It is funny to me that the Tea Party, small government, spending cut champion — Sen. Rand Paul — has only proposed drastic cuts to domestic discretionary spending (less than 1/5th of the budget). He virtually leaves out the defense budget and entitlements in his proposal. Come on guys, didn’t you know that the secret to solving our debt problem is to cut funding to the arts???

It is funny to me that during last year’s State of the Union, President Obama supported earmarks. This year, he rallied against them.

It is funny to me that TV talk show host, Rachel Maddow, slammed CNN for giving Michelle Bachmann (and the Tea Party for that matter) time to respond after the State of the Union.

Though I think Bachmann is a nut, Maddow should probably brush up on Tea Party publicity. According to Politico, MSNBC provides the most coverage of the one-and-only Tea Party hero, Sarah Palin.

It is funny to me that President Obama challenges the country to invest in the future, but continues to talk about investing in railway systems. Come on, Barack, that was so 1825. Let’s shock the world and live like The Jetsons.

The post Bridget’s One and Only Reaction to the State of the Union appeared first on HyperVocal.

The recent Census numbers show that more people are fleeing to Southern and Western states. The big winners? States such as Texas and Florida will be picking up additional House seats after redistricting, due to the population increases relative to other states. It should be noted that both states do not have state income taxes.

Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington will also gain House seats. Ohio and New York will both lose two House seats. Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania will lose one House seat. According to the Associated Press, this is the first Census conducted that ended with California’s delegation remaining stagnant. Yes, you heard it, California will not gain a House seat.

What do these numbers show? People move with their wallets, not with their hearts. Sure, the weather is nice in the South, but never have we seen such unprecedented population trends. More Northerners are fleeing to the South to escape burdensome regulations.

It is no surprise, ideologically speaking, that GOP-leaning states are the ones with the lowest tax burdens. Interesting to see how this affects the Congressional makeup in the years to come.

The post Census Numbers: People Move With Their Wallets, Not Hearts appeared first on HyperVocal.

We’ve seen the rise of the Tea Party, a group that sought to conquer the influences and overreach of big government. More Americans are beginning to become skeptical of the growing role of the federal government. However, a battle over the scope and power of government has been brewing somewhere that hardly anyone seems to notice. That place is actually staring you in the face right at this moment.

Americans basically live on the Internet. Personally, my job revolves around the Internet. According to Forrester Research, Americans spend approximately 13 hours per week using the Internet. That number is a 121 percent increase from 2005. I thought it would be more, but I suppose it depends on the demographic. More than 80% of households will have Internet by 2015. It’s evident our lives are now dependent on this medium, as scary/exciting as that may sound.

But have you ever stopped to think about the ramifications of every search you write, every website you visit, every product your order. Your activity on the Internet composes what are known as “cookies.” Not the yummy kind of cookies, but the geeky sort of cookies. These essentially make up your identity online.

Do this: Go on your Facebook or Google account (if you have one). Look at the ads that appear. Some may seem random, but for the most part, the ads correspond with your interests and personality traits. For instance, yesterday when I logged into my Gmail account, I saw an ad for a law school. Interestingly enough, I am currently applying to law school. During the election season, I was bombarded with ads from various Republicans across the country (asking for money, no less). I work for Republicans. Ever buy anything on Amazon.com? Ever notice that the site recommends products for you the next time you visit? Think those products were pulled out of thin air? Nope.

Coincidence? Obivously not.

The Internet has posed huge opportunities for advertising firms that have been looking for a way to break through the Internet clutter. Think about the predicament these companies are in—newspapers are going under, more Americans skip over TV ads because of DVRs and TiVos, and less people are subscribing to magazines. When the Internet gained notoriety in the 1990s, it was common to see obnoxious flash ads and oddly colored banner ads on web pages. Most of the time, these ads annoyed the crap out of the people who visited these pages. Now advertisers are getting smart — they are tracking the sites that a user visits. The good ones know where you live, your socioeconomic background, what your interests are, what your fetishes are, when you are online, and what you are doing when your online. I bet you a 30-pack that Google knows more about you than your best friend. Creepy, eh? Kind of…but I think it is a smart business move.

