How to fix the economy through improvements in education.
Tim Williamson
Brookwood, Alabama
globaleconomy101@gmail.com
12 Jan 2011
What obstacles must we overcome in order to get the economy moving sustainably over the long-term, and is it wise to delay implementing those changes that are inherently necessary for real growth and prosperity? Would you agree that a foundational education in the sciences, math, technologies, reading, history, and economics is the most important key to economic recovery and prosperity? Do you agree that a sustainable long-term economic recovery is tied directly to the educational foundation on which all nations are built? Can you identify the hurdles blocking educational, and thus economic, excellence in the USA? What are those hurdles that our children and nation must overcome for there to be a sustainable recovery so that they may have prosperity in their lifetimes and beyond? Are we harming the future of nation and children by allowing obstacles to remain in place for whatever reasons? Should we work quickly to remove all those obstacles that hold our children back from being the very best they can be in today’s competitive interconnected global marketplace of ideas, enterprise, innovation and creativity in those things that are the foundations for all real long-term economic growth - the sciences, math, new technologies, reading skills and reading comprehension?
All of us, whether we have children or not, reap the results of a good nationally consistent educational system by having our children become contributing members of society in a growing economy. Businesses, communities, our states, the nation, families and individuals prosper as a result of the educational foundation of the nation. Today, the US is ranked 14th out of 34 of the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for reading skills, 17th for science and 25th for mathematics. This is unacceptable. These numbers will have a direct affect on the economy. We, as families, as a society and nation, are failing our children, grandchildren and nation by not making the foundations of the sciences, math, and reading the highest priority we face today as a nation. These statistics put the future of our nation at risk of continued local and global economic decline over the long-term because our children will be unable to compete in the new inescapable paradigm of a global interconnected marketplace. We must change this trend at a foundational level to give the US a reasonable chance for economic and educational recovery and sustainability.
Education is the basis for all innovations and advancements in the sciences and in all new technologies. The sciences, math and reading skills provides the foundation on which new businesses are formed and on which those businesses evolve, innovate, create and hire employees.
Without a consistent national education plan to remove all obstacles and provide incentives for educational excellence, innovation in science, math and technology moves elsewhere on the planet, and the local economy does not recovery sustainably over the long-term. We, as individuals, parents and grandparents, as communities and as a nation, must push, incentivize and encourage, by providing the right foundations and the right environment, for our young people to pursue studies in the sciences, math, technology, literature, history, and reading in general. If we are serious about the future success of our children and nation, then we too must make the necessary changes in our personal lives, in our businesses, and industries and encourage and help others to do the same. We must set the example. If not, we will continue to fall behind in technological innovation, scientific advances, and ultimately our economy will not be able to rebound sustainably because of a lack of a sound educational base on which to build a prosperous future.
We need, no, we must have, a national concerted effort from government, industry, educational institutions, media, teachers, instructors, all businesses, parents, families and individuals to emphasize and encourage our young people to pursue studies, innovation and creativity in the sciences, in math, technology, in nanosciences, in the biological sciences, in information sciences and genetics, in studies in history and economics and in reading and comprehension skills. Teaching and being enthusiastic about the foundations for the sciences, math and reading needs to start first at home then continue in pre-school and continue through college. Three of those foundations are enthusiastic and involved parents, great teachers, and involved communities, but there are other things that will help as well.
One major obstacle and disadvantage our children face is learning two or three different foundational measuring systems and the respective conversions between them. This begins the confusion at an early age and builds hurdles our children must conquer. Why make things more difficult when they do not need to be? The metric system (SI) is the universal foundational language of science, business, trade, technology, and engineering, and is simple and easy to learn. We should be teaching the metric system exclusively in all our schools and not wasting time on teaching conversions between systems. Just teach the metric system. Do not bother with the other measurement systems. The kids will learn it quickly. Adults should be involved in this transition from the beginning, but adults will also catch on once the only measurements they see are in metric units. Use the commerce clause of the constitution to require all businesses that do interstate business of any kind to use exclusively the metric system. No conversion displays between Metric and English systems should be used because that just muddles the issue and delays implementation and restrains real long-term economic recovery as the rest of the world advances without us.
The US was one of the original 17 signatories to the Convention of the Metre in 1875. We have yet to make it our official measurement system while the rest of the world uses SI in business, industry and the sciences because of its simplicity and ease of use. We helped set it up for the world, then did not do it ourselves. Yes! Converting to the metric system is possible, and even essential to US long-term educational and economic success. If we are serious about US economic growth and success over the long-term, then we need to take those steps that will remove the obstacles to getting there. Getting rid of the imperial english measurements will be a significant step in the right direction.
