Double Down

The Republicans have gone this far with shutting down the government (not so much), they should double down and stop funding the U.S. Department of Education.  There is no reason for Fed Ed to exist.  In this day and age of information at our fingertips, the State education departments should be able to search other states for innovative ideas if that's what they want to do.  Or, they could simply get back in the business of teaching.  Novel idea right?  The only purpose Fed Ed serves is spending vast amounts of money to achieve universal mediocrity and to provide the sucker trap for college students to run up so much debt, they will spend their lifetime paying it - if they are lucky enough to find a job that pays enough to allow them to live and pay for it.   Every time I hear one of the Obama-tons say that a 26 year-old can still be covered on their parents policy, it makes me want to scream.  What twenty-something wants to remain dependent on their parents?  This is not good social policy. 

While we're in the cutting mood, we could cut entirely the U.S. State Department except for diplomats.  The foreign policy of the 1990's has been a disaster for this country.  They turned the State Department into pimps for big business and the money spent on wars against "terrorists" to make those foreign countries "safe for democracy" which is code for "safe for Walmart" would be better spent here - investing in America's future.

Of course, there is always a bright side.  What the war in Afghanistan did was to help build a market for the robotics and medical devices industry.  Before Afghanistan and those clever and highly sophisticated little IED devices, there just weren't enough people missing limbs to jumpstart the robotics industry.  And then - like a miracle, there were thousands of them.  What a lucky break for the industry.   

Encouraging foreign investment in foreign countries has nearly destroyed the American economy.  Where's the benefit for the American people?   I'm not seeing it.  Of course, Microsoft, CISCO and Dell wouldn't be happy if the American taxpayers weren't subsidizing the global build out of the Internet, but don't they have enough money already?   I think they do.  They don't need those American tax dollars to provide connectivity in the jungle (and more profits in the coffers of the hardware and software vendors).

Worse than encouraging American companies to invest in foreign countries is the flip side of the coin - encouraging foreign countries and foreign companies to invest in America.  I'd like somebody to try to explain to me why it is great that the Mayor of San Leandro, California felt compelled to fly the flag of Communist China to "show support for their Chinese friends".   Don't get me wrong, I'd like to give them some support - assistance to the nearest pier where they can catch a speedboat to back to China. 

Adding insult to injury, in the trade-off for allowing American corporations to invest in foreign countries - while foreign countries invest in the United States is the assistance that you, the American taxpayers are providing to assist foreigners to establish businesses here.  What?  You didn't know that our government is providing assistance to foreigners to establish businesses here?    Haven't you heard that most new businesses are started by foreigners?   You think they just get off the airplane with bags of money and go into business?  If you thought that, then think again.  The Small Business Administration, the University incubator system, the National Science Foundation grant programs, the federal agency grant programs, the corporate tax credit system for "social investing" all contribute to the foreign takeover of American businesses run by Americans.  It's stealth economic warfare.  They get the assistance - and you get the propaganda that says you're worthless because foreigners are the ones starting businesses.   And it's pathetic but there is an argument to be made because you are allowing it to happen simply by not understanding - and fighting back against globalization which has been the biggest fraud in the history of the world. 

Vicky Davis
October 8, 2013