America now

This is what a reader had to say about Obama. Please read carefully.
by savethefells Massachusetts [Oct 14, 2008]


Quote

It's over. No, not the Presidential race. My, after seeing the people who are living in America today have degenerated to the point where they aren't really following a 'candidate' but one who 'studies' what to say, and actually 'rehearses' different scenarios without using his 'heart', and skillfully 'hides' who he is and what he has written as many 'bloggers' have quoted from his 'books'. It's over. My feelings of what America should be is now a useless , melancholy memory. I rode by a big flag today, being 65 and having seen glimpses of the greatness of WWII, Korea, serving during Vietnam overseas, and raising a family, and now a Grandfather, and actually cried that I had to pull over and weep at the thought that there are this many 'Americans' that could vote after all that's been heard, witnessed, and read of a man who has less 'real' feelings of America than many of the enemy we fought long ago who would have made better citizens. My America is a memory of fairness, hard work, and reward for it and one country which rejected 'anything close' to 'not being a symbol of a wonderful, historical land. If I didn't have my Grandchildren and children close by, I would definitely, at this time, leave. Good luck to all of you.

End Quote

I agree with him. For so long, America was the light house on the hill, now, with so many Obama supporters, it might become a feeble copy of socialist France.
Remember that people have the government they deserve.

Econ

The problem with the poor in US stems from: 1) failure is permanently rewarded, while any attempt to escape poverty produces a marginal tax of over 70% (in some cases, in Canada is over 100%). Also the will disappears when the existence is permanently assured.
2) Education is also a problem facing the poor. This is a combination of poor motivation of unionized teachers and lack of interest from the poor students. However, more money spent on education produces no positive results. For example the worst state in terms of educational achievement is DC. The price per pupil is at $15000, the highest in the country. I want also to mention here that this figure is greater than the GDP per capita of many countries in Eastern Europe, which incidentally have a higher quality education. However take grade 12 students in both countries and ask them about the 100 years war, Plato or ask them to solve a geometry problem and you will realize that US students are not well served by their government schools.
A 20/20 special called Stupid in America showed a minority private school (tuition = $3000) in Philadelphia where the teacher claimed that their worst student can teach lessons to best students at the public school across the street. On top of that, the expenditure per pupil in America is now 3 times greater in real terms than it was in 1970 (while the quality decreased).