POLITICAL: Perhaps Gooferment Skrules are the problem. Home schooling points the way

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

https://wokespy.com/study-homeschoolers-have-highest-life-satisfaction-better-families-least-divorce-rates-and-are-least-depressed/

Study: Homeschoolers Have Highest Life Satisfaction, Better Families, Least Divorce Rates, and are Least Depressed
By Martin Tribe / February 17, 2025

*** begin quote ***

A Cardus Educational Survey (CES) has discovered that homeschooled children outperformed their non-homeschooled peers on various psychosocial issues. Between 2019 and 2021, school enrolment declined by 2.1 million while homeschooling increased by 30%.

The trend was largely influenced by the pandemic when homeschooling was mandatory. However, many parents continued to teach their children at home even after physical classes resumed.One key finding was that homeschooled adults exhibited better mental health than their non-homeschooled peers amid the nation’s ongoing mental health crisis affecting teens and young adults.

The CES report that studied adults between adults 24 to 39 years old analyzed economic, mental health, civic, spiritual, and family formation among homeschooled and non-homeschooled individuals. 

*** and ***

One key finding was that homeschooled adults exhibited better mental health than their non-homeschooled peers amid the nation’s ongoing mental health crisis affecting teens and young adults.

*** and ***

While the short-term financial gains might be appealing, they are costly in the long due to depopulation which is an existential threat. The mental health crisis also requires more funds to address, resulting in the loss of otherwise productive members of society through depression and suicide. Likely, that is why nearly 60% of all “gun crimes” in the US are suicides instead of accidental shootings or homicides.

*** end quote ***

While “home schooling” is a daunting undertaking, it does point out that the problem is Gooferment Skrules.  Mixing in non-Gooferment schools and comparing that to “home schools” confounds the data and makes Gooferment Skrules’ flaws not as obvious.

In the 80’s, I proposed a voucher solution for the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee that would eliminate Gooferment Skrules over forty years.  (Enough time for everyone to get comfortable and shift the “Overton window” on “education”.  The essence of the plan was to give Gooferment Skrules to the teachers and staff of every school. In the first 20 years, 5% of the students could use their “green” voucher anywhere they wanted, while everyone else would have a “red” voucher that he’d to be used at their local school.  Each year, the 5% would grow by 5%.  (New students entering the system would get via a lottery either a “green” or “red” voucher.)  The school would get a chance to adapt to a free market.  Then in the second 20 year period, the amount of the voucher would decrease by 5% each year.  At the end of forty years, no Gooferment Skrules.  Of course, the property tax portion of real estate would decrease. School “corporations” would have to compete in the free market.

Hard to imagine what this would look like but I’d bet that schools would adapt to be wonderful places.  Not the pre-prison incubator of illiterates that they are today.

—30—

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POLITICAL: Every state should have a BND clone

Friday, January 31, 2025

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2025/01/no_author/beating-wall-street-at-its-own-game-the-bank-of-north-dakota-model/

Beating Wall Street at Its Own Game — The Bank of North Dakota Model – 

McMaken, Ryan

*** begin quote ***

So how is it that the state boasts the only state-owned bank in the nation? Has it secretly gone socialist?

No. The Bank of North Dakota (BND) operates on the same principles as any capitalist bank, except that its profits and benefits serve the North Dakota public rather than private investors and executives. The BND provides a unique, innovative model, in which public ownership is leveraged to enhance the workings of the private sector. It invests in and supports private enterprise — local businesses, agriculture, and economic development – the core activities of a capitalist system where private property and enterprise are central. Across the country, small businesses are now failing at increasingly high rates, but that’s not true in North Dakota, which was rated by Forbes Magazine the best state in which to start a business in 2024.

The BND was founded in 1919, when North Dakota farmers rose up against the powerful out-of-state banking-railroad-granary cartel that was unfairly foreclosing on their farms. They formed the Non-Partisan League, won an election, and founded the state’s own bank and granary, both of which are still active today.

*** and ***

The BND, on the other hand, is mandated to use its revenues for the benefit of the North Dakota public. Other states would do well to follow North Dakota’s lead.

