Fight the Power

I'm thinking of calling for a revolution. I'm getting close.

The conservative bumper sticker I saw said it all; The less they do, the more they get.

I now live in a country that pays its citizens to take care of their parents when they get old. For thousands of years children have looked after their parents without being paid. Now, we have a full blown governmental program with an unholy amount of fraud that gives out my tax dollars to the fat lady who sits at home watching Oprah with her perfectly fine mother.

I now live in a country that provides citizens of other countries a cheaper college education than it provides the citizens of the U.S.A. In Texas for sure and probably in many states, illegal immigrants have been granted in-state tuition rates to the state schools. That means that over a 4 year period, an illegal imigrant will pay roughly $100,000 for his education while a kid from South Dakota or Oregon or New York or Arizona or anywhere other than Texas, will pay about $400,000.

I now live in a country that blames teachers for the actions of the children in the community instead of blaming the demise of the American family. Dad is raising another family somewhere and the step dad is powerless because mom is a woman who cares more if her kid likes her than if her kid is well behaved, respectful, honorable and with good character. Nah, she'll just lie for her kid. Lets blame the teachers because the little brat won't try in class.

I now live in a country that continues to provide "aid" to foreign countries by handing checks to their "governments" and hoping some food gets to the starving. This list of countries we are funneling money to angers me. Then, when those bastards bad mouth us?. Grrr

I'm thinking of starting my revolution.

Mixed Emotions

I get it. There are no jobs out there so we should extend unemployment benefits.

I have a problem with it. In a nutshell, by extending benefits, people have just a little bit less incentive to go out and work. With no money, many of the unemployed would be out there pounding the payment and knocking on every door until something happened. Now, not so much. We have already extended their benefits to 99 weeks. 99 WEEKS. That's just under 2 years. 2 years of getting paid without working. My President wants to extend it even more and I fear that fewer good men will go get jobs. They mustn't be allowed to wait until something comes up in their field in their community. I just read about North Dakota. It has the most natural gas and oil resources in North America. They are drilling like crazy, hiring everyone, and paying $120,000 a year. Why are not more men flooding into the state? If money were allowed to run out, men would be forced to relocate. That's the way it should be. Do whatever you must do to take care of your family.

On a another note,

I played a round of golf with a guy who is getting disability checks from the government. Said he had a bad back. Sure looked ok to me. A friend of a friend is getting disability checks because she has depression. $1400 a month because she gets sad a lot. I get sad a lot. Do I get a check? I watched an episode of The People's Court, (I have a thing for the judge) and listened as she was stunned that a plaintiff was receiving a disability check because when he went off to college, he got anxiety.

I know of a woman who'se welfare check gets substantially bigger for every child she has. In know a guy that gets paid by the government to take care of his 70 year old mother who has to drive him around because of his DWI.

If my humble opinion, we are ruining people. Our hearts are in the right place but man are we damaging people.

We have to love tougher.

And it begins again

Tomorrow I begin my 20th year as a high school teacher. I remember the day I decided that teaching would be a cool job for a couple of years until I could figure out what to do next. That was 22 years ago.

I had to go back to college to get my teaching credential first. I was a 28 year old guy and I was working full time in construction. I liked what I did, but it gets a bit warm outside in Tucson in the summer. I couldn't afford to quit and go back to school, so I found a nights and weekend program with the University of Phoenix. For a year and a half I went to classes at night and tried to stash cash like a madman. I knew I had to serve a semester as a student teacher, and I'd have to quit my job.

I nearly went broke. By the end of my student teaching, I bet I was down to about $500. Luckily, I scored a job at the best high school in Tucson just after my student teaching ended, and I signed a contract for $18,500. Working construction I had made $30,000 the year before, so I just laughed at myself when I realized what I had done.

Best decision I ever made. I love what I do. I love standing and delivering and I love watching kids "get it". And, I don't throw the word love around. Today, just getting ready, energized me.

I'm so sorry kids, but I'm ready to go. OHHHHH YEAHHHHHH