Failing Education

America,
Land of the beautiful, home of the brave!
-Brave enough to fight a war a world away, but not so brave on tackling the educational crises that has hit as hard, if not harder, than the financial crises of 2008.

You see; while the tax-payers of the United States pay out the billions of dollars needed to fund the war in Afghanistan (and Iraq, albeit at a much smaller amount), another war should erupt very soon on the home-front. This war is about education.
America must come to grips with the cold-hard truth that it is seceding its power everyday to the up and coming economic powerhouse, China. With this cold-hard truth, America must look at one big question on its home-front: how do we contend with our Chinese rival?...

... answer: education! America is ranked generally ranked between 22nd and 33rd in global education, according tohttp://www.geographic.org/country_ranks/educational_score_performance_country_ranks_2009_oecd.htmla whose facts are backed by numerous sources and journals...

... 22nd-33rd? How can the world's only super-power for the past 60 years have such a low education rating? This requires an extensive look; an examination, if you will, beginning at the macro level all the way into the nano-micro scale.

... this is a real problem for any country, let alone one on which the entire world's economy relies upon!

.... more to come.

Corporatism

America is not the same democratic republic it once was!

Exclude that exclamation for a second, I don't put it there to show my enthusiasm for my point, but rather to catch your eye!

I almost want to say that we are not even a democratic republic at all, but I'm afraid that would not be entirely accurate, because we still vote, we assemble ourselves, and we still have freedoms that would permit us to continue to use the rationale that we are a dem. repub.

With that said, I aim to focus on the negative: we aren't a dem.repub.

On the face of things, we certainly are. We hold elections for president, senate, representatives, and even house districts. From the level of state, to county, big and small, we vote. Thus making is a democracy.

We are not a true democracy. A true democracy is defined when all people come together and vote on every issue, an example of this would be the entire population of the U.S. (300+ million) voting on healthcare, amendments to the constitution, gun control, immigration, etc. So thereby we are not a true democracy, but a democracy of representatives, or a representative democracy.

Of all the issues in government today, and of all the obstacles facing our country, and of all the 'diseases' that face our nation, whether economically, militarily, judicially, or democratically, the biggest threat we are faced with is a result of unregulated capitalism; corporatism.

There needs no debate on the matter; corporatism is not capitalism. Corporatism is a form of government; government that is influenced directly by business. Corporatism occurs when there is a failure of government to abide by its own rules (in America, this is a very shortened definition).

Many of the founding fathers, from George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin, to later presidents, to economists (Adam Smith), and even later high military brass (Douglass MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower), all warned of the possibility and danger in corporatism.

Corporatism is not something that creeps up naturally upon, and in direct contact with government. It is actually a way of business that is run, fueled, and directed by a select few individuals, namely those who are of the highest tax bracket (specifically the top 1%, with the top 1% of the top 1% holding the most considerable power).

Corporations who seek higher profits are known to submit requests to governments to see where they might earn the largest buck. Shell corporations, and any sort of corporation that falls under the S-corp definition has a great incentive to list their headquarters offshore, and move many of their manufacturing plants offshore so as to avoid American government taxes; however, by way of selling their products or services to Americans they generate the highest amount of revenue (the dollar is still the most valuable form of note in the world), while avoiding the high overhead of paying American payroll taxes, FICA, SS, Medicare, SUTA, FUTA, etc. Even if their manufacturing plants are located in the U.S. they are only subject to state income taxes, and small amounts of tax liabilities that are not subject to larger percentage of fed taxes that would otherwise be due to Uncle Sam. On top of all this, they can completely remove their own influence on the economy (dollar influence on local, and national economic scales) by banking with the Swiss, where they can escape any sort of withdrawal tax as they would otherwise experience if they conducted their banking operations within America (we see this everyday in taxes encumbered as we withdraw funds from our 401k, IRA, and mutual funds). Outsourcing jobs is another excellent way to cut overhead costs, and avoid the U.S. tax system.

These are just a few of the ways corporations (Wal-Mart, Shell, ChevronTexaco, Exxon, etc) can cut overhead costs and experience maximum net gross profits, and maximum business growth. All of it is completely legal (as fair), so long as their U.S. taxes and business operations abide by the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

The accounting, is pretty tricky. Although Obama has taken measures and steps of regulating wall-street and corporations, against fraud (undoing what the Bush administration did), he has not appointed enough regulators, and has failed considerably to enact enough critical laws that would help prevent against such corruption (the governments own Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is evidence alone). By enacted laws (not enough), but failing to enforce enough of them, we will still see corruption that will cost us billions of dollars; more has to be done (death penalty anyone?).

