Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Schools vs. Prisons

Each year Central Connecticut State University conducts a study of America's largest cities, population 250,000 or greater, to gauge gains and declines in literacy rates from year to year. This study focuses on six factors contributing to the literacy levels of our major cities. Such as, quality of libraries, newspaper circulation, internet access, education level, number of bookstores, and periodical publishing resources.

One factor they've left out in my estimation, is the number of prisons in any given area. As we all know prisons devour a great proportion of our nations wealth, we in America incarcerate our citizens at a percentage greater than any other first world country. Here in America unlike the rest of the first world we hand out the death penalty like candy at Halloween, yet we have such a ponderous legal system that carrying out these sentences anywhere but Texas, happens about as frequently as leap year. Perhaps less often. So what we're left to deal with are large numbers of miscreants sucking resources away at the rate of over $200,000 per year per death row inmate.

So what is the correlation between the number of prisons in any given geographical area, and the quality of the educational experience there? If we use the San Joaquin Valley as a model, the empirical evidence shows, quite starkly, that the investments made in prisons have had a sharply corrosive effect on the educational levels attained in three of the largest cities in the valley. On the list of "Least Literate" cities in the U.S. we find Fresno, Stockton, and Bakersfield. Numbers 71, 72, and 75 respectively. Clustered around these towns, we find state and federal prisons large and small in such numbers that the prison guard lobby is now the largest in Sacramento. As soon as Jerry took the oath he gave them all a raise and benefit package increases as they funded much of his campaign. Can we all say "quid pro quo?"

At the same time Jerry announced that he had to cut the amount spent on educating our children at every level of public education. From pre-K through university, our kids are now receiving an education that if it were compared to that which our ancestors received three generations ago, would be found to be sorely lacking. So many children passed through the schools without regard to whether or not the child can read, let alone fill out an employment application; have left us with a society populated with people so ill-prepared to live in the modern world, they turn to the thing that will sustain them when a job can not. CRIME. Is it any wonder that Fresno leads the nation in car thefts, and comes in at number 71 for least literate population? I think NOT.

So next time you're encouraged to vote for something like the "3 Strikes Law", think beyond the abstract idea that the streets will be safer for your kids, and look at the costs to society when the prison population explodes, as it has here in California. Think about what these people might have attained had they been given the educational opportunities they require to be competitive in the digital age. Now they do get an education in prison; some prisoners might have only been at the high school equivalent or AA level of criminal activity when they entered prison, some will certainly attain a Masters degree in crime, and a few will be Phi Beta Kappa when released on an unsuspecting world ready to take their criminal endeavors to a whole new level.

Reality is America, investments in our children's educations pay far greater dividends than does the stockpiling of people in prison. Educational infrastructure, schools, classrooms, athletic fields, well trained teachers; these are our investment priorities. Without this prioritization America continues it's descent into second world education standards, producing citizens less and less able to compete on a global scale. Reality is America if we want to maintain our place in the global scheme, education reform is the key.

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Difference Between Us and Them Part III

How many of you are familiar with the term,"medical tourism"? Most people use this phrase to describe a vacation where they will also have a medical procedure performed, either because the same procedure at home is too costly or not covered by insurance. In the case I'm writing about today, my wife went to Mexico to have dental work done that were it to be performed in this country would have cost us in excess of $15,000. Money I simply do not have, since the Great Recession scorched my business.

Obviously this much work required several trips across the border at the Tecate crossing, where the dentist we see has his office. Dr. Adame, and his family are three generations of dentists, all trained in American Universities such as Louisiana State University. As such their training is state of the art, and their staff, offices, and work are all emblematic of the highest possible professionalism in the dental field. In fact the vast majority of their patients are American retirees. Upon entering the border crossing for the final time this past Friday January the 27th just before noon, my wife experienced an encounter with a Border Patrol Agent that can only be characterized as disrespectful, hurtful, and down right humiliating.

As she approached the desk, the officer attending asked my wife the usual questions about why she went to Mexico, and asked to see what she was bringing back over the border with her. My wife, beautiful woman that she is merely smiled and said,"I have new teeth". At which point the reply from the Border Patrol Officer was, and I quote: "What did they do, put in a bunch of used teeth from a cadaver?"
My lovely wife was reduced to tears by this poor excuse for a man employed by our government.

A classic case of the trough feeder showing no respect for those who fill the trough from which he feeds.  Our employee, showing us nothing but contempt for our inability to take advantage of the benefits of citizenship in this country that we provide for him. He gets medical, dental, and life insurance all at our expense. His pension plan will never be looked at as an "entitlement", because he's a high and mighty pseudo cop, with a badge, gun and bad attitude towards those who slop the trough for him and his family.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Difference Between Us and Them Part II

Everybody read the good news today? The California State University system has finally seen the wisdom in capping the salaries of each university's president. At $300,000 per year, or 10% more than their predecessor. I almost forgot about the exception of at least the San Diego State president, and possibly others I'm not aware of since there are 23 schools; who will be getting a paltry $400,000 as his package is pre-existing. Really? When we can't afford to hire teachers who actually do the day to day heavy lifting in education, we can afford to overpay a group of self entitled corpulent tax trough feeders, who see nothing wrong in having our children yoked to a harness of lifelong debt to support their bloated compensation packages.

That's American Reality today, those empowered to allocate public resources do their very best to see to it that every one of their whims can be met. On top of the exorbitant salaries they've given themselves; we would be remiss to leave out the following partial "Benefits Package" our university presidents and the regents require to maintain their very modest standards of living.

Auto allowance, donations allowance(WTF? seriously?), DRY CLEANING allowance, housing allowance, travel per diems, health insurance... In the world in which I reside, people who make that kind of base salary usually don't get allowances for every other living expense. Well except on Wall Street. In fact I've not seen an allowance since I was 15. Like most of you, I too have had to actually work for my living.

