James Drogan

Re: Conversations wth Dave

Here's the organizational stack that is my reference point.

Not too clear in this version, but I think you can make out the components.

The issue that I see is that American political leadership lacks a set of values and a vision that has education as THE foundation stone upon which to base the remaining components of institutional and organizational design. One might argue, I suppose, that this is wrong. There is, after all, the Department of Education and No Child Left Behind. True, but in the absence of the necessary resources to live the values and implement the vision, what's the point?

Organosclerosis (can't you devise a name easier to pronounce?) surely applies to the political domain, maybe more so at the national than the state and local levels. The plaque needs to be cleaned out. The system for cleansing devised by the Founders has been corrupted by gerrymandering (when you're in you're in), lobbyists (no more than guns for hire), special interest groups (fanatics), and a passive electorate (I regret that I must, in the interests of fair disclosure, include myself in this group).

New leadership is required, but I doubt that it will rise from the major political parties. Any third party efforts are likely to be quashed by the entrenched. I foresee little to no change in our national system of government that would allow education to rise to prominence.

Perhaps the answer is more power to the States and local communities. Connecticut's current action on campaign financing may be a step in the right direction. Yet this evolves into conflicts between these levels on standards.

Perhaps we ought to let the marketplace decide. Then, however, those who need education the most would doubtless fall further behind.

The electorate needs to be educated on the issue and subsequently stirred to action. The way one reaches the electorate is through MSM or through leadership acting on a national scale (when was the last time you heard a prominent entertainment or sports celebrity discuss the need for education?). Articles on education will not sell advertising and require too much attention to be absorbed. I suspect education is not a mainstream topic on the popular talk shows.

So, what's required to awaken the sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve? The loss of American manufacturing prowess has not done it. The rickety economic structure has not done it. America's declining influence (as contrasted with America's rising boorishness) in the world has not done it.

The frog is being boiled.

I suspect that a credible picture of the future, say a generation or two hence, needs to be painted and exposed. But who could be trusted to do this? No one is immune to labeling, an insidious process that prejudges, and hence any party suggested would be derided by "...all those who have done well under the old conditions."

I suppose I'm not really getting at your question, but, to me, it's not easily gotten at. Perhaps I shall have an epiphany and become more erudite on this topic.

So much for my Sunday afternoon rant.