However, to re-iterate, the best way to convert to the metric system is to just do it. Do not bother with teaching conversion factors between measuring systems. Teaching conversion factors is a waste of time. Switch to the metric system in one fell swoop. Immediately stop using other systems. Begin immediately teaching metric units to our students from pre-school forward. Switch all road signs to metric. But do it without other measuring systems listed. In a very short time, all the rest will catch on to the ease and simplicity of the metric system.
Another obstacle to proper scientific, educational and economic success is our tendency to want to be inclusive of those things known as pseudo-sciences. We do not need to be wasting our time teaching pseudo-sciences in the science class room. If we must teach Biblical or Quranic pseudo-science, then do so in a religious studies or myth class. That is where they belong. These things are not science no matter how they are sugar coated, explained or rationalized and have no business being taught to our children as if they have any legitimate or real scientific value. They bring down, or dumb down is more appropriate, the level of real scientific understanding that is needed for the US to compete economically and educationally on a globe scale.
Firstly, government, families, individuals, businesses, teachers, parents, grandparents, adults and children need to be part of the nationwide effort to bring the US into the modern age by switching to the metric system without delay and with no recognition of other systems of measure or no conversions between them. If we are serious about our economic and scientific success in a world where the new inexorable paradigm is the global marketplace for ideas, technology, and industry, then this is the first step in the right direction that we should take as a nation. Secondly, stop teaching pseudo-sciences in our science classes. Science is one thing. Myth is another. And the two are not related, nor do they even closely resemble eachother in the application of reason and logic to advance economic, scientific and educational sustainability around the nation or world. Get the pseudo-sciences out of our science class rooms. They make our students and young people less likely to success in a technological and interconnected world.
Proposed legislation for the US Senate and the US House of Representatives is included below.
Help spread the word. Forward this to your Senators and Representatives, to business leaders, community leaders, the media, etc..
If, after reading this proposal, you agree, then please copy and paste this message to your Congress-person and Senators, and forward it to your friends and business associates.
The link to find your Congress-person is -
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
The link to find your Senators is - http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Tim Williamson
globaleconomy101@gmail.com
Re-igniting a national drive toward economic and educational excellence in the US.
Resolved, That the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Ways and Means shall each report to the House legislation proposing changes to existing law, or new law as appropriate, within each committee's jurisdiction with provisions that--
1) recognizes that the economic, scientific and technological future of the US are interdependent factors to sustainable long-term growth in demand for jobs, and in national GDP, in economic success of families, businesses and individuals and are singularly important to our nation in a world where the global marketplace of ideas, innovations and creativity in sciences, business, math, engineering, new technologies, etc., will slip from those who do not build and secure the proper foundation for all those areas of industry, business, research & development, technology, and study;
2) fosters sustainable long-term economic growth through building the proper foundation by immediate implementation of the the International Metric System of Measurement (also known as the International System of Units, or by the abbreviation SI and also called the modern metric system), which will eliminate confusion between existing systems by exclusive use of the Metric System throughout the US, of which the US was an original signatory in 1875, without consideration for other measuring systems in use in the land, and without using conversion factors or mixed signage or mixed labelling, but using exclusively and only the Metric System in all products, services, transactions, businesses, etc.;
3) fosters the removal of all obstacles to advancing learning, innovations and creativity in business and industry and in the sciences, math, technology, new technologies, engineering, reading skills, etc., through implementing the International Metric System of Measurement throughout the US in our schools, homes, families, businesses (private and public), industries, high way systems, the construction industry and associated trades, educational institutions of all levels, the medical professions and medical industry, throughout the federal government and the military, in our state governments, local governments, school boards, police and fire departments, and so forth, while recognizing that the obstacles in question are the old imperial measuring systems which are non-scientific, not business friendly in the global marketplace, antiquated, obsolete, non-uniform, non-standard, and which require conversions to deal in any capacity with the rest of the world;
4) removes the teaching and or recognition of all pseudo-sciences, those things not based on the scientific method in discovery, analysis, research, development and application by long established and recognized scientific standards and principles, to include Biblical and Quranic creationism, from science instruction and relegates such things to classes on religion, history of religion, ancient myths, or history in general, because these things are not science, and have no legitimate, rational or reasonable basis for their inclusion in real science instruction, and because their inclusion in science classes and science textbooks continues to dumb down America in the real sciences.
END
______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Re-igniting a national drive toward economic and educational excellence in the US.
Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation , the Committee on Appropriations , the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions shall each report to the Senate legislation proposing changes to existing law, or new law as appropriate, within each committee's jurisdiction with provisions that--
1) recognizes that the economic, scientific and technological future of the US are interdependent factors to sustainable long-term growth in demand for jobs, and in national GDP, in economic success of families, businesses and individuals and are singularly important to our nation in a world where the global marketplace of ideas, innovations and creativity in sciences, business, math, engineering, new technologies, etc., will slip from those who do not build and secure the proper foundation for all those areas of industry, business, research & development, technology, and study;
2) fosters sustainable long-term economic growth through building the proper foundation by immediate implementation of the the International Metric System of Measurement (also known as the International System of Units, or by the abbreviation SI and also called the modern metric system), which will eliminate confusion between existing systems by exclusive use of the Metric System throughout the US, of which the US was an original signatory in 1875, without consideration for other measuring systems in use in the land, and without using conversion factors or mixed signage or mixed labelling, but using exclusively and only the Metric System in all products, services, transactions, businesses, etc.;
3) fosters the removal of all obstacles to advancing learning, innovations and creativity in business and industry and in the sciences, math, technology, new technologies, engineering, reading skills, etc., through implementing the International Metric System of Measurement throughout the US in our schools, homes, families, businesses (private and public), industries, high way systems, the construction industry and associated trades, educational institutions of all levels, the medical professions and medical industry, throughout the federal government and the military, in our state governments, local governments, school boards, police and fire departments, and so forth, while recognizing that the obstacles in question are the old imperial measuring systems which are non-scientific, not business friendly in the global marketplace, antiquated, obsolete, non-uniform, non-standard, and which require conversions to deal in any capacity with the rest of the world;
4) removes the teaching and or recognition of all pseudo-sciences, those things not based on the scientific method in discovery, analysis, research, development and application by long established and recognized scientific standards and principles, to include Biblical and Quranic creationism, from science instruction and relegates such things to classes on religion, history of religion, ancient myths, or history in general, because these things are not science, and have no legitimate, rational or reasonable basis for their inclusion in real science instruction, and because their inclusion in science classes and science textbooks continues to dumb down America in the real sciences.
END
______________________________________________________________
What obstacles must we overcome in order to get the economy moving sustainably over the long-term, and is it wise to delay implementing those changes that are inherently necessary for real growth and prosperity? Would you agree that a foundational education in the sciences, math, technologies, reading, history, and economics is the most important key to economic recovery and prosperity? Do you agree that a sustainable long-term economic recovery is tied directly to the educational foundation on which all nations are built? Can you identify the hurdles blocking educational, and thus economic, excellence in the USA? What are those hurdles that our children and nation must overcome for there to be a sustainable recovery so that they may have prosperity in their lifetimes and beyond? Are we harming the future of nation and children by allowing obstacles to remain in place for whatever reasons? Should we work quickly to remove all those obstacles that hold our children back from being the very best they can be in today’s competitive interconnected global marketplace of ideas, enterprise, innovation and creativity in those things that are the foundations for all real long-term economic growth - the sciences, math, new technologies, reading skills and reading comprehension?
All of us, whether we have children or not, reap the results of a good nationally consistent educational system by having our children become contributing members of society in a growing economy. Businesses, communities, our states, the nation, families and individuals prosper as a result of the educational foundation of the nation. Today, the US is ranked 14th out of 34 of the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for reading skills, 17th for science and 25th for mathematics. This is unacceptable. These numbers will have a direct affect on the economy. We, as families, as a society and nation, are failing our children, grandchildren and nation by not making the foundations of the sciences, math, and reading the highest priority we face today as a nation. These statistics put the future of our nation at risk of continued local and global economic decline over the long-term because our children will be unable to compete in the new inescapable paradigm of a global interconnected marketplace. We must change this trend at a foundational level to give the US a reasonable chance for economic and educational recovery and sustainability.
Education is the basis for all innovations and advancements in the sciences and in all new technologies. The sciences, math and reading skills provides the foundation on which new businesses are formed and on which those businesses evolve, innovate, create and hire employees.
Without a consistent national education plan to remove all obstacles and provide incentives for educational excellence, innovation in science, math and technology moves elsewhere on the planet, and the local economy does not recovery sustainably over the long-term. We, as individuals, parents and grandparents, as communities and as a nation, must push, incentivize and encourage, by providing the right foundations and the right environment, for our young people to pursue studies in the sciences, math, technology, literature, history, and reading in general. If we are serious about the future success of our children and nation, then we too must make the necessary changes in our personal lives, in our businesses, and industries and encourage and help others to do the same. We must set the example. If not, we will continue to fall behind in technological innovation, scientific advances, and ultimately our economy will not be able to rebound sustainably because of a lack of a sound educational base on which to build a prosperous future.
