good economic news and stop apologizing because we are not out of the woods yet. Every good forecast is followed by the grim reminder that there are still millions of people suffering and without a job. We know that, and don't need the reminder. What we need is a cheerleader who is going to keep it positive. We need a leader to encourage and reinforce the idea that Americans can overcome any adversity in spite of the obstructionist opposition party. Obama needs to remind us that if his jobs bill had been passed, the economic forecast would be even better. Basically, he needs to stop being so humble about his successes and start to brag more about the comeback of the American auto industry, which he saved, and the profit the American taxpayers made on the bailout of the banks! Hopefully, he will get the message and grow into this job! Wake up, Obama!
It started with the two month extension of the payroll tax deduction and unemployment benefits. Obama stood firm and was granted a two month extension. It was a very small victory for him but it was a sign that they can be broken! We shall see what the outcome will be in February when the extension runs out. In the meantime, Obama appointed Richard Cordray director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau which was an appointment that was being stonewalled by Republicans since the summer. The appointment over the holiday recess was a defiant move by Obama signaling once again that he is ready to take them on. The more he runs against this right wing Congress, the higher his approval ratings will go because most people disapprove of this Congress much more than the President!
It is obvious at this point in time that team Obama has figured out that there will be no cooperation from the opposition party. They were naive to ever think that Republicans would ever give this black President a victory. Their game was simple, to stonewall, to play rope-a dope, to obstruct so that government became dysfunctional and then blame Obama and the government for failing the American economy. It was working so well, Obama's approval rating dipped into the low forties, unemployment was stubbornly stuck between 9-10%, and there was talk of a double dip recession. Consumer confidence was in the crapper, the government bond rating dropped, and any advances in the economy always seemed to have set backs, like a tsunami in Japan or the European debt crisis which has a direct effect on our economy. All of which was blamed on the failed Presidency of Barack Obama.
It was a perfect setup for a Republican victory in 2012. The American people would be eager to blame this black, inexperienced President for all the woes this country has suffered. It may still happen that Republicans take total control of Congress and the Presidency, except that this President, all of a sudden, has grown a backbone! Finally, he stood firm on the extension payroll deduction rollback, at least for the next two months, along with the extension of unemployment benefits. People in this country respect defiance, arrogance, and boldness which we got a glimpse of in this last round of the manufactured fiscal crisis. Clinton stood up to them in the nineties and allowed the Republicans to shut the government down. He was respected for standing up to the bullies and left office with an approval rating in the sixties even after the impeachment. The American people recognized that right is might and blamed the Republicans for the shutdown. Obama could learn a great deal from Bill Clinton!
Another thing the Republicans didn't count on was the number of buffoons who would run in their primary. With each passing debate, each of their candidates exposed themselves as the most pathetic, small minded, empty suits one could ever imagine. Not one of them would be capable of getting elected dog catcher, let alone President. Again, with each passing debate, Obama's approval rating climbed higher and higher. People started to realize that he may lack leadership but he works hard, has a plan, and he doesn't give up. Obama is growing into the job! People like him and even though he has his faults, they are seeing that he is much more capable than any one of his opponents.
The last thing the Republicans didn't count on was that regardless of all the fiscal crises they manufactured, the economy has been steadily improving! In spite of their obstruction to virtually every plan Obama has come up with, the economy is slowly getting better! Twenty three consecutive months of job growth with the last five months producing over hundred thousand jobs, unemployment down to 81/2 %, Detroit having a banner year, and the DOW over 12 thousand are all signs of a recovering economy. The Holiday season was great, housing is improving, and a mild winter so far is also helping the economy.. If private sector jobs had been retained, another million jobs would have been saved nationwide. Good economic news is bad news for the Republicans because they can't run on ideas, so they must run on fear and anger. People are hopeful that maybe we have weathered the storm and we can now start to chip away at the deficit.
Now Obama needs to capitalize on the good economic news and stop apologizing because we are not out of the woods yet. Every good forecast is followed by the grim reminder that there are still millions of people suffering and without a job. We know that, and don't need the reminder. What we need is a cheerleader who is going to keep it positive. We need a leader to encourage and reinforce the idea that Americans can overcome any adversity in spite of the obstructionist opposition party. Obama needs to remind us that if his jobs bill had been passed, the economic forecast would be even better. Basically, he needs to stop being so humble about his successes and start to brag more about the comeback of the American auto industry, which he saved, and the profit the American taxpayers made on the bailout of the banks! Hopefully, he will get the message and grow into this job! Wake up, Obama!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Give Me a Tax Increase!
