Posted on 10/29/2002 2:28:16 PM PST by hsmomx3
Arizona does not need a statewide test to determine the job that public schools are doing in educating the populace. It already has one: TV campaign ads.
Millions are spent on the ads because they work. And they work because they are geared to the intelligence of the average voter.
Judging by this year's ads, the average voter has graduated from high school not only devoid of critical thinking ability, but also ignorant of economics, history and the role of the three branches of government.
All candidates and parties run ads that play to voter ignorance. But an ad being run by gubernatorial candidate Janet Napolitano makes a Taco Bell commercial appear intelligent by comparison.
Apparently targeted at astrology adherents, the ad claims that Napolitano will fix the state's economy and public education by picking the industries and job skills of the future. She did not say if one of those skills will be the ability to recognize political hogwash.
A different kind of "ad" began running in the New York newspapers 205 years ago in October 1787. That was 50 years before Horace Mann became Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education and started the public education movement.
October 1787 is the day that Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay began making their case for the proposed Constitution of the United States under the pseudonym "Publius." In all, they wrote 85 lengthy newspaper articles (called "letters") that are known as the Federalist Papers.
The average high school student and newspaper reader of today would find the Papers incomprehensible and certainly beyond their attention span. For example, the following is an excerpt from Federalist No. 38, in which Madison gives a history of the framing of other governments:
"It is not a little remarkable that in every case reported by ancient history, in which government has been established with deliberation and consent, the task of framing it has not been committed to assembly of men; but has been performed by some individual citizen of pre-eminent wisdom and approved integrity. Minos, we learn, was the primitive founder of the government of Crete; as Zaleucus was of that of the Locrians. Theseus first, and after him Draco and Solon, instituted the government of Athens. Lycurgus was the Lawgiver of Sparta. The foundation of the original government of Rome was laid by Romulus; and the work compleated by two of his elective successors, Numa, and Tullus Hostilius. On the abolition of Royalty, the Consular administration was substituted by Brutus, who stepped forward with a project for such a reform, which he alleged had been prepared by Servius Tullius, and to which his address obtained the assent and ratification of the Senate and people."
Now, 205 years later, we get such profundity as Janet Napolitano saying that she can see into the future. And we get the daughter of her opponent, Matt Salmon, chatting about what a great dad her father is. We also get independent candidate Dick Mahoney belching bile on the air about Matt Salmon not going after polygamists and child abusers because he is Mormon.
Americans are getting what they deserve from politicians because they do not get what they deserve from government schools. The Arizona Department of Indoctrination, er, Education, does not need a test to point out the obvious. It just needs to watch TV.
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Mr. Cantoni is an author, public speaker and consultant. He can be reached at ccan2@aol.com.
To the contrary, they do get what they deserve from government schools. Attempting to honor your sacred responsibility to educate your children by turning them over to the state for 13 years of indoctrination does not make you a victim, it makes you complicit.
Um, wouldn't that be 215 years ago???
I just saw the RNC chairman on "Capitol Report," and he thinks voters will overlook the economic downturn because they understand international situation and business cycles that started before GWB became president.
That may be fine for regestered Pubbies with a +1 sigma IQ, however, the other 90% of the population is not going to be in tune with macro-economic conditions. They will vote their pocketbook.
The GOP had better get in step with the fact the American people are stupid and deterioriating rapidly. It would seem the RATS have beat us to the punch.
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