Mike, Mike, Mike, Obama has a plethora of relatives in Kansas etcetera. Uncles, cousins etc. How can a man have relatives here if he sprung form somewhere else for generations past.

Jefferson was a good man but he said a lot and can and is taken out of context. He also died heavily in debt because of his extensive wine bill. His writings are influenced by his living way out in the sticks of western Virginia, Charlottesville. These quotes are talking points not some kind of Maoist sloganeering or god inspired truty. Mike, Norwalk really gets off on sloganeering. Rearden nice to hear from Burr Ridge but I know not of this obsession with Sally Hemmings. It is just part of history. As we know Old Tom was a liberal thinker and more than that a liberal in behaviour and is considered the founder of the Democratic Party (the party of small deficits, and small national debt). Just check out the "read my lips" list of Presidents and what they have done to our country and its finances, Reagan, Bush, Bush they are the culprits.

In western civilization the catholic church was "the government and institution" that performed the welfare funciton in the middle ages. In the US the first welfare were the establishment of Indian reservations. Welfare is often tied to a societies penchant or discriminating against, or keeping down a certain element of population. When society becomes a booster for all people rather than an institution of oligarchs, CEO's, and Corporate Boards, who keep people down then welfare can disappear. When Clinton and Repubs ended "welfare as we knew it" it only worked because Clinton insisted that society became a caring and booster oriented society.

Only part and shallow truth. Ben was known for his own frugality and ability to gather money to himself, what with publishing and stuff. But he fails to point out at least one exmple of princely taxation that was loved by the peopel. When King Mathias of Hungary came to the throne he increased taxes and the nobility and peasantry all complained (so what is new) but he built up the army, chased out the Turks etcetera and it is reported that people said upon his death, "we would gladly pay more if he would but rise again". So old Ben makes that common mistake of many who have not learned to never say never and never say always. There have and I am sure will be again good, efficient, and just tax regimens and adminstratiosn.

Some here are honest though. They only attack Obama's birth because in their mind they think he is "liberal". If he were conservative they would not give a damn about it. Just like the Repubs did not give a damn about Bush era deficits and debt. After all it was Cheney who said "Deficits don't matter, Ronald Reagan proved it". What a bunch of holes y'all run with!

What else do you do with a seven year old than control them? Do you allow a seven year old to choose their own assignments, even in home schooling, hell no you don't? Few parents give their children the right to free religious expression, especially the home school crowd, in public school kids meet others of all religions but the school itself teaches none! Do not most parents want a controlled press and controlled TV when it comes to their children, so what is wrong with this? Okay so the student council is a sham, do you really want them running your kids school; as we know it is an adult's world afterall. This guy is an educator and he was trying to jerk the stings of other educators, of people who preside over our precious youth everyday. His words are simply shop talk not to be taken so seroulsy by political hackers like most of us. Have a litlle bit of humour, y'all!

What a jerk this guy is!

The history of the world is the history of every great areas of unity. The more we travel, communicate etcetera the more we will be alike. By government meddling in citiy affairs we all assume (I assume) Twain meant the Feds, bu he could have meant state government also. Anyway without Fed meddling we could still have Chicago being run by the mob. We could have cartels take over our cities as in Mexico etcetera.

No one has to choose the public school. The only compulsion in most states is that children be educated. Mary, I did not read the word government in the quote. Could it be you are some how preconditioned or programmed to read words that are not there? Now know of some religious who feel compelled, and go along even though they do not always like it, to send their kids to a church school.

There is nothing more diverse than "the public". Now a small portion of the public say a chruch school etcetera certainly does not have the freedom and diversity of the public. Public school kids don't generally march into the classroom, wear a uniform etc.

Jim K Hitler rose to power by being a virulent anti-communist. Okay he may have turned to "socialism" but his mantra was "okay then socialism it is but it must be a National Socialism and not an international socialism" and he was in bed with industrialists and other control freaks. A typical right winger if you ask me.

Okay editor this is a really good one; thought provoking. What he is saying is that a long held tradition or way of doing things loses the memory of its first cause, and thus it is hard to attack or to understand the tradition. The non historian simply says "that is the way it is". But historians, deeper digging folk, can understand and identify the why. Thus there are reasons for Socail Security, Medicare etcetera. Let us not forget our past or we will be forced to live it again. That is what the right wing in this country wants us to do, live the past again.

Yes I think somebody would willingly not educate their children. In fact it is documented. In fact that is why truant officers came into existence. Now people as we know can choose church, private or home schooling. But educate they must only because it is the law. Where did these ignorant quotes come from today, editor?.

There is nothig more tightly controlled than HOME SCHOOLING. Hell that is why folk home school so that they can control there kids, and protect them form the world. I give her a five for recognizing the issue of control but double zero for sheer studpidity.

Correct government, good governemnt, is or should be, only the people! The people in its broadest sense is the surest safe guard for good schools. The Jesuit system of schools and colleges was started for the purpose of keeping society "within the church", it was not for free and open minded education. Most private schools are just the same, they have a preset purpose and "it aint't education per se".

Jack Green is correct. Do we not generally put the organization above the individual whether it be military, corporation, church etcetera. Hitler was an evil man but that does not mean his words cannot be carefully read and analysed. Good thinking Jim from Detroit! Hitler was a right wing conservative.

Isn't it great to know that things are no worse today, or maybe they are better, than they were in 1266, or 1946, or 1985.

Krista you are soooo right on about the "In God We Trust" thing except it was not that but "One Nation Under God" that was added to the pledge. I agree with you that it was a purely political manipulation of the right wing when Eisenhower was sitting on the throne. The phrase should not be in our pledge and having it there and making otherwise fine maybe non-believing Americans say it or swallow hare is indefensible,

Public education is by nature much more diverse than any other. Would consider a school predicated upon a faith to be diverse or one set up for any alterior purpose. Church schools are set up for one purpose, to indoctrinate and keep the kids in the church, not for them to freely explore things.

Marcia it is great to hear from someone from Hinsdale. I lived there at worked at the San (Hospital) in the 1980's. I disagree with your picking on Robert though. I think the humnaities is the soul of a good education. That is history, litierature, poetry, music etcetera. The rest will fall in place in time but are kids don't get enough of the good stuff.

This quote is really demonstrated in the life of Jimmy Carter. In school during the 1930's he states that every time his school teacher would leave the class room she would say, "Now study the lesson, you know any boy in this room could be President some day". I would appear that he took it to heart. Aw the power of subliminal or not so subliminal suggestion.

Carlton needs to read history a lot closer. Dear J it was South Carolina that fired upon Fort Sumter, can you dig it? As far as the quote, it is lonely at the top. Sometimes decisions have to be made without getting the approval of every single human being. While Frederick's construction is a little bit crude and hard to swallow it goes along with the first rule of management, "Keep making decisons until they stop you"! Hopefully they will be wise and prudent decisons like those made my our current President.

I think he was talking about the Koch Brothers, Fox News and some of the Tea Party crowd.

Okay it is a pretty good quote! But hell let us leave the kids alone and let them go have some fun. Isn't that what childhood is for, to have some fun. Life goes on so let us all get one.

Like many today who want to control what kids are learning or doing in school. Our public schools are diverse giving students the options of career and learning choices. The history of the philosophy of education is big people wanting to dictate to young people. I would rather have government (democratic government - all the people) setting the agenda rather than any one person.