I recently found myself in a discussion of the rigidity of today's education system. The argument was that a student should be allowed to assemble a hodgepodge of knowledge at all levels of education.

Economic theory would say this is the perfect way to learn. All people are consumers of information. Consumers tend to think at the margin, that is, in terms of how will consuming one more unit affect the benefit or enjoyment I receive. Should I work 8 hours and relax 3 hours a day, or should it be more like 6/5? It's all about finding that perfect combination of consumption that maximizes your personal benefit.

The same is true for education. Many times I find myself (and I'm sure I'm not alone) slacking in a class that doesn't particularly excite me. I incur a cost of class time that nets me no personal benefit. If my attention isn't on the material, I'm gaining no knowledge from being in the classroom. If I were to choose a handful of classes each semester that interested me, with no constraints, I would be maximizing my benefit by ensuring that the full time in class was spent gaining knowledge.

This principle can be applied to K-12 schools as well. Many schools struggle to score highly in math. The trick to boosting these scores would be to find subjects that students enjoy learning and inject math into those topics. Students interested in cars? Use them to show applied concepts of ratios, volume, and weight. What about magazines? Use page layouts to demonstrate area or calculate circulation statistics or ad revenue.

Society is moving quickly to a social community-driven way of thinking. MySpace or Facebook users join groups based on interests. Bloggers share their thoughts and opinions to readers who share interest in the topic. Teachers, parents, experts throughout the community should be finding ways to match interests to the curriculum instead of constraining knowledge in neat little boxes. The trick is finding the right combination that maximizes the educational benefits received by the student.


Want to know how cities play into this argument? Read Remixing Cities.

I've compiled a list of a few congressional bills related to economic
development, cities, and sustainability. If any of these bills tugs at you in
any sort of way, write or call your Congressman or Congresswoman and ask for
them to work to get it passed.

This is certainly not every bill related to the topics above. If you want to do
your own search, head to thomas.loc.gov.

The Bills

H.R.644 To facilitate the provision of assistance by the Department of Housing
and Urban Development for the cleanup and economic redevelopment of brownfields.

• Allows the HUD Secretary to issue grants for the cleanup and redevelopment of
  brownfield sites (former industrial areas).
• Passed in the House, in Senate subcommittee since Feb 2007.
  

S.331 A bill to provide grants from moneys collected from violations of the
corporate average fuel economy program to be used to expand infrastructure
necessary to increase the availability of alternative fuels.

• Basically what the title says, cities under the Clean Cities program are
  eligible for money to increase the availability of alternative fuels through
  increased infrastructure.
• In Senate committee since Jan 2007.
  

H.R.3498 To authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make
grants to assist cities with a vacant housing problem, and for other purposes.

• Don't let the title fool you, this bill makes money available for the demolition
  of vacant housing. Or, the demolition of vacant housing with a redevelopment
  plan.
• In House subcommittee since Oct 2007.
  

H.CON.RES.305 Recognizing the importance of bicycling in transportation and
recreation.

• A concurrrent resolution which states that bicycling is important for
  alternative transport in the US, and recommends that the Dept. of Transportation
  create a bike task force.
• Passed in the House, currently in Senate committee.

H.R.7096 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for
income attributable to business activities conducted in high job-loss areas.

• Would allow up to 50% of income from business activities in a high-job loss area
  to be deducted from taxes.
• In House committee since Sept 2008.
  

H.R.6435 To relieve traffic congestion.

• Provides guidelines for a traffic relief program.
• Recommends the Congress make available funds to promote non-auto transportation
  (bikes) and smart growth and land use policies.
• In House subcommittee since July 2008.
  

S.1324 A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
transportation fuel sold in the United States.

• Modifies the Clean Air Act to include emissions from transportation fuel.
• Provides definitions and guidelines for the use of low-carbon emitting fuels.
• Allows for companies that reduce carbon emissions from their fuels to receive
  credits.
• In Senate committee since May 2007.
  

S.3124 A bill to require the Secretary of Labor to establish a program to
provide for workforce training and education, at community colleges, in the
fields of renewable energy and efficiency, green technology, and sustainable
environmental practices.

• The title says it all.
• In Senate committee since June 2008.
  

Again, if any of these bills speak to you, don't hesitate to contact your
Representatives.

As a Republican, reading op-ed pieces like this one gives me a queasy feeling in my stomach. Not because I think it's left-wing and against my party, but because it has real potential to be correct.

Over the past decade or so, the GOP has been sliding further and further away from the values of fiscal conservatism and limited federal influence that were, and still are, what I consider to be the most important issues for deciding who will be our next president.

Increasingly, the Republican Party has found itself reaching out to a base of social conservatives, who put issues like overturning Roe vs. Wade and blocking homosexual marriage above issues like a balanced budget and more state and local government responsibility.

This election has highlighted this slide clearly. Disgusting acts of racism like the hanging of the Barack Obama effigy on the University of Kentucky's campus and the shouting of "kill him" at rallies for Sarah Palin are deep cuts to the fabric of American society. I feel embarrassed and ashamed to be associated with a party that is capable of these acts.

I'm also embarrassed by the fiscal policies of Republican politicians over the last decade. The increases in government control and spending are disgusting and in direct contradiction with the ideals the party worked to build with Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

The GOP needs to redefine itself as a party primarily concerned with running an efficient government with a minimum of revenue from taxes. It should be a party that upholds the Fiscal Responsibility Act as well as the other 9 acts of the Contract with America that was passed by the 104th Congress.

Less important are social issues like the 2nd Amendment, which is a guaranteed constitutional right, are of little importance to national politics. Supreme Court judges should uphold the 2nd amendment any time it is challenged, and any bill that acts in disagreement would be obviously unconstitutional.

Pro-choice or pro-life is an issue of morality and personal belief. Roe vs. Wade is a landmark case and has served the country well for three decades. Ban late-term abortions, but allow doctors to offer an abortion if they so choose, and allow women and couples to make the decisions based on their personal morals and beliefs.

Government has no place in the personal decisions of its citizens, and homosexuals are not exempt from this thinking. Regardless of sexuality (and whether you believe its a choice or not) all people and all couples should have the same rights. Homosexual couples that adopt a child should qualify for tax breaks that traditional couples are given.

The Republican Party needs new leaders that reject backward-thinking social conservatives and embrace policies that focus on balancing the national budget, keeping spending less than collected revenue, paying off public debt, and increasing American exports through free trade to allow surpluses on the capital and current accounts. Surpluses will allow investment in reduced taxes and increased incentives for investment that will allow the balancing of the 10 trillion dollar public debt that we as a nation owe to countries like China that has been building over many many years (not to mention the 56 trillion dollar total debt when Medicare and Social Security is factored in).

We need a Republican Party that pursues a foreign policy of strengthening our trade relations around the world, honoring treaties, strengthening our domestic economy to allow us to work with international agencies that spread humanitarian aid and democratic ideals, using economic pressure to punish regimes that refuse to work against terrorism, and continuing a tradition of a strong, well-equipped military that can be used in defense of our territory as well as in special cases worldwide to fight terrorism and defend human rights.

The Republican Party should reject leaders that spread intolerance and hate and embrace those that have interests in securing individual freedoms and choices, providing a strong economic environment for investment, and a safe country that stands by all world citizens with aspirations of living better lives.