Your pride might be your biggest impediment, John Ellis. Sloganisms do
not require much intelligence to invent.

RenZo writes a perceptive description of what the Republican systematic
plan of action is and how it works.  Listening to John Boehner yesterday
speak on CNN news it is without a doubt that the Republicans’ will
spend its entire energy, money, and effort to retard any progress this
country is capable of making.  The Texas school curriculum is just one
link that is calculated to undermine any advancement of the population
to think for themselves and it is disgraceful. 

While capitalism has its virtues if corruption is prevented, socialism
also has value as this country already has socialistic programs in place
that are working, expensive as they are.  But that is the nature of
‘spreading the wealth.’  If the greedy weren’t so self-serving, and those
who labor were justly paid, social programs would not be so expensive. 
But it must be acknowledged that socialism can be corrupt as well,
which is what has been seen in history.  Since socialism as an ideology
takes away from the individual, it is more dangerous.  In capitalism,
there is at least the chance of resistance and correction.  The Texans
are promoting oppression of the mind and that is dangerous.  It is the
way of tyranny.

Having had the experience of Texans, I do not think there is much of a
chance of stopping their defective decision to infest lesson plans
intentionally with deviant material.  One way the rest of the nation can
thwart them is to cut federal funding to their schools.

Reaganomics is not a failed ethos (even if it is bad economics and a deliberate lie) because it serves the purpose of propaganda. For the lesser educated of our fellow Americans, the idea that Republican “economic” dogma is correct follows from its utterance by the same persons who espouse godliness, americanism, and other ‘values’. This is referred to in law as post hoc propter hoc and is a well studied rhetorical device. It never fails to garner approval and sound right to those who thought it sounded right before it was said.

The “platform” of the Repubes is a mishmash of “values” that have worked like reflex hammers on a patellar tendon since they grew up and started lying to everyone (and maybe in many cases to themselves). Interspersed between them are occasional new ideas that serve to further the corporatist agenda. Looking for, criticizing the lack of consistency or sensibility of their “ideas” is like debating a psychotic. They don’t care what you say, as long as they get to say something also, because they work off talking points (and no one really cares that they do, do they?) like chorus members, not leading characters.

rfidler

I was just wondering how much longer neo-cons in the US are going to hang on to failed ethos that was “Reaganomics”? You know, the american fairy tale that if you are honest, and work hard that prosperity awaits us all. That all we have to do is deregulate and eliminate corp taxes and corp america will in turn provide every working american with a good salary, good medical benefits, and a comfortable and safe retirement. We put up with “voo-doo” economics for nearly 30 years (yes, even under slick willy) and NONE of the promises of Friedman theory came true. NONE! But much like the Cuban embargo, perhaps it just needs another few decades to work. Perhaps, in another 30 or 40 years, corporations will become beacons of altruism. They will actually share the profits created by the hard work of the labor force.

Bullshit.

Shenonymous:
I haven’t seen your name here before, so I assume you’re new to truthdig.

Welcome.

Just don’t expect anything remotely resembling even middlebrow debate here.

It’s mostly pathetic losers caught up in the disappointment of socialism’s failures and their inability to face the fact that people actually are, in the end, responsible for their own lives and destinies.

I can pretty much distill itfor you this way: Bush/Cheney, Israel, banks, main stream media, corporations- these forces are responisble for everything wrong with their lives.

But, please stick around. It’s lots of fun here.

Adam, Julius Ceasar, and Ben Franklin were out flying a kite, drinking heavily, and using the lords name in vain when the kite was hit by lighting exploding a nearby dam that in turn flooded the valley where the communist party was growing duty free fruit as part of a muslim conspiracy to disgrace Ronald Reagan and kill Jesus.