*** end quote ***

I have blogged before about this “national treasure”.  It’s a working example of how to do State Banking for the benefit of the people.  No politics involved.  No big financial institutions lobbying local politicians.  AND, that is the EXACT reason why it’s near impossible to replicate.

As a little L libertarian, I’d like the smaller Gooferment possible and here is a way to get there.  

Maybe one of the candidates for Governor of the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee will pick this up.

—30—

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POLITICAL: I was always addressed by my last name until I got to employment

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

https://thehill.com/homenews/lgbtq/5064235-ohio-first-amendment-lgbtq-case-settlement-450k/?tbref=hp&ICID=ref_fark

$450,000 settlement for Ohio teacher who refused to use students’ pronouns
by David Rees – 01/03/25 8:40 AM ET

*** begin quote ***

MASSILLON, Ohio (WCMH) — An Ohio school district will pay $450,000 to a middle school teacher who resigned for refusing to address two transgender students by their preferred names and pronouns.

Jackson Local School District reached a settlement in December with the teacher, Vivian Geraghty, after she claimed in a 2022 lawsuit that her First Amendment rights were violated when she was told to resign from a middle school language arts position.

*** end quote ***

Interesting.

In my time in Catholic schools, I don’t think I was ever addressed with a pronoun.  It was always last name.

Correction, when I got to Catholic College, I became Mister.

Further correction, I was called “Mister Lastname” when I thought I was going to be expelled.

Ditto for my time in the Air Force, when the Mister was dropped.

Wonder why that form of address was ever dropped?

—30—

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POLITICAL: Time to repeaal the 17th Amendment

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/12/trump_should_bring_a_constitutional_gun_to_the_senate_swamp_knife_fight.html

Trump Should Bring a Constitutional Gun to the Senate / Swamp Knife Fight
By Vince Coyner

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-12-04>>

*** begin quote ***

But of course, the leftists eviscerated the Founders’ original intentions about the Senate with the 17th Amendment. As a result, the Senate has become simply a more entrenched version of the House. Therefore, if a cabal of geriatric swamp-loving RINOs wants to try to shanghai the president’s mandate because the close balance of party power in the chamber allows them to do so, to paraphrase Sean Connery in The Untouchables, Trump should bring a constitutional gun to their knife fight and keep them from doing so.

*** end quote ***

Once upon a time, in a place far away, the Dead Old White Guys tried to ensure that “these United States” would have a strong voice in the Federal Gooferment.  Unfortunately, a befuddled “We, The Sheeple” agreed to strip the “these United States” this power.

Talk about getting money out of politics, Senate “campaigns” funded by rich donors create a “dark money” swamp of conflicted interests.  Maybe today’s “Senators” should be like race car drivers and wear the logos of those that “own” them.

Repealing the 17th Amendment would go a long way towards restoring Federalism that the Dead Old White Guys want to restrain tyranny.

Hard to do?  Not so much now as “We, The Sheeple” seem to be fed up with the current system.

“Would you tell me please, Mr. Howard, why should I trade one tyrant three thousand miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away? An elected legislature can trample a man’s rights as easily as a king can.” Mel Gibson as the character Benjamin Martin in the movie The Patriot http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/quotes

Well, at least, you can have the petty tyrants close enough to “influence” them or tar ’n’ feather them.  Bringing the selection of Senators back to the local legislature makes more sense than having something that duplicates the House of Representatives.

And, now that we have Zoom meetings, why not keep all the Senators and Representatives “locked up” in the home States?  No need for them to go an conspire with these other drones and parasites.

Argh!

—30—

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POLITICAL: Scott Presler, an American success story, flips PA for DJT47

Sunday, December 8, 2024

https://nypost.com/2024/12/01/us-news/how-scott-presler-helped-trump-win-pennsylvania/?lctg=6080ba40747925275a09dcd3

How a long-haired gay giant helped Trump flip Pennsylvania red
By Ethan Dodd 
Published Dec. 1, 2024, 6:56 p.m. ET

  • Standing at 6’5″ and 200 pounds with 22 inches of long brown hair running down his back, the gay conservative political activist told The Post, “I’m a big boy.”

*** begin quote ***

Presler also proved himself to be something of a political titan this year.

