Military Veterans

Donald Trump “Wrecking” American Government Agencies!

Donald Trump and Elon Musk have become a “wrecking ball” on American Government agencies, as they are determined to reshape the federal government.

Without Congress having taken action to end agencies or transform agencies they had created, the executive branch headed by Trump has set out to do great damage to a multitude of such agencies, firing thousands of workers and making massive budget cuts without any backing by Congress, creating a horrendous crisis!

Among the agencies under attack are the following 20:

US Agency For International Development
Department of Education
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Product Safety Commission
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of the Interior
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Health and Human Services
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Central Intelligence Agency
Center For Medicare and Medicaid Services
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
National Institutes of Health
Food and Drug Administration
Social Security Administration
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Public Broadcasting Service
National Public Radio
Occupational Safety And Health Administration
United States Postal Service

When one considers that the US Government, with about 2 million workers is the largest employer in the nation, and that 30 percent of government workers are retired veterans, the magnitude of the disaster that is occurring across the nation is massive, and will affect all Americans, not just those who are removed from government service!

Crisis Of Teacher Shortage, But Solution Is NOT To Allow Veterans Without Four Year Degree To Teach!

There is a growing crisis of teacher shortage in the nation, and particularly in some “Red” States, including Florida and Arizona among others.

So the suggestion is to put veterans without a four year degree into the classroom, an idea that is totally lunatic in nature!

Would one put a veteran without a four year degree into the field of medicine, law, accounting and other fields and think they could perform the responsibilities of the position competently?

The reasons for massive teacher shortages are clear!

Teachers are not paid and given benefits in respect of their expertise and role in educating children.

Teachers are being told they cannot deal with the reality of history and science, and also of sexuality in the classroom.

Teachers are being controlled by right wing religious doctrine, and by school boards that have unqualified men and women who want to control the classroom curriculums, despite many of them having no education or expertise to do so.

Republicans want to interfere with libraries as well as schools, and in such an atmosphere, why would any principled educator wish to teach with such economic, religious, and psychological pressures?

This blogger and educator, in today’s environment, could not imagine going into the teaching profession, particularly under the college level!

As a result, many talented, educated, brilliant potential educators are being lost for future generations of students, and the ignorance and bias being promoted only promote inferiority in education in the short run, and the long run!

Donald Trump Declares War On The News Media: A Dictator In The Making!

Donald Trump has declared war on the news media, at his tempestuous press conference at Trump Tower yesterday, called to explain the issue of the raising of funds to help veterans, which he had declared as a goal in January, and had never been held accountable for for the past four months.

Trump insulted several reporters specifically, and made clear there would be combat between the news media and the Trump White House if he was elected, making for the absolute worst possible relationship with the media, worse than Richard Nixon!

This is alarming,and every effort must be made to insure that Trump does not win the Presidency, as his Fascist leanings and dictatorial manner is terrifying, and portends potential destruction of American democracy.

Trump’s tirade reminds many of Vice President Spiro Agnew under Nixon, vilifying the press in a disgraceful way!

Educators Should NOT Be Responsible For Security, Or To Carry Guns!

As an educator, it is clear to this author that it is totally insane to expect or suggest that educators, whether teachers or administrators, should have as part of their responsibility, to carry guns, and be ready to use them against someone who is violent in a school situation!

Educators are not paid enough, and are mistreated and disrespected enough as it is, and particularly in Republican controlled states, and now they should become security guards as well?

Many educators would object to the concept that students would be aware that they have deadly weapons on their person or nearby, as that is NOT the proper educational environment, whether elementary school, middle school, high school or a college or university!

Education is designed to reach reason, humanity, thoughtfulness, consideration of the value of human life, It is not designed to act as police officers or military personnel. And many teachers and administrators might over react in a crisis, and lead to the death of more people as a result, including themselves!

Under no circumstances would I ever consider learning about guns, as I have no desire to do so, and no educator should be expected to do so!

Hire uniformed police officers, full time, and military veterans as well, as long as they have been fully investigated as to whether they might have psychological problems, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from combat!

The job of educators is to educate, not be a crime fighting force!

So Texas Congressman, Republican Louie Gohmert, himself a certifiable whacko lunatic, should be totally dismissed as reckless and dangerous, with his ridiculous suggestion of the arming of educators!