Chapter 14, state of Texas social studies guide, written on a stone tablet of course, because books could make you an egg-headed minion of Satan.

by Richard_Ralph_Roehl, March 13 at 11:51 pm #
•  There is IGNORANT… and there is WILLFULLY IGNORANT. …The first means exactly that: IGNORANT. The latter, however, means something much worse. WILLFULLY IGNORANT means STUPID! How typical of Tex-ass, the death penalty $tate!
Well Richard, here’s how Martin Luther King Jr said it:
“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
I think you’ve said the same thing and quite well. In my view, SINCERE ignorance is of course very dangerous, but it CAN be cured, at least to varying degrees. We are ALL ‘sincerely’ ignorant because ignorance means that we just don’t KNOW, and knowledge is infinite, so no person will ever ‘know it all’. But we can learn, once we are informed, and that does help with the sincere ignorance.
The CONSCIENTIOUS STUPIDITY (aka willful ignorance) is obviously a whole ‘nother ball of reptile toxins, and there ain’t no cure for that.  In fact, this is an example of deliberate INFECTION, at least in my opinion.

Mark Twain and others have put it like this:

“It’s not what people DON’T know that hurts them. It’s what they think they know, that just AIN’T SO!”

Tex-ass is indeed infecting its population with ignorance, and yep…it’s very typical of them.  It is recycled over, and over, and over again.

I really wish texass would secede from the union then it could
become a state of mexico where seldom is heard anything
more than a dictatorial word.

But damage is basically done because of the twisted concept
of ‘mo money makes it right’ that what those charlatans in texas
have done is set the stage for the text books through the rest
of the states and that is where it is time to set higher review
and purview standards than leaving this to some lone wolf
kooks in highly prejudiced states, clearly something not to be
left to those out of control ideologues.

My having read Marx and Lenin, you will have to show one flaw in my
understanding of capitalism.  Perhaps you have a nearsighted view
yourself and need to read more Ludwig von Mises and Friedrick Hayek.

I think the more capitalism takes custody in a society the more a
willingness to cooperate is gained and the greater the degree of
civilization.  No one is saying capitalism solves all the problems of a
society.  But it as an economic system allows people to solve the
problems of mutual destructive actions.  It actually rewards those with
moral maturity and encourages cooperation among those in the society
encouraging all to develop their skills.  Other systems would shrink the
individual and fade them into faceless anonymity.

Computer-chair theorizing strong socialism is simply wrong and it is
wrong to associate greed that describes the free market today with
mutually destructive activity.  The problems we see today is rampant
uncontrollability.  Responsible management will correct that which is
off course.  Capitalism has survived and will survive because people
compete to cooperate with each other.  The marketplace is merely a
social arena where people are free to trade with whomever they please
in a cooperative manner.

You see, race-to-the-bottom, it is a matter of perspective, isn’t it?  I
have put it simply and you have not put it anyway at all.  So do your
best to succinctly put forth your case without saying I am all wrong.

Actually I do believe that a combination of capitalism, controlled, fused
with socialistic programs is the best program for a large population. 
Socialism has failed in the large countries so far, and the ones in South
America are in the experimental stage.  I believe they too will fall the
way of Soviet Russia and China and find that individualism is the only
way to grow as nations, both economically as well as culturally.  Do
show where I am wrong.  And stop just spouting off.

Shenonymous, your understanding of capitalism, socialism, communism, and property is completely flawed. It would be impossible to correct your misconceptions simply by posting on this site. You need to read Marx and Lenin, for starters.

Once again, those of us with working synapses are left stunned and staggered at the scale of ignorance ruling the educational roost in Texas. Political standpoints aside, this is just plain crap. To force this crap on students and imply that it’s the truth is tantamount to stealing their education.

What’s next for these dolts? Are they preparing statements that will officially make Pi equal to three? Maybe they’ll claim their biblical nonsense is capable of making water flow uphill without pumps. They might as well introduce Peter Pan as an experienced advisor in the ongoing pirate attacks off the African coast.

If you can’t teach children the unvarnished truth, then you have no place in the school system! Stop subverting your childrens’ education with nonsense and lies.

