I couldn’t agree with your last line more. When I started college in the early 70’s, Western Civ courses had been replaced by freshman seminars. My first seminar was a Marxist history of Latin America. Guess who the bad guys were.

I personally doubt an Obama administration would have any interest in better educating the citizenry. In this election he has benefitted greatly from our current education system, one which has virtually repudiated everything we gained from our European past. Except Marx of course.

The MSM has also promoted an uneducated public by systematically offering fare that further dulls the mind. That has put them in a position to sway this election. They hope Obama and the Dems in Congress will be their salvation, by reinstating the Fairness Doctrine and quashing talk radio. Leftists disapprove of dissent, and the critical thinking that leads to it. Win-win for both: a dumb and docile public hoping for their next entertainment fix — a game show or another speech by Obama.

I was stuck with $125 or so repair bills in the beginning…starter…ignition problem…pumps…silly things. Then $400 problems at about 50 or so thousand miles…then anywhere from $600 all-the-way-up from 70 to 100 thousand miles. I thought that the repairs just went with the territory. I thought that buying Japanese or German cars were disloyal and un-patriotic. I was proud.

My kids talked me into getting a Camry.

I’m sorry guys. I don’t want to pay for starters or rear ends or engine blocks or billions to pay salaries and benefits. They could have figured it out by now. They could have made the cars right. It’s sad. They failed…but keep the Jeep for old times sake.

Again, other than the last part, I couldn’t agree more.

There are serious problems today, no doubt, but Americans are pretty ingenious people and have always found ways to deal with them, some good and some bad,

The chief problem today, seems to be education . We have a well educated public as far as the technical skills needed to make things work i.e. computers, engineering, medicine etc. but most people even the ones with a lot of degrees seem to ignorant of the basics of the history, literature and philosphy of our Western Civilization. The ignorance of people outside their technical and/or professional work competancies is appalling. Apparenlty you can get through even a good 4 yr college without taking what was used to Western Civ 101-102.

Critical thinking does not seem to be taught at any level of Schooling. A lot of young people, and even older ones merely spout off dogmatic opinions gleaned from Tv or the internet.

I think if we can solve this problem of education, many of the the things that are problems will be ameliorated.

Your recent colums have been to gloomy and too negative. McCain is not the last best hope and Obama is not evil incarnate. Both men are essentially, like most of our presidents, hack politicians who hav succesfully outplayed their rivals in what used to be called “the Great game of Poltics” (see Frank R. Kent, a Baltimore Political writer of the early 20 century.

Out most pressing need now is a bette educated citizenry, in the broadest sense of that word. What are your thoughts?

Another ‘controversy’, mentioned by Rush Limbaugh, that is currently running under the radar; the proposal by the Senate Committee headed by George Miller (D), is to take away our 401k’s. Reportedly, the plan is to have the government buy the 401k’s at their value in August (before the crash), and incorporate them into Social Security. This would be invested in government bonds,(at 3%), and an individual, upon retirement, would receive a SS check + 401K amount, but with no tax deductibility. This would make retirement funds soley the responsibility of the government.

You don’t suppose this little windfall to the SS fund would be raided as has been done in the past to pay for other ‘plans’, do you? Naahhh .

I watch daily with comtempt how truth matters no more to far too many in this nation. We are a culture of greed…and I’m not speaking about Wall street. I’m speaking to our politicians and those voters who vote themselves a living. It matters little to the the thieves what they are doing to their country or their families future. Radical Islam has competition for the destruction of this nation. The enemy within is having far more success than al-Qaeda or any other terrorist network at tearing away the fabric of this country. Politicians have become nothing but “pander” bears, willing to sell out their family and nation to the highest bidder. All the while, the cunning grifters, the extortionists, the gypsies in the palace, such as ACORN, they plan and plot their latest plunder. The most recent of course was the housing industry..which led to the collapse of the financial markets. The costs? Nothing for the criminals but everything for the model citizen. And who is there to speak for the model citizen? The Limbaughs of the world? The VDH’s of the world? Very few. It seems our Media long ago took the proverbial shower. It’s just now their ratings and subscriptions are so far in the tank, they’ve followed that lead and gone completely in the tank for the boy who would be king. The messiah, the one, the Manchurian candidate. The media knew instantly that the messiah and his band of crooks in the house and senate were to blame for this melt-down. But there was a problem. The band of crooks are all democrats and Lord Barry himself the chosen one. How could the media turn on them? How do you throw your “political lovers” under the bus? Someone might say, well, doesn’t truth matter? Isn’t journalism all about fact, and informing the public? Being the watch-dog for the citizen? Apparently that memo never reached todays journalists…no, power and influence, political agendas..that is journalism de jour. And to top it off, this election affords them the chance to make history. They can help elect the first black president. So, here we are at perhaps one of the most critical junctures in our history, and we the people have no voice and little choice.

We have a full-fledged socialist-radical poised to win the White House. Along with him a filibuster-proof senate and a house majority leader foaming at the mouth to shut up her critics. Of course, radical Islam has to be shaking it’s collective head. What to make of this turn to the extreme left. On the one hand, you may have a fellow willing to take America closer to your vision of things. But also, it’s so tempting to exploit his naivete and inexperience. What to do? I know they would rather have this problem than another president with W’s resolve, but it does pose an interesting dilemma…..

Well, I guess I’ll have to start watching American Idol like the rest of my idiot voting bloc………

Close to twenty years ago, I earned a living as a bill collector. This allowed me the opportunity to legally read the credit histories of countless individuals. The vast majority of bankruptcies occurred because the debtor spent money like a drunken sailor. Rarely did I encounter someone who was plain unlucky. Most of them fully deserved to be chased down by people like myself.

I got something else you need to know: many of the credit card companies did not go after fraudulent use of their cards! Instead of prosecuting those who obviously abused their line of credit—they simply preferred to opt for a tax loss. It was unofficially deemed not worth their time to deal with the criminal justice system. I remember particularly a guy who was in deep financial trouble who used his American Express credit card to tip top-less waitresses $200-300 for a round of drinks. If memory serves, he did this around three or four times during the evening. A short time later, he likely filed for bankruptcy.