Death by Experts

Teachers at one time were hired by a towns or cities leaders. If the students weren't learning the teacher was fired and a new teacher was hired. Then things got better organized and school boards were formed and they decided who was hired, fired and what curriculum was adopted. All by the citizens of the town or city.

          Then we got even better organized and the state government passed laws that the school boards had to follow.  Now changes to the curriculum were harder to change because the state had at least partial control. Also the curriculum adopted by each city had to be changed to conform to the new state laws. Teachers formed unions and the state listened to union teachers concerning the curriculum.

          Now we are even better organized. The Federal Government has stepped in  and decides what the curriculum will be. They decide what rules will be followed when teachers are hired and when teachers  are fired. The experts from the teachers unions are now in control and everything is coming up roses.

          Some where along the way the experts didn't get it right. Every so often experts retire and new experts assume control. When this happens we are assured the new experts will make things right. There are numerous studies proving the new (and better) teaching methods work. Our children are saved! They will receive a great education!

          I graduated high school in 1961 and I can remember before I graduated the experts were telling us the schools needed one thing to improve the education they were providing. MORE MONEY! Now it is 52 years later and different experts are still telling us the schools need MORE MONEY!

          During those 52 years education has become a big business. There are teachers, administrators, school nurses, grief counselors, guards, bus drivers, speech therapists and some I don't know about. And that is only at the local level. Add in the state and federal levels levels. Then add in the business of buying school books and supplies. Remember each new expert change in curriculum and new books and supplies are required.

          All of that is paid for with our taxes. We pay for it and how much say do we have? But it would be worth it IF the education our children received was what we expected. Is it?

        Money alone will not provide a good education when spent by bureaucrats at the state or federal level. Money can provide a solution if spent at the local level. One anecdotal example. A woman's son could not real after five (5) years in the public schools. She was told he was developmentally challenged. She finally took him to a private school at her expense and after five (5) days he was reading.

        This is the solution available to us. Research what is available. If you have the time then home school. If not, find a successful private school you can afford and enroll your children.

          Adults today are woefully uneducated. look at the people representing us at the state and federal level. They make decisions affecting us every day and those decisions are based on their education and life experiences.  Look at the Supreme Court. So many decisions made on a 5 to 4 vote. We can all read the Founding Fathers words in the Federalist Papers. We can all see and understand what they said and intended is not the basis for decisions by the court. But the court is making those decisions based on their educations. They were taught by teachers who have gradually had their education changed by experts. Decade by decade, expert by new expert. Until our constitutional republic will be dead. By experts.

On Personal Morality

   A friend of mine once paid me what I consider a very big complement. He said I was the only person he knew who in any situation did not have to hesitate to think about right or wrong. My morality was part of me, inbuilt.  And he was correct. I judge actions as to whether I consider them right or wrong. On that basis I either do or don't do something. And I do not have to think about my decision.

   The reason why I don't have to actually think about any situation is my morality is very simple, very basic. You cannot purposely hurt other people. Very simple. Very basic. Do no harm to others.

   I think the reason my friend noticed my moral behavior is  only because I have the courage of my conviction to do no harm. What I mean by that is if I see anyone doing harm to another I will say or , if required, do something.

   Now I recognize  situations are different, spouses arguing is different from a spouse hitting their spouse. But I have intervened when in high school I saw 3 guys bullying 1 guy. I didn't know the guy being bullied  but I knew 1 of the bullies. Thought of him as a friend but after that he stopped thinking of me as a friend. But that was his decision.

   I think the hardest thing in morality is accepting within yourself the fact that others have a concept of morality different from yours and not attempting to impose your morality on them. Doing harm to others is pretty much universally recognized to normal people. Psychopaths, not so much do they agree with that.But we recognize they are abnormal and are willing to enact laws against violence to another person.

   Fraud, theft and property crimes are a form of violence. The amount of time invested in acquiring a possession is what is being taken from you.  A part of your life. So it is an impersonal type of violence. Telling a lie or untruth about a person is an indirect type of violence.

   We used to have what are called Blue Laws. One such Blue Law was alcohol was illegal to be sold on Sundays. There are still a few on the books but many have been repealed. Blue Laws were a method used by the majority to impose their morality on those who did not have the same morality. To me all such laws are not for the protection of every person equally but instead morality being imposed on others. Which I consider a form of violence.

   The Golden Rule is too easy to pervert. To say "Do onto others only what you are willing to have done unto you" is easily perverted to "Make laws for others that you will obey or believe in". Besides, "Do no harm" is much simpler.

............................................................................................................

   I would appreciate any comments.  Especially if you disagree. I am putting my thoughts out here and any change will only come about from those who disagree and are willing to say why.













