Posted on 08/03/2010 9:02:37 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
The world has been turned upside down: Socialism is on the rise in the U.S. and capitalism is on the rise in China. The former is a result of an uneducated electorate that fails to understand socialism's history of producing poverty; the latter is a result of pragmatic leadership able to put aside communist ideology to embrace capitalism because it produces prosperity.
Thomas Jefferson, recognizing that the cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate, said that "whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."
Unfortunately, Americans are not well-informed about economics. If they were, they would have learned from the economic failures of socialism-in China, Cuba, Eastern Europe, and all of the other places where socialism took root-and elected a pragmatic leader who supports capitalist policies.
Instead, they elected Obama, an ideologue who supports socialist policies that promote big government, class warfare, and redistribution of wealth.
During the election, Obama demonstrated his lack of pragmatism and economic understanding on several occasions. For example, during a debate with Hillary Clinton, Obama said he would favor raising the capital gains tax "for the purposes of fairness," despite the fact that doing so would decrease tax revenues.
This should have been a clue to the American electorate that punishing the rich is more important to Obama than improving the economy for all Americans.
Now that he's in office, Obama is ignoring the advice of White House economic advisor Christina Romer, who published a paper with her husband in the June issue of The American Economic Review that concludes that tax increases kill growth. Obama is still raising capital gains taxes. Ideology trumps pragmatism.
In the book, The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies, George Mason University economics professor Dr. Bryan Caplan argues that typical voters have strong opinions about economics despite the fact they never studied the subject. Those biases tend to compel voters to support economic policies that are not in their best interest. For example, typical voters are irrationally biased against markets and interacting with foreigners.
This does not mean the democratic process is flawed; it means the American electorate needs to be better informed about economics.
China's pragmatic leaders learned from the economic failures of socialism and decided to embrace markets, monetary discipline, and pro-capitalistic tax policies. China is being richly rewarded for that decision.
Obama, the ideologue, still believes in socialism. An uneducated electorate voted him into office. The U.S. is paying the price for that decision.
As developing countries observe the economic center of gravity shifting from the West to the East, China begins to emerge as an alternative model to the U.S. The long-held assumption that capitalism requires democracy is being challenged by China, which has adopted some capitalist ideas while retaining an authoritarian government.
To prevent the economic and political centers of gravity from shifting to the East, the U.S. needs an educated electorate that supports capitalism, not socialism. This can be accomplished by establishing mandatory economics courses at all levels of education.
Until then, the outcome of the U.S. education system will continue to be a "dumbocracy."
Bill Costello, M.Ed., is the president of U.S.-based Making Minds Matter, LLC and the author of Awaken Your Birdbrain: Using Creativity to Get What You Want. He can be reached at www.makingmindsmatter.com
“Socialism is on the rise in the U.S. and capitalism is on the rise in China”
Proving that these people around the world never hated America because of “capitalism”.
They just hated America because America had stuff that they didn’t have.
The American people, for the most part, are being treated like mushrooms by the government and their propaganda arm, the press. If told the truth, most would fight socialism.
As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be enslaved. - John Adams
‘The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate’
I would say: The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated and moral electorate.
(However, if they are TRULY educated, morality is the foundation of their education.)
Well educated does not mean moral or smart. Look at the well educated sewage that voted for Obama. These are people that can look at a photo of a baby that has just been murdered by partial birth abortion, complete with sucked out brains and horrible mutilation, and call it “Choice.”
Not really. Most DON'T see pictures or even know what it really is. I have told several people what the procedure is and was called a liar because, after all, the US wouldn't allow such barbarity. *snort* They were all shocked when they found that I had told them the truth.
Where shall the remnants of America go to re-establish Constitutional government? There are few options, and battling here for the country that our predecessors created is looking increasingly likely. Unless we want to forfeit.
And 'well educated' does not mean the Ivy League. Sarah Palin has more smarts in the palm of her hand than Michelle Obama has in her whole resume. Did you see the gramatically incorrect and awkward note she wrote to her constituents begging them to send $25 to wish her hubby a happy birthday?
file under “Stupid Commies”
okay, they were shocked — but did they change their postion? I d efine a liberal as someone for whom facts can never make any differnce to what they believe.
Jefferson bump for later........
It is no surprise that the national education system has been subverted by communists. As I saw today on the NEA website, they recommend that teachers read Saul Alinski’s book. What more proof does anyone need?
American children learn economics EVERY DAY!!! ( Socialist economics!!)
American children EVERY DAY they attend socialist-funded government schools LEARN A SOCIALIST ECONOMIC LESSON!!! ( Yes! I am shouting!!!)
Children who attend government schools learn that the government has ENORMOUS police power to force citizens to pay for a socialist service their parents want tuition-free!!! Well? “DUH”! If government can force neighbors to pay for tuition-free schools, why not thousands of other “free” stuff????
Also....Children who attend government schools learn that government has ENORMOUS police power to FORCE children to use its government service!!! Well! ( Again is a “duh” necessary?) If government can force children and parents to use government schools, why not force citizens to participate in and use other government “free” services???
If you want Catholics send a child to Catholic school! If you want Baptists send a child to a Baptist school! If you want socialists and citizens who think godlessly and look to government as a redeemer, then create a system of socialist, godless, government schools!!!
I’m very glad — you’ve accomplished something.
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