OBAMA'S FOREIGN POLICY DEFINES THE USA AS IMPOTENT BUFFOONS

OBAMA’S FOREIGN POLICY DEFINES THE USA AS IMPOTENT BUFFOONS

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD Traditional Realist

From George Washington to Ronald Reagan our foreign policy has been based on peace through strength, with a few exceptions. President Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, has taken us far astray from projected strength.  He should have received the prize for encouraging dictators to crush freedom. The United States is no longer respected as the leader of freedom by other nations around the world.

It started with the “Obama Apology Tour” throughout the Middle East. The cancellation of the promised nuclear missile shield to Poland and Czechoslovakia demonstrated we would not fulfill our commitments to our allies. The optimistic reset button with Russia has been an utter joke. The failure to support and inspire the Iranian masses against the ayatollahs sent a similar message to dictators and liberty loving people of the world that the US no longer supports freedom. The “wink and a nod” policy of stopping Iran’s manufacturing of a nuclear weapon is another game. The Syrian “red line” speech humiliation and the unrealized promise of Syria to destroy their chemical weapons have shown our empty threats even up to this date.

Simultaneously with these actions or lack of we have cut back our military forces and removed our most courageous, outspoken officers. This dismantling of our fighting force has been noted by both our enemies and our friends.  

Besides emasculating our military forces, the decision by the highest level of our government not to send troops into Benghazi to protect our people was a dagger in the hearts of all veterans. The insidious disregard of America’s combat code of never abandoning dead or wounded soldiers violates the cohesiveness binding all warriors together.  This un-American act if not punished and reversed could undermine the morale of our entire armed forces.

The Benghazi murders of Ambassador Stevens and three other operatives were politically handled with an unconscionable lack of response, which could have saved lives. Although there were numerous warnings that the ambassador was a target of terrorism and kidnapping, there was no beefing up, instead there was a decrease in security.  This downplaying of the threat reinforced the government’s totally untrue narrative that Libya was stable after our questionable intervention.

All this was clumsily covered up by an unrelated video farce. Furthermore there was a forced signed statement by intelligence personnel in Benghazi who were evacuated during the terrorist attack not to talk publicly about the incident. The Obama administration has stonewalled congressional investigative committees and trampled the sacred traditions of our military.

This weakening of our military and the many events where we have not kept our word has led President Putin of Russia to disregard international law.  Putin grabbed Crimea with a military take over disguised by a “vote of the people.”  The pledge the U.S. made to the Ukrainian people to protect them against Russia for its willingness to disarm their nuclear weapons has not been acknowledged by Obama.

President Obama stated to Medvedev, on a supposedly turned off microphone, that he would have more flexibility after the election. President Obama’s “flexible policies” have not been a deterrent to Russia’s national expansion. President Putin’s response to President Obama is to taunt and mock him as a feckless leader.

After the United States has spent billions of dollars and has lost thousands of courageous soldier’s lives protecting the Afghanis against Taliban terrorists, President Karzai of Afghanistan disrespected the United States and in particular President Obama.  He stated he would release the captured terrorists back to the battlefield and America had no business to question this decision.  His audacious behavior against the nation that protected him and his countrymen demonstrates a diplomatic disaster that should have been better addressed.

The USA as the leader of the free world is now seen as an ignorant buffoon. Every present and future thug leader knows President Obama is not willing to stand up for spontaneous liberty or aggression against another nation. The present Obama policy of looking the other way has given the green light to any gangster leader to take whatever action he desires.

“Leading from behind” is an oxymoron. It is abdicating responsibility as a leader so as not to lead. It is weakness on display for other nations to take advantage. It is a dangerous policy for the USA. Our military and intelligence agencies need to be beefed up not downsized.

Our next president has to return our foreign policy to peace through strength.  We must reverse being appeasing apologists. Peace is never obtained or maintained by leading from behind. Nations, like people, respect righteousness and strength.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS NEED FREEDOM TO FULFILL THEIR MISSION

PRIVATE SCHOOLS NEED FREEDOM TO FULFILL THEIR MISSION

By Domenick J. Maglio, Ph.D.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, private school students do not primarily come from high socio-economic backgrounds. The image from the past of elitist private schools has been altered by the progressively dismal results of public education.

Using vouchers in the school choice movement has enabled many families with children who have significant academic and emotional difficulties to attend private schools.

Private education has had positive results with educating all types of students.  When private schools have been given the freedom and flexibility to run their own programs to meet the individual needs of children they do a significantly better job.

