I'm a Liberal, I'm an American, and I'm not Stupid!

It was a telling moment as Marco Rubio, a photogenic tea party favorite and newly elected US Senator from Florida took the podium with his wife and small children in formation behind him and delivered his victory speech last Tuesday night. He provided a crystal clear presentation on just what the teapublican party has now come to represent. And he provided crystal clear evidence that the chickens have come home to roost after several decades of allowing the right to define what is an American liberal. In fact, over those decades many liberals, me included, ran from the label (I tried to go with progressive for a while). Now the very idea of liberal for a significant percent of the population has come to be equated with a slew of anti-American actions and philosophies. The truth is that we, liberals, must shoulder part of the blame. And we, liberals, have to take the mantle back by clearly defining what the our philosophy really is and proudly shouting it from the rooftops, from our blogs and twitters and status updates over and over again until it penetrates the lies and misrepresentations that have been left unchallenged for so long.

In talking about the political views of President Obama, Bill O’Reilly defined something called “progressivism” earlier this year as: “Progressivism wants to take your stuff. That’s it. That’s what it is. They want to take your stuff.” In the same broadcast Glenn Beck added: “I will go a step further. They don’t just want to take your stuff. They want to control every element of your life.” It seems like that’s pretty scary stuff to be associated with, very Un-American. And, speaking of scary, I wish I had a nickel for every time liberals have been equated with marxists, communists, socialists and even fascists. Because we want to take everybody’s stuff and control everyone’s life we, therefore, must have a big federal government. By extension then, government is evil and anything done by government is evil. And the liberal’s favorite tool, a massive federal government is also totally incompetent at anything it tries, ever. Evil and incompetent. There is another entire vein of thought that liberals must be stupid or we would all become conservatives. Of course that argument might run into a little turbulence from those accusing liberals of being an east coast group of over-educated elitists. For the liberal, welfare has apparently become the opiate of the masses. And so the litany continues. Liberals are both evil and masterful manipulators of the American people bent on taking everybody’s stuff and controlling everybody’s everything, and, simultaneously naïve fools not smart enough to understand how the real world works and thus leading the country to ruin. Got it?

So in the face of this overwhelming “evidence” against the merits of modern American liberalism, I’m forced to ask myself, “Why am I a liberal? Is it in fact a character defect? And, if so, is there a cure?

The answer to these questions for me is really pretty easy. By training I am an economist and, as such, I have a deep and abiding respect for “the market.” Theoretically I accept that there is no better way to allocate resources and distribute wealth than through the operation of the market. Practically, the twentieth century is full of examples of countries trying to operate some other form of economic system only to lead to economic catastrophe. But, (you probably figured there would be a ‘but’) as any economist will tell you, the market only results in the most efficient allocation of resources and wealth based on the initial allocation of resources and wealth. If you change the initial allocation then the market will find a new “most efficient allocation of resources and wealth” different than the one that resulted before. If you change the initial allocation again, you will again get a different final allocation. In fact, for every initial allocation, there is a different final allocation. Therefore, the question I had to ask myself was, “What is the most just initial allocation?” (I’m always asking myself a lot of questions.) Is it just and equitable for whole segments of the population to be trapped in poverty and lack while another tiny segment continues to amass ever more and more wealth? This is, in fact, the central question that separates teapublicans from liberals in America today. This is the question of “social justice.” And the concept of social justice is as American a concept as “free speech” and “separation of church and state.”

One of the many myths (aka lies) perpetuated by the right in America is that a group of long dead men commonly known as “The Founding Fathers” we conservative/libertarian types who created a constitution in order to prevent liberals 200 years in the future from being able to interfere with corporations’ ability to make profits. In fact, the founding fathers actually fought bitterly over many of the exact same issues about the role of government in a capitalist society we fight over today. In fact, one father, Thomas Paine, wrote an essay entitled “Agrarian Justice” written in 1796 in which he lays out his argument on the need for redistribution of wealth to promote what he called agrarian justice and we call Social Justice.

In this fascinating essay Paine explains that prior to cultivation of land (what he calls civilization) extremes of wealth and poverty didn’t exist.

