The Changing of the Guard

There comes in the course of history a time were a small minority could forever change the very fate of our nation. Often people claim that those times are great areas of conflict or times of civil unrest, where the dedication of a few revolutionaries, can surpass the collective apathy of the masses. Very rarely are elections contributed with being true turning points in America history. As I have heard even political professors say, that in the end of the day elections don't really matter, movements matter.

So what, if you become a new yes or no vote in the electorate, unless your part of the majority or the deciding factor in a vote what real impact can you have, except making the lives of the other legislature more difficult? What can really changes the fate and direction of our nation is the social and cultural shifts. Often those shifts can be assisted by those we elect to higher office or the leader we prop up, but the momentum and the heart of any movement resides within the emotions of the people.

From my work in the political community for the past year, I have ridden shotgun to many of the political revolutions and issues of our time. I have seen the impact the media and our culture has on direction on the people of my generation.  More importantly I have seen the end result of all the madness and "reforms" that so many groups have been fighting for. The only results from their labor are a disenfranchised youth whose very future is being taxed by the growth of our nation.

This fact is being driven home by the rise in the cost of education and the continued reduction in entry level jobs for those soon to be out of school and/or out of work. For those raised on the promise of a good life after college are met with the cold reality of the stagnate waters that seem to be the future of our generation. With students being drunkenly awaken by Obama's last election found themselves quickly sobered by the increase attacks the their futures. What will become of the entitled youth when their comforts and future hopes are wagered against the preservation of a system they believe to have no stake in?

For those of you involved in the political realm, put your ears to the ground and listen to the rumble that's a coming. There is nothing more volatile to then a large number of high trained unemployed young people. As we have seen in the Middle East, the revolutions do not come from the old and the experienced, but from the youth whose dreams seem plausible with their perceived coming victory over the very culture that raised them. The larger the deficit grows, the more the entitlement generation will lose the dream that they where promise. To that end a great cultural revolution will come to America. A great cultural revolution that will forever change America and redefine the dream my generation fights for.
 
To what end do we strive? To whom do we find fellowship? To What send will the leader of tomorrow fight for today? One thing is for sure the changing of the guard is coming and the ranks will be filled with those that wish to fight to reclaim that which many of us feel was taken from us. The American Dream.

Higher Education: G.E.T Reform

State G.E.Ts program will be up on the chopping block this election session. I personal used this program to help pay for my college so I'm a little bias. But i feel that its one of the few programs that helped the middle class go to higher education. The G.E.Ts program from those that don't know is the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program. How it works is .....if you buy a unit of G.E.T (like a stock) at the current price of education. (example one unit of GET might be 1/25 of a over all semesters cost at the UW) Then whenever the price of education goes up so does the value of the GET. You have to buy the GET quite a distance out in advance, but the idea is this program helps people plan for college.

 Like most things with the government, the devil is in the details. The GET program like most government "investing" programs have a habit of magically losing their stored money. And the GET program has run into some trouble. With the increase in tuition costs the value of the units of GETs are increase more so then the government can afford. ( maybe the government should get into investing). So the State is looking at cuts and adjusting  the program. 

"Lawmakers are concerned that GET, already underfunded, could become a liability if college-tuition costs outpace the state's ability to make money on its GET investments. The state takes GET purchases and invests the money, much as it does with a pension fund."(Seattle Times)

 

This program was great for me, but should it be a core function of our state government? Don't think so.... I just hope they don't shaft those already on the program( like me). 

The Plight of Education

Most days I read two to three newspapers to stay up to date on whats going on in the world. One of my favorite things to do is read some of the comment chains on popular articles and stories of controversial issues. Of late the more I read and research controversial issues, the more I come what is the biggest problem in American education, the inability to think critically.  

I love to talk politics with people, especially if they don't agree with me. ( You learn more about the world by looking out a window then by looking in a mirror)  Lately I have run into a large number on both sides of the political spectrum that don't think critically, they think emotionally. They are more likely to yell at you then talk with you. 

My parents are both teacher and conversation like this come up all the time. How do we teach critical thinking?  Mainstream education teaches you what to think, not how to think.  What we need is to focus more on the latter. With "Education reform" making education look more like an assembly line then a school. The question beckons...What are we teaching our kids? 

Being a higher education student myself, I have learned and refined the ability to regurgitate the equivalent of an education hairball in class, but true understanding is another situation entirely. So i would pose the question, should we be focusing on measurable criteria? Or on something more in depth when i comes to education reform? 

Job Openings!

The Student Freedom Project is now hiring outgoing energetic people for our Campus Liaison program. The general description is below;

The Campus Liaison will act as the day-to-day representative for the Student Freedom Project on your campus. He or she will support the efforts of the statewide program by acting as the go-to resource for leadership and information on campus. The Campus Liaison will support the holistic growth of student groups and freedom-loving individuals within their campus and region. 

Hours per week: 10 

Length: One Academic Year  

Paid position 

For Job description and duties email Alexander Smith at asmith@effwa.org