Text 14898, 107 rader
Skriven 2007-05-24 08:38:47 av lizardgirl (1311.babylon5)
  Kommentar till text 14851 av rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated (1264.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: OT: a proposal for increasing teachers' salaries
============================================================
>On May 22, 8:41 pm, "Carl" <cengm...@hotmail.com> wrote:

looks like my reply got eaten some where, i try again.

>Gets back to the question of the role of government.

yes :^)


>Extending this logic, would you have the federal government
>tax and directly fund everything that someone considers
>either important or enriching?

No.  I'd like to see the federal and state governments swap tax codes,
shifting the power of the purse to the states.  You want to build a
nuclear power plant in Illinois come to spingfield, talk directly to
the people who will have to fund, build and live with it.

>Why bother with a state government?
>Why bother with local government?

>> The chicago symphony
>> orchestra plays all over the world, they represent more then chicago
>> when they're traveling, they represent the usa, americans.


>So any American that goes overseas can be said to represent America

Yes, but not all of them in an official capacity.

>and demand federal tax money?

No. (that was a bit of a stretch :^)

>> we have a national policy on education.  why not a national endowment
>> for the arts bestowed through the school system?

>We have a national policy on thousands of things, why should this be
>administered through the school system? Our schools have enough problems
>the way that it is (and the problems are not all money based).

Why have a federal, or any, school system?

There is a social cost/benefit (I'm not talking money here) to every
tax dollar spent.

The fed mandates that children attend school.  If the government
believes it has a responsibility to provide children with a quality
education, thus protecting them from exploitation and lifting them
from poverty, it has to spend money in that direction.

Should education be left to the states?  Don't know.  Even with
federal standards in place some states provide better educational
services than others, some of that has to do with money and some of
it, as you say, doesn't.  providing an education is like remodeling
your kitchen (to a degree).  Dollar for dollar a kitchen remodel will
likely yield the highest return on investment, affecting your personal
bottom line, the neighborhood, the retail community, etc., all the way
up to the GNP.   fair to say, education (like economics) smacks of
behaviorism.


>I'm not arguing against funding, only the rationale that it has to be
>federal funding.
>I don't believe the federal government can do a better
>job administeriung such funds, nor do I think that MN should pay for
>art in Florida, Floridians pay for art in Kansas, or Kansans pay for
>art in Idaho.


There is this misconception that art does not extend past the studio
or museum system.  Every time you do something as simple as buy a
magazine you encounter an artist or two in the form of photographers,
graphic artists, layout designers, art directors, etc.  everytime you
turn on the tv, actors, set designers, storyboarders, costumers,
makeup artists, writers, get dressed, on and on and on.  the need for
'creative' types is ever present.   the need to provide a quality
education for artist makes as much economic sense as providing one for
doctors, lawyers, and economist.

But there's more, my son cannot write.  He simply doesn't have the
fine motor control that is required.  His least favorite 'subject' is
art because it forces him to do something that is hard, hold a pencil,
crayon, paintbrush.  but it's just these types of 'exercises' that
help him developmentally:  Same with music, clapping a beat, drumming
a rhythm, same with gym, jumping rope,  juggling.
The art/music/gym departments are usually the first to go/get scaled
back when money gets tight because they are held as largely
supplemental.
Personally I believe there is an over emphasis on math and science in
our school system.  I wouldn't however suggest cutting either
program.  My point being that not everyone can/wants to be an artist
or a scientist, a general education (which is what the school systems
tries to provide) should allow for both.

For better or worse we all 'buy into' federal spending through the
taxes we pay, trusting that they will be spent wisely on our behalf.
It really does requires an extreme leap of faith in the equity of
government.  If we start questioning everything, which I'm not saying
we shouldn't, like, why is my tax money spent to help build/maintain
roads in Alaska? Fight a war in iraq? we'll need a tax return with a
Freedom of Conscience 'survey' that goes no for days.


lg
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32
 * Origin: Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 (1:14/400)