“To understand what the state of society ought to be, it is necessary to have some idea of the natural and primitive state of man; such as it is at this day among the Indians of North America. There is not, in that state, any of those spectacles of human misery which poverty and want present to our eyes in all the towns and streets in Europe.

Poverty, therefore, is a thing created by that which is called civilized life. It exists not in the natural state. On the other hand, the natural state is without those advantages which flow from agriculture, arts, science and manufactures.”

Paine isn’t arguing against progress, but only looking to redress the great inequality created by economic progress. Because of agricultural progress populations in many cities exploded. This made it impossible for society to revert to subsistence living (the natural state) because there were now too many people and too little land in the cities for this. Therefore the masses became dependent on those who owned the land (and eventually he adds personal capital as well; “Personal property is the effect of society; and it is as impossible for an individual to acquire personal property without the aid of society, as it is for him to make land originally.”) Those who owned the land and improved it to provide food for the masses became wealthy from the land. And Paine defended their right to become wealthy because of the service they provided. The problem arises, according Paine, because in the natural state God had created the land to serve all the people. The wealthy land owners only deserved the wealth coming from the improvements they made to the land, and not from the land itself which naturally belongs to all. Therefore the wealthy owe something to the community which he calls ground rent. In a natural state “every man would have been born to property.” And, “every person born into the world after a state of civilization commences, ought not to be worse than if he had been born before that period.” This is what Paine refers to as Agrarian Justice.

Paine further explains that this transfer payment to the “dispossessed” is a right, not a charity.

“But it is justice, and not charity, that is the principle of the plan. In all great cases it is necessary to have a principle more universally active than charity, and with respect to justice, it ought not to be left to the choice of detached individuals whether they will do justice or not.”

What was required was a redistribution of income managed by the government. Paine then laid out a proposal to provide a stipend to all individuals upon reaching 21 years of age, as well as an annual stipend for the elderly and disabled (social security). All laid out in 1796. I heard a rumor that Paine’s essay on health care reform was lost in a fire. Just a rumor. But it would just seem like common sense.

So when someone tells us that we need to return to the values of the founding fathers our answer needs to be yes. Just like at least one founding father we believe in social justice and need to retake America from the corporate elitists and apologists.

God Bless America, founded on Liberal Principals.

Happy Anniversary Baby!

It was 37 years ago last fall that I sat in Mrs. Peel's Spanish class far more interested in pulling on the braids of the freckly faced brown haired girl who sat in front of me than in conjugating verbs.  (Maybe I should have paid attention - I live in Miami now.  Caramba!)  We were 12 years old.  I was still pulling on those braids 36 years ago. And again 35 years ago.  Then, again 34 years ago.  (Look out, I was getting ready to make my move.)  Finally, 33 years ago last fall I began flirting with that freckly faced girl during study hall in the media center and getting yelled at by Ms. Callahan for making too much noise showing off.

And just 32 short years ago (yes, it took a whole year) that freckly faced girl finally gave up on me.  She asked me out on our first date.  I kissed her for the very first time.  I liked it.

She was my Juliet.  My freckle face Maria.

Then 27 years ago today that girl lost her mind and agreed to marry me. (Wow!)

Since then the years have flown by faster than I could have ever imagined. (I remember laying side by side in the playhouse behind her Mom's talking about how great it will be to grow old together - but I never thought it would really happen!)

There have been ups and downs, fights and make-ups. (I remember that one time she got mad at me like it was yesterday.) She gave me four amazing children who are all smart like her (and good looking like their father).

We’ve had our victories and we've had our failures, fat times and lean times over all these years, but through it all I always knew that if I just turned my head slightly I would see that freckly faced girl right by my side.  (The Florida sun is great for those freckles.)

Thank you Debbie.  I love you. 

 (Hurry home. I miss you.  And can you pick up some shiraz on the way? Oh, and we’re out of laundry detergent. And cat food.  Shampoo.  Did you pay the water bill? Where is . . .)

John Wooden - The Greatest Coach Ever!

