Alex Paramo

 I just heard a report on the Ed Schultz radio program that Russia now owns the distinction of being the country with the most college graduates. What country do you think it surpassed? If you guessed the U.S. you are woefully incorrect (Canada). In case you have not heard, the U.S. is falling behind in every important measurable category for some time now. Middle class, working class and working poor Individuals that are fortunate enough to attend and earn a degree of higher learning most often end up in tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Additionally, public primary education in the U.S. is being under-funded. This monumental shift in our society's value toward education will have terrible ramifications on our country in terms of employment and the fight for a live-able wage. Of course I don't believe my friends, neighbors and fellow citizens de-value education at all but rather our "representatives" are in the process of wholesaling our natural resources (in this case our human resources) to the highest bidder(s). Take a look at this chart to get an idea where our tax money goes:
 
As the graph shows, military spending (58%) dwarfs education spending (4%). Personally I would rather my tax money go toward education and a healthy society, than sending hundreds of billions dollars toward building bombs that destroy buildings and spread bloodshed, chaos and catastrophe. As you should know, the U.S. Congress puts forward a budget and the President either signs it or vetoes it (disagrees with it and sends it back for modification). We must elect individuals that truly support education; by reallocating resources toward rebuilding our fractured public education system, by bringing down costs of tuition, increasing financial aid, by eliminating usury and predatory student loans and thereby making a top-quality education affordable for all! My friends do no want to see our nation turn into a nation comprised of unskilled laborers being paid wages that force them to receive government assistance (as Walmart employees are forced to). My neighbors believe in the future of our country by current investment in our children by reallocating funds from the military to education. My fellow citizens know that books (multimedia eBooks) are more powerful, more important than Unmanned Aircraft of destruction.

Liberty Closed for Repairs?

Alex Paramo

Tomorrow evening, I will be headed home to NYC to visit friends and family. I return home triumphantly with my life-partner my 6 year old daughter and as a published Author! My daughter is excited to visit her relatives and her dad's old stomping grounds for the first time but lets face it, for her, visiting the Statue Liberty trumps everything. Unfortunately a small band of individuals "representing" us in government have been able to shut down our government. Besides the sheer irresponsibility of taking the country down the path of economic instability, and in-turn taking the global economy down with it, their stance is motivated by their desire to "stop Obama Care" the Affordable Care Act. Whether you agree or disagree with the Act, it is now law and has been for awhile. Nothing that the small band of individuals in congress are doing can stop the Act.

Personally I will not shy away from my responsibility to my fellow American because the idea of helping your family, neighbors, and countrymen is part of the American experience, as well as the Human experience. The three "major" religions as well as most other traditions/religions demand that we help our fellow man (person). That is, for me, the idea behind the Statue of Liberty. Much of our country is populated by people whose ancestors saw the Statue of Liberty on their way to Ellis Island. Even if your family came by plane from south of the border, like my family did, they all knew about the Statue of Liberty and what she represents. The Statue of Liberty is now closed and therefore we say to everyone that Liberty is closed. The idea that helping your fellow man (person) is now closed in the U.S. It is a water-shed moment in our history. Are we going to be a country populated by folks that care for each other and no just themselves or are we going to cave in to a small band of representatives that are pushing forward the agenda of their corporate/billionaire benefactors. I hope that when we get to the gates of the Ferry that takes us to the Statue of Liberty, I can tell my 6 year old daughter that the Statue of Liberty is open and that our country chose the path of helping our fellow countrymen, and continuing the tradition originally represented by the beautiful statue.