300 Words or Less

Labels: Barack Obama, Bush, Clinton, DNC, FEMA, Florida, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Hurricane Katrina, Iraq, John McCain, Michigan, national debt, Obama, wiretapping

Our nation’s deficient health care, increasing poverty, and notorious crime rate are all urgent issues that sadly have not been given enough consideration in today’s political scene. However, though these concerns do deserve further attention by the Tim Russerts of the world, political leaders continue to neglect a central source of these crises: a deteriorating education system. Statistics are telling: America children are (mis)guided by an education system that is ranked 29^th in science and falls behind twelve European nations in mathematics literacy. Citizens aged 16 to 65 ranked 12^th in the world based on results of the International Adult Literacy Survey. Yet, the average American student ranks 1^st in brain cells lost while playing Halo 3. These numbers, showing no signs of future improvement, provide a stark contrast to last generation’s education system that dominated global competition.

It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that our nation is saddled with socioeconomic troubles. Declining education standards burden future generations with poverty and crime, spilling into difficulties with economy, health care, etc. However, though this year’s candidates are eager to debate these issues, they spend little effort to address the ultimate source of such problems. Of the Democratic candidates, only former candidate Bill Richardson seemed to consistently assert that education reform be discussed. And though an increasing amount of the electorate agree that No Child Left Behind has disappointed, many find it difficult to understand why the federal program hasn’t lived up to its name. This election’s candidates, now wielding a bully pulpit stronger than President Bush, are responsible for educating citizens about the problem not by strategically stating their proposals, but by merely thrusting the issue into the political agenda. Yes, I said it: they must educate the people, that is, if they know what “educate” actually means.

Ever since 1817, when John C. Calhoun provisioned for highway construction from a federal bank surplus, politicians have been diverting money to their own constituencies for political gain. Today, earmarking has overrun our congressional system and left us with a lingering budget deficit for the past eight years. As the U.S. looks ahead, with dreams of a revamped social system and a stronger economy, instead of raising taxes we must first do everything in our power to eliminate government waste.

The problem with earmarks is that there are almost too many of them to appropriately examine and validate each one. Every once in a while we hear of especially heinous appropriations (like the so-called “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska) but for every offense covered by the media there are thousands that go undiscovered. Barack Obama has suggested that the solution to this problem is transparency. This past June he disclosed all of his 2008 earmarks and has encouraged his political opponents to do the same. It is an honest effort towards fixing the process but in many ways this tactic falls short. For example, Robert Byrd, the longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate, has racked up over $3 billion in earmarks over the years while publicly defending his actions. As CBS has reported, he has funded over 40 projects bearing his name, including highways, dams, and office complexes. So why should the federal taxpayers fund his egotistical building sprees?

Unfortunately, earmarks create a vicious cycle. Senators in power divert funds to their own districts, who in turn benefit from the cash flow, and then re-elect their representatives for the incredible job they’ve been doing. Unfortunately, this type of crooked politics has become all too common in our system because all it takes is some political influence.

To see Senator Obama’s 2008 earmarks, click here.

For the CBS report on Senator Byrd’s earmarks, click here.

Labels: Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, Bridge to Nowhere, earmarks, education, John C. Calhoun, No Child Left Behind, Obama, pork-barrel spending, Robert Byrd