Listen to this inspiring speech from the greatest coach of all time - John Wooden.   

Just click on the video to the right and adjust you volume.

Damn Teachers! Ruining American Education.

The Florida Legislature just passed a bill yesterday putting the blame for the struggles of public education exactly where it doesn’t belong – on the backs of teachers. And until policy makers begin to take a real and honest look at the problems facing education in America today and stop going to this ‘easy out,’ things will not get better. It’s so easy to simply declare that if teachers did their jobs and actually taught our kids (instead of whatever else they’re doing, which is never actually clarified) then everything would be fine. But the easy road is rarely the right road (thanks Dad) and in this case it is fundamentally flawed for three basic reasons: first, it implies that typical teachers are overpaid based on the results they are getting, second, it assumes that teaching children to score high on standardized tests is the best way to educate, and three, it completely ignores the serious socio-economic forces at play in our communities today that have a direct effect on the classroom.

First let’s look at teacher pay in Florida. I don’t know when the idea started that teachers are overpaid, but suddenly you can’t attend a public meeting without hearing about how teachers are paid outrageous salaries with extravagant benefits while ‘real people’ struggle to make ends meet. Is there evidence that this is true? In Florida, the average salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree in any field is $41,701 per year. Surely a teacher’s pay must be much higher, right? Wrong. The average teacher with a bachelor’s degree earns $38,452. Approximately two thirds of all teachers have only a bachelor’s degree. In the case of teachers with masters degrees, the average teacher earns $46,622 compared to all people with a masters degree who earn $55,200 per year. In both cases, then, teachers are paid less than their private sector counterparts.

But I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “But Rob, the teachers get all kinds of great benefits, and their counterparts in the private sector don’t.” Well, what does the Bureau of Labor Statistics have to say about that? Among ‘professional and related’ occupations which include teachers and the private sector groups we are comparing to, 77% of the private workers have pension plans while 91% of public school teachers have such plans. And health care? 82% of private professional workers have health care compared to 89% of teachers. So what do the numbers show? Teachers earn less than their private counterparts, and only have marginally more access to benefits than their counterparts. We have to conclude, in terms of overall compensation, teacher compensation rates including benefits is right in line with their private sector counterparts.

Then the question is, are we getting quality performance in return for the money we spend? Recently the State of Florida instituted a school grading and accountability system to evaluate the performance of our public schools. The system grades traditional public schools and public charter schools (the last ‘great answer’ to America’s education woes) with a letter grade just like our kids receive. Considering the drastic measures the State is set to take against teachers, the obvious conclusion is that most schools must be failing, right? And the answer is? 51% of school districts in Florida earned a grade of A on the state assessment. An additional 39% earned a grade of B, while 7% received a C. That totals to 98%. Last year the State told the teachers, “This is what we are going to grade you on.” 98% of the time the schools received at least a C by the measures they were given. If, on your job you reached your performance targets with at least a grade of C 98% of the time and your boss came back to you the following year and said, “We are going to cut your pay based on merit because you are not getting the job done,” what would your response be? The only sensible conclusion is that, if the schools are not performing as well as we would like, the reasons have to lie elsewhere rather than with teachers. Where else? Well let’s see. The legislators set mandatory performance criteria which the teachers met 98% of the time with at least a grade of C. My simple little brain tells me if the teachers were successful in meeting criteria which didn’t give the legislators the results they wanted, maybe, just maybe, the problem lies with the legislators and their criteria. Maybe we shouldn’t change how we pay teachers. Maybe we should look at how we pay legislators.

The second issue is whether teaching children to take standardized tests is really the best way to teach? The American Society for Quality interviewed the creators and designers of standardized tests and asked this question. The answer was a resounding “no.” There is so much emphasis on testing today that the test has become the end in itself. Forcing teachers to teach to a standardized test as their primary function has clearly resulted in score gains. But according to experts, these gains are ephemeral. Since there isn’t a corresponding increase in deeper understanding and critical thinking skills, then simply changing the test eliminates most or all of the gains. Some critics argue, therefore, that we need to change the test to a “better test.” Clearly testing has its place in education or the benchmarking of progress would not be possible, but simply making “the test” better does not seem to be the answer. If it was, then the standardized testing craze the nation has been going through for the last 10 years would be showing progress. Measurement is key, but the most important aspect is deciding what to measure. Perhaps the real answer lies in defining effective measures that can be standardized and used throughout the school year to measure real educational progress in a way that can be compared across schools. Then maybe, the teachers will be able to get back to the teaching of reading, math and science rather than more test taking skills.