Let's quickly examine a few corporations (I can go into more detail if necessary, however my aim here is only to give you an idea of how corrupt our government is, while keeping things at a very easy-to-understand level).

Cabelas, and Bass Pro Shops: Yes, the sporting goods stores that we all love to visit. They're huge, their beautiful, and they have nearly every piece of outdoor equipment every made. Clean, neat, shiny, and so enticing! They provide thousands of jobs, donate to local and national charities, and even donate and assist in local communities, aye... so marvelous!

On the face of things, they look like the greatest stores in the world; the Wal-Marts of the outdoor sporting world. Wrong!

Everyone, I mean, every single store was built with your money... not their own money like most businesses (specifically smaller business), but with YOUR money!

How do they do it?

Easy! First, they research the demographics to find the best suitable location; next, they inquire the local government and petition for tax-breaks, subsidies, and other incentives, all while telling the county officials "our store will bring in millions of dollars of revenue, as people flock from all over to come here and do their shopping", this sounds good to the local government officials (county/state/city officials) because they earn revenue through the taxes they charge on the store, employees, items bought, and items sold, as well as FICA, SUTA, and payroll taxes. However, some officials might express concern, such as "what are the environmental impacts of building such a large store?", "will this really benefit our economy?", "why do you need tax-breaks, subsidies, and other incentives to build your store when your profit margins are so great that you can build these multi-million dollar super-stores anywhere?"... the answer comes from the lawyers, and representatives of the store (remember, I'm focusing on Cabelas, Bass-Pro Shops. Wal-Mart can also be included in this group): "You either give us what we want, or we will work with your neighboring county, and make you regret it."Alas, here the officials, many of whom are good natured people, are stuck the middle of a two-way intersection. Do they give the stores what they want, at the cost of the tax-payer, or do they pass up the opportunity, and watch as the next county over experiences outward growth? Naturally, they almost always agree to the conditions the store reps request.

Why? Because it looks good on the face of things. These stores bring in tourists, and people from all over who come not just to shop, but to eat at the local restaurants, stay in the local motels, etc. That is no doubt something very good. However; at the same time they are increasing local taxes, whether it be property taxes, water taxes, road taxes, or the introduction of a new tax, which, over time, will be higher than the taxes charged to the store, and the revenue earned through the increase in tourists and out of state shoppers; so in the long run, the local economy typically loses money, and if they don't, the state economy will see a deduction in the amount of a fund(s).

The biggest example of a corporate corruption (I'm getting closer to how this relates to the government on a macro-scale, and how it effects the entire world) lies with the military-industrial complex. This is exactly what MacArthur and Eisenhower (among the many notable names over the life-span of the U.S.) warned about.

War is perhaps the single most effective business growth, or business death tool.

JPL, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Haliburton, Exxon-Mobile, Shell, Remington, Bushmaster, and many, many others experience growth in ways unimaginable otherwise.

They continue wars through their influence of politicians, that can be seen in plain sight, through donations, and through the use of lobbyists.

Lobbying, and unrestricted political donations (as allowed by a recent Supreme Court ruling, evidence that corruption has now climbed to the ranks of the Supreme Court) should be illegal. They are certainly unconstitutional, and were adamantly and vehemently warned against by past generations of great men and women.

These corporations are very good at what they do, and their influence has no bounds. If they want war, they can pay politicians X amount of dollars, and have them vote the way that is best for them. Thereby stealing the peoples power of voting rights indirectly, and changing the whole political landscape of our government, and essentially, the direction of our nation.

"I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within."-Douglas MacArthur

"No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."-James Madison

Morality in America

What is morality?

The word 'morality' comes from the Latin word moralitas, which means 'proper behavior', or 'a doctrine, or system of moral conduct.'

To fully understand what morality really means, and how it has been defined, shaped, and how it has evolved through time we must take a look back at its meaning through the years.

If we go back to the days of early Christianity, we see Christ as the leading authority of morality, we can examine the Old Testament and find the 10 commandments, where God listed such rules as "thou shalt not kill", "thou shalt not covet", "thou shalt not commit adultery", "thou shalt not steal."And in Hammurabi's Code, and the teachings of Socrates, and Aristotle. We can see that, even in these early years (between 3000 b.c. and 100 a.d.) of modern day man, we had a moral compass with which to steer our lives.