So please have a heart and keep those donations flowing to these poor overworked, under-appreciated and certainly under compensated public servants; who so selflessly give of themselves for the betterment of mankind.

Monday, January 23, 2012

No Problem?!

Just returned from dinner, where the server said to us over and over when we thanked her for , our water, wine, bread..."no problem", even at the point where she brought us the check. " No Problem", that's when I thought to myself: "Of course it's 'no problem' I'm giving you money for services rendered, why should there be any problem?" "In fact I'm going to give you a tip so again no problem." How is it that these terms slip into our daily speech without so much as a second thought? Why is it that after hearing it for 25 years I'm now annoyed?

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Where Have all the Good Jobs Gone?

Some of you will remember the old Van Halen song "Where Have all the Good Times Gone", many a Friday and Saturday night of my teen years were spent in a haze dedicated to living the revelry that song evoked. If I'm going to be completely honest, I have to acknowledge it was an everyday and night thing. My friends who knew me when will call me on it if I don't cop to it now. And well let's not leave out my early twenties, prior to parenthood, or for that matter spasms of youthful vigor throughout the ensuing decades that have frankly left me with a partying reputation I'm still living down. My apologies now to all I've embarrassed, fought with, or otherwise made uncomfortable. I don't remember many of you, let's hope you don't have strong facial recognition skills either. I'm getting too old to fight now.

Today I read an article in the LA Times by Don Lee titled: "Germany has the economic strengths America once boasted". Please, I urge all of you who read my blog to also read this column, go to latimes.com , the article was published 1-21-12.

Corporate Germany working hand in hand with government and education are providing the socio economic model our own nation can and should emulate as good national policy. German CEO's make a fraction of their American counterparts, knowing only to well that such disparities in wealth are destabilizing to society. As such, vulgar displays of consumption are also culturally frowned upon.

In America we all know that the opposite is true; the term "redistribution of wealth" has such negative connotations due to the increasingly polarized political climate, that it has become synonymous with "communism" in the context of Mc Carthy era politics. In America we lionize those corporate pirates who take outsize profits from their companies while either shipping the jobs overseas; or to our own new "overseas", the southern "Right to Work" states that have rolled out the welcome mat to those companies both American and foreign that are loathe to deal with union labor. Boeing, Lockheed, BMW, Mercedes... I'm looking squarely at you.

So next time you ask yourself: "Where have all the good jobs gone?" Sing it to the tune of Van Halen's song and remember the good old days when most Americans left high school with a diploma and a skill set they knew made them employable; that they could go to the factory feeding their hometown and find gainful employment like that described in Mr. Lee's column.

Reality in America now; our children leave high school with a piece of paper that is solely predicated on the students ability to pass a test. Some of these kids can't even read, yet their teachers will pass them through because their job security is tied directly to the percentage who pass.

Reality is, that most of our cities and towns no longer have that factory to anchor their economies,we're all looking at you Wichita Kansas, after Boeing abandoned your town after a century of tax breaks and cozy inside deals.

Reality is America, our corporate leaders are far more interested in profit margin than social harmony.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

My Favorite Subterfuge

Have you noticed how frequently the Republican candidates for President pandering to the tea party, always use the analogy of the average family budget to describe how they would approach government spending? I know it's funny right? But what's not so humorous is how many people in our country actually believe the analogy to be true.

Reality is, government is just a legal Ponzi scheme, they print the money, they make the monetary policy, and they tax the populace they control. When tax receipts don't allow the budget to balance, they print more money. You and I can't do that. Neither can we use inside info to fatten our bank balances without fear of prosecution.

So next time you hear one of these endlessly campaigning power seekers try to sell you on the idea that they can "balance the budget...", "if only the other party saw things like us..." check yourself before buying in. Caveat Emptor.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Reality of Resource Allocation

Resource allocation, in the realm of energy means one thing: the country with the largest unhindered flow of oil to feed it's industry and infrastructure network wins. From the days of John D. Rockefeller to now, America has been the preeminent prospector and user of oil and it's constituent products. In order to ensure this flow of energy giving oil to our shores, we have invested in the largest most capable military force the world has ever seen. This presence is projected via our Navy's aircraft carrier groups in every corner of the globe, with permanent bases supporting deployments on virtually every continent.

Many of you believe that we have this presence because the role of "Global Cop" has been thrust upon us in the wake of two World wars, The Cold War, the War on Drugs, and Islamic terrorism. The fact is this force was assembled with really only one goal in mind: to never allow another nation to come between us and the oil we so desperately need to function. Why else would we have the 5th Fleet based in Bahrain? Clearly it's not our unquenchable thirst for sand.

No, our only real motivations are resource hegemony and the containment of China now that Russia is no longer an economic or military threat. Much like the Great Game in late 19th century Europe when Great Britain and Russia were competing globally for resources and influence, we are now engaged in a battle for influence with the Chinese, not only for oil but for rare earth minerals crucial to the production of everything from smart phones to smart bombs. Witness the Obama administration restoring full diplomatic ties with Myanmar; this ploy has nothing to do with the recent freeing of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. It has everything to do with blunting the influence of China, in their own backyard, and gaining access to one of the worlds richest most diverse mineral producing regions.

Sounds great right? We can go anywhere, flex our military muscle, flash a few billion dollars in the faces of the corrupt, and walk away with all the glory and gold. A tried and true recipe for global dominance passed down through the millennia with only one guaranteed outcome.
Failure.
History is littered with the wreckage of regimes past, whose goals of global economic domination eventually led to their ignominious downfall.
Reality is America, until we as humans can live in cooperation rather than conflict over resources, there will be no peace.