After losing Pennsylvania by some 80,000 votes in 2020, former President Donald Trump flipped the Keystone State red this November by 120,000 ballots. 

Scott Presler helped register 50,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania, which went for Trump by 120,000 votes. Getty Images

That’s due in no small part to Presler, whose nonprofit Early Vote Action put the Trump campaign’s “Swamp the vote” strategy into action in Pennsylvania, registering Republican voters and getting them to vote early, by mail, or “by whatever means necessary,” the group’s website reads.

*** end quote ***

Quite a fellow.  It’s an American success story.  Maybe you, the reader <breaking the fourth wall>, could get involved and accomplish something.  Anything!

Regardless of how you feel about “politics”, the USA needs patriots to save the nation from the forces of evil.  Debt, deficits, “counterfeiting”, dispair, and Crony Capitalism.  Time for the “sunshine patriots” to step aside and let “We, The Sheeple” clean our Agean Stables.

If this fellow can do it, so can any of us.

—30—

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POLITICAL: Eliminate DOEd, FEMA, and the FBI

Monday, November 25, 2024

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/11/d_o_g_e_is_a_wonderful_concept_and_here_are_some_ideas_to_get_it_started.html

D.O.G.E. Is A Wonderful Concept, And Here Are Some Ideas To Get It Started
By Gregory McCants

*** begin quote ***

With Donald Trump’s election win now a few days behind us and the GOP all but confirmed to have swept both houses of congress as well it would appear that at least for two years we should have a truly unique and remarkable opportunity to make meaningful change in a variety of areas. Of highest priorities would be the economy and border security, both of which were clearly the major issues the American people looked to when deciding their next government.

Within that discussion of economic improvements, Trump has now tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to head an informal operation to be known as the Department Of Governmental Efficiency (with the excellent acronym of D.O.G.E.)

*** and ***

FEMA probably just wrote its own obituary with the revelation that a FEMA official in Florida told workers to “avoid houses with Trump signs” in the wake of Hurricane Milton, leading to loud calls for defunding the agency. The truth is that emergency disaster relief should not be handled by yet another agency with large layers of bureaucracy.

Instead, states should be able to request emergency disaster relief funds directly from Congress, with the appropriations then used to purchase necessary resources and materials, ideally from private vendors who can compete for the contracts. This would lead to increased efficiency and better prices for the taxpayer. This would also allow the government to engage in strict accounting to ensure federal funds go where they are supposed to go.

*** and ***

The DOE is on Donald Trump’s list of agencies that should be removed, and it’s been on Republican lists back to the Rick Perry days. The Department of Education (“DOE”) has long been a target of many who feel the government’s meddling in education, and its one-size-fits-all approach is ultimately detrimental. To quote Reason, “Take, for example, federal grants to state education departments. Federal aid incentivizes schools to shift their priorities to meet federal grant requirements rather than local educational needs.”

*** and ***

The FBI, originally created as an “emergency agency” in response to organized crime during the Prohibition era, has become a bloated, redundant, and ultimately useless organization that essentially serves as the outdated grandfather of other agencies conducting operations on the ground, such as the U.S. Marshalls or the Drug Enforcement Agency. One of my personal favorite YouTube commentators did an excellent video on the topic. 

*** end quote ***

As always, the Gooferment “Swamp” is a “target rich environment”.

But I hope that DOGE doesn’t get confused and jump from target to target.

Best focus on these three and drive to completion.

Don’t just trim around the edges; axe them.

If, for example, the FBI’s labs are “valuable”, then transfer them to some “technical organization” like NIST,

—30—

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POLITICAL: Bill Maher makes some good points but misses a couple I’d have liked to hear

Saturday, November 16, 2024

https://nypost.com/2024/11/09/us-news/bill-maher-urges-kamala-harris-democrats-to-look-in-mirror-after-trump-presidential-election-win/

Bill Maher urges Democrats to ‘look in the mirror’ after Kamala Harris’ election loss
By Nicholas McEntyre 
Published Nov. 9, 2024, 5:08 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

Bill Maher slammed the Democratic party as “losers” and urged them to “look in the mirror” following Kamala Harris’ presidential election loss to President-elect Donald Trump.

