Thursday, September 4, 2008

On Education Politics

Sheetz sent this...

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth. She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his . One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying. Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, ' Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.' Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean 's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.' The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!' The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican party.'

5 comments:

Stanley Crocker R.D.,L.D. said...

Great story. I will remember it and repeat it often. Now, how can we write it to address those Republicans focused only on guns or abortion? Same can apply to the Dems and the environment, human rights, or war. Politics makes for strange bedfellows. If it were only a matter of getting the money we have worked for (taxes in this case) the vast portion of US citizens would be Republican. I wish it were such an easy label to bestow upon myself, instead I sit on the fence day after day until my ass hurts.

The ralph account said...

nope, not getting pulled in....

Stanley Crocker R.D.,L.D. said...

Not pulling at all. Just saying that life and politics have lots of influences. You are great for surrounding yourself with people who are subject to all of the influences. I suppose that many people respond do to blog postings expecting a bit of banter, not me.

Good story.

The ralph account said...

My wife pulled me in by saying that she saw that piece months ago. What a bunch of BS eh?

Yeti Ken said...

The problem is, most people (non-politicians) who debate the issue of taxes get the whole issue wrong because they're not smart enough to know the difference between dollars and percentages.

Personally, the father's suggestion in the story doesn't make any logical sense. The only place taking from the over-acheiver and giving to the under-acheiver makes sense is in an asset allocation strategy of investing..oh, and maybe Robin Hood.