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Zhongwen

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« Sunday "Modern Love": Something Like Motherhood | Main | Work, Family, and "Sea Turtles" »

September 25, 2005

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Thanks, Sam, for participating:

I have posts about dyslexia scheduled throughout the day

Here's the main one, what I wish parents and teachers knew about dyslexia

What I Wish

Costs of untreated dyslexia to the state:
'
Costs of Untreated Dyslexia

What do you think about the argument that health insurance companies should be doing more of this, Sam?

I struggle with insurance companies all the time, for Aidan's medical care. We pay a fair amount of money for premiums, and I am happy to pay because we certainly get our money's worth. But we all know that the health insurance situation, nationally, is a mess. Insurance companies are just that: companies. They are in it to turn a profit. When a "doctor" writes a letter to me saying that Aidan's enteral formula (the only form of nutrition he can have) is "not medically necessay" I know that they are pushing to see how far they can low-ball his care. If Maureen were not a nurse and I not a professor (used to dealing with fancy words like "enteral"), I am sure Aidan would not get the care has has received over the years because the companies try to find ways not to spend the money - even when it is obviously necessary. How does this apply to Special Ed.? It is notoriously difficult to establish the educational needs of some children. Getting a diagnosis can be quite complex sometimes. So, why should I believe that a company, remote from the school and the child, will be better at guaging needs and providing services than therapists and parents and teachers in the local school? Yes, the local people may need some help at time, expertise in particular areas. But the principle of "subsidiarity" tells me that decisions should be taken at the most local level feasable, and I believe that is the local school district that receives financial help from the Feds. Just some thoughts....

I said this on another post from this topic...but why are people so stingy about funding schoools? Schools should have all the money they can reasonably use and our children should have the best education available in the world. And yet we're falling behind as a country. I'm not sure who's priorities are determining our funding for education...but they're really screwed up.

This kind of stuff just makes me mad. Every day at the train station I see people out there shaking cans, asking for donations: Help kids with cancer! Help the elderly! Help the homeless!

Taking care of the members of our society is not some favor we do them because we're charitably minded. It is our RESPONSIBILITY.

Enriching and educating the people prosper nations. It is an irony when a Government ignores the concepts of its own renowned economists while other nations use the same ideas to set economic policies and prosper from them. It can be just a simple choice of ‘butter or guns’ policy. Although a simple concept; it affects a nation’s allocation of funds and opportunity costs for prosperity, since all countries no matter how rich have limited budgets for spending.

By taking a simple look at the big picture and examining why countries like Germany, Japan, and China have prospered over the past several decades may have something to do with a balanced or enforced choice of ‘more butter than guns’? This has nothing to do with maintaining a well equipped army during peacetime and staying ahead in terms of arms technology over other nations. Wrong policies on funds usage by any nation like fighting wars for instance do have major repercussions on its people’s welfare, immediate or in the future.

Wars benefit no one and if fought frequently bring hardship on a state and its people. Sunzi has this to say on waging wars (Chapter 2):
‘When the army engages in protracted campaigns the resources of the state will not suffice.’ ‘When your weapons are dulled and ardor damped, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, neighboring rulers will take advantage of your distress to act. And even though you have wise counselors, none will be able to lay good plans for the future.’

Perhaps wise policymakers could take Sunzi’s thoughts into consideration before they decide whether to better spend their nation’s money on butter or guns. After all, they should not forget that they are of the people, by the people and for the people.

Children if properly nurtured can become future captains of industry or leaders in Government. Is the cost lesser or money well spent for a Government to send a young soldier to distant lands to fight protracted wars rather than providing continual free medication to a sick child?

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