Random Thoughts

(1) In all of this midst of the Republican/Conservative dismay over the direction our current "captain" is taking this great ship called the United States, I have a thought to pose. What is the current alternative plan being offered by the Republicans/Conservatives? What really frightens me (as a lifelong Republican voter) is that the Republican Party is in imminent danger of being as marginalized as the old American Whig party. The Whig Party literally became the Anti-Andrew Jackson party. After Jackson left office, the Whigs were left with no chief over-riding philosophy and became splintered over the issues of sectionalism and slavery. I don't think that the Republican party has offered any clear set philosophy since the presidency of Reagan. At that time, the Reagan Republicans were united in a two-pronged vision for America: Anti-Communism and a opposition to the increase in the size/role of the national government. Under President Bush, the Republicans abandoned their opposition to the growth in the government. Now I don't hear any "new" Republican vision minus one that states if Obama is for it-we're against it. If the Republicans are sincere about wanting to re-take the reins of the government, they have to develop a vision that will show America that they are worthy of being trusted with running our government.

(2) It is almost mind-boggling that so many of our governmental officials are now claiming that they were "blind-sided" by our economic down-turn. Anyone with eyes to see saw this recession coming years ago. Once the price of gas started climbing, are we surprised that the economy has headed south? When the American people have to start paying two-times the amount for gas since prior to the beginning of the war in Iraq and 9/11, is it any wonder that we are suffering today. Remember those days prior to 9/11 when gas was hovering around $1/gallon. Now our national, state, and local leaders claim that they "misunderstood" the extent of our recession. The Alabama State budgets were only salvaged by the economic stimulus package money (what happens next year when that runs out????) The city of Mobile is looking at possibly laying off three hundred city employees. What happens to next years budget in Mobile when the local unemployment rate gets blind-sided by those layoffs? When do we, as voters, start holding our political leaders accountable for their actions? Instead of automatically assuming that our incumbents are voted back into office, shouldn't we be looking to "throw the bums out" if they cannot handle our budgets? If my income level drops, I have to tighten my budget and live without certain things. Why can't we expect the same from our government?

(3) Congratulations to Baldwin County for voting a 1% tax increase to "save" their school system. Remember the days when the Baldwin County schools were the peak of efficiency and the Mobile County schools were the "red-headed step children?" What happened???? Before we people on the western part of the Bay start patting ourselves on the back, remember we have to renew our property tax increase from several years ago. Would you like to put money on that vote? Remember, that was the vote where the School Board threatened to cut out all extra-curricular activities if the vote did not pass. Teacher and Coaches hit the streets talking to their neighbors about the need to pass the tax. The vote did pass and the very next day (literally) the Mobile County School Board laid off over three hundred teachers. Do you really think those same teaches will hit the streets now? I would imagine that many Mobile County residents will view the property tax renewal as a prime opportunity to "cut" their taxes. Good Luck Dr. Nichols, I think you're going to need it.

(4) I have lived through many experiences in my life. I can remember the assassination of JFK; Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon; the glorious fall of the Berlin Wall. Even during the dark moments (i.e. Watergate, Vietnam, etc.), there were few moments when I doubted the future prosperity of our country. However, now I'm not so sure that I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Please understand, this is not just an indictment of the current presidential administration. This train wreck has been many years in the making. Our government and our people have been oblivious to the future and have been spending like there is no concern for tomorrow. We (Republican and Democratic administrations) are spending and believing that future generations will pay the tab. For the first time in my life, I am actually worried about the direction in which this country is moving. I'm really beginning to wonder if it is fixable. I remember reading a book in high school, The Promise of Joy by Allen Drury, there was a quote I will never forget: "Let us wear on our sleeves the crepe of mourning, for a civilization that once held the promise of joy." I hope that I'm just being pessimistic, hopefully things will get better (at least for the sake of the children).

Why Doesn't the Left Understand the Tea Parties????

Now that all of the tumultuous uproar has died down about the "revolution" in Massachusetts, it is amazing to see the pontifications from the left trying to explain the upset. That amazing mental giant Keith Olbermann wrote it off entirely to racism (so it's racist if a white man disagrees with the African-American President but it isn't racism when the African-American president disagrees with the white man!!!!!) Others have written it off by attributing it to a horribly-run campaign by Coaxley. Why can't the left understand the general discontent that is sweeping the nation? As long as those people in the streets are advancing liberal ideas, they are championed as "defenders" of the cause of free speech. Just make sure that we stay in touch with the elite's idea of truth and justice. They currently dismiss the "tea-baggers" as nuts and people that are out-of-touch with reality. If the protests were directed against Republicans like George W. Bush then they are covered and treated with serious news coverage. If the protests are directed against their "golden boy," then the protests are delusional. The elites must begin to understand that their is a current of anger running through this nation. People are beginning to believe that their voices no longer matter. People are beginning to believe that the people in Congress rule in spite of the voters, not because of them. The question is how long will it take for Congress (and the liberal elite) to take these protests seriously? It has been a long time since the American people "took to the barricades," it was long overdue. Before my friends on the right start getting too smug, please remember, this is as much of a warning for the conservatives as the liberals. If our leaders continue to disregard the masses, there may come a reckoning on election day. It will be interesting to see how history records the political landscape of 2009-2010. Was Massachusetts the opening salvo or is there more to come?

