"It takes a village" .... but better yet more tax dollars and wealth redistribution!

It's frightening, but this is becoming a mainstream point of view...


PBS Interview



The famous author of Bowling Alone thinks that we're just not spending enough money on children. Although he didn't say it outright, he clearly implied that "the village" (ie., all of us specifically...) should have more of their wealth stolen from them so that we can have more social engineering programs aimed at kyds!

You breed 'em... and "the village" feeds 'em!

I know a lot of people like this, even people without kids (who I'll call childLESS not childFREE) who think this way. Keep throwing money at the problem, whatever it may be - especially education - and that will solve everything!

The problem with these types of people is, as we all know to well, Is they have alot of generosity! However using other peoples money! And the main problem is, they get their way because most people stay silent when these types open their mouths. I was at a rather large meeting when one of these assholes stood up and suggested we as a group give money to homeless drug addicts/alcoholics that he feels so deeply for. He also stated it didn't matter if they used the money for booze of drugs, what matters is that they are happy. Yeah! I'm not making this up. I spoke up and told him that he should sell his house and distribute those funds. You should have seen the look on his face, all he said before sitting down was "Were all in this together". :Violin

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highwayman
The problem with these types of people is, as we all know to well, Is they have alot of generosity! However using other peoples money! And the main problem is, they get their way because most people stay silent when these types open their mouths. I was at a rather large meeting when one of these assholes stood up and suggested we as a group give money to homeless drug addicts/alcoholics that he feels so deeply for. He also stated it didn't matter if they used the money for booze of drugs, what matters is that they are happy. Yeah! I'm not making this up. I spoke up and told him that he should sell his house and distribute those funds. You should have seen the look on his face, all he said before sitting down was "Were all in this together". :Violin

Or he could have volunteered.. Everyone thinks that money talks and everything else doesn't do jack shit. He could help literally get someone off the street through remedial programs and soup kitchens and homeless shelters. There are ways to do shit BESIDES throwing money at the problem. There are things that only money can fix (surgery, infrastructure, etc.), and there are things that are more systemic that money can not fix (homelessness based on discrimination, mental health crises, or addiction). People need to learn to accept this and do what WORKS. The system is fucked! FIX IT!

First of all, a question to breeders: If the American Dream is In Crisis, WHY ARE YOU HAVING KIDS?!?!?!

The second question is about throwing money at education. Some of our schools in PA are very good and yet, next door to a top-rated school district can be Breed Hills, Wreckinsburg, Dum-Rox, Humilisburg, Stupidview, schools that are at the bottom. Tom Wolf wants to use money from gas drilling to fund our schools. Yet, he does not say anything about subjects, math, preparing for college (BH doesn't), or what to teach. Somehow, countries like France and Sweden, students get good education no matter where they live in the country. If Tom wanted to help, he would turn PA into another France/Sweden/Norway/Finland/Japan or one of those places. Some of you here are teachers and I thought, might know some of the reason why we have a situation like this.

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mr. neptune
Some of you here are teachers and I thought, might know some of the reason why we have a situation like this.

I'm not a teacher, but the anti-intelectualism in the US astounds me. When being educated is looked down on so much, or seen as irrelevant to life, it's no wonder a lot don't bother.

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yurble

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mr. neptune
Some of you here are teachers and I thought, might know some of the reason why we have a situation like this.

I'm not a teacher, but the anti-intelectualism in the US astounds me. When being educated is looked down on so much, or seen as irrelevant to life, it's no wonder a lot don't bother.

They would prefer that we were uneducated. Seeing as how the US exhibits the 14 defining characteristics of a fascist regime, as well as taking some of the ideas from a well known fascist regarding children, we are on the fast track to fucking the world. And this is complicated by the thousands of countries who believe that we are a good model to emulate. It's like when a young child catches the measles. Once the US does it, it spreads.

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yurble

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mr. neptune
Some of you here are teachers and I thought, might know some of the reason why we have a situation like this.

I'm not a teacher, but the anti-intelectualism in the US astounds me. When being educated is looked down on so much, or seen as irrelevant to life, it's no wonder a lot don't bother.

I agree with you. I think this is a big part of the problem of U.S. education and has been for a long time. Until the culture of anti-intellectualism in the U.S. changes, there isn't much chance of turning our failing education system around. Changing the culture or anti-intellectualism will be difficult since it has been around for a long time. I saw it back when I was in school and I graduated high school in 1986.

We don't need to just spend money, we need to spend on things that work.

I agree there needs to be less of a disparity between rich and poor in this country, but it needs to be even. There are childless/free adults who would like to comfortably pay their bills every month on a 40-hour work week. There are seniors who could use medication help and money for groceries. Tossing all the money at children is wrong minded.

And I agree with mr neptune - if a politician really wanted to address the disparity between richer school districts and poorer ones, why don't they try to get rid of the district policy and pool all education money to be distributed evenly across the state? Probably because that would make some Lexus-driving, privileged white people angry and God forbid...

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stillwaters
And I agree with mr neptune - if a politician really wanted to address the disparity between richer school districts and poorer ones, why don't they try to get rid of the district policy and pool all education money to be distributed evenly across the state? Probably because that would make some Lexus-driving, privileged white people angry and God forbid...

You don't have to be a Lexus driver or white to be angry at the amount of money we're throwing at schools. I am aware of the need to teach the "3 R's," but is that really the primary mission of schools today?