And third, blaming the teacher for performance in the classroom completely ignores the tremendous socioeconomic challenges that are happening outside the classroom. This is not to make excuses for anyone in terms of their ability to succeed. Show me somebody with a challenge and I will find someone who overcame that challenge to achieve greatness. But it’s also true that statistically, a class with twice the number of single parent families, with parents working multiple jobs to pay the bills, with a fraction of the number of high school or college grads, and many other conditions, will underperform a class without similar challenges. That is not the teachers fault. It may be a fact that schools have to find ways to overcome such socioeconomic challenges, but to put all of that burden on the teacher is unreasonable and will drive many good teachers right out of the field. And it Is the students from these classes who will be left behind in disproportionate numbers when vouchers suck the top performers out of these schools to private or parochial schools. Reasonable people can debate whether the school classroom is really the best place to address the challenges such children have, but the reality is that these children are there already and something needs to be done.

Until policy makers start looking at these other issues rather than for an easy way to say “we did something,” then the problem won’t be solved. Teachers are doing the jobs they’ve been asked to do. The numbers show that. The policy makers now have to do their part in putting together a system that can win for our children. My beloved Dolphins once had arguably the greatest passing quarterback to ever play the game matched up with great receivers in the “Marks Brothers.” But in the end, after more than twenty seasons, Dan Marino had exactly zero championships. That fact didn’t diminish his talent. But the reality was that the team management never put him into a complete system that could win it all. Football is a game. Marino is wealthy and successful today. But the education of our children is no game. Their future and the future of our great country hangs in the balance.

OMG - I can't believe this has happened!

I woke up this morning at about the regular time. I didn't know why at first, but I was feeling quite anxious. I went through the normal ablutions and dressed. Turned on the morning news (Scarborough - I love to get a good mad-on in the morning) and suddenly it hit me! I knew why I had a pit in my stomach the size of a surgical sponge left behind by an underpaid doctor. Just before falling asleep last night I had heard the news. It was going to change our world as we know it. Things would never be the same. The earth had shifted off its axis, and I'm not talking about the Chile earthquake, that was a small quake compared to this. Congress passed health care and it was going to Obama for his signature.

I didn't know what to do. The sense of dread was all-enveloping. As I paced from room to room I tried to imagine what my life would be like now. Death Panels! I asked aloud to the empty room how something like this could happen in America. America! Socialism! Should I move? Where to? Will I still be allowed to move? I heard some are going to Costa Rica. Where is Costa Rica? They must have great health care. Note to self: find out where Costa Rica is.

I began to feel suddenly ill. Oh no. I can't get sick now! I should pray. Yeah, that's what I decided to do. I would pray that I never get sick and that I can find Costa Rica. Maybe I'll just die suddenly. That won't be so bad. Then I began to feel a sore throat starting. No!

And then it happened. Without any warning! One second to the next. As I faced the window, dish towel twisted between my hands so tight I could feel the circulation getting cut off, the sun came up. Oh glorious golden sun with rays of warmth stroking my face. And then I knew without any doubt that everything was going to be all right. (I did throw up once or twice but that was from relief and not even worth mentioning. Oh, well, never mind.) Congress passed health care last night and this morning the sun still came up. And now I really believe that it will go down again tonight and rise again tomorrow. I went to work and drank coffee and took my breaks, went to lunch, had more breaks and drank more coffee. It was just like last week and the week before that. Maybe all those terrifying predictions won't come to pass. Maybe everything will be all right.

Now, where is my world map? Costa Rica?

Check out another great column from Paul Krugman.