That Texas should cast superiority on anything is counter to
educational ideals which is to present facts and let recipient minds of
the facts come to conclusions.  What needs to be taught is to make
rational conclusions based on facts.  The emotionalism of partisans is a
detriment to healthy minded human beings and in reality teaches
humans to be less than human.

Having lived in Texas once for a time, too long to suit my sympathies, I
understand what has been said on this forum and on the surface I
agree.  But the problem is much deeper than anything yet said.  The
outcry would better be directed at Washington to cut funding to a state
that defies egalitarian and neutral education.  This state by implication
teaches prejudice, closed mindedness and imbalance which undercuts
producing minds that can see issues clearly and be able to make
reasoned judgments when they become adults.

We wonder how to change this country to be more responsive to its
citizens yet we allow the young to be inculcated with biased prejudicial
ideas.  What children are taught stays with them forever unless rational
intervention happens in their lives.  How likely is that to happen?

Capitalism itself is not the problem. Capitalism is freedom within the
realm of economics.  If you want to trade, or buy, or sell anything,
capitalism says that action is between you and the other guy and no
one else.  There is only one condition: that you both agree to the trade. 
Under capitalism, trade must be voluntary.  All trades are for the
mutual benefit of the parties involved.  A trade happens only when a
benefit for oneself is seen.

Alternative systems involve changing this basic idea, meaning freedom
and restrictions, involuntary trades, and someone loses.  This is
justified under certain circumstances.  A society needs capital to
operate and provide services such as protection of life and property
and insure an egalitarian perspective. It is agreeable that a government
taxes its population to pay for needed services.  Having to pay taxes
does not destroy individuals.  If they want to live within the protection
of the society they have to pay for it.  Nothing in life is without some
cost.

When socialism is suggested on Truthdig, it is never given what it
means exactly.  What kind of socialism it is to be.  To what degree is
the individual subsumed under the group?  It is easy to make
suggestions, recommendations, allusions, without seeing far reaching
implications.  Under socialism, one is not free to trade without involving
the ‘government.’  The guvamint decides for you.  When the
government decides about what you can trade, voluntary trade
becomes illegal and people forced to trade with other new parties.  The
new parties are given money and adds nothing to the trade directly. 
These third parties can offer a list of services to everyone in the society
whether they trade or not, thus making it worse for the original trader
but great for the guvamint.  Trades only for large amounts can still
benefit the parties and still benefit after the guvamint takes its cut.  But
trades for smaller amounts are no longer allowed.  People are not free
to trade anymore.

Communism, on the other hand, takes from producers and gives to
non-producers even though property is the result of one’s own labor. 
This obviously is not a voluntary action.  One is not free to keep all
one’s property and are not able to engage in trades believed to benefit
oneself.  Often one’s property is taken and nothing returned.

What is needed is to keep capitalism from corruption, exploitation, and
fraud.  As a mode of economics, Capitalism does not have a position, it
is a neutral thing. It is a system where people own their own property,
not the state.  It seems more energy ought to be put in how to prevent
corruption, exploitation, and fraud than the constant harping on how it
is corrupt, exploitatious, and fraudulent.

gerard:
I’m just messing with your phraseology. Lighten up.

ridler: Why don’t you believe it?  I could show you my birth certificate if I knew where it is.  You should have heard my Dad snort over the bigotry of the infamous Scopes Trial.  I was just a kid, but I’ll never forget it.  He taught geology, by the way, and left no stone unturned (literally!) to see that I did NOT believe that the world was created in 6 days!
Irony:  A couple of my grandkids turn out to be fundamentalists and I sincerely hope he doesn’t know that!  I sometimes wonder, though, because every once in a while I hear him say:  “Jean, don’t you believe it!  Jean, do you know how old this fossil is?  Do you know where it came from?  Look at this crystal here.  And that stuff in the little round box—that’s mercury.!  God rest his soul!

gerard, March 13 at 11:24 pm,

The reason the rest of the world think the Americans are stupid is because the American populace allows the government of Nobles and Nearly Nobles to divide and conquer the populace by just calling them the middle class, a psychological strategy that has worked really well for the Nobles and Nearly Nobles to not be required to provide real benefit or representation to the populace,  only subjective freedom and justice, and everybody says yeah!!!  which is stupid.

