That section you quoted was referring to Iraq and the general lack of federal investment in infrastructure (like bridges and levees).

you derided Jindal for saying that the american people can do anything, its what we are noted for, at least in the past,

When did we think that doing something like our aims in Iraq would ever be done in 6 months? We're still in Germany and Korea and Japan. Defeating a country and changing their government in a lasting way is never easy. It can easily take decades. But Jindal's singing from Bush's hymnal.

As that earlier comment from Sullivan's blog indicated, there was a time when "America can rise to any challenge" was understood to be allegorical. But those who insist that using such language now as an apparent substitute for actual policies that will have a positive effect on our economy are shoveling pablum. It's dangerous to continue to push the happy thoughts that if only we wish hard enough, and keep government off our backs, then things will turn out just fine.

We can accomplish a lot if we are willing to work for it and pay the price for it. But not "anything". History teaches that, if we're willing to pay attention. Jindal and Cantor and Palin and others who believe as they do think that there's a free lunch.

How were my comments harsh?

if olberman had the ratings anywhere close to rush they would kiss his ass too since he is as important ratingwise as christian annapour they can mock him at will

And if everyone had magic ponies, then we wouldn't have to import 10M barrels of oil a day. :-) But we don't, and they don't. (Rush Hudson Limbaugh III's Wikipedia page is interesting. I can't see the Democrats making Keith an honorary member of Congress...)

If I give money to teachers unions or private schools what is the difference. Are public schools a required institution as a standing army or state department

Without an educated citizenry a functioning democratic republic is doomed. http://etext.virgini...ions/jeff1370.htm

Public education is more important than a standing army.

The problem with the framing of education as a competition between public and private is that there's rarely enough money to support both. And as Krugman indicated, things that benefit society as public goods should be provided by some level of government. People who spend thousands to send their kids to private school feel the natural inclination to argue for reduced property taxes that support the public schools. That damages the public good. Public schools do not have strong advocates now, at the time when (one can easily argue) they're most needed. Schools aren't like movie stars - we can't just throw them out and pick a new one when they offend our sensibilities. They're an essential institution, one that can't be replaced by for-profit charter schools or parochial schools or whatever the latest "reform" that is pushed by those who advocate "smaller government". The world is getting more complex, there is increasing competition for ideas and resources, and we need to be much smarter than we've been if we're going to make a meaningful impact on these problems.

Everyone in our society needs a basic level of education. Strangling the public schools in an attempt to reduce the power of teachers' unions is misguided and dangerous, IMO. Of course, they should improve over time, but too often other agendas drive the "reform".

Public schools have morphed into a babysitting creche to keep kids out of the workforce until age 18. You dont beleive me have a governor like ours shut the schools because of the gas prices and every republican in georgia was bitching about who was going to pick up the babysitting tab

Schools, even poor ones, do much more than baby sit. I'm not at all surprised that parents would be upset if the schools were closed - too many people have too many constraints about taking personal time to pick up their kids at non-standard times, and finding sitters is always a problem. Do we really want even more truant teenagers wandering around with nothing to do except get into trouble?

FWIW.

[edit: typo, misplaced "never".]

Cheers,
Scott.