The federal government, most notably the Federal Trade Commission, is trying to regulate how advertisers track users. The FTC is currently trying to make a “Do Not Track” mechanism that would allow users to opt out of the aforementioned data collection. This sounds nice for consumers in theory, but consider the amount of money that is contributed to the United States economy from this form of advertising — we are talking upwards of approximately $300 billion, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

Also consider what you subject yourself to when you join social networks or use the Internet— you are sacrificing a bit of your privacy for the sake of interacting with others. Yes, we should all be considerate of one another’s privacy, but what did you honestly think was going to happen when you began to nurse virtual animals on Facebook? Finally, let us ask ourselves, what is really the harm in being tracked? It is not like you are being stalked, per se. To them, you are just a demographic, a figure, a case study, a potential consumer. I would much rather see ads that correspond to my interests than to see ads for something like Viagra or a Chia Pet (OK, maybe a Chia Pet ad would be cool). If I am stupid enough to see an ad and buy something I cannot afford, that is my fault. Such a regulation would negatively impact the economy, and make it more difficult for advertisers to do business. That is the last thing we need during a recession. Consider what advertising does—it creates competition in the marketplace, thus driving down prices. Advertising is what makes Hulu, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc free.

In addition to the “Do Not Track” proposal, the federal government is also proposing what is called “net neutrality.” Net neutrality essentially means that Internet Service Providers are not allowed to place restrictions on their networks. Before I go any further with this, I have to say, not having a restriction placed on me (ie, a slowed video, unlimited access to certain media and digital content) sounds great in theory. Obviously every consumer wants the same sort of access as the next person. But think about the reality. Currently, Internet Service Providers do not restrict content… yet.

Net neutrality would not make anything any different (with the exception of peer-to-peer content). But think about it: broadband spectrum is limited, and with more and more people buying smart phones and computers, the spectrum is going to become even more crowded. The space available for transmitting digital content does not appear out of thin air.

Maybe the government should consider addressing this space rathe than placing unnecessary restrictions in ISPs. Plus, if Provider X decides to charge differently for different content, who do you think will benefit? Provider Y, for having a lower price or having better quality. Net neutrality would inhibit competition in the marketplace, which essentially keeps prices affordable.  

If Internet Service Providers are not allowed to have different pricing systems (think cell phone bills) and are forced to provide the same access to every user, we are going to run into quality problems, speed problems, and other glitches. The government is trying to regulate a problem that has yet to occur.

It’s important to remember the ramifications of web regulations. Always be wary of what certain regulations can mean to the economy at large. We want to use the web as a hub of innovation and communication.

Not all regulation would impact users and the industry negatively, but inappropriate regulation would.

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Like I have stated before, I am a fiscal conservative. I am for a smaller government, no debt or deficits and limited financial burden on individuals and businesses. I was thrilled on November 4th when I woke up to a host of fiscal conservatives that were sent to Washington, to governors’ mansions, or to state legislators to advocate for the political agenda that is near and dear to my heart. For months, I sat back and listened to the current minority leaders in Congress talk about how Republicans were the answer to our debt and deficit problems.

Where did those leaders go?

The headlines in every paper in America are predicting that Republicans and President Obama are about to reach a deal on the Bush-era tax cuts. Initially, President Obama wanted to extend the tax cuts for only those making less than $250,000 per year. Republicans, on the other hand, wanted the tax cuts to be extended for every income bracket. President Obama and Congressional Democrats wanted to extend unemployment benefits. Republicans did not want to do so unless the benefits were offset by spending cuts. Instead of compromising or finding ways to pay for both packages, apparently the White House and Republican leaders are going to throw their hands in the air and cave into both packages.

What does the country get in return? Well, we get our tax cuts extended and the unemployed get additional benefits to last them through the holidays. Sounds nice in theory…yet so does communism. We all know (or, most of us) the latter does not work, nor does it make any sense. Receiving things from the government sounds nice: subsidies, tax cuts, free health care, energy credits. Inevitably, however, we soon discover that there is no such thing as a free lunch.

America, we are over $13 trillion in the red in terms of our national debt (money accumulated since the founding of the country). If you put that number in perspective, it would take about 20,000 years for the average person to count to one trillion!

By the year 2020, it has been predicted that our debt could reach almost $20 trillion. Our yearly deficit is over $1 trillion. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that extending the Bush tax cuts over the next 10 years would cost nearly $4 trillion. Extending unemployment benefits (just this once—remember, we have already extended unemployment benefits during the recession without paying for them) would add billions more to the deficit. More red ink for America.

