Re:Oklahoma schools go on 4-day weeks so teachers can work o...
by notacoward on Sunday February 11, 2018 @10:12AM
(#16352960)
> government is always self interested with the interest being toward the top of the hierarchy
That statement is correct except for the "always" part. Yes, that's the kind of government we have right now at the federal level and at the state level in some states. In other times that hasn't been the case. Even now, it's generally not the case at the local level and in some states not at that level either.
Self-reliance is great, markets are great, but a responsive government has its role too. Sometimes it's the fairest and/or most effective way to provide a service. This is especially likely to be true for services everyone needs, as universal demand tends to bring about the worst kinds of market failure. I contend that schools, police, and courts (mentioned in the story) are examples of such services.
The solution in cases such as these is not to abandon government but to make it responsive. They're supposed to be our agents and they've become someone else's. Unfortunately, when the state is full of voters who believe your "always" and the federal government has (via gerrymandering and other undemocratic means) come under the control of people who who hate education so much they're destroying the department devoted to it, it's the children who suffer.
That statement is correct except for the "always" part. Yes, that's the kind of government we have right now at the federal level and at the state level in some states. In other times that hasn't been the case. Even now, it's generally not the case at the local level and in some states not at that level either.
Self-reliance is great, markets are great, but a responsive government has its role too. Sometimes it's the fairest and/or most effective way to provide a service. This is especially likely to be true for services everyone needs, as universal demand tends to bring about the worst kinds of market failure. I contend that schools, police, and courts (mentioned in the story) are examples of such services.
The solution in cases such as these is not to abandon government but to make it responsive. They're supposed to be our agents and they've become someone else's. Unfortunately, when the state is full of voters who believe your "always" and the federal government has (via gerrymandering and other undemocratic means) come under the control of people who who hate education so much they're destroying the department devoted to it, it's the children who suffer.