Now, we see that these moral codes were developed in what was considered to be, two of the most developed parts of the world at the time; the Middle East, and Western Europe. There can be a number of reasons for this, one of which is that both of these areas were generally very open, and free places (compared to the rest of the world), and were considered to be more free, and more open-minded at other times. Both Western Europe, and the Middle East, understood the importance of knowledge, and both had universities to teach math, the sciences, linguistics, philosophy, and more. At one point, Alexandria (the pinnacle of Middle East knowledge) boasted the largest library in the world, dwarfing any library in China, or Europe.

Whether it was the Sumerian's, Hittites, Romans, Christians, Jews, Moors, or other Muslim tribes, they all had a common belief in the importance of knowledge, as we can see today through the lens of Jerusalem, Alexandria, Cairo, Rome, Istanbul, etc. All understood that knowledge is the key to unlock the doors of possibility of tomorrow.

Ok, so we have a good understanding of how long this particular type of morality has been around (let's call it "Universal Morality, or Universalis Moralitas"). We still do not know know where it came from; did Hammurabi come up with his codes off the top of his head? Where did he get the inclination to think like that? If we point to the Christian God and say "He did it", we leave a hole in the minds of those who do not believe in God. As hard as it is, I want to help clarify things to the point that not even an Atheist, or fully fledged evolutionist can deny.

Did morality come from an evolving human brain?

If we are really the products of evolution, to the extent that we were once microbial in existence, we must ask why our brain evolved and developed such things as 'morals'. Assuming that evolution is beneficial (as we currently do), what good comes about from having morals?

Well, having a moral compass, that little voice in your head that tells you "don't do that!", or "do this", otherwise known as your conscience, can help protect you from serious injury. Whether that would be attempting to kill someone, or risk being killed yourself for sleeping with another mans wife, or stealing, it is always there, sometimes voicing itself louder than other times.

Essentially, morality acts as an offensive tool to keep us a step ahead of what we consider "good", and a defensive tool for what we consider to be "bad."

Ever wonder why nearly every civilization has had similar moral codes, and ethical standards, even when they have had no contact with each other?

Perhaps it's because we all think alike at a very primal level. We have been blessed with the opportunity to learn, and think, unlike any other creature on the planet, thus making us, in my opinion, the most interesting, and complex of any creature on the planet.

For thousands of years, the world 'round (with few exceptions), has had very similar ethical codes of conduct, and beliefs of morality. These standards of morality (Universal Morality), has helped safe-guard us over time, and allowed us to progress with little limitation... until recently.

Notice how revered the WW2 generation is. Why is that? In America, they are revered for a number of reasons: how they fought, why they fought, how they sacrificed, why they sacrificed, how they thought, how they talked, how they taught, how they learned, how they advanced, how they were thick-headed, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on! Tom Brokaw calls them the 'Greatest Generation', because they built America into the superpower that it is today.

They fought with courage, worked with humility, and lived conservatively.

... the exact opposite of today. Douglas MacArthur, in his last speech to Congress said: "Where communism exists, we must fight; it is our duty to save others from oppression." He nailed it! That is true Universal Morality at its peak!

America was a great nation, one that was revered by every peoples of the Earth. From Europe to China, and from Africa to the Middle East. There was no such thing as "anti-Americanism", at least, the way we define it today, and there were no terrorists that posed a direct threat to our country.

Why?

Because of our morality. We believed in God, and we believed in our families. We had a strong since of community, and a strong sense of what was good, and also what was bad. We withheld ourselves (broadly used term here) from sexual immorality and pervertedness, for a higher purpose, and in serving such a higher purpose, we served our nations best intentions. Profanity was frowned upon, as was intoxication, lust, materialism, and even a lack of faith.

We were happy, and taught others our ethics, our love for each other, and showed them our willingness to share what we had, and even what we didn't have. We showed them how we cared. It is through our morality, that we made friends, coming to the aid of those when they needed us most. We became a superpower because of what ethics and values we exported abroad.

The Change.

We have changed. We went from the pinnacle of humanity, to the stomping ground upon which all others walk. We were once the most revered nation in the world, now we are the most feared, and arguably, the most hated.

Why are we hated?

Because we have forgone Universal Morality, which produced a by-product, that became our Traditional Morality (God, family, friends; faith, work, perseverance.) Instead of exporting security and knowledge, we are exporting everything that most traditional societies (primarily Islamic nations, and Asiatic countries) detest!