We need, no, we must have, a national concerted effort from government, industry, educational institutions, media, teachers, instructors, all businesses, parents, families and individuals to emphasize and encourage our young people to pursue studies, innovation and creativity in the sciences, in math, technology, in nanosciences, in the biological sciences, in information sciences and genetics, in studies in history and economics and in reading and comprehension skills. Teaching and being enthusiastic about the foundations for the sciences, math and reading needs to start first at home then continue in pre-school and continue through college. Three of those foundations are enthusiastic and involved parents, great teachers, and involved communities, but there are other things that will help as well.
One major obstacle and disadvantage our children face is learning two or three different foundational measuring systems and the respective conversions between them. This begins the confusion at an early age and builds hurdles our children must conquer. Why make things more difficult when they do not need to be? The metric system (SI) is the universal foundational language of science, business, trade, technology, and engineering, and is simple and easy to learn. We should be teaching the metric system exclusively in all our schools and not wasting time on teaching conversions between systems. Just teach the metric system. Do not bother with the other measurement systems. The kids will learn it quickly. Adults should be involved in this transition from the beginning, but adults will also catch on once the only measurements they see are in metric units. Use the commerce clause of the constitution to require all businesses that do interstate business of any kind to use exclusively the metric system. No conversion displays between Metric and English systems should be used because that just muddles the issue and delays implementation and restrains real long-term economic recovery as the rest of the world advances without us.
The US was one of the original 17 signatories to the Convention of the Metre in 1875. We have yet to make it our official measurement system while the rest of the world uses SI in business, industry and the sciences because of its simplicity and ease of use. We helped set it up for the world, then did not do it ourselves. Yes! Converting to the metric system is possible, and even essential to US long-term educational and economic success. If we are serious about US economic growth and success over the long-term, then we need to take those steps that will remove the obstacles to getting there. Getting rid of the imperial english measurements will be a significant step in the right direction.
However, to re-iterate, the best way to convert to the metric system is to just do it. Do not bother with teaching conversion factors between measuring systems. Teaching conversion factors is a waste of time. Switch to the metric system in one fell swoop. Immediately stop using other systems. Begin immediately teaching metric units to our students from pre-school forward. Switch all road signs to metric. But do it without other measuring systems listed. In a very short time, all the rest will catch on to the ease and simplicity of the metric system.
Another obstacle to proper scientific, educational and economic success is our tendency to want to be inclusive of those things known as pseudo-sciences. We do not need to be wasting our time teaching pseudo-sciences in the science class room. If we must teach Biblical or Quranic pseudo-science, then do so in a religious studies or myth class. That is where they belong. These things are not science no matter how they are sugar coated, explained or rationalized and have no business being taught to our children as if they have any legitimate or real scientific value. They bring down, or dumb down is more appropriate, the level of real scientific understanding that is needed for the US to compete economically and educationally on a globe scale.
Firstly, government, families, individuals, businesses, teachers, parents, grandparents, adults and children need to be part of the nationwide effort to bring the US into the modern age by switching to the metric system without delay and with no recognition of other systems of measure or no conversions between them. If we are serious about our economic and scientific success in a world where the new inexorable paradigm is the global marketplace for ideas, technology, and industry, then this is the first step in the right direction that we should take as a nation. Secondly, stop teaching pseudo-sciences in our science classes. Science is one thing. Myth is another. And the two are not related, nor do they even closely resemble eachother in the application of reason and logic to advance economic, scientific and educational sustainability around the nation or world. Get the pseudo-sciences out of our science class rooms. They make our students and young people less likely to success in a technological and interconnected world.
Proposed legislation for the US Senate and the US House of Representatives is included below.
Help spread the word. Forward this to your Senators and Representatives, to business leaders, community leaders, the media, etc..
If, after reading this proposal, you agree, then please copy and paste this message to your Congress-person and Senators, and forward it to your friends and business associates.
The link to find your Congress-person is -
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
The link to find your Senators is - http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Tim Williamson
globaleconomy101@gmail.com
Proposed Legislation for the US House of Representatives
112th CONGRESS
___ Session
Re-igniting a national drive toward economic and educational excellence in the US
<<<Sample for the House>>>
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January __, 2011
H.Res _____
___________ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules.
____________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Re-igniting a national drive toward economic and educational excellence in the US.