They are Political Conservatives and what they are doing is what Political Conservatism does.  Political Conservatism is the farthermost Republican RED EXTREME on the Political Spectrum.

There is IGNORANT… and there is WILLFULLY IGNORANT.

The first means exactly that: IGNORANT. The latter, however, means something much worse. WILLFULLY IGNORANT means STUPID! How typical of Tex-ass, the death penalty $tate!

Yesss… Tex-ass! I’m talkin’ STUPID bible thumpin’ bumpkins with big guns… tiny brains… and even smaller penises. See the vicious and violent KKKulture of Tex-ass! Indeed! That’s where Jack Kennedy was murdered. And it was a god dam Texan (LBJ) that dragged the U.$. into Vietnam.

Butt there’s more! Behold the dry drunk, $ociopathic, pea brained Texan (George W. Bush) who pushed Amerika into IRAQ-NAM! Bush the Lessor also left us with the $eeds of permanent recession and eventual currency collapse and bankruptcy.

See them! See the Texans. See the seeds they have $own for poisonous fruits bringing us closer to KKKristian/Zionist Armageddon and doom.

“By rbrooks, March 13 at 9:58 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Would someone PLEASE explain to me why these jackasses are STILL referred to, even by otherwise sane and progressive journalists, as

CONSERVATIVES?

THESE ARE NOT CONSERVATIVES. THESE ARE NOT CONSERVATIVE VIEWS.

If Texas would only offer to secede - taking the Bush crime family, the John Birch Society, the oil vultures, and the religious wingnuts with them - I’d hold the door open. Make my day.”

There IS no explanation, rbrooks, other than to say that this is what they are calling themselves, (Conservatives) and they set the terms of the language since nobody seems to be willing or able to correct it.

I lived (if you can call it that) in this godforsaken place for 17 years. As the 3rd world Theocracy that it is, Texas makes Saudi Arabia look like a bastion of liberalism.

But for the record, these are NOT conservative views, but rather the antithesis of conservative views. That would be RADICAL. They’re lunatic radicals, and this happens there all of the damn time. Every time I look around, they’re rewriting history.

So if you hold the door, I’ll push them out. They aren’t going on their own.

gerard:
“Believe it or not, 80 years ago my father and his colleagues were fighting the same battles in his high school classrooms in Pittsburgh, Pa., and they won there, but we are losing in Texas!”

I don’t believe it.

Second thoughts on this ugly situation in Texas:
You know, it really shouldn’t come as any surprise to us Americans that the rest of the world regards us as more than a little stupid, all the while they halfway admire our freedom, not to say license of expression.  So long as the administration of public schools can remain so ignorant and blind, how can we expect an end to wars, a fair and just social system, a tolerant and open discussion of scientific advances, an accepting tolerance of people from different cultures? In this instance, education is actually holding people back, not sending them forward into the future. It is truly shocking.  Believe it or not, 80 years ago my father and his colleagues were fighting the same battles in his high school classrooms in Pittsburgh, Pa., and they won there, but we are losing in Texas!

Reading this article about a bunch of provincial dimwits shackling the curriculum of Texas public schools is an adventure in self-enforced ignorance that is totally out of touch with what is going on in the world. Standards for history and social studies seem doomed by this infamous School Board to maintain the lowest possible levels of factual information and the highest amount of prejudicial opinion.
A sad example of the evils of “local control” and reactionary ignorance. religion, false patriotism and bigotry have won again over research, fact, and the human struggle to breathe free. Pity Texas children.
  This is nothing less than a death penalty on the search for knowledge.