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OpEdNews Op Eds    H4'ed 8/19/09

AMERICAN IDIOTS

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Jim Quinn
Message Jim Quinn

William Shakespeare

The dumbing down of America has allowed the intelligentsia to retain power and increase their control over the country. Lack of educational achievement doesn't automatically mean you are easily manipulated, but it sure increases the odds. If you weren't motivated enough to do well in school, you are unlikely to take your civic duties of voting, understanding national issues, and getting involved in your community seriously. The saddest part is that an enormous quantity of even the college educated is so intellectually lazy that they choose to trust their leaders without question. With 100 million, ignorant, non-thinking, non-questioning, and intellectually lazy zombies occupying space in this country, continued domination by a few thousand highly educated elite remains quite easy. A highly educated citizenry would endanger their power. By socializing public education, encouraging mediocrity, and not rewarding excellence, government bureaucrats insure that the masses remain ignorant and pliable. Those in power know that by keeping the ignorant masses sedated with socialist goodies like welfare, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, public housing, and easy credit, they can stay in charge. For them it is fabulous, for the country it is a disaster. Winston Churchill summed it up succinctly:

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

There is no area of ignorance more distressing than in the area of economics and finance. Those with superior knowledge and power are able to mislead the ignorant masses regarding the state of our economic situation because most Americans have no clue about deficits, inflation, or the printing of money out of thin air. I'm reminded of Jeff Foxworthy's "You Know You're a Redneck" comedy routine.

You know you are ignorant if:

  • You think Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Germans (Bluto)
  • You think the Civil War is a Guns N Roses song.
  • You think Inflation is what you do to tires.
  • You think the Federal Reserve is a brand of scotch.
  • You think GDP stands for Got Da Payment from the welfare office.
  • You think you deserve a $300,000 house when your annual income is $22,500.
  • You don't know the names of the guys on the penny, nickel, dime or quarter.
  • You think the National Debt is a monument in Washington DC

John Adams predicted the confusion and distress that has arisen in America.

"All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation."

The question is whether we can change our course, properly educate our populace, and take this country back from the entrenched elite. There is no more important issue facing our country today.



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James Quinn is a senior director of strategic planning for a major university. James has held financial positions with a retailer, homebuilder and university in his 22-year career. Those positions included treasurer, controller, and head of (more...)
 
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