Maher, who once predicted that Harris would win the election, revealed that he “did not vote for the winner,” but accepted the election results — unlike his late-night counterparts earlier in the week.

“We had an election,” Maher said during his “Real Time” monologue on HBO Friday night. “I did not vote for the winner, we’ll see what the winners do now. They won, now they have reality they have to deal with. We’ll see what they do.”

*** end quote ***

The lady Sarah Isgur made an excellent point about inflation. That everyone just breezed by and ignored. It is one thing to say “inflation is down”. But what is meant is that the rate is down. People are forced to look Iive with the inflated prices. Those prices n ever return to previous values. To real people see that is what they think of as inflation. As Bill Clinton famously told his team “it’s the economy, stupid”. And he was so right. People see the inflated prices as their economy. And the host and liberal guest just breezed by the crux of their “inflation problem”.  

Bil Maher made some other excellent points. 

  • The floating garbage in the ocean!
  • High stock market and low unemployment. 
  • The liberal condecension
  • The R’s became the party of the working man. 

But he did not:

  • The missing 15 million Biden voters proving the 2020 fraud
  • The perfidy of Harris and the D’s that Joe Biden was “sharp as a tack”
  • The media’s disinformation was against “We, The Sheeple”

Make no mistake Bill Maher is a liberal with whom I disagree a lot with.  But like Piers Morgan, I think he is an “honest” liberal who I can respect and listen too.  I don’t need an echo chamber.  Although where would a little L libertarian find one?  

There’s a meme going around Twitter and Facebook about political opinions.

Different opinions.Different opinions.

Now that I can get behind.  Different opinions but still can listen to what they say.

—30—

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POLITICAL: Address “taxes” as the first priority

Friday, November 15, 2024

https://townhall.com/columnists/calthomas/2024/11/14/trumps-chance-to-change-taxation-n2647729

Trump’s Chance to Change Taxation
Cal Thomas | Nov 14, 2024

*** begin quote ***

If any constitutional amendment can be hated, it would be the 16th Amendment.

Passed by Congress in 1909 and ratified by the states in 1913, it allowed Congress to “levy income taxes without apportioning them among the states based on population.” At first the collection of revenue came from the very wealthy and in a small percentage, but World Wars I and II put the country in debt and Congress, using the power given to it by the 16th Amendment, began spreading the burden around until we arrived at our present moment when half the country and corporations are paying taxes (when state, local and other taxes are included, that amounts to more than half their income in states like California and New York). Half the people pay little or no federal income tax at all.

*** and ***

Younger workers would have freedom of choice (a phrase Democrats like when it comes to abortion, but oppose if it involves schools and the stock market). Workers could choose a new retirement system Forbes called Personal Retirement Accounts (PRAs).

Under his calculation, in 1999, younger workers could deposit 4 percentage points of their Social Security taxes into their own PRAs and increased their contributions as follows:

  • In 2003 – 5 percentage points.
  • In 2004 – 6 percentage points.
  • In 2005 – 7 percentage points.
  • In 2006 – 8 percentage points.

Forbes wrote that if his idea had been adopted, a single working mother who was 25 in 2000 and retires in 2040 could have earned a nest egg of $1.2 million in her PRA. She could then purchase an annuity that pays her$100,000 annually, nearly twice as much as she would receive under Social Security. A high school graduate who was 18 in 2000, Forbes wrote, and retires in 2040, would have a nest egg of $2 million.

Among the reasons Democrats have refused to reform Social Security and Medicare, both of which are projected to become insolvent in the 2030s without reforms, is politics. If they solve the problem, they lose the issue.

*** end quote ***

Let’s do both:

(1) Repeal the 16th Amendment and substitute tariffs.  (The Taxpayer pays for either.  But it changes the incentives.)

(2) Let “We, The Sheeple” put a small portion of their Social Security taxes  into the proposed Personal Retirement Accounts (PRAs) and allow a tax free rollover to an annuity at any future date,

This way we’ll get the best of both suggestions.

And, let’s enact the Flat Tax while we are repealing the 16th.

Then, we can repeal the 17th too.

