Deb was able to communicate a message of compassionate inclusion on the televised debate. See for yourself here.

 The model of finance capital is not a true model, but an apologia for what the greedy want to do. 

A highly charged subject where the real issues are hidden and the stands taken are seldom for the reasons given. We are barraged with half truths and outright lies about those coming to our land. The facts are that our Spanish speaking immigrants come with little and create markets for every sort of goods and services. They are brought here to labor under conditions that citizens would not tolerate, to produce goods and services at a price that average citizens can afford to pay. They take jobs that others will not and essentially keep this society moving. Their children are motivated learners, respectful to school authorities and supported by parents who, for the most part, well understand the value of an education and try their best to help their children succeed.

We have been led to believe that the recession is almost over. Not to worry! However, all the evidence points to the contrary. I do not like being the bearer of bad news, however, all the indications are that we have just begun to feel the pain, and it appears that those in charge, those that are supposed to understand the system don’t have a clue and if they found one, would not act on it. Pretty harsh words, but let’s take a look at what is needed and what should be done.

I am a licensed elementary school teacher, and have taught Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten for many years. It was my field of interest for many years before that. My ideas about education come from what I learned as a teacher, not as a student learning about teaching. First and foremost, we need to take a new look at how children learn naturally and to create learning environments that enhance rather than contradict the natural learning ability we were all born with.

Probably the most emphasized principle in all religions is that you should not kill. The contradictions in advocating killing a killer are too obvious to belabor. Case after case of the misapplication of justice, the “oops, too late” understanding of innocence after execution, the refusal to examine new evidence, the closing of the judge’s office early the day of the execution, and so on should be enough to make the procedure off limits forever.

There will probably always be those who commit crimes of passion, people whose emotions are so constricted that they feel it necessary to act out in ways society cannot accept. It has been our habit to treat such unfortunates with further cruelty, and sometimes even kill them. Experiments that treat with an aim to rehabilitate have found recidivism rates less than half of our conventional, be-mean-to-’em traditions. It works, there is no other answer.

Charlie King wrote a song about Lisa Kalfledge, a WWII war bride who came to this country and was repeatedly questioned about her role in Nazi Germany. She had been a child in the war and had taken no part in the resistance and consequently was shamed by the question. The lyrics of the song are mostly her testimony in court where she was defending herself for having tried to blockade the shipment of arms to Vietnam. She was determined that her children would have an answer to the question of what she did to prevent war crimes.