My extended family is very staunchly Republican, and some are starting to join the tea party. I hear the arguments for further deregulation at family gatherings.
The logic behind the argument seems to be missing pieces. Something seems amiss to it to me. As I try to piece together what I have observed, experienced and hear I still come back to the logic that without an educated workforce we are weaker. There are short term gains for a very select few in Governor Synder’s budget proposal.
I appreciate that Synder is not taking a salary and I honestly think he means well. But if he really meant we all need to tighten our belts to weather this financial fallout together he would be an example of shared suffering, putting his children in public school and take the money he was spending on their private school education and give it to charity to help our increasing poor working middle class. But he’s not. They are still enrolled in private school, which I wouldn’t see as such a conflict if he wasn’t so severely cutting our educational system. But he is, and he has nothing to lose by what he is doing.
Our children, our communities are not going to be able to come back if we have a cesspool of workers to choose from. It isn’t logical. No matter the amount of tax breaks and incentives we give businesses. What type of jobs will our children be prepared for? The kids who do navigate our educational system successfully tend to leave to go to more culturally diverse cities. I lack to see the irony that in one train ride between Brooklyn and Queens that I run into two University of Michigan graduates with strong opinions that there is little to no hope for what was a Michigan jewel, Detroit and its neighboring communities (with the exception of Bloomfield Hills falling out of favor).
35.6 percent of Michigan adults have degrees, ranking Michigan 33rd among the 50 states. What will our future look like with an even less educated workforce to offer businesses? Click here for video.
35.6 percent of Michigan adults have degrees, ranking Michigan 33rd among the 50 states. What will our future look like with an even less educated workforce to offer businesses? Click here for video.
Even as aging adults, it is highly unlikely we will not be insulated from the consequences of reducing public education. More parents, myself included, should not be rolling passively over and saying "Yes, our children will take one for the team". If we are really in this together, than we all need to walk the walk and not sacrifice the hope of a better future at the expense of our children. That argument does not make sound sense and, how does it not eliminates hope of good paying jobs for our kids someday?
Side note:
The top marginal rate decreased from 70% in 1980 to 28% in 1989. Historical marginal tax rate tables are posted on the website of the Tax Policy Center. Is the trickledown effect working for the middle class?
My sentiments exactly. The same is also happening in my country as more and more schools cannot cope with the needs of millions of students but yet the government won't even budge and still cut the budget necessary for the education of those students.
ReplyDeleteMy sentiments exactly. The same is also happening in my country as more and more schools cannot cope with the needs of millions of students but yet the government won't even budge and still cut the budget necessary for the education of those students.
ReplyDeleteIt might take the next generation to clean up this mess. Its sad but I have to believe if we speak out, eventually we will get heard.
ReplyDelete"An honest heart being the first blessing, a knowing head is the second." - Thomas Jefferson