We may three be so accused.

Prediction, Stumbler will chime in saying all is well with the VA hospitals, only the meddling by Bush messed them up.

But, I do agree, there are far to many programs that have been run into the ground by hapless bureaucrats. Ler's not add another.

 

Unless I am mistaken, Missouri shares more borders than any other state. This makes for lively editorials, talk-radio and debate in general.

To my right lies Illionois, a left-leaning state. To my left is Kansas, a right leaning state. We missourians enjoy being between these two ideaoligically differing states.

Taxes are high in Ilinois, peeps drive across the mighty Mississippi for smokes and gas.

People from Kansas drive into missouri for booze and a good time. (this is really a thing of the past, but not far past)

What is great about this nation is that we are all different.

We missourians hate to be outdone by Ilinoisiansiacs (< this is a word!). Illinois does a better job providing better health care for its uninsured children, and it's highschool students are guaranteed more college-loans. Kansas has hardly ay uninsured kids, and few go to college ('cause Jayhawks SUCK!) ;} We missourians will out-do both Kansas and Illinois!!

We are trying to figure out how to come up with the money to insure more uninsured kids. We are trying to figure out who stole half-a-billion dollar fund that was used for college loans (our republican govenor sold it for stem-cell research investments prior to the market-crash, he didn't even bother running for re-election).

We know we can do a better job taking care of our kids and students than the federal gov't ever could.

 

Ok. Seriously. What just happened here? Rather then figuring out how this would work, and if it could work, we're all caught in some battle to prove that we're right and the other guy is wrong and it's reducing this debate to garbage.

A multitude of things (Health care, education, Social security) are arguable up in the air. Fair?

So, rather then say these things are "failing", let's agree to avoid that line of thinking and work on,"What could make these things BETTER"

And then let's remove ourselves from the equation. If I get critically injured tomorrow so what? But if my nephew gets critically injured tomorrow how am I going to care for that?

I have BEEN educated, it wasn't horrible, but seriously it wasn't awesome and few subjects inspired me to learn more about them. Ok. How to I make these subjects inspiring to my nephew to learn so he continues to desire to learn?

I may not have a SS check coming to me, but how can I insure that when my Nephew retires, he will be taken care of?

I may have to pay income taxes and the what not, but seriously, how can I enable a program so that when my nephew grows up his life will be made simpler by NOT having this tax in place.

I may have to deal with fluctuating and unpredictable oil prices and I think it's bullocks so what can I do to ensure that my NEPHEW will always have a steady supply of the fuel he needs to get the things that need to get done done at a fair and consistent price?

So rather then backpedaling what went wrong here and there and bickering about who's fault it was why we're here now, we should be amending this situations so when our nephews or children or whoever reach our age rather then squabbling over how we crippled their chances for a peaceful life of liberty, justice and pursuit of happiness maybe, just maybe they'll be thinking "Thank god THEY finally implemented something that has done nothing but benefit us all since it's inception and allowed us to focus on creating a better life for our friends and family instead of working endlessly just to make ends meet."

And at the forefront of this battle is converting conventional thinking from being all about the almighty dollar, to being all about how to make life a more comfortable and satisfying experience.

So first and foremost we must, absolutely, 100% make learning about the world around you a priority as soon as possible, we must make the classrooms smaller, we must make the experience a lasting and enjoyable one, we must pay attention to those who will be deciding our futures when we are no longer able to work or defend ourselves or engage in the activities of trying to make the world a more understanding place for those around us.

We must place personal growth above accumulation of wealth. Bettering yourself MUST be more important than making money or the individual will remain what he or she is today. An expendable, depreciating commodity to be bought and sold at the whims of those who have more wealth. Considering 2% or less of the gross world population hold 90% of the wealth, you are a increasingly disposable commodity regardless of what you can do, what your abilities are, and how well you've been educated.

Jobs should be made easier to create then to get. Working for yourself should be made simpler then hiring on to another company. Opportunity should be bountiful, and IS bountiful, however without a comprehensive education our future will not be able to see it.

 

Illinoisiansiacs! always wondered what they were called. BUT not to put you down, so four states border Missouri where a beloved person in my life was born at Branson, TEXAS is bordered by New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, that is also four,
Nevada; Arizona, Utah, Idaho, California and Oregon, that is five

 

I think we gottcha there BW, Tennessee has eight border states. But we also have a pretty good public healthcare insurance program, "CoverKids", children are being provided for.

The main problem we have is getting parents to utilize the programs, full enrollment is difficult to acheive.

 

We have Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas, Kansas :: reaching for my globe:: nebraska, tenn, oklahoma! 8!!! we share borders with 8!

 

We are tied:

We have Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, N. Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky

 

I told you that you were full of shit tenguy

OK tenguy you spent an awful lot of hot air on this thread harping and opining about why we couldn't have performance based pay for teachers i.e. merit pay. I told you that we do in many school districts and you challenged me to name one. Well my school district for one but since that would be to easy read all about it before you continue to run your mouth in complete ignorance.

1. D.C. School District Proposes Merit Pay For Teachers : NPR
   
   Jul 18, 2008 ... School districts across the nation are experimenting with paying teachers based on performance. An important and troubled district in ...
   www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92663976 - Similar pages
2. NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Merit pay
   
   Merit pay provides bonuses for workers who perform their jobs better, ... These principles are implemented in the Sedona School district with the following ...
   www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Merit-pay - 39k - Cached - Similar pages
3. Assessment of a Merit Pay Program for School District Administrators
   
   Assessment of a Merit Pay Program for School District Administrators ... In turn , PFP programs have been implemented to focus and reward employee motivation ...
   www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5000125330 - Similar pages
   by HG Heneman - 1991 - Cited by 10 - Related articles
4. Performance Pay Primer - Teacher Merit Pay
   
   In Oregon, a number of school districts implemented merit pay programs. In the 1972-73 school year, 11 districts tried alternative pay plans. ...
   www.osba.org/lrelatns/perfpay/primerc.htm - 16k - Cached - Similar pages
5. Merit pay: A case study in a California school district
   
   Recently renewed desires to see more merit pay plans developed and. implemented in school districts are associated with increased public de- ...
   www.springerlink.com/index/J74U2L111G563842.pdf - Similar pages
   by NS Glasman - 1974 - Cited by 2 - Related articles - All 4 versions
6. [PDF] Merit Pay for Teachers: Can Common Sense Come to Public Education?
   
