Quantity or Quality?

Politics
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The discussion on govcare got me thinking, maybe we’re doing this wrong.

We’ve got thousands of social justice equity government programs, laws and agencies.

According to many, they aren’t making a difference. It’s not enough!

I don’t really know how Norway does it. Do they have thousands too?

Or are they just doing a few really well?

Maybe doing a few really way is a better way and would be more palatable for Americans who aren’t psychotic neo-Marxists.

@DisturbedGuy says govcare will work, but admits gov needs to be fixed for it to work. Why would we add yet another program to a broken gov?

I agree the healthcare system in this country sucks. I don’t agree that “just another program” is the solution.

Poverty - there is one metric that is consistently indicative of poverty above all others. Not race, not sex, not gender.

Cognitive ability. In other words dull people make bad decisions. Race etc has nothing to do with it. Stupid is as stupid does in other words.

Can we make people smarter then? Not really. Data shows “education” doesn’t do nearly as much as we have been led to believe.

Even Harvard can’t make a genius out of a moron. More education appears to be an answer because people with more education get better outcomes. What we fail to realize is that it’s not because of more education. The people getting more education were smarter to begin with. That’s why they made the good decision to study.

But even then… look at the hourly rate for adjunct professors in science and mathematics. It’s not worth it.

So education isn’t the answer.

In this country, it’s not “generational wealth” either. Exceptions don’t make the rule.

Cognitive ability is a hard one. Absent a breeding program, not much to be done. But maybe being honest and have realistic expectations.

We used to say “Anybody can grow up to be President in this country!” That’s not true, it never was. Nor should it be.

Maybe instead of “MORE!” we should strive for “better!”

Fewer programs and agencies. Better focus and accountability.

I am in favor of looking at single payer healthcare. I am adamantly opposed to the current structure of centgov managing it.

I am in favor of helping hand up. Opposed to hand out. But the latter may be necessary. There may be a certain percentage of our population that is simply too stupid to make it in this system. Does that mean we have to punish the ones that are smart enough?

Think about how many programs we have to help “under-performing children” in schools. How many do we have for gifted children? Harvard is running our government. Basically ruling us by proxy. Yet what are they focused on? Skin color.

“No Child Left Behind” looks good on a bumper sticker. It’s not reality.

The keys to what people really need are not nearly as many or detailed as we’re pretending. They do need to be really well managed.

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I’ve said this here before but, IMO there needs to be a financial reward to a family on government assistance, for their child receiving good grades. There also needs to be a threat to any teacher or educator for cheating in this, with jail time. This will get the parent/parents involved with their child achieving good grades, making this child more valuable in the workforce, as an adult. Then this will cut expenses in future generations plus increase tax revenue by this individual working, instead of being on government assistance.

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I don’t disagree in principle, but “good grades” don’t equal improved cognitive ability by more than a few points.

The data shows you can’t school away stupidity.

I wouldn’t be opposed to looking at rewarding not procreating in some form or fashion. Maybe tax breaks for childless couples with low cognitive ability. :rofl:

Damn, that sounds bad even to me.

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Norway charges people fee’s at all stages of care. And you can’t go tot he ER without being in an ambulance or getting a doctor to send you there. Their system had free market reforms in the 80’s.

They also have a small population and north sea oil. It’s also one of the easiest places on earth for a citizen to start a business.

It’s not easy to immigrate there but you can get a work visa.

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I believe it’s a matter of culture and the culture needs to be corrected to place more value on their child’s education. When this happens, many more good things will follow. Asians are the perfect example of what I’m trying to achieve in this endeavor.

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Some kids can get good grades without really leaning too much. They just happen to be good test takers and if you ask them the same questions months later they won’t have a clue.

I like the idea for a childless couple tax break. Poor people have kids they can’t afford because the government encourages it.

I also like the idea of government assistance to be tied to some type of community service.

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The data suggests cognitive ability is fairly established before age 10. The improvements are not zero of course.

People who make good decisions tend to mate with other people who make good decisions; leading to…

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Or they aren’t being challenged because the system demands equity.

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Growing up as a child with good and plentiful food, healthcare, love and attention from decent parents and good sleeping habits makes people smarter. Cognitive ability changed.

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This isn’t a matter of some not having the cognitive ability. It’s a matter of a culture, not placing the value in education as being the methodology to escape poverty. My goal is to change that by rewarding those achieving good grades. When this happens, others with in the culture will see this and desire the same.

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The data shows it is not as much as we have been led to believe. The results just aren’t there.

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It is the one constant across all kinds of social issues. Even when you account for all other factors.

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Read the Wrecking Crew.

It talks about how, in what is generally regarded as better years in terms of economic disparity and equity - putting race aside - such as the 50’s, people were proud to work for the government. Harvard grads would take low paying jobs because it was a point of pride. Also because the wage gaps weren’t as great, so you weren’t giving up as much. And government was much smaller, and generally worked better.

Now, a harvard grad can earn 250K first year out of school. And people ridicule government workers. Our culture and our economics has changed significantly.

Leads to the elected people trying their best to do the right thing - maybe open a new department… - and not having a deep bench to make it actually work as intended.

It’s a good book.

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If you keep doing the same thing, expecting different results, what’s that the definition of? What I am suggesting is an answer to a problem that is getting worse by the generation. It needs to be reversed and this is an idea that is a giant step in the right direction…again…IMO.

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Thanks for the recommendation. What you are alluding to is the stratification of intelligence, then education, then wealth.

I believe fundamentally misattributed based on agendas and a lack of critical thinking.

A correlation vs causation problem.

Along with “more accessible” theory based on the wrong criteria.

There are people graduating college who couldn’t have passed the SAT in the 1950s.

You should see some of the questions on high school entrance exams from the 19th century.

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I know what you mean.

I myself would support temporary sterilization for recipients of assistance.

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Whoa! Whoa! WHOA!

Not no but hell no.

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Consider gangs and youth violence in our inner cities and how this would improve that? Getting good grades and learning will build self esteem and pride. Those watching will want the same and then you’ll even get competition for good grades. If this is administered properly, it could very well be a total game changer in a lot of bad areas and benefit our entire country?

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Nutrition and cognitive ability in the developing brain is pretty well documented. Take iron for example; (iodine and other nutrients and micronutrients are also in play)

Perinatal iron deficiency and neurocognitive development (nih.gov)

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I will agree it would greatly improve the situation. Move them up one or two levels. And is therefore worth supporting.