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Under the fold, as it is a LOT of links.... I am the angry left: It is a matter of survival of our way of life, of our basic values, of our democratic system, not to mention several important elements of that system such as education, affordable health care, social security, and a reasonable degree…
It would be for the best. First, some general thoughts. I had the distinct sense Obama was trying to run the clock out. He knew he had to say something, but has no room to maneuver. Thanks to his mediocre first two years and his enabling of conservative talking points (which one wonders if…
About five years ago a colleague of mine, Dale Allen Pfeiffer wrote an essay I can no longer locate.  At the time, Colony Collapse Disorder was just being diagnosed in bees, and one of the discussed potential causes of the problem was cell phones and cell phone towers.  Pfeiffer didn't, as I…
John Abraham has an interesting post up at the guardian called "Global warming action: good or bad for the poor?" It is a response to a post by a group of guys who tend to write annoying stuff about climate change (you can go to John's post for that information). Here, I want to make a brief…

I do not understand the persistent, vehement conservative attack on public school teachers. Not that I am defending the teachers. Some are lazy, and many are incompetent. But the market solution seems obvious: pay teachers more money, to attract more competent teachers. The idea that you can have good education on the cheap is ludicrous.

Not that conservatives really want good public education, I suppose. I cannot say that I know any conservatives who actually believe that, but Reagan campaigner Roger Freeman warned of the "danger of producing an educated proletariat." That is a conservative sentiment that I understand.

Perhaps it goes back to the conservative mantra that government is incompetent. Public education is an easy target. By attacking teachers conservatives can pretend that they are in favor of public education, even though they are not in favor of paying for it.