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And yet the GOP proclaims it's "the education party", increasing government control over this important industry at every turn. It's sickening to watch the Dems and GOP duke it out over which party can more completely socialize education.

Maybe it's time to vote Libertarian?

If the Libertarian party had a remotely realistic foreign policy, I would consider it.

Henceforth, there is to be no testing oneself against the best, with the possibility, even the likelihood, of failure: instead, one is perpetually to immerse oneself in the tepid bath of self-esteem, mutual congratulation, and benevolence toward all. -- Theodore Dalrymple

Maybe it's time to vote Libertarian?

Hm, vote for a party that thinks all of society's problems can be solved with open borders and full scale drug legalization? I don't think so.

Remember California tried a 'new math' 20 years ago? It was a bust. California continues to be the land of 'fruit and nuts', and it appears that most of them are in education.

Currently, the education system has just one goal: It is to dumb-down our children to the extent that when they become adults, they will incapable of thinking and reasoning for themselves.

Any takers on this post care to guess why??? You will get an 'A' if you come up with the right answer. (no peeking now!)

Hm, vote for a party that thinks all of society's problems can be solved with open borders and full scale drug legalization? I don't think so.

I think they're the party that thinks most of society's problems can be solved by reducing the size and scope of government, which clearly runs in direct opposition to the GOP, the party of Big Government.

Don't blame the Republicans or Democrats, but the educrats (who, more often than not, vote Democrat, BTW).

My youngest, who is in 5th grade, flunked math last sememster, which upset me terribly. When I looked at an example of a quiz she had failed, I couldn't believe the convoluted method she used to multiply two- and three-digit numbers! Contrary to popular belief, not all Republicans are rich and I cannot afford a tutor. However, I've begun teaching her the way I learned (before self-important educators decided to re-invent the wheel). I anticipate her getting a higher grade in math this semester.

Instead of worrying about hurt feelings if students have a hard time "getting" math, they should be worrying about why the heck Japan and other countries are leaving us behind in math and science.

Pam, can you describe this convoluted method? I want to see what they are teaching.

And let's not forget that math can be culturally sensitive. Some kids might be offended when you ask them what 6 x 5 is.

If Tito has $1,000, and crack is $15/oz, how many...

Pam, the incentives created by a socialized education system guarantee these kinds of results. Therefore, you should blame those who continue to expand and foster government control over this industry: the GOP first and foremost, the Democrats just behind.

Stop deluding yourself into believing that the GOP is anything other than the party of big government. Until education is privatized, government will continue turning kids like yours into drooling half-wits.

V: While I agree that big government certainly doesn't help, I think that our educational system has taken on a life of its own. Unless parents take a more active role, not much will change. (Incidentally, my older daughter is a whiz in math. She said she didn't understand much of the basics the way she was taught either, but said she came up with her own system. Unfortunately, my younger daughter was unable to do so.)

Steve, I'll try to shoot you an e-mail later...I don't have the paper in front of me (I'm at work), and I have to actually look at it to describe it.

gud enuf skooling.

yup! we wouldn't want to harm the fragile egos of our children by teaching them the basics.

I don't like the GOP either, but I think Libertarians are not only not viable, but just plain nuts. I would have considered myself a Libertarian in college, but their philosophy is far too materialistic, and far too detached from reality for me to support.

I'll just continue to be a straight up small government Conservative. The current GOP isn't advancing conservatism or small government, but the Libertarian alternative of chasing some kind of open-border, drug-addled, matierialistic utopia doesn't appeal to me either.

Tell me what a politico-economic philosophy has to offer aside from materialism (i.e., wealth creation)? It sounds like you'd eschew sound economics in place of screwball notions of "spiritual wellness", ala Iranian theocracy.

And the search for government-created utopia was championed by the Marxists, not the Libertarians, you ignoramus. And the GOP is a much bigger proponent of othodox Marxism than is the LP.

Finally, please read any publication detailing the costs/benefits of the Drug War. Just a few sentences. Anything. Try to reach a level of analysis deeper than "drugs are bad make them illegal".

As yet, no one has suggeted why the education system wants to turn our children into half-wits, thereby making them into adults incapable of thinking and reasoning for themselves.

Come on, I know your out there. I know you can do it. And the answer is..........

i know...

Fuzzy math is the polite phrase used to characterize wishful economic projections. How pathetically tragicomic.

Try to reach a level of analysis deeper than "drugs are bad make them illegal".

How about this: I'm a licensed foster parent and I've witnessed first-hand the devastation drug use wreaks on families and children.

If a drug decriminalization scheme also included the caveats that drug use disqualified the user from partaking of any government benefits (welfare, student loans, et c), protected an employer's right to screen and fire drug users, and had provisions for removing children from the custody of drug users, then I would consider it. But such measures are considered 'Draconian' by the legalization crowd.

I'll agree that the Drug War is being fought inefficiently and too expensively. Were it up to me, I'd simply have the government buy a few tons of cocaine on the open market, cut it with anthrax, and then turn it loose through the usual channels. And do something similar with heroin and crystal meth. Not only would it solve the drug problem quickly and inexpensively, it would also rid out society of millions of parasites including a number of elected officials.

The drug legalization crowd acts like like legalizing everything is a panacea for all of society's problems. It isn't. It's just an exchange of one set of problems --- an expensive, intrusive counter-narcotics effort ---- for another set of problems --- social devastation, increased health costs, and ruined families.

Yet, I also oppose drinking ages. I'm funny that way.

Were it up to me, I'd simply have the government buy a few tons of cocaine on the open market, cut it with anthrax, and then turn it loose through the usual channels. And do something similar with heroin and crystal meth. Not only would it solve the drug problem quickly and inexpensively, it would also rid out society of millions of parasites including a number of elected officials.

As I suspected, you'd sooner murder millions of people than tolerate them living their lives in ways you disapprove.

How pathetic.

As yet, no one has suggested why the education system wants to turn our children into half-wits, thereby making them into adults incapable of thinking and reasoning for themselves.

Come on, I know your out there. I know you can do it. And the answer is..........

HINT: The same reason they want the millions of uneducted illegal Mexicans to become citizens.

No excuse now!

You libs crack me up...always causing problems and then blaming others for them.

You want to raise taxes, increase government programs, create socialized medicine, put the government in charge of everything, and then say "The GOP is the party of Big Government".

You want to "tone down" education, make it touchy-feely, make it soft and easy. You want to do away with red pens because it makes the kids feel bad, do away with tag because someone might get tagged, do away with anything where someone might lose, and then proclaim "The GOP is ruining our schools, the children don't know how to think and act for themselves."

You want to raise the minimum wage, send more money overseas, put everyone on the government's teat, and then proclaim "The GOP wastes too much money and causes inflation."

Why don't you liberal folks just sit back and let us handle things? Why do you want to try and worry yourselves about things like thinking and working? Just relax, let your betters fix your mistakes while you go play quietly in the corner.

Still, as yet, no one has suggested why the education system wants to turn our children into half-wits, thereby making them into adults incapable of thinking and reasoning for themselves.

Well, I'll have to give you the answer. And the answer is:

Uneducated people vote Democrat.