I understand and acknowledge the complexities of both sides—if the tax cuts expire, more Americans will be contributing less money to an already fragile economy. Likewise, if unemployment benefits are not extended, more people will lose financial assistance and risk losing their homes and other valuable assets. My problem is the following: many politicians take the stage and preach about fiscal responsibility. Yet when it comes to making tough decisions, they choke. And the hypocrisy of Republicans—after two years of slamming President Obama for spending, they are about to contribute to a deal that will add more debt without finding a way to pay for the tax cuts. That is not fiscal conservatism.

It needs to be acknowledged that from here on out that there is no easy way out of this hole. We are feeling pressures within our borders and overseas from emerging countries like China, Brazil and India. We are threatened by foreign and domestic terrorists. We are losing the education battle. And if this trajectory is continued, we will lose our middle class and entrepreneurial spirit. Every economic decision will hurt somebody. For years, the government has overpromised and spent too much. People’s taxes will be raised, or spending cuts will be enacted. If they aren’t, we are ultimately just prolonging the problems for future generations to swallow.

These cuts and benefits need to be paid for, or else, as painful as it is, they should not be passed.

The post Schultz: Deficit-Hawk Republicans are Deficit Hypocrites appeared first on HyperVocal.

I have absolutely no problem criticizing 99.9% of what President Obama proposes. I tell whoever will listen that I think his fiscal and monetary agenda is slowly tearing away the basic fabric of our economic foundation. But let’s say I came face to face with the president. I’d probably say something like, “Good to meet you Mr. President! I like your tie.”

President Obama is currently in Asia trying to promote American jobs while simultaneously attempting to forge a better relationship with India. Part of his trip included a town-hall meeting with Indian college students. Pardon my French, but these kids have balls. They went at him. They pressed him on why his administration won’t label Pakistan (perhaps India’s most revered enemy—remember Mumbai?) as a terrorist state and asked him what he thinks of Jihad. They definitely caught the president off guard. The questions thrown at him definitely put him in a delicate situation—trying to balance the interests of an Indian-American relationship while also trying to uphold strategic interests in Pakistan.

But compare these questions to some of the questions thrown at Obama by American students at recent town halls hosted in the United States:

–In this last push to get out the vote, is there an overarching message or approach that you think volunteers could best take to persuade voters to get back to the polls on November 2nd?

–“Can we inform people that the campaign slogan was ‘Yes, we can,’ not ‘Yes, we can in 21 months’?”  (Laughter.)  “It took eight years to get us into this mess.”

–And my question is, what are some of the surprises that you’ve encountered in Washington and what lessons have you learned in your 21 months here? Thank you.

Wow! Talk about Softballs! C’mon America!

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The fervor started in 2008 with the elections of Republican Bob McDonnell and Republican Chris Christie to governorships in Virginia and New Jersey, respectively. These elections were fueled by support of Tea Party activists, who, at the time, were a relatively new breed of political folly.

Love ‘em or not, this group helped fuel the fire that elected a handful — no, a truckload — of fiscal conservatives last night. The successful candidates did not parade around discussing social issues, foreign policy, or clean energy extensively. Often times, these issues were not even addressed on the campaign trails. It was all jobs, jobs, jobs; high taxes; health care bill. Candidates, like New York Gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, that fled from this message were ultimately unsuccessful at the ballot box.

This election wasn’t so much a vote FOR Republicans as it was AGAINST Obama. That, my friends, is a huge distinction, and one the Republicans must remember when they are conducting official business. You see, Republicans got shelled in 2006 and 2008 because they over-reached and strayed from their core values — smaller government, lower taxes, personal responsibility. The deficit doubled under Bush and tripled under Obama. That is not fiscal conservatism — that is pork at work. It is now up to this new breed of politicians to steer the country back to its center-right position.

Last night, we witnessed something we have not seen since pre-FDR years. Republicans netted at least 60 congressional seats. To add to this wipeout, there are still about 13 seats that are too close to call. Republicans would have faired much better in the Senate had it not been for some dismal candidates that cost the party a chance at a seat (O’Donnell, Angle, etc).

However, the fresh, and relatively young, faces that did emerge in the Senate (Rubio, Paul, etc) will definitely shakeup how the upper house operates. Rubio and Paul are fiscal and small-government conservatives. Take them and add people like Jim Demint and John Cornyn to the mix, and we are looking at a set of principled, fiscal conservatives. And if it couldn’t get any worse for Obama, Republican Mark Kirk will now hold the Illinois senate seat Obama once occupied. Ouch.