Lust in the forms of sex, violence, money, and material things. Where the Chinese revere science and engineering, we are centered on video-games and sex; big cars, and art. Which aren't necessarily immoral by nature, but are rather misused, and now-days, misunderstood, turning them into perversions of nature.

Lets take a look at the Middle East.

Fifty years ago, anti-Americanism was nearly unheard of. Terrorists, whose aim was to destroy America, was not even thought of. We fought alongside Egyptians, Moroccans, Lebanese, and Palestinians during WW2. We assisted them in rebuilding efforts, and in higher education. We were at peace with the Middle East (albeit, the creation of Israel in 1948 strained our relationships with many countries).

What's happened?

American music is exported by way of broadcast through every country on the planet. We are huge in the music industry! For the last 15 years, and primarily, over the last 10, our music has become increasingly perverse. Our lyrics are centered on sex, drugs, violence, and drinking.... more to come.

Current Situation

America is currently still considered to be the only superpower in the world. America is still considered by the world 'round to be the land of the free, and a place of opportunity and passion.

With that said, there are a number of issues with America that I want to address. These issues range from such subjects as her foreign policy, to her domestic spending, to her civil rights, and military might.

The first I will address here is her failing foreign policy. I say this as plain as I do because I feel that America's foreign policy is generally a very singular used term, as states her general attitude toward the rest of the world, without taking into account specific or unique situations. America's relationship with her geographical neighbors mimics her relationship with nearly every other country of the world (on the face of things).

What is America's standard foreign policy?

America standardizes her foreign policy by her willingness to appease all other nations. This may sound superfluous at first read, but hear me out.

Overview

America has been seen as the world super-power for over 60 years, beginning with the end of World War 2, where she was seen as a liberator of the enslaved, the brute force of the weak, the voice of the dumb, the shining light of the free world, and the giant that punished the wicked. She seemed as though her first European inhabitants were correct when they claimed she was the "land flowing with milk and honey", or "the New Jerusalem."

Since the late 1940's, America shined her light upon the world, coming to the aid and rescue of many countries whose internal conflicts were of no issue to her, acting on behalf of her still freshly ingrained Biblical morals and ethics that were forged two hundred years earlier on the hills of New York, and on the immense valleys that lay along the Appalachian's.

When the Korean peninsula found itself on the brink of communist takeover, the Americans intervened under MacArthur's leadership; the halt of Soviet-era imperialism (1960's-1980's), and even the rebuilding of Japan after the end of World War 2.

Americans not only proved their superiority and fair judgement in the use of military might, but also with use of the their hands by way of their manufacturing might like Ford, and Chrysler, and high end technology innovation and development through such companies as Microsoft, IBM, and Apple.

It is nearly impossible to go anywhere on Earth that has not been shaped, or touched by the hand of some large American company or force. From the Amazon, to the Arctic, Zimbabwe to Mongolia, even the stars and planets in the heavens cannot escape the curious hand of the American.

So it would seem, that with all our history, all our might, and all the power the world has given us, that we might continue our world dominance, pronounced through our ethics, our morals, our indomitable will to succeed from humble beginnings to slow endings, and continual thirst for more, we would keep strong. We would keep strong because of our history; recent history.

There was a time when the world 'round wanted to be American, when not even death herself could stop a man's desire to be an American.

Yes, there was a time when America was really, truly great, by any measure. The kings of old, from William, to George, the greats of philosophy who sat upon the steps of Ancient Roman libraries; Socrates, Aristotle, even the much later French philosophers Voltaire and Descartes, the genius that was Da Vinci, Newton, and Einstein, all of them could have been a little jealous that such a great republic existed on Earth, and they would never have the chance, other than Einstein, to experience it.

Closing...

America has always been unique and great, and remains so to this day. However, like any nation, America has her share of sin and wickedness, which may or may not have been more evident and prominent at one point of time than another.

I aim to address as many issues and subject as I can in my following documents, and I will strive to do so with integrity, honesty, fairness, and the sharp tool of not only my mind, but others. I will attempt to clarify whatever I can, and to incite friendly conversation as often as is possible. I have been a full time college student since I was 18 (fall 2006), with the exception of one year (fall 2008). In the course of my studies (engineering, business, and accounting) I have gained a lot of knowledge, but probably the most important rule I have learned in college has come from my engineering studies, and is constantly reinforced: Facts, facts, facts! Have as much information as possible, and translate the information into easy to read facts. Back facts up with more facts, and whenever there is no current solution, find one!

Thanks,

-Riddler_This