The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Raises Its Ugly Head?????

All right, here we go again. Former President Clinton is once again talking about that "vast right-wing conspiracy" that he maintains is hoping that President Obama fails. To ask the simple question: what has happened to honest dissent in this country? When people on the right disagree with the liberal elites, it is an example of "tea parties," "Nazis" (to quote that paragon of wisdom Nancy Pelosi), and other nut cases. Yet, when the left dissented about President Bush and the war in Iraq, they were viewed as patriots who were exercising their constitutional liberties. For some strange reason, I do not believe that Pelosi would have referred to the anti-Vietnam War protesters as Nazis. Former President Clinton decries the conservative influence on the radio channels and Fox news as a prime example of this horrid conspiracy. Yet, everyone with eyes to see has always known that the overwhelming number of news reporters and broadcast journalists are liberal. Just watch another one of the "love-fests" that poses as the white house news conferences and you will see it. Why can't the right be allowed to question and criticize the policies of Obama without being subjected to cries of racism (thank you President Carter) and conspiracy theories. Do I want the President to fail? Absolutely Not!!! Do I disagree with many of the President's beliefs? ABSOLUTELY!!!!! I am totally convinced that the President's National Health Care plan will lead us down a road to disaster. I guess that makes me either a racist or a member of that "vast right-wing conspiracy." Why can't I, and others like me, just be viewed as members of the loyal opposition. Why is it an example of crass partisanship if the Republicans vote as one in opposition to the President's policies but if the Democrats did so to President Bush it was an example of honest political discourse. Perhaps, the elites should be more concerned with their own hypocrisy than this right-wing conspiracy. Of course, what do I know, I'm just one of those gun-toting, racist, Nazi conspirators. Just call me Brutus!

Should Students Be "Allowed" To Fail

As I write this, I am still reflecting on a workshop held on our campus entitled High Schools That Work. The Mobile County school board has enacted the program in order to curb the drop out rate. Our school was one of four high schools chosed as models for the program. The gist of the workshop is that teachers need to engage in more activities in order to reach their students. The program states as one of their goals the fact that eighty-five percent of all high school students should be in college-prep classes. The presenters kept harping on the fact that we need to challenge our students with more higher level questions. I don't want to rain on the parade, but I seriously wonder if both goals are contradictory. First, I have a serious problem with the eighty-five percent in college-prep classes. Since teachers are evaluated on how well their students perform on the CRTs (or as they are now called EQTs), will some teachers be tempted to water down their curriculum to improve their test scores? In essence, by raising the bar, are we in fact lowering that same bar. Much like we did with the High School Graduation Exam, we raised the level of questions from the eighth grade level to the eleventh grade level, then we lowered the required passing score. In some cases, that score was less than fifty percent correct answers in order to pass. Second, if all teachers immediately started adopting the higher level questions, what would happen to the grades of the students? Once again, teachers would be called into question because of an increase in lower averages. The common idea is that teachers should not "allow" their students to fail. If a child chooses to take a zero for their decision to not complete assignments, should the teacher construct additional opportunities for the student to complete the assignment? If a student fails a test, should they be allowed to retake the test until they receive a passing grade? What does that tell the student who passes the test the first time? Are we encouraging students to study? If they know they have the option of retaking the test, what is the incentive for studying in the first place? I know I've stated this before, but we are democratizing education. Education is supposed to separate students. At the risk of sounding elitist, not all teachers are meant to go to college. Hence, this is the reason that on some college campuses, the freshmen drop out rate exceeds sixty percent. We need a discussion as to the proper role of education. In our modern age, we need to address the money spent on education and assess whether or not it is worth it. What is the value of a high school diploma? If we continue lowering the bar, will we reduce high school graduation to the level of some middle school advancements that are completely due to "social promotion." Are we actually setting up these students for failure in higher education and in the workforce? Before we embark on more educational experiments, we need to focus on our purpose. Education is meant to prepare our students for the next stage in their lives. I'm not sure that our schools are accomplishing this mission. Perhaps our next workshop should be entitled "Are We Doing Our Students a Dis-Service?" Our communities have committed a tremendous amount of money for our schools, let us just make sure we are going it correctly and meeting the needs of our society and our students.

Madison versus Obama: How Much Power Is Necessary?