The GOP also managed to re-brand itself ever so slightly. A new generation of politicians are entering the fray. Socially, that means a more colorful and youthful Republican party. Republican Susana Martinez became the first Hispanic female governor of the United States. Republican Marco Rubio, a Cuban American, will represent Florida in the United States Senate. Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, a Republican and African American, will represent Florida in the House of Representatives. Republican Nikki Haley of South Carolina will become the first female Indian American to hold a governor’s seat. These are just a few examples of the much needed rebranding of the GOP. America is a country that beautifully represents people from all parts of the globe. The Republican party can ill afford to be a party composed of old white guys. Our message of smaller government and personal responsibility should bode well with people of all different cultures, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds.

We saw that incumbents (Democrats in the general and Republican in the primaries) were extremely vulnerable to anti-Washington sentiment. Democrats that both embraced Obama’s agenda during the campaign, and Democrats that ran away from it, were still equally vulnerable at the polls.

Longtime incumbents, such as the self-proclaimed progressive Russ Feingold of Wisconsin were drowned in the wave. Freshman Blue Dog Democrats that rode Obama’s coattails, like Scott Murphy in upstate New York, were also given the boot. We also saw states like North Dakota, a state that had not elected a Republican to the United State Senate since before I was born, buck the odds and send a Republican to Capitol Hill.

We also learned that money can’t buy elections, just like it can’t buy World Series Championships. Despite breaking a record for most money spent on an election, Meg Whitman could not overcome Democrat Jerry Brown for California governor. Likewise, the Yankees couldn’t stem the Texas Rangers, despite having a payroll that was triple what the Rangers paid its players.

Despite Whitman’s blow, the GOP made significant gains in governor and state legislature races across the country. There were 37 governor’s chairs up for grabs last night. So far, Democrats have lost eight seats, Republicans have picked up seven, and seven states are still too close to call. According to Ben Smith of Politico, the GOP comes out on top in the upcoming redistricting process. Republicans took control of 19 state legislatures (and counting), while the Democrats flipped none.

Remember when South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford resigned from his post at the RGA after his sexual escapade in South America? Well, that may have both been fate and Haley Barbour’s luckiest moment. Barbour gained national accreditation last night after delivering huge for the GOP in governor’s races. His name has been floated as a potential 2012 presidential candidate, and after gains in battle ground states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio, I am not surprised.

So what does this all mean? It means that in January 2011, the Republicans must institute the policies and promises they campaigned on. The country is looking for a set of leaders that will deliver, not just talk. We need to reduce our debt, and that will take some serious sacrificing. We oversee $13 trillion worth of debt. Some perspective: $13 trillion is equivalent to spending $25 million per day since Jesus was born (I am already in the Christmas spirit). The way to be popular is to spend a ton of money and give people things that they want. The thing that will be unpopular at first, but eventually will strengthen the country, is to tell people what they don’t want to hear and provide people with what they NEED, not what they WANT.

Our duty as Americans is to help those that can’t, for no fault of their own, help themselves. That’s where the line ends. The country can ill afford to make promises it can’t keep—guaranteeing social security, guaranteeing housing, guaranteeing a job, guaranteeing pensions, etc. It is time the government put the power into the people’s hands and subsequently give them the TOOLS to become successful, rather than just guaranteeing success.

Another note, Republicans also need to realize that even though they won big, people still don’t like the party. Both parties have approval ratings hovering around, or below 30 percent. The disgust for Washington is evident. Now it is time for the new set of freshman to deliver. 

I am excited to see what happens.

The post 20something Politico: What Tuesday Night Meant appeared first on HyperVocal.

In May 2010, I graduated from Syracuse University. I could have done a lot with the money I invested in college. I could have bought approximately 1,400 ipods; I could have eaten almost 61,000 Big Macs; I could have gone to a Disney World park 4,444 times; I could have seen a movie 19,521 times at the theaters; or, I could have cheaped it out and rented a Red Box 185,815 times…with some leeway for late fees. I’d like to think that my investment in SU was more worthwhile than dying of a heart attack and watching chick flicks (I may have to rethink the Disney World option, though).