In Nassau County on Long Island the headlines read 265 layoffs for county workers. The layoffs certainly were not the people at the top making the big salaries but lower rung workers of the middle class who are struggling to make ends meet. This unfortunate situation is occurring all over this country. The claim is that county and state governments are broke and no longer have the resources to keep these people employed. Sales tax receipts are down due to the recession and maintaining programs is just unsustainable. But this is not the reason for the problem. Programs can be sustainable if taxes were raised temporarily!
Think about it, Bush's tax cut was temporary for a period of ten years. Obama extended it for two more years but it was still for a limited time. So if a temporary tax cut is OK with the politicians, why can't we have a temporary, limited tax increase? Not one job would be lost in Nassau County if they raised taxes slightly. If everyone paid an extra $.25 a week those jobs would be saved. Instead, 265 families will now be on the unemployment lines collecting money for doing nothing through no fault of their own. It doesn't make sense!
When times are good and the government is raking in the tax revenue we should get a tax cut, but when times are hard we need to pull together as a community to prevent job loss by paying a tax. This tax increase would be in effect until the economy turns around. The priority must be to keep everyone working because that keeps the marketplace healthy. A slight increase would hardly be felt and could easily be absorbed by those fortunate enough to have a job. People have gotten drastic increases in their health insurance payments, gas prices, and food costs without a complaint. When we go to the pump, sometimes the price of gas goes up $.05 in a day! We just pay the price and go on our way because we have just accepted this as a new normal. But if the government wants to raise taxes by a quarter percent, people are up in arms!
What if you knew that the tax increase would automatically be reduced according to the percentage of unemployment in the county? Why can't taxes be adjusted in direct correlation to the unemployment numbers? A rise in taxes doesn't have much of an effect on the economy because people will not change their spending habits because of a few cents more. However, when you put hundreds of families out of work it takes its toll on the local economy, as well as the federal budget. The psychological effects are devastating to hundreds of people's lives and their children. Cuts at the local level hurt local, small businesses, the backbone of our economy. When people are unemployed it causes a negative ripple effect throughout the community.
So raise my taxes and save people's jobs. I'll gladly take one for the team with the understanding that when times get better there will be some relief in sight. We need to pull together as a community, as a nation, and help each other in our time of need. It must be done collectively, and it must be a temporary fix. If we receive a tax cut during good times then we need to be adults about having a tax increase during bad times. Stop whining about your taxes and start to think about those less fortunate people on the unemployment lines. That is what being a patriot really means, not just waving a flag. It is called sacrificing for the greater good and that is what Americans do in times of crisis. Wake up, America!
Think about it, Bush's tax cut was temporary for a period of ten years. Obama extended it for two more years but it was still for a limited time. So if a temporary tax cut is OK with the politicians, why can't we have a temporary, limited tax increase? Not one job would be lost in Nassau County if they raised taxes slightly. If everyone paid an extra $.25 a week those jobs would be saved. Instead, 265 families will now be on the unemployment lines collecting money for doing nothing through no fault of their own. It doesn't make sense!
When times are good and the government is raking in the tax revenue we should get a tax cut, but when times are hard we need to pull together as a community to prevent job loss by paying a tax. This tax increase would be in effect until the economy turns around. The priority must be to keep everyone working because that keeps the marketplace healthy. A slight increase would hardly be felt and could easily be absorbed by those fortunate enough to have a job. People have gotten drastic increases in their health insurance payments, gas prices, and food costs without a complaint. When we go to the pump, sometimes the price of gas goes up $.05 in a day! We just pay the price and go on our way because we have just accepted this as a new normal. But if the government wants to raise taxes by a quarter percent, people are up in arms!
What if you knew that the tax increase would automatically be reduced according to the percentage of unemployment in the county? Why can't taxes be adjusted in direct correlation to the unemployment numbers? A rise in taxes doesn't have much of an effect on the economy because people will not change their spending habits because of a few cents more. However, when you put hundreds of families out of work it takes its toll on the local economy, as well as the federal budget. The psychological effects are devastating to hundreds of people's lives and their children. Cuts at the local level hurt local, small businesses, the backbone of our economy. When people are unemployed it causes a negative ripple effect throughout the community.
So raise my taxes and save people's jobs. I'll gladly take one for the team with the understanding that when times get better there will be some relief in sight. We need to pull together as a community, as a nation, and help each other in our time of need. It must be done collectively, and it must be a temporary fix. If we receive a tax cut during good times then we need to be adults about having a tax increase during bad times. Stop whining about your taxes and start to think about those less fortunate people on the unemployment lines. That is what being a patriot really means, not just waving a flag. It is called sacrificing for the greater good and that is what Americans do in times of crisis. Wake up, America!
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