   File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
   An initiative to provide federal aid to school districts adopting merit pay .... implemented. Meanwhile, merit pay is a concept gaining momentum and ...
   www.lexingtoninstitute.org/docs/708.pdf - Similar pages
   by R Holland - Cited by 1 - Related articles - All 2 versions
7. Attitudinal change toward merit pay over time
   
   Section 3 surveyed respondents' attitudes toward merit-pay, and, in particular, the Performance-Based Salary Program implemented in the district in 1984, ...
   escholarship.bc.edu/dissertations/AAI9725142/ - 9k - Cached - Similar pages
8. Education Week: Model Plan of Merit Pay in Ferment
   
   The collaborative spirit between school district and teachers’ union that made the ... systems of performance-based pay, often referred to as merit pay. ...
   www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/07/30/44denver_ep.h27.html?qs=vaishali+denver - Similar pages
9. A Merit Pay Plan for Michigan Public School E... [Mackinac Center ...
   
   Sep 23, 2008 ... In the sections below, we describe a pilot program to institute merit pay in an interested Michigan school district (or districts). ...
   www.mackinac.org/9802 - 33k - Cached - Similar pages
10. American Association of School Administrators - Publications - The ...
    
    Now back to the districts I served. The district with a fully implemented merit pay plan had 1000 students and was a tightly linked community school ...
    www.aasa.org/publications/content.cfm?ItemNumber=4175 - 36k - Cached - Similar pages

PS this was just the first page of a 30 second google search.

 

Cute finger...

But having said that. I do live in a country where health care is "free". That means it is taken out of our taxes and it is relly nice not having to worry about finding and paying for reliable health care.

If I get sick I go to my doctor, or ER or hospital, pay my five bucks and I'm taken care of.

How a nation can afford not to do things in some similar way is beyond my understanding.

And yes it may be considered socialism but then again: So what?

Capitalism without some form of built in socalism is a cruel customer fit for neither animals nor humans.

Socialism in it's purest form actually represents human kindness and should not be confused with Communism which is more in the direction of the reign the US has been experiencing the last 8 years. Lying, cheating, warmongering etc.

Kind regards
J. Bailey

 

And yes it may be considered socialism but then again: So what?

Capitalism without some form of built in socalism is a cruel customer fit for neither animals nor humans.


Please stay away from me you sick person, whoever you are. Dkr:rose: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM8PVz8gUfA

 

How a nation can afford not to do things in some similar way is beyond my understanding.

Socialism in it's purest form actually represents human kindness and should not be confused with Communism which is more in the direction of the reign the US has been experiencing the last 8 years. Lying, cheating, warmongering etc.

I will not give one inch to socialism or naziism or communism! That is not what I believe nor my family nor my friends nor their friends nor many people I know. You say MY country has been like that? How would YOU know? You must watch tv 2. Life is good for me, sorry you can't say the same. Lying, cheating and warmongering? who are you talking about? Billy Boy? or Bubbles? Sellouts we are being taken out from within I am afraid. Dkr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDhQvhWEZhQ

 

The so called progressive ideas represented by some on the forum, mainly the left represent nothing but a regression in the worst way. Stupid minds are easily molded into clay. Dkr http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG0PVoTJZHs&feature=related

 

I hope your shining outward decorum is the same loving embrace you greet your family with.

Your house must be cold as stone.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoQsN2krw4I&feature=related

 

It's probably just a bit warmer than yours

 

Since no one reads or can you? #11 two days ago, this is what you people want? That is socialism! Linus and Lucy don't get it.:rose:

Let's take all of our wages and winnings and rents and dividends and put all of this hard earned money into a giant $lush fund. Then we can distribute it equally among all citizens, non citizens, honest and dishonest, lazy and downtrodden, criminals and just the insane. Everyone has needs, I know. Stumbler and Kimiko especially. Seriously you do. While in principle it sounds like a great idea Kimiko, it will never fly or work in our society. As much as I want security blankets 2, you need to do for yourself. No handouts pleaz Dkr

 

Would you consider a husband giving his stay at home wife some money a hand out?

I mean, there's no hourly wage dictated to pay spousal caregivers who tend to the daily needs of their children and spouses, and as they do not earn a wage themselves have no capacity to contribute to their own savings, healthcare, etc.

Just because some people aren't getting paid a standard wage, or any money at all does not necessarily mean they aren't contributing to the greater good of a society. Does it?

After all, all of your wages and rents and dividends in a way are already contributing to a slush fund.

Another example is say a garbage man, which is clearly more necessary to the maintaining of society then say a plastic surgeon. However, the plastic surgeon's income and social status is more likely to be greater then that of the average garbage man

Your clearly a very important person, so I do appreciate your time and thoughtfulness in regards to your answers.

 

I can't wait for Michelle to invite Oprah and Hillary over for tea on the front lawn. Maybe Harry Belafonte 2? I know Louis will show up! How exciting it will be. All the while Jeremiah Wright will be moaning and groaning from the Lincoln Memorial. What a glorious time in America. Happy Days are here again. :rose: I guess it should be God Damn America at this point. Hey, he's right :excited: Dkr