When it comes time for YOU to go to college, however, I am not sure I am going to be able to fork over the bill. Better start practice saying, “Would you like fries with that?”

This morning, I read an article that was published by the Associated Press that mentioned that college tuition is once again, on the rise. In-state tuition increased 7.9% (that is astounding considering how public schools market themselves via their low tuition fees). Private tuition increased 4.5%. Yuck.

Even with help from the federal government, it is wildly predicted that more and more students will not be able to fork over the bill for school. States can hardly help — most are in the red and have had to make massive cuts in their education budgets. This is a huge reason why public schools are charging more. The states simply have no money. According the article, state spending per student has dropped 14% within the past year.

In the 1960s, UC Berkley was known for its student protests over the Vietnam War. In 2010, it is known for student protests over tuition hikes.

So this brings me to my point. I am pleading that you will either be one hell of a genious or a tremendous athlete. Either way, you are going to have to get a scholarship because I don’t know how I am going to be able to afford putting you through school. Perhaps you and your siblings can enter a family contest–winner gets to go to college on my dime. As for the rest of you…well, tough luck. I mean, no offense. I just don’t have the money. In fact, it is most likely the case that I am currently paying back law school loans while you are reading this.

I hope you came out of the womb reciting Shakespearian sonnets or dunking a basketball.

Sincerely,

Bridget

The post An Open Letter to My Future Kiddos appeared first on HyperVocal.

So gather your crew, pick a news network, and follow along with these simple rules:

Take a sip of Samuel Adams every time you hear the words “Tea Party.”

Take a sip of your favorite drink every time you hear “2012.”

Take a shot if you hear “Speaker Boehner.”

Waterfall with your friends if you hear the phrase “Rent is too damn high.”

If you are a Republican, drink every time a previously Democratic held Senate seat is projected in your favor

If you are a Democrat, drink every time you hold on to a Senate seat that was labeled as a toss up.

Take a shot every time the analysts try to predict what this election means for Obama.

Any references to the Daily Show, Colbert Report, SNL, or South Park all deserve shots.

Drink something classy (pinkies up) if the network talks about disclosed/secret corporate donations.

Drink some PBR for union references.

And, remember, neither I nor Hypervocal is responsible for puking or hangovers. That’s on your turf

God Bless the US of A!

The post The 20something Politico Election Night Drinking Game appeared first on HyperVocal.

By God did he really suggest we, the taxpayers, stop funding a network that is so critical to our ability to interpret, understand, digest and consume news (sarcasm intended)?? Whatever will be do without a publicly funded NPR????

Well, let’s back track. NPR was created to counter the three (at the time) news networks. Now, let’s take a look at what we have at our beck and call: ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, MSNBC, CNN, CNN Headlines, THE ENTIRE INTERNET, the blogosphere, C-SPAN, C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN 3, The Daily Show, Colbert Report (okay, maybe the former two are debatable), HYPERVOCAL!!!!, etc.

So will I suddenly see pigs fly, a UFO, meteors dropping, and Tupac roam the Planet if we decide to nix our taxpayer funded 16% of the share to cater to NPR’s left-wing promoted strike on free speech?

I don’t think so. Quite frankly, C-SPAN does a better job providing informative content.

The post Juan Williams and the Fallout appeared first on HyperVocal.

In honor of her perfectly chiseled forearms, Mrs. Obama has launched a healthy eating campaign dubbed “Let’s Move.” From a nutritional point of view, it is definitely a worthy cause. There are more plump Americans than there are fish in the sea. A little modesty at the dinner table would do us all some justice.

Personally, I think people can make their own choices about what to eat. We all know what calories are. It is common sense that an hour on the treadmill is better for you than an hour of binging. Maybe if the government wanted to help us eat healthier, they would stop subsidizing cheap corn…but that is another topic.

The point of this topic is to note the irony of Mrs. Obama’s campaign. While she touts her beloved vegetable garden, her husband continues to chain smoke and eat junk food. Sure Barack loves his morning gym sessions the same way Jimmy Carter liked his peanuts, but it is somewhat hilarious to see Michelle lifting iron and Barack pigging out.

Don’t believe me?

God bless America!

The post Biceps or Bypass? The Obamas Differ. appeared first on HyperVocal.

But somehow, candidates and politicians think that they can whip up an interesting punchline that will make people forget about our $1.4 trillion federal deficit, our $13 trillion national debt, and our almost 10% unemployment rate. I just graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. If there was one consistent lesson I learned in every class, it was to never lose sight of your message.

