Why Educate?

A Talking Points Memo article reports that a March CNN poll found that the median guess as to how much of the federal budget goes to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is 5%. Median, if you are rusty on your math or more recently educated in the U.S., means 1/2 above and 1/2 below.  And 5% of the federal budget being 424 times larger than what actually went to CPB.


So, with that kind of misinformation floating around, what possible benefit is there for those in power to better educate the children of this country?  It obviously works in the favor of the rich and powerful when we have little grasp of facts, and less understanding of logical thinking, and no resources with which to learn to do research.  We have this great internet available, but no education in critical thinking.


And that's just the way our right-wing power brokers plan on keeping things.


It's not a conspiracy, just a plan.  If I can afford to send my kids to the private school of my choice, making them better prepared to run the country after I'm gone (having left them every penny I've ever hoarded), why on earth would I want them to have to compete with children who might have a different view of who should have wealth and power?


So those who don't have the time or energy to try to understand the complexities of the budget will continue to tune in to whoever shouts loudest, and scares them the most.