While Congress squabbles over the debt ceiling crisis, I am far more worried about the millions of low-income, mostly black and brown Americans who are hitting hard against the "Opportunity Ceiling."
Every day, their potential is stunted and shackled by disinvestment and disinterest. The House budget plan - aka "The Ryan Budget" - would exacerbate that disinvestment, moving our nation even further from the equity-driven policies we will need to compete in tomorrow's global economy.
By slashing programs like Pell Grants and YouthBuild, the Ryan budget would knock the legs out from under the next generation, denying them the skills and tools they need to be the leaders of tomorrow. These are long-term investments that ensure America will remain a global economic power. Without them, we are easily knocked off the path to economic stability and success.
As the nation's demographic transformation accelerates and the face of America changes, our investments must evolve, too. We must nurture the minds and innovations of the 21st century. Our economy needs all Americans to be contributing to their fullest.
America's Tomorrow from PolicyLink on Vimeo.
Thankfully, there are some ideas and models gaining bipartisan traction in Washington:
Promise Neighborhoods - We've seen the future, and it's a six-year-old Latina girl and a 10-year-old black boy. Based on the model of the Harlem Children's Zone, Promise Neighborhoods invest in their future by giving them the educational, health, and social support they need to succeed from cradle to college to career.
Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) - Investing equitably can be a key driver of economic growth. HFFI will help spur economic activity in low-income communities by boosting new supermarkets and farmers markets in needy neighborhoods. Not only will these markets serve as economic anchors, they will expand access to healthy food in communities hit worst by the obesity and diabetes crises.
Smart Transportation - Connecting tomorrow's workforce to tomorrow's jobs is crucial to making sure America's economy is running at full capacity. There is a mismatch now between job centers and the workers needed by those job centers. Smarter transportation investments should create economic opportunity for all Americans - workers and business owners alike.
We cannot use the nation's debt as an excuse for today's leaders to pull up the ladder from tomorrow's generation. We must give them the tools, skills, and investments they need to break through the Opportunity Ceiling.
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(1) We need to begin withdrawal from Iraq, and Afghansitan. I have no problem is we want to keep a base in the middle east, but it needs to be in Saudi Arabia or another country friendly to us, and by invitation.
(2) We need to stop bombing in Libya. The French can handle this problem without us.
(3) We need to refocus our military efforts on securing our borders and harbors at home.
(4) We need to make severe, even painful cuts in social programs for now, as there are many we can't afford.
(5) We need to invest in education and improving existing infrastructure.
(6) We need to raise taxes.
(7) We need to pay our debts.
I tire of hearing every special interest pop up and cry about how their programs are so important to the segment of the community that they are interested in. Bullfeathers. Let the local communities stand up and handle local problems. Any education funding should be on a national scale that applies to all children.
It is all well and good to pick at the government for helping poorer students....IF you were able to go to school with your parents' money or a good job supporting you through school.
However, more and more kids need a college diploma at the very time it is much harder to get it.
Making a college education much harder to get (more expensive and less money for grants and loans) is a way to keep a two tier society.
The Repugs just do NOT share anything.
However they should not complain when poverty explodes along with crime and incarceration.
If you leave the lower classes less and less....SOMETHING has got to give.
Vast majority of college graduates after much fun-in-the-sun, graduate in liberal arts. Less than 5% graduate in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, medical) and 1% get Master's degree in these sciences.
Revolutionize a failed education system. Let's go back to a system that worked in America, and still works in the world that continues those practices. These countries way-outsmart us in international benchmark standards.
Introduce quarterly and annual testing, starting in grade 1.
End social promotion starting in grade 1.
End Middle and High school with state-wide tests for promotion and graduation respectively.
Onus of education rest on students, parents, schools and teachers (not politicians)
School vouchers will encourage new schools, that offer different educational systems from which students and parents can choose.
Schools should no longer be institutions for baby-sitting kids.
Schools and colleges should no longer get major recognition for sporting activities and prowess.
College scholarship and grants should be targeted to STEMM students and closely tied to annual test performance and graduation.
College graduation should be after state-wide tests, just as Masters and PhD degree are based on national tests (current practice).
We've a long way to go to call our present education system sucessful.
Graduate degree in STEMM field near-guarantees jobs with good wages and carreer in technology, teaching or healthcare .
For some reason, the government believes that it is our right to have a college education. It's a privilege, not a right. In 1972, Sallie Mae backed loans made by banks to students. Since these loans were essentially backed by the government, the banks could loan out a lot more money. Now, students could bid up the price of tuition. Colleges could charge anything they want, because with the help of the government, students could always pay it. More money floating around means higher prices. That's Inflation 101. As the government became more and more involved in the student loan business, prices climbed higher and higher. The government basically took away the market forces that would have kept prices low. now that everyone gets to go to college, what is that diploma worth? Not much.
There needs to be a fundamental transformation in college education. Every state ought to have at least free public Universities that offer a quality college education without the expensive frills - no sports teams, no fancy student unions, no fraternities - just live, eat, join a few stuedent clubs, and learn. And, you should have to maintain a B average or better to attend - otherwise you are wasting everyone's money. Set up a system like this, and two things will happen: (1) Other Public Universities will lower their tuition - they will have to. And, (2) you won't need Pell grants or anything else.