Ok, so even a bonehead candidate would know to JUST focus on jobs, jobs, jobs…right?

Guess not.

Example #1: Carl Paladino, Republican candidate for New York State Governor

I was a bit disenfranchised this summer when I realized that Andrew Cuomo would probably coast to the Governor’s Mansion on November 2. But then, out of nowhere, this tough-talking, business-oriented, loudmouthed Italian from Buffalo, NY emerged to clinch the Republican gubernatorial nomination. I knew Carl Paladino had skeletons, but I was willing to trade those in for fiscal sanity. Then the guy started to campaign and it all went down hill from there.

Instead of JUST focusing on fixing New York State’s economy, Paladino started to bash the media for their unfair coverage (whether this is correct or not is irrelevant–you don’t win by bashing the people that cover you). Then he started to campaign on social issues. Then he started to discuss Andrew Cuomo’s alleged affairs.

Thanks for costing us the governor’s seat, Carl.

Example #2: Deleware Senate Race

Christine O’Donnell and Chris Coons shared the stage in a debate sponsored by CNN that took place on October 13. You’d think they would be reminding voters of what they would do to bring jobs back to Delaware. Instead, the two boneheads argued about Saturday Night Live appearances, Marxism, Witch Craft, and evolution. I blame the latter on Wolf Blitzer.

Example #3: California Gubernatorial Election

Ah, yes, the big spender. Meg Whitman is definitely the epitome of capitalists across America–she has spent upwards of about $120 million on her own campaign. This former eBay CEO will do whatever it takes to bring jobs back to California…and to defend being called a “whore” by one of her candidate’s staffers. During a debate held in California, Jerry Brown gave quite possibly the worst answer ever to a softball question that should have been rehearsed days in advance. Instead of reiterating his apology with compassion, he started to bash Meg Whitman again. Whitman isn’t quite off the hook, though. She is busy defending her former  employed domestic worker…who just happened to be an illegal immigrant.

Good for California!

And finally,

Example #4: President Barack Obama

This guy has his hands full. For someone who was hailed for being a great communicator during the election, he sure is doing a bad job as president. It is easy to see where the Republicans stand…”no new taxes, repeal and replace, cut spending.” Agree with the issues or not, you have to admit, Republicans have a clear, concise message. The White House, on the other hand, is digging up a new narrative every week. With domestic and foreign problems to defend, the White House tries to find a new victim to blame every week. One week it is George Bush, the next Fox News, the next Karl Rove, the next it is John Boehner, the next it is China, the next it is the United State Chamber of Commerce. What does the public hear? Blah, blah, blah, blah. What does the public want to hear? This, my fellow Americans, is what I will do to get you a job.

What’s up with Washington?!

The post 20something Politico: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs…Witches? appeared first on HyperVocal.

Susan Collins, George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Mickey Mouse, Steve Urkel (or Stefan, however you choose to look at it). Joking aside, I have to admit—I had the good fortunes of being awed by such figures. I hoped that one day, I too could grow up and contribute an accomplishment so profound, it would forever impact the history books of America.

I may not have gotten my notoriety yet (I am still holding out!), but I have had time to reflect on what education in America really means. I admit, I was a bit sheltered growing up. I attended a fantastic high school with fantastic teachers. I played sports, did my homework, took my SATs, and ended up at Syracuse University. Doesn’t every student take a similar path? Not so fast. Once I opened my eyes, I realized that a good education is not guaranteed to every American. I am as fiscally conservative as they come; perhaps even somewhat libertarian in my political allegiances. But if there is one thing I think we are guaranteed as Americans, other than our property and safety, it is definitely a good education.

But what does a good education cost these days? And who actually defines what a good education is?

The day the recession hit home was the day that I found out my aunt was being laid off from work. No, she didn’t work on Wall Street, or for a financial corporation, or for General Motors. She was a middle school Spanish teacher—and a darn good one if I do say so myself. I substituted for her a few times during my winter break from college. Many of her students were eager to find out when she was coming back (I won’t take their pestering personally). They admired her personality, as well as her creative teaching skills.