  






  

It ain't going to happen!

   I just finished rereading "Out of The Ashes" written by W. W. Johnstone. A book about rebuilding after the USA is attacked with nukes and bio warfare.
   The author is virulently anti liberal. During the course of the book there are many rants about government policies and the effects of those policies. The author also presents alternatives  to those policies.
   About half way through the book I checked to see when the book had been published. I remembered reading it for the first time shortly before Y2K; about 12 years ago.
   The book was published in 1984. Twenty seven years ago. That means anti government sentiment has been simmering for at least twenty seven years. And where are we now, after all those years?
   Has anything changed as far as the government and/or liberalism changed? As far as I can see the last twenty seven years has witnessed a surge in liberal control of government. The current debt phoney crisis is evidence of the government spending policies which are controlled by mainly Liberal policies.
   Twenty seven years of losing ground. Twenty seven years of getting poorer (through inflation gutting the value of the dollar) and becoming less free ( The Patriot Act, Homeland  Security Etc.).
   I think after twenty seven years more people are aware we are losing what this country represented i.e. a free people. But the number is not large enough to restore what has been lost.
   Right now we are in a race. Will enough people become aware that change has to come. Change from what is happening with our government. Or will things just go has they have been.
   In my opinion if the government does not change we face disaster. It may be an economic collapse or a descent into slavery or a combination of the two. The only other possibility I can foresee is a return to how this country was formed. Think 1770's or 1860's.
 

Is it time?

     A thread posted on Timebomb2000 was about a sign in a yard in Maine. The sign said "Do you accept what is happening? Is it time to revolt?" This same question has been asked many times going back 20 years that I am aware of.

     Think of that. At least 20 years people have been thinking of revolting against our Federal government. Remember Ruby Ridge? Waco?  Why is it nothing happened other than an upsurge in the number of militias?

     The best explanation I have read was a post by "ZOG". He asked the question "Who do you shoot?" Think about it. In your local area who is there to go after? The local post master? The old gal where you renew your drivers license?  This is THE question we have to answer. Once the how is answered the when will answer itself.

     For most of us we have been writing or representatives and complaining. That is the socially accepted method and by doing this some of our anger is assuaged. Makes us feel as if we did something. And we did do something. What we did accomplished little or nothing; but we felt better. Well, after more than 20 years of complaining some of us, maybe most of us realize nothing has changed! Actually  things are worse now than 20 years ago.

     Enter the Tea Party people. In my mind what they have accomplished is only a step in a long journey. Some new faces in DC. But not enough to really change things on a national level. Much more was accomplished at the State level with many governorships and legislatures changing to ""republicans". I know, some of them will turn out to be rhinos but at least there is potential for real change.

     In my opinion we should continue changing representation at the state level until enough people are elected where they are willing to use nullification against the fed. This is starting to happen in a few states but we need more states involved in the fight.

      I have started to see articles reporting sheriffs standing up for their people against the fed. This is an area where we need to direct more attention. When your local has an election for sheriff go to any debate and question them on their knowledge of the constitution.  Fight to elect people who will represent you against unlawful incursions by the fed. Is the EPA encroaching on property rights of the citizens of your state? Your sheriff and your state representatives need to put a halt to such activity.

      So in answer to the question "Is it time" I say when we know "how and who" we will know the time.

    


    

Seven Spanish Angels

   Just listened to the song "Seven Spanish Angels". A song to cause you to think about life. At the age of 68 I contemplate all that is my life, all I have done and I take in all that is happening in this country now and I think about the future. Not so much my future, but the future of those close to me.

   I do not like what is happening in my country. I see the possibility of the death of freedom and I cringe at what could be the future. And I don't understand why it is happening. Not the need for change but what type of changes seem to be coming.

   I see the need for change but I look at history and some types of change just do not work. Socialism, communism; neither work. They never have and because of human nature they cannot work. Every time they are tried people die. Not in hundreds or thousands but in millions. Russia, China, Cambodia. Those are just three of the worst.

   Yet despite this history what is behind the unrest in the USA. Communists and Socialists. With the same stated goals. A Paradise for the working man. Same as the Russians and Chinese revolutionaries stated their goal was. The result, if they succeed will be the same. Brutal repression and millions of "working men" dead. All for the true goal of pure ruthless power.

   There is hope because this country does have many patriots who still believe in our Constitution.  I believe most of them realize there is a need to "tweek" that venerable document.

   I hope enough people will realize the importance of looking at what has worked in the past and only change what needs changing. Two countries stand out in my mind. The USA (of course, I live here)   and Switzerland. They are what I consider "Free" people who recognize the need for government of some type. History has proven their success.