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions." (James Madison, The Federalist #51)

"People should not be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people." (V for Vendetta)

Every time I think about the new direction of our government, I am reminded of Madison's wise words. (Why did we have such an abundance of genius in the eighteenth century and have none today??? We have replaced Madison, Jefferson, Jay, and Hamilton with Pelosi, Reid, Frank, and Waxman). President Obama campaigned on a platform of change, he received an overwhelming number of votes. After eight years of President Bush, our country wanted a fresh, new direction. What we have though, is the greatest expansion of the powers of the American government since Franklin Roosevelt. The question that should be at the forefront of the discussions involves a debate on the size and role of the national government. Is it the job of the national government to provide health care for its citizens? Is it the job of the national government to dictate or tax cigarettes, fast food, and alcohol in order to make us a healthier nation? (remember John Marshall's warning: "the power to tax involves the power to destroy") Is it the job of the national government to provide a college education for all of its people? Is it the job of the national government to provide all of its citizens with jobs? These are all fundamental questions that we seem to be ignoring. How much power do we want to give the government? How do we force the government to "control itself?" Now before someone labels me as a nutcase, we must recognize that the Jeffersonian model of an extremely limited national government is gone forever. In a modern world, you must give the government enough power "to control the governed." The old idea of Thoreau's that the "government is best which governs least" is not acceptable in this modern age. However, how much governmental power is enough. I'm not sure that even Alexander Hamilton would be comfortable with the government bailing out corporations, taking over a majority share-ownership of those said corporations, and dictating the firing and hiring of the CEOs. I believe that Hamilton, one of the major proponents of the expansion of the powers of the new central government, would be quite uncomfortable with the notion of nationalized health care. I am simply asking for a discussion of the central issue, how much power is enough power? Who is to be the master, the people or the government? How much control do we give the government over the daily lives of its citizens? This is almost a return to the sixties, when many liberals became convinced that the national government was the only vehicle to secure social justice. Therefore, should it be the responsibility of the national government to make our citizens healthier, more tolerant, and more financially successful. On the other hand, is that the responsibility of the individual? How do we draw the line between giving the government "control over the governed" and forcing that same government to "control itself?"That is the fundamental point. I am sincerely praying that we will get over the name-calling and start discussing that major issue.

Exploring the Holocaust

It has taken a while to decide how to classify my recent trip to Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The trip was a paradox. While it was exciting to visiting these sites of such enormous historical importance, it was sobering to realize that you were actually walking in the footsteps of over a million innocents who went to a premature grave in the name of a racial vision. I will still stand by earlier statements, the holocaust is the most understood-least understood topic in history. It was amazing how many of the "professional" local tour guides were so lacking in their knowledge of the event (i.e. the Warsaw guide informing the group that the Zyklon B was administered through the showerheads). Regardless, walking the grounds of Auschwitz-Birkenau and Dachau filled me with a sense of awe. It was a trip I will never forget and to be honest, has re-energized me to teach the subject. This was my first return to Germany since 1990 (the summer after the wall came tumbling down). I was amazed at how the Germans are beginning the confront the ghosts of the Nazis as opposed to ignoring it. There are numerous sites dedicated to a confrontation of the past (i.e. the Topography of Terror in Berlin; the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe; the Documentation Center at Nurmeberg). On my first trip to Nuremberg (June 1990), when I went to the tourist information center (seeking directions to the stadium-site of the infamous Nazi party rallies of 1934-1935) the lady chewed me out for wanting to see the "Nazi" sites instead of focusing on the German cultural sites. This time there seems to be a feeling of exploring the past for the purpose of never allowing it to happen again. In the end, we as Americans seem to get carried away with this notion of the Holocaust being a "German" event. We must never lose site of the fact that if it could happen in Germany (at the time arguably the most intelligent nation in the world), it could happen anywhere. That sobering truth makes the need for these types of trips essential. I stated earlier that I wasn't sure if I was up to the trip to Birkenau, I'm still not sure that I was. May we never forget the innocents who perished and the evil that made it so.

Tea Parties and the Left

Why is the liberal wing of this country so derisive about the tea parties held across the country. Isn't the essence of liberalism to espouse tolerance??? The left wing media has openly attacked those people who took part in the tea parties. Some of the media outlets ignored the parties all together (i.e. New York Times). Believe me, if the parties has been advocating pro-choice or any criticism of this country, the coverage would have been immense. Why are liberals so intolerant of the opposition? Why are liberals so opposed to any open discussion of ideas? Why are the liberals, the so-called defenders of the little people, showing so much disdain for those little people who don't agree with them? To paraphrase President Hoover, the only problem with liberals are liberals. If you want a prediction, the liberal wing of this country will enable a conservative comeback. They will so poison the moderates that they will eventually move back to the right. The sooner the better.