A few months later, her school, like many others in America, needed more money. Many of the constituents of the district were not well off. Another increase in taxes, especially during a recession, was not acceptable for this town. Astonishingly, given New York State’s incomprehensible track record with school budgets, her district was one of 52 school budgets that was voted down in 2010. According to the New York State School Boards Association, 92% of New York State School budgets passed. I am not sure why this is, given the dismal track records of many inner city districts. Unfortunately for my aunt, her district could ill afford the taxes that kept piling on the constituents. She was laid off because of ill conceived spending plans of the past. Sadly for the district, the students lost a great mentor.

People mistakenly assume that we can throw money at a situation and expect that it will get better. Case in point: according to the National Center for Education Statistics, since 1970, education spending per student has doubled. Yet, test scores remain the same. What did we get for this increase in spending? According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, as of 2000, only 32% of fourth graders were proficient in reading and 26% were proficient in math. And, according to the same study, those rates decline as students approach their senior year in high school.

Excellent.

College? Seems like it is a necessity nowadays. In fact, it almost seems as if graduate school is a necessity. Look no further than the Holy Grail of education assessment—US News and World Report—to determine that the average annual cost of an undergraduate degree will set you back, eh, only…$40,000.

We spend money because we think we have to. We need x…for the kids. We need y…for the kids. The teachers need x…for retirement. The district needs x, the school board needs y, the anti bullying program needs w. Before this turns into an LSAT logic game, what I am trying to say is this: it is time we stopped throwing money at something and hoping it will change, and about time we looked at what needs to be done to close the educational achievement gap that plagues American progress. This country has a large proportion of students that do well, and another huge proportion of students that do terribly. But even if these students continue to do well, can they simultaneously keep up with the increased pace of tuition, local taxes, and spending projects? Will my children be able to afford college? What about my grandchildren?

We need to inspire our students. That means allowing the good teachers to teach, and showing the bad ones the door. Seniority based accommodations will not suffice for future endeavors (i.e. my aunt). Communities and families have to be more involved with student performance. Classes have to be less bureaucratic and more inclusive. Sorry to say this kids, but the purpose of summer vacation was so farmers could take advantage of their labor (aka their kids) during prime farming time. The agrarian based economy has ended, and we need to keep your butts in the classroom longer. And yes teachers, that means you too.

We need to do a lot of things to keep this country on pace to breed the next generation of thinkers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. The knowledge of our youth will fuel the American dream. Our future, and our kids are waiting for some answers.

See below to view the trailer of the new documentary Waiting for Superman. It is a fantastic film that sheds light on the problems with education in America. This film inspired this post.

The post 20something Politico: Education in America appeared first on HyperVocal.

Currently, we have just shy of 15 million unemployed Americans. To keep employment steady, we need to add roughly 150,000 jobs a month. The information we find in these reports changes depending on the previous month’s economic performance. For example, public payrolls increased during the summer because of the influx of Census workers. Now, public payrolls are starting to decrease because these Census workers are no longer working.

Though the numbers change from month to month, it seems as though President Obama’s remarks on the job numbers stays pretty much the same.

Why? Duh…unemployment still sucks!

I bet you I can predict what he may say in November (mind you, his remarks will come right after the midterm elections. That will be a fascinating speech to watch) when the October job numbers are released. It will go something like this:

“This morning we learned that the economy continues to lag, but we see a glimmer of hope in the numbers. Be assured that we are on the right path to economic recovery. Improvements do not matter to the families and the people who have lost a job. But despite these hard times, if we did not pass the economic recovery act, we would be in depression. We were on the brink of collapse before my administration stepped in. It took us a long time to get into this mess, and there is still work to be done!”

Yada, yada, yada.

Let’s take a look at some of his remarks in the past few months:

June 4, 2010

“And this progress is reflected in the monthly jobs reports that we get each month.  We received one today.  In May, the economy added 431,000 jobs.  (Applause.)  Now, this is the fifth month in a row that we’ve seen job gains.  And while we recognize that our recovery is still in its early stages and that there are going to be ups and downs in the months ahead — things never go completely in a smooth line — this report is a sign that our economy is getting stronger by the day…What these numbers do mean, though, is that we’re moving in the right direction.  The economic policies that we put in place are working.”

July 2, 2010

“Now, make no mistake: We are headed in the right direction. But as I was reminded on a trip to Racine, Wisconsin, earlier this week, we’re not headed there fast enough for a lot of Americans. We’re not headed there fast enough for me, either. The recession dug us a hole of about 8 million jobs deep. And we continue to fight headwinds from volatile global markets.

