White House: Your Questions on the Economy

The White House has on their web site a forum to submit questions for the president on the economy. And then people vote on which questions are to be asked.

All of the top entries are bogus questions where people simply want hand outs, and most of it has to do with college loans, it seems most of the entries are from college students. So we see more of this administration's 'Tax the productive segment of our economy more, in order to give it to the less productive.' That will be the inevitable response. Certainly this whole internet question idea is simply more silliness from this administration, Obambi is showing his lack of seriousness, certainly he has no Gravitas, he's a babe in the woods.

How about some serious fixes, like freezing capital gains taxes. If the Democrats allow capital gains taxes to increase next year, which is slated to happen by law without any votes, then whatever recovery that may come in short term will inevitably evaporate in the long run. But this administration is blind to the kinds of long term economic fixes that have worked in the past, under many other administrations, including Reagan, Kennedy and Bush.

Here are my responses, frankly the answers Obama should use, answers that would actually work to solve the problems...


Popular questions:

"The Founding Fathers believed that there is no difference between a free society and an educated society. Our educational system, however, is woefully inadequate. How do you plan to restore education as a right and core cultural value in America?"
Takeok, Boston, MA

• >> The use of vouchers is a start, but the real way to restore education is to let ALL parents choose the schools their children go to. Local, State and Federal taxes paid for education should be redirected 100% to the school of the parent's choice, whether that be a private school, religious school, whatever; competition is the only solution.

"For students graduating from college and graduate school, many of us have obscene amounts of debt. Do you have any plans to help alleviate some of that debt, given the current state of the job market?"
Am, Chicago, IL

• >> Nothing. It's your debt, pay it back. However, the job market I will address, by freezing capital gains at 15% and lowering business taxes from 35% to 30%, the job market will go insane with new jobs!

"Mr President What are you going to do about local public schools cutting enrichment programs (arts, science, PE) due to the budget issues? While we need to increase our education levels, yet we see less dollars for schools. Thanks Sunnyvale_mom"
sunnyvale_mom, Sunnyvale CA

• >> Again, I will mandate that all taxes that go to education instead be directed to the school of the parent's choice. That way competition will improve schools in general, and if the goal of a parent is a school with enrichment programs, then so be it, they will 'choose' that school for those funds and for their child.

"No Child Left Behind had some good ideas behind it, but a lot of bad ideas as well. If given the opportunity to change the law, what would you change about NCLB and what would you keep?"
Anthony, Long Island, NY

• >> NCLB had mostly bad ideas in the implementation. In fact, it was a bad idea all around. It is up to the parent to insure that no child is left behind, and with vouchers and 100% funding directed by parents, that will come to fruition with the free market, competition always works.

"As a college student, I am very concerned about the cost of tuition and the interest of student loans. What is going to be done to make getting a higher education easier for those of us who have to pay our own way through college?"
K Davey, Ottumwa, IA

• >> Get over it. Nothing is free, but if you fund your own way and study hard, you will get a good job after college, like the rest of us, and pay off those loans. If you are a slacker, then you shouldn't be in college in the first place.

"Teachers' salaries are being capped at astonishingly low points around the country. Teachers love what they do but cannot live anymore on these salaries. What are you doing to better the lives of teacher's and the lives of those they touch?!"
Rose, Tallahassee, FL

• >> Competition will see schools where better teachers are paid more. If you are a good teacher deserving more, the free market, once unleashed in education, will see to it that you get what you deserve.

"We have been focusing a lot on relief for homeowners, many of whom knowingly overextended themselves. But, what about relief for students who are having trouble paying back tuition loans?"
Chris, San Francisco, CA

• >> We are going to stop focusing on relief for slacker homeowners. We are going back to the free market. This is a recession, a market correction. The correction will correct itself much more quickly if government gets out of it. We will rescind all TARP and trillion dollar 'stimulus' spending, because this level of debt cannot be sustained. If you are having trouble paying back tuition loans, then you will have to cut back on those cars, big screen TV's, cell phones with cameras, etc that you have been wasting your money on. Perhaps you shouldn't have gone to college in the first place if you are a slacker that can't figure this out for yourself.

"What will you and your administration do to help make college more affordable for every American?"
JillF, Chicago, IL

• >> Nothing, it is already affordable, lower income families are given grants not available to higher income families, and student loans are afforded to all. If you still believe that you cannot afford to, then don't go to college, get a job after high-school.

"So much emphasis is placed on college I'm concerned that other types of education and training are being de-emphasized. How can we ensure that each person gets the education most appropriate for his or her interests and abilities?"
Celia, Texas

• >> The free-market figures these things out by itself.

"What can be done to improve our educational system? Our students need better facilities in which to learn, updated technology, better pay for teachers, and involved parents. How can we go about accomplishing all of this?"
Vanessa B, Castle Rock, Co

• >> Frankly, I'm tired of all the questions about education, ask me something else...