Clearing my conscience........

[GeoFisher]

I've railed against EVERYTHING government here for quite some time....you all know that.

I was ranting last night with my sister, who is a CRAZY LIBERAL, and she reminded me of something that makes me WHO I AM professionally....

Yea, it was a government program.........I will explain.

When I was in high school, I was a really, REALLY hard to deal with. I mean a problem child. Failed classes, didn't apply myself, etc, etc. The summer before my junior year, that all changed. I was accepted into a program called Upward Bound. That program was for kids who were smart (PSAT and SAT scores off the charts smart), but hated school. That was right up my alley.

For 2 summers, I attended Ball State University, stayed in the dorms, took prep classes and some college classes, and basically LEARNED to LIKE school.

This was all paid for by the taxpayers.

Not only that, but I also got PAID to go in the summers. I received 300 bucks each summer. In the fall, at least 2 Saturdays and 1 day every week I also attended these prep classes. I was required to make 1 weekly and at least 2 monthly Saturdays. If I made these classes, I was PAID 50 bucks.....so I MADE the CLASSES.

That first summer and first fall turned my educational life around. I went from a C/D/F student to a 4.0 student, and nearly graduated with honors from high school. It was also during this Upward Bound program that I started to learn REAL programming. I learned DCL (digital control language), REXX, and Fortran 77. THIS was the stuff that turned me into a learning sponge....I wanted to learn it ALL.

I received a music performance scholly to Indiana University, and the rest is history. I didn't pursue music, but the opportunities those two summers made the difference in my life.

I'm probably NOT going to change the way I think too much about stuff, but I might a little .

I'm glad my sister hammered me on this, because NOT all programs are a waste of money.

Later,

Geo

[Tyme2fish]

My take on your experience is that you actually improved yourself. You didn't just sit back and let the money roll in. Certain requirements were asked of you and you fulfilled those same requirements. Good for you.

I also benefited from a government program, The G.I.Bill, that enabled me to graduate with my degree in pharmacy and thus started my career. The tax payers more than got their money back from that investment in my education. I served in the army from 1970 to 1972 and I hope most of you can remember that the war in Vietnam was pretty hot at that time. Was I scared? Dang right I was. But I had no money to finance my education and I rolled the dice that I would survive my army stint and return to college to complete my education. I was never deployed overseas and I don't want anyone to think I'm claiming to be a Viet Nam combat vet.

[know1]

It's always good to clear your conscience

There is no doubt that good individual results can come from government programs.

That being said, I still hold the the firm belief that most, if not all government programs can be administered more effectively and efficiently by non-government - i.e. private sector - entities.

[kygorski]

The VA is a gov. program. Pell grants are also the same thing, some educational programs do show results, IF the reciepients work at it. My daughter had student loans for part of her years in college, she paid them off first. My first mortgage was VA, and it wasn't as easy to qualify then. I havn't used any VA med. benefits, my insurance covers me well enough, but thats all some vets have, Thyere are a lot of badly run, thoughtless programs that can be done awau with.

[HURRICANEBOB]

So now you're balming the government for sending you to school?

That's it, I want my share of the money back

[ElectricSLT]

Man Geo - I hope your not gonna start singing KUM BAH YAH!!!

[DJD]

Well I think thats different than what you rally against on here. You didn't sit back and milk the system, you didn't come here illegally and milk the system, your paying taxes, your smart enough to understand giving folks everything for generations is wrong. There are plenty of gubment programs that are a waste of time and tax money with the way they are run now. Noone on here can say any different.

Our present state of affairs in this country has little to do with how schools educate kids...sure it isn't perfect but didnt break this country. It's about wasteful unchecked
spending in many areas including housing. It's about aweful policies like healthcare, global warming, cap and trade, carbon footprints and dishonest politicians who have sold out the country for their own benefit. Corporation Bailouts and elected officials not being responsible for their actions.

If you feel better that's great but just watch the news and you will be disgusted again very soon!!

[GeoFisher]

Man Geo - I hope your not gonna start singing KUM BAH YAH!!!

Na, but I did take a pretty good butt kicking over my ANTI GUBMENT ideas.

Like I said, I pretty much HATE all gubment, but in this case, and in cases others have posted, there are places for it.

Later,

Geo

[parker]

Na, but I did take a pretty good butt kicking over my ANTI GUBMENT ideas.

Like I said, I pretty much HATE all gubment, but in this case, and in cases others have posted, there are places for it.

Later,

Geo

I thought, well never mind. You have a family member you cant win a conversation with? Glad it worked out for you even if I helped pay for it.

[GeoFisher]

I thought, well never mind. You have a family member you cant win a conversation with? Glad it worked out for you even if I helped pay for it.

I cannot win with MOST of my family members.......most all are blue collar / union DEMOCRATS......but that is what exists in the rust belt of Indiana .

I do have some that are not union......but not many.

Later,

Geo

[Chubminnow]

Some government programs are good, some are needed, most are a waste of hard earned tax payer money that end up dragging on and on and on, and people learn to live like that and the end result is people abuse the system...but the government let's them get away with it so who's to blame? This is my .02

I do wonder about all of these programs funded by the government, I especially wonder because...well..you know...it ain't like the government has a lot of money right now and too...how much our we in debt now? Geesh....Good lord man!! So I guess I'm sort of wondering how far the United States is from having some sort of hell raising happen that's similar to what's going on in Egypt right now. If the government goes broke enough they won't have no choice but to cut, cut, cut and cut some more. The number of people who rely on social programs is way more than any of us realize. Most of us here on this board are typical working stiff's, retired working stiff's, blue collar, white collar, police, volunteer firemen, etc. most of us only know one way to get ahead and that's the HARD WAY! But there are a plethora of people in our country who "get by" with a little government help. They have learned to work the system in their favor.

Plus too, think about this. Not only are programs being cut but I read today that New York City may be looking at laying off 15,000 teachers. 15,000!!...that's a lot of heads ain't it? Sure seems like a lot of heads to me. And according to how the teachers UNION works, the first cut will be the lowest on the totum pole, which ain't good for the kids...a chopped head isn't based on whether or not you did your job well or not, a chopped head means you were lowest on the totum pole.

Just another rant from me I guess....sorry to get off topic if I did.

[kygorski]

All the states are looking at cutting education, thats what we need! A whole generation of under educated folks trying to enter a job market that they are not qualified for, and will never be.So forign governments some how manage to find funds to send students here, that will not continue.I dont like to pay taxes, but have been supporting public education since I started working , even though my children went to a parochial school, and my daughter went to another state for her college degrees,Cutting education is STUPID,we will have more under paid workers, and more jobs will leave because of the lack of skills, and trainable workers. Hey you cant have a fast food resturant on every corner in america. They are also cutting back on police forces, another wonderful idea.