September 3, 2010

“This morning, new figures show the economy produced 67,000 private sector jobs in August -– the eighth consecutive month of private job growth.  Additionally, the numbers for July were revised upward to 107,000.

Now, that’s positive news, and it reflects the steps we’ve already taken to break the back of this recession.  But it’s not nearly good enough…The hard truth is that it took years to create our current economic problems, and it will take more time than any of us would like to repair the damage.”

October 8, 2010

This morning, we learned that in the month of September, our economy gained 64,000 jobs in the private sector. July and August private sector job numbers were revised upwards. So we’ve now seen nine straight months of private sector job growth — in all, more than 850,000 private sector jobs gained this year, which is in sharp contrast to the almost 800,000 jobs that we were losing when I first took office…As I’ve said many times before, it took us a long time to get out of where we are right now. And the damage left by this recession is so deep that it’s going to take a long time to get out.

Remember the time Obama promised that unemployment would not go above 8 percent if we passed the stimulus? Yeah…about that.

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Ah yes, the Millennial generation. There upwards of about 80 million of us. Millennials are classified to be “confident, connected and open to change,” according to a February 2010 study by Pew Research. Our grandparents, members of the Greatest Generation (a term coined by Tom Brokaw) were victims of depression, war, and social injustices. I guess the Dust Bowl too if you were really lucky! History sheds light on their dedication to their country, their communities and their families. They rebuilt America after a decade of suffering so their children, and presumably the Millennials, could live a life of prosperity.

Seems to me the Millennials, myself included, have taken that sacrifice for granted. We are faced with similar calls to action—the economy, wars, social injustices—yet, it seems people do not seem to care as much as our grandparents did. What gives?

In my junior basketball league, I expected to receive a trophy at the end of each year. Not because my team won the championship, not because I was the MVP, but because I tried. Baloney! When I turned 16, I expected a car. When it was time for college, I expected to go to a good school, regardless of the tuition. Before I come across as an ignorant and self-centered 20-something, I do want to point out that my recent reflections and knowledge of history have taught me to appreciate the things that have been given to me, and to work hard for the things that mean most to me. Subsequently, I hope to work hard so I can ensure a promising and fruitful future for the generations that follow me.

However, it does not seem that future is either doable or sustainable given the current trajectory the country is on. The federal government and almost all of the 50 state governments are on unforgiveable spending sprees. Benefits, guarantees, appealing retirement plans and unaffordable pet projects all seem nice—until we realize someone has to pay for them.

Both parties are to blame. This is not a partisan issue. The real issue is the lack of attention paid by the American people, until it is too late. Our attention is needed in times of prosperity and times of turmoil.

Although my vote was not for Barack Obama in 2008, I was very inspired by the devotion and political enthusiasm that swarmed the Syracuse campus during the presidential election. I attribute a lot of that enthusiasm to Obama’s impressive campaign. My generation will rely on a knowledge-based economy, rather than a manufacturing-based economy, to shape our future. We will be busy typing rather than plowing; innovating, rather than building; Googling rather than pounding pavement. This model is appropriate, but only if my generation begins to pay more attention to current events. Furthermore, we must stop taking things for granted and we must stop expecting things to happen. Our selfish expectations are a dangerous precedent to set going forward.

Excuse me if Lindsay Lohan’s arrest seems more interesting than a debate on financial regulatory reform, or if a re-run of Grey’s Anatomy interferes with Meet the Press. It is essential to stay active, stay informed, and remain involved regardless of our political ideologies.

That being said, I am tired of our generation receiving a bad rep. Yes, we like to chat on Facebook and repost Texts from Last Night on our friends’ Twitter accounts. But we are an ambitious bunch. The recent recession (which, by the way, has been declared over…still trying to contemplate that assertion with approximately 10% unemployment) took a toll on our ego. Generally speaking, for the first time in our lives, we were told that we could not do something: work.

The Pew study referenced earlier stated that we are one of the most educated generations. But even all those degrees could not guarantee placement in the real world.

This should not be a reason to retreat back into our parents’ basements. This realization should be a call to action—whether you find yourself on the right of the political spectrum, the middle, or the left, be sure to stay informed, think critically, ask questions, and stay involved.

Let’s mimic the greatest generation and rebuild our nation.

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