Text 14917, 149 rader
Skriven 2007-05-24 19:54:35 av Carl (1330.babylon5)
     Kommentar till en text av rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Ärende: Re: OT: a proposal for increasing teachers' salaries
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"lizardgirl" <gabiks@comcast.net> wrote in message 
news:1180021127.078131.245120@h2g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> >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.

I tend to agree.

<snip>

>
>>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.

Not being difficult, I'm just curious...what official capacity does
the CSO have?

>
>>and demand federal tax money?
>
> No. (that was a bit of a stretch :^)

But unfortunately these days the government doesn't accept ANY limit
to their power.  They feel free to seize assets for anything they want.


>>> 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?

I never argued the value of schools, art, etc... but if someone decides
they have the right to threaten to knock down my door, seize my assets and
put me in jail if I don't pay enough for whatever *they* have decided to
fund, I reserve the right to question why they assume they're the best
ones to do it.

I'm more forgiving of state spending...even when it's on something I
disagree with than I am on federal spending.  A lot of federal programs
reek of power grab.

<snip>

>
>>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.

Doctors?  I think there is a greater demand for 10000 more doctors in the 
world
than  there are for 10000 more makeup artists.  That's just my opinion.

Lawyers?  I'd much rather support artists.

>
> 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.

Personally, I think K-12 should place a high emphasis on math and science.
Math and science teach more than how the world works, they teach how to 
think.
They are the foundation. Writing should also have a high emphasis.

I don't think PE is handled very well in our schools.  It's often treated
as organized recess with a ball.

Art (painting, etc) isn't handled very well either.  Music can be (depending
on the school).  In my daughter's case there are two tracks for students,
one is music and she has to play an instrument and the whole band performs 
two
concerts every year.

Other schools have a different idea of music class and I don't think kids
get as much out of it as they could.


> 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.

If one doesn't question everything, then you deserve it when the
government spends your money in ways you don't like.  It's
just as valid to question how well tax money is spent on education as it
is asking how it's spent on defense.

Carl

"Somehow liberals have been unable to acquire from life what conservatives
seem to be endowed with at birth: namely, a healthy skepticism of the powers
of government agencies to do good."
-- Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D)
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32
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