—30—

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POLITICAL: Lessons from the DJT electoral landslide

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/11/has_the_left_learned_anything_from_the_election.html

americanthinker.com
Has the Left Learned Anything from the Election?
By Susan Quinn

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-11-07>>

*** begin quote ***

Trump’s election to the Presidency is a breathtaking achievement. So many thought he had too many issues working against him and were certain that the country would not elect a convicted felon or a man who “planned to be a dictator” on his first day in office.

But they were wrong.

It’s a worthwhile exercise to study the Left’s positions now that they’ve lost the Presidency. A major factor in their loss is that they ignored the people.

  •  The Left (which includes the legacy media) paid no attention to the desperation of the people when they cried out about the economy and inflation. Kamala Harris made some pathetic promises in her campaign to help the people, but at that point, I think that no one believed her.

*** and ***

  • Regarding legislation, the Republicans must stop agreeing to pass laws that increase our debts. If they want to pass another part of the legislation, they must free it from large financial commitments. Fiscal responsibility must become our goal.Regarding legislation, the Republicans must stop agreeing to pass laws that increase our debts. If they want to pass another part of the legislation, they must free it from large financial commitments. Fiscal responsibility must become our goal.

*** end quote ***

I’d say that the legacy lame-street media is dead.  Podcasts bypass the filters and take ideas directly to “We, The Sheeple”.

Further, I’d say that DJT4547 has a long list of things he has to do.  Day 1  — pardon all those unjustly imprisioned  — repeal ALL of the Executive Orders ever signed  —  Close the Department of Education and move the Department of Agriculture to Kansas.  Send Elon Musk and Ron Paul into the swamp to cut the size and shape of the Federal Gooferment bureaucracy.

Day 2  — make peace your number 1 priority.

—30—

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POLITICAL: Did Iran execute an American citizen?

Monday, October 28, 2024

https://nypost.com/2024/10/28/world-news/iran-executes-california-man-jamshid-sharmahd-after-abducting-him-during-international-flight-layover/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news_alert&utm_content=20241028?&utm_source=sailthru&lctg=6080ba40747925275a09dcd3&utm_term=NYP%20-%20News%20Alerts

Iran executes California man Jamshid Sharmahd after abducting him during international flight layover, convicting him of terror charges
By Ronny Reyes 
Published Oct. 28, 2024, 1:44 p.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

Iran has executed a California resident after Iranian agents abudcted him during a flight layover in Dubai four years ago, officials said. 

Sharmahd, 69, a German-Iranian dissident who lived in Glendora with his family, was accused by the Islamic Republic of planning a 2008 attack on a mosque that killed 14 people and wounded over 200 others. 

His family disputes the terror charges, claiming Sharmahd is among the many Iranian dissidents who have been kidnapped or tricked into returning to Iran in recent years.

*** end quote ***

Almost regardless of whether he was a US citizen or just a resident, the USA should have stepped up for him.  But we are too busy making enemies in the region.  

Now, at the very least, the USA should PNG some folks.  Maybe aim for the embassy workers.  Make it inconvenient for them.

And we should shut down all the attacks on and rhetoric about Iran.

Dona Nobis Pacem

# – # – # – # – # 

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-11-01>>

Germany Shutters Iran Consulates

Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian consulates there yesterday, expelling 32 Iranian diplomats and leaving only Iran’s embassy in Berlin. The move followed Iran’s execution of German-Iranian citizen Jamshid Sharmahd.

Sharmahd, 69, was executed Monday after being sentenced to death last year on terrorism charges. Following his 2020 capture by Iranian forces in Dubai, Sharmahd was accused of leading a US-based Iranian opposition group and planning a 2008 mosque attack in Shiraz, killing 14 people and wounding more than 200 others. The US and human rights groups criticized the trial, alleging Sharmahd was not given proper representation.

The news escalates tensions between the two countries, with relations previously strained by Iran’s nuclear program and human rights abuses and Germany’s support for Israel. Germany halted trade incentives with Iran in 2022, reducing exports to approximately $1.3B in 2023, a 24% decrease from the previous year. Germany is now calling for EU-wide sanctions against those involved in Sharmahd’s execution.

# – # – # – # – # 

[JR: Answers the question that he was not a citizen of the USA.  However, the USA Gooferment should expel someone!  Whatever happened to the Congress using Marque and Reprisal?]  

—30— 

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