Resolved, That the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Ways and Means shall each report to the House legislation proposing changes to existing law, or new law as appropriate, within each committee's jurisdiction with provisions that--
1) recognizes that the economic, scientific and technological future of the US are interdependent factors to sustainable long-term growth in demand for jobs, and in national GDP, in economic success of families, businesses and individuals and are singularly important to our nation in a world where the global marketplace of ideas, innovations and creativity in sciences, business, math, engineering, new technologies, etc., will slip from those who do not build and secure the proper foundation for all those areas of industry, business, research & development, technology, and study;
2) fosters sustainable long-term economic growth through building the proper foundation by immediate implementation of the the International Metric System of Measurement (also known as the International System of Units, or by the abbreviation SI and also called the modern metric system), which will eliminate confusion between existing systems by exclusive use of the Metric System throughout the US, of which the US was an original signatory in 1875, without consideration for other measuring systems in use in the land, and without using conversion factors or mixed signage or mixed labelling, but using exclusively and only the Metric System in all products, services, transactions, businesses, etc.;
3) fosters the removal of all obstacles to advancing learning, innovations and creativity in business and industry and in the sciences, math, technology, new technologies, engineering, reading skills, etc., through implementing the International Metric System of Measurement throughout the US in our schools, homes, families, businesses (private and public), industries, high way systems, the construction industry and associated trades, educational institutions of all levels, the medical professions and medical industry, throughout the federal government and the military, in our state governments, local governments, school boards, police and fire departments, and so forth, while recognizing that the obstacles in question are the old imperial measuring systems which are non-scientific, not business friendly in the global marketplace, antiquated, obsolete, non-uniform, non-standard, and which require conversions to deal in any capacity with the rest of the world;
4) removes the teaching and or recognition of all pseudo-sciences, those things not based on the scientific method in discovery, analysis, research, development and application by long established and recognized scientific standards and principles, to include Biblical and Quranic creationism, from science instruction and relegates such things to classes on religion, history of religion, ancient myths, or history in general, because these things are not science, and have no legitimate, rational or reasonable basis for their inclusion in real science instruction, and because their inclusion in science classes and science textbooks continues to dumb down America in the real sciences.
END
______________________________________________________________
Proposed Legislation for the US House of Representatives
112th CONGRESS
____ Session
S. RES. ____
Re-igniting a national drive toward economic and educational excellence in the US
<<<Sample for the Senate>>>
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January ___, 2011
______ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.____________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Re-igniting a national drive toward economic and educational excellence in the US.
Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation , the Committee on Appropriations , the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions shall each report to the Senate legislation proposing changes to existing law, or new law as appropriate, within each committee's jurisdiction with provisions that--
1) recognizes that the economic, scientific and technological future of the US are interdependent factors to sustainable long-term growth in demand for jobs, and in national GDP, in economic success of families, businesses and individuals and are singularly important to our nation in a world where the global marketplace of ideas, innovations and creativity in sciences, business, math, engineering, new technologies, etc., will slip from those who do not build and secure the proper foundation for all those areas of industry, business, research & development, technology, and study;
2) fosters sustainable long-term economic growth through building the proper foundation by immediate implementation of the the International Metric System of Measurement (also known as the International System of Units, or by the abbreviation SI and also called the modern metric system), which will eliminate confusion between existing systems by exclusive use of the Metric System throughout the US, of which the US was an original signatory in 1875, without consideration for other measuring systems in use in the land, and without using conversion factors or mixed signage or mixed labelling, but using exclusively and only the Metric System in all products, services, transactions, businesses, etc.;
3) fosters the removal of all obstacles to advancing learning, innovations and creativity in business and industry and in the sciences, math, technology, new technologies, engineering, reading skills, etc., through implementing the International Metric System of Measurement throughout the US in our schools, homes, families, businesses (private and public), industries, high way systems, the construction industry and associated trades, educational institutions of all levels, the medical professions and medical industry, throughout the federal government and the military, in our state governments, local governments, school boards, police and fire departments, and so forth, while recognizing that the obstacles in question are the old imperial measuring systems which are non-scientific, not business friendly in the global marketplace, antiquated, obsolete, non-uniform, non-standard, and which require conversions to deal in any capacity with the rest of the world;
4) removes the teaching and or recognition of all pseudo-sciences, those things not based on the scientific method in discovery, analysis, research, development and application by long established and recognized scientific standards and principles, to include Biblical and Quranic creationism, from science instruction and relegates such things to classes on religion, history of religion, ancient myths, or history in general, because these things are not science, and have no legitimate, rational or reasonable basis for their inclusion in real science instruction, and because their inclusion in science classes and science textbooks continues to dumb down America in the real sciences.
END
______________________________________________________________
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