tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post3951729839279470443..comments2023-10-26T08:02:44.948-04:00Comments on Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State: Name Four Ways to Cut SpendingDon Pescihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-29401196367941154882008-12-25T17:27:00.000-05:002008-12-25T17:27:00.000-05:00You're right, she might not approve. So, I'll repl...You're right, she might not approve. So, I'll replace that suggestion with, make it required reading in High School to read something like "The 5,000 Year Leap." Reagan would approve. He suggested it. Kennedy disapproved.<BR/><BR/>I'd like to see a discussion, suggestions about organizing small groups of home schoolers to support each other's endeavor.(I have no dog in this fight). It just makes sense to me.<BR/><BR/>Good idea about knocking off last yr. of High School for exceptional students and have state pay for first yr. college. <BR/>However, I remember challenging one of my Dev. Psych. teachers who focused on children (he wanted no grading or competition)who were "behind the rest" and who needed to develop "self esteem" (I prefer "self worth"), I asked about the Talented and Gifted who were being held back, shortchanged, held up when they were anxious to move on. When I asked if "they" were trying to level the playing field, he said,"yes."<BR/>Dropping a year of High School is a good plan though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-14346924200503628182008-12-25T11:31:00.000-05:002008-12-25T11:31:00.000-05:00Pretty good suggestions. Related to #1, the Yanke...Pretty good suggestions. Related to #1, the Yankee Institute, the best libertarian/conservative think tank in Connecticut, has suggested knocking off the lastr year of High School for exceptional students. The state would pay for the first year of college in state for such students, as an additional incentive to get them to participate in the program. Lots of savings there. There are other good ideas floating around. A unicameral legislature might make sense and bring some sanity to the legislative process. But state legislators are not thinking of ways to control spending; just the opposite – now they are waiting for a handout from the next proto-socialist administration, not that the end of the Bush years was a positive step forward for capitalism. I’m not so sure about forcing Ayn Rand on students; don’t think she’d approve it either. But that’s a quibble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-78128083338945849332008-12-24T21:21:00.000-05:002008-12-24T21:21:00.000-05:00These are not immediate fixes. The situation we ha...These are not immediate fixes. The situation we have now took a long time to set up. That's what it was, "a set up."<BR/>1. Let's keep legislators who're poised to make Home Education more difficult for home schooler parents to do so, from trying to change the original wording of O'Neil's Bill. I'm speaking of Gaffey. It will save money and children will be educated, not "trained" to be immature spendthrifts who don't plan for their own futures.<BR/><BR/>2. Make Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" required reading in all high schools, and again in College. (eigth grade might not be too early). Add more Civics classes, and History classes. REMOVE EDUCATION FROM CENTRAL CONTROL. There's nothing in the Constitution that says it is Gov't's duty to educate.<BR/> <BR/>3. Welfare payments for unwed mothers of children should STOP after birth of 2nd. child. No payments for a third child, no exceptions. No payments for the mother either.<BR/><BR/>4. Reduce budget for DCF and other Social Service departments. Practically all are over bloated.<BR/>Tough love is needed to create responsible people.<BR/><BR/>5. Close the 117 independent probate courts (star chambers), and make those functions the province of a division of Superior Court. Have appointed full time judges, not elected judges who work part time "in the community,"<BR/>to discourage coziness between "bar and bench."<BR/><BR/>6. Encourage apprenticeships in many more fields (even Guilds if necessary) so a student can find out where they'll find satisfying, self fulfilling work, rather than perpetuate the myth that everyone must go to college to "succeed."<BR/>Aside: no reduced tuition for ilegal immigrants.<BR/><BR/>7. Reduce taxes, encourage entrepreneurship rather than glamourize work in an institution (the hierarchical hive). <BR/><BR/>8. Encourage people to volunteer in their communities, rather than to create networks where they just meet for a particular goal like "urban renewal." "Community" is a misnomer for some of those activities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com