A few years ago there was a controversy over the content of history books used in the California public school system. Seems that while the text contained pages devoted to the Ku Klux Klan, there was only one paragraph on Abraham Lincoln. This preposterous lack of proportion was an obvious effort by those who have contempt for the country and love to portray America as a terrible, racist place. Since the left controls most of the education establishment in not only California but most of the country, it is clear who was responsible.
Now there is a new controversy regarding how history will be taught in California. The State legislature is considering a law making it mandatory to teach "gay history" in the public schools. The excuse is this will help teach tolerance and stop bullying. Once again, you don't need to be a member of Mensa to figure out what end of the political spectrum is championing this brilliant idea.
Look, I don't think the fact that some figures from history may have been gay should be ignored but I also don't believe that is reason enough for it to be a major part of the curriculum, mandated by law - acknowledge it "yes" but don't highlight it. This action in California may have far reaching consequences. Because California is usually a bell weather State for the rest of America, if this left coast proposal ends up becoming law, expect other States to follow.
There is an up side to all this though. Periodically, one historian or another revisits the rumors that Lincoln may have been either bi-sexual or secretly gay. So who knows? Maybe as a result of California's actions, Abraham Lincoln will end up with two whole paragraphs in new history books!
Whatever your view of S&P (canary in the coal mine or frictionless wind vane (the latter wood be me)) , the downgrade calls into focus the past (10 years of tax cuts w/ no attendant offsets in spending and one (discretionary) costly war initiated by Republicans) and the future (Well meaning but unaffordable universal health care coverage based on panglossian economic growth assumptions initiated by Democrats). The bond market will come a callin' like the grim reaper. Your audience wants to hear informed views on the debt. Why not here? Why not now? And I dare you to go down the thoroughly discredited Laffer curve route. You'll be walking into an L-shaped claymore ambush w/ a Swiss Army knife.
ReplyDeleteAbyssus abyssum invocat
ReplyDeleteI see your Democratic Vietnam and raise you a Republican Iraq.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the debt, we need to get beyond the class warfare and hyperbolic rhetoric about killing old people and autistic children and make the tough decisions necessary to get our fiscal house in order. When you take into account the debt, high unenployment, 47% of Americans paying, not too little in taxes, but either no taxes or getting back more than they pay in, etc, etc, etc, we are headed for the economic "perfect storm."
As for Dr Laffer being thoroughly discredited, one needs to ask by whom? Even more thoroughly discredited Keynsians? Really?