   The world is changing. Radical Muslims are being supported by Communist groups and Socialist groups in the Mideast. Both probable think they will have power after the dust settles.

   The USA is changing. Labor Unions are being used as pawns. Get enough union people in the streets adding in all the people in all the different front groups and the Fed. Gov. will have the excuse the ones in power want. To clamp down on the truly patriotic.

   The front groups I mentioned are like the one here in Pensacola, Fla. Name has "Change" in it. Seems like a political action group until you read the literature closely. Check the website and see what groups they work with and who funds them.

   These groups are the cannon fodder. Bodies. Get them and the unions and the Anarchists and Communists and Socialists and they have a lot of bodies. Bodies to get in the streets and demonstrate. Then the gov will have a reason to act.

   And it will all be covered by all the MSM. I can hear the anchors telling us inflated numbers with carefully selected camera shots how so many want change. With those who are in power and in government in general I am not hopeful for the future.

Where are they?

    For years I have wondered where are all the wealthy people who support constitutional government? The left has George Soros and other wealthy leftists spreading their wealth to support what they believe in. The ACLU mainly files court cases supporting leftists causes.

    Has anyone read of any organizations other than think tanks and the John Birch Society supporting constitutional ideas? The militias are grass roots self supporting groups that are reactionary. Something happens and they will respond.

    The education system is in poor shape as attested to by the scores achieved in international competitions and declining SAT scores over the past several decades. The cost for education steadily increases with no end in sight. One person or group could change this.

    Establish a school. Say for engineering. Hire tech people. You know, engineers, to teach engineering, chemists to teach chemistry, etc. Teach the students what they need for a degree in two years instead of four years.

    There will be requirements from the Boards Of Education or whom ever makes the rules for what is required for a degree. All this would have to be researched. If nothing else a math teacher could also teach basket weaving. The last five minutes of his math class could be called Basket Weaving and all students would get an "A". Not any different from what happens now except the class is shorter. Or instead of a college degree a technical certificate would be issued. With high standards to graduate jobs would be there.

    That is just one possible way to start correcting "higher" education. I am no expert so I would hope other methods can be found.

    In the area I live there are several private schools.  The tuition varies from  3 - 4 hundred a month to several thousand a month. My daughter went to the 3 - 4 hundred a month school from kindergarten to ninth grade. When she transferred to public school in the International Baccalaureate program it was astounding how much better her education was compared to kids who were in the public educational system in previous years.

    Home school kids are regularly winning National spelling contests, science contests and even Miss Teen USA. What ever method, if any, the public schools are using to educate our children, it ain't working!

    Even moderate to small communities have wealthy people. I feel confident some of those wealthy persons call themselves conservative and/or constitutionalists. The time has come for those with the means to stop complaining and use their resources to do something. There are private schools making profits. Why aren't wealthy conservatives opening K - 12 schools based on conservative principles? Heck, I would be happy to see the true history of the USA taught! Many private schools are religious based but not all of them.

    Education as taught today is mostly controlled by the left. This has to change to keep our country prosperous, to provide a true education and to sustain our Republic.

   

The Rule of Law

   Our country was founded under the rule of law, not men. Is this true anymore? A judges rulings are to be based on established law and yet cases are decided by judges, appealed to higher courts and even to the Supreme Court because the original decision is over turned.

    Even at the highest level,, the Supreme Court, decisions are seldom unanimous. Is justice served in a 5 to 4 verdict after the reversal of prior verdicts? Whether justice is served, or not, the verdict becomes the law of the land under the Constitution.

   Why are cases reversed and why aren't the verdicts unanimous? Why does one judge render a verdict based on his interpretation of the law and upon appeal his verdict is overturned at the next level?  There are several possible reasons I can fathom. Laws may not be written clearly which leaves them open to interpretation. The judge rendering the verdict is basing his interpretation of the law on his personal biases instead of the intent of the law. Judges attempt to "write new law" based on their world view and /or biases.

   When a court case reaches the Supreme Court it is because there is a constitutional principle involved. When the time arrives where cases are decided by the judges on the Supreme Court based on the judges personal philosophies instead of what is intended in the written document, the Constitution we will no longer have rule of law but instead we will have rule of man.

   I think we have arrived at that time and have been there for decades, if not longer. Based on the record of decisions they have made the Supreme Court justices are labeled liberal or conservative. But the document they are interpreting is neither liberal nor is it conservative.That document, the Constitution, is the rules governing a contract between we the people and the institution we have selected to rule us.

    In contract law if one party to a contract does not fulfill the obligations of the contract the contract is broken; the contract is null and void. The government that We the People of the United States instituted is not obeying the terms of the contract We agreed to and is using duress to hold us to what they tell us are the new terms of the contract.