Anti-intellectualism in America was mentioned in this thread, and I don't think it's hard to find reasons why.

The primary focus of American schools should be learning. However, in many American schools the primary focus is centered around a myriad of items which are completely unrelated to actual education and intellectualism...

-Football
-Other Athletics
-Cheerleading
-Pep Rallies
-"Free" lunch distribution
-"Free" breakfast distribution
-Popularity Contests Student Government
- The Prom
- Class Trips

... you get the picture...

And none of this happened in a vacuum. This all came about as a result of public demand. Most of the stuff I listed above isn't "bad" per se, but it really shouldn't be connected to a school system, as it requires long hours and takes away from what the real academic mission of an educational institution should be. And public money should not be spent on fun and recreation for children.

I think the anti-intellectualism came about once Reagan was elected. It seems that before there was more church and state separation and not so much bragging about "I don't know". Yes, some people I have worked with actually bragged that they didn't know much outside their specific job (and this was in a hospital where you want smart people).

I do think parents have to take some responsibility too. If you are a parent and you care about your kids and you live in a crummy school district, why aren't you moving heaven and earth to move out? I would move to the best even if it means paying more for a house (most of the good schools are in more expensive areas), have to fire your real estate agent, have to get an apartment. That way, if your kid screwed up at least you have as a parent "covered your ass" to provide the best opportunity. Then again, if you cannot afford to live in a good school district, maybe you can't afford to have kids, but gd forbid anyone say that. Yes, people have a right to make poor kids.

But meanwhile, France, Japan, Sweden, Norway, seem to do education right, why can't we? That's the question I tried to ask Wolfie and his website can't answer.

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mr. neptune
I think the anti-intellectualism came about once Reagan was elected. It seems that before there was more church and state separation and not so much bragging about "I don't know". Yes, some people I have worked with actually bragged that they didn't know much outside their specific job (and this was in a hospital where you want smart people).

I do think parents have to take some responsibility too. If you are a parent and you care about your kids and you live in a crummy school district, why aren't you moving heaven and earth to move out? I would move to the best even if it means paying more for a house (most of the good schools are in more expensive areas), have to fire your real estate agent, have to get an apartment. That way, if your kid screwed up at least you have as a parent "covered your ass" to provide the best opportunity. Then again, if you cannot afford to live in a good school district, maybe you can't afford to have kids, but gd forbid anyone say that. Yes, people have a right to make poor kids.

But meanwhile, France, Japan, Sweden, Norway, seem to do education right, why can't we? That's the question I tried to ask Wolfie and his website can't answer.

Politicians can't educate anyone, so I don't think you can lay blame at their feet specifically. Education isn't really something that's simply purchased or provided by government. You've got to have a student who is willing to put in the time, study, and learn. You can go to the best school in the country, and if you put zero effort into your studies, you'll learn very little. Consequently you could go to a terrible school, study very hard, and learn quite a bit.

As far as people not being able to afford kids, I couldn't agree with you more. Voicing this opinion brings out the Mama Bear claws in so many people, and I'm damn sick of this concept being perceived as untouchable and unworthy of discussion. Kids are not a constitutional right, and people have no moral high ground to stand on when they produce them and expect everyone else to financially support them because they can't or won't.

I have no sympathy for parents. I did my own taxes this year and GOOD LORD the child tax breaks and credits! I made practically no money last year but it was STILL too much and I couldn't claim the earned income credit. A breeder of one can make more than twice what I did and they can still claim the EIC and get welfare on top of it. Tell me how that's fair!

I always do my own taxes and am always amazed at the baybee credits breeders get to claim. If I had my way, you'd get a deduction for one, nothing for the second and tax penalties for the third and subsequent ones.

I pay taxes up the ying yang, so as far as helping unknown breeders with their kids...fuck that noise.

What has always bugged me a lot over the years, and I have written my state legislators several times about it, is how the childfree pay school taxes even though we are not a burden on the public schools. One suggestion I have made many times is to simply make us eligible for New York State's Enhanced STAR benefit which currently provides additional school tax relief to those aged 65 and older who earn under $83k. I understand the logic behind this - the elderly tend to be property-rich, income-poor, and have no kids in the local public schools. But, as I have asked in my letters to my state legislators (one of which is the powerful state senate's leader), why is that limited to only elderly property owners? How about including non-elderly property owners who meet the same income requirement and have no kids? We place no burden on the public schools (less than the elderly who might have grandkids who attend local schools) and meet the other criteria for Enhanced STAR.

The answer, of course, is that the elderly are more organized (AARP?) and VOTE and put a big scare into state legislators. The non-elderly childfree pose no threat to the election chances of state legislators so there is no point in extending Enhanced STAR to them. The elderly can loosen their financial attachment to the "village" when it comes to school taxes but we non-elderly CF cannot so we pay through the nose.

Another issue I have raised to my state and local elected official is to connect some dots they don't seem to realize. They often complain of a "brain drain" here on Long Island where we educate the kids before they move away to lower-tax and lower COL areas because they can't afford to live here. I respond to that by saying, "Stop taxing childlessness!" Those young, college grads can't afford to live here in part due to the high rents and local school taxes to pay for the public schools they are not using at age 22 or 23 or 24. They have to pay a "childless tax" which makes living here unaffordable for many. I never get a reply from any of the local elected officials I send my letters to.

(end of rant)

You will never get a response from them, IMO. They like to breed and push out spawn at our expense. If they give you a break it would mean they would have to pay more.