Hollywood star, Matt Damon who is a strong proponent of public schools, reluctantly admitted to the decline of public education. "The private school that I send my kids to is the thing closest to the public school that I went to that I could find. And that’s why I send my kids to private school. "

Common Core is being introduced to our school districts throughout the United States to reverse the academic slide. This decision will continue the decline of public school students. A segment of highly motivated, high socially-economic students will prosper but the majority of students will not be given sufficient time to mature before being stamped as failures. They are going to be seen as unfortunate casualties of the numbers game.

All students arrive at school with specific strengths and weaknesses. In private schools the administration can tailor-make the instruction for each student by creatively tweaking staff assignments and facility resources to be more efficient and effective in meeting the student’s unique needs.

These adjustments are done not for political advancement but for practical reasons to provide quality education to each student within the boundaries of the budget.. The hiring of additional staff and firing those who do not fit in is based on realistic and specific needs to meet the educational goal of increasing student performance.

Private schools do not want or cannot afford to change the entire program every few years to market the latest educational fad. The financial implications of the cost of new materials, equipment and training are prohibitive. They realize that a consistent structured environment provides a more encouraging and conducive environment for learning.

Most importantly, the owners of these schools have a strong mission that required them to put everything on the line to enter the business of education while competing with “free” taxpayer education.  Their philosophy of educating children gradually altered to meet the needs of a changing population.  In a real academic situation they learn what works for improving the performance of the students.

Private education will be devastated if they are forced to accept Common Core testing protocol to measure success. This in essence will cause private schools to abandon their freedom to be creative that produces high student performance. Private schools will become high priced carbon copies of the Common Core cookie cutter approach to education.

Parents have been disenfranchised in public/government school systems. They are powerless pawns in their child’s education.  They witness their child’s academic work primarily being directed towards a normative test with no recourse to change it. This is reversed in private school.  The private school, like any business, realizes the consumer has to be treated with respect and provided with a quality product or it will be fired by the parents. The decentralization of power into the hands of parents and students empowers them to become committed members of the school community they have chosen.

The uniting of parents with administration and teachers is the key element to providing an educational environment of excellence. The child knows there is no room to “play one against another.” Everyone stays on the same page, which focuses the child’s education on striving to be the best he can be.

The school community can produce miracles when everyone is working toward the same goals. The school head should have the freedom to make subtle or even more definitive adjustments on the steering wheel to keep on course. Students need a steady wind behind them to guide them toward the desired destination.

The freedom and power being in the hands of the person at the helm of the school, not in Washington, D.C., is essential for a private school to fulfill its mission of providing an optimal learning situation for each student.

IMPATIENCE FOR MATERIAL GOODS IS KILLING THE FAMILY

IMPATIENCE FOR MATERIAL GOODS IS KILLING THE FAMILY

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD Traditional Realist

The change in the psyche of people has taken years.  Most cultures in the world had held God and family as the most sacred values in guiding them. Now most modern people have turned to dedicating their lives to the accumulation of material wealth. Consumerism is the guiding principal of the masses throughout the world. Shopping has become the number one “sport” in most nations.

Hollywood has been the major conversion vehicle for this new religion of consumerism. The stunning homes and hedonistic life styles have influenced people all over the world who yearn to be rich and famous, self-absorbed and privileged people.

This propaganda has impacted everyone especially our children. Young adults are forsaking their loved ones to accumulate “vital objects” before they can even consider marriage and definitely before having a family.

Living together became the preferred arrangement. Only after obtaining expensive vehicles, minimally a two-car garage home and designer clothing do couples feel able to consider marriage. At this juncture young adults are older, the infatuation for their partner has worn off and the list of “needed wants” has expanded to further delay taking the plunge into marriage.

The deficiencies of a materialistic lifestyle no longer can be overlooked or denied. The original circle of friends begins to shrink as many have married and started a family. The female’s biological clock ticks louder indicating child bearing years are ending.

Every functioning family they encounter points out the emptiness of the purchasing life style. Describing a new tv does not compare with hearing about a child’s taking his first steps. They realize they are no longer young and realize they need to end their perennial adolescence. Too many are so addicted to acquiring new things they are not able to make the slightest personal sacrifice to start a family.

Materialism is a major factor for individuals marrying late or having a child, stopping at one or at most two children. They rationalize they want to give their child “everything.” This translates into the “best of things” for themselves first and the child next. In other words they unconsciously bring the child into the world of materialism at a high level that they establish.

The only child or two children in the family will be showered with everything the parent thinks he desires. The child’s material standards and expectations are much greater than were the parent’s at the same age.  The inevitable problem is that since the child is starting at a higher material level than did the parents the child has to be fed a larger and heavier dosage of goods to receive the same temporary thrills of the purchase.

These young individuals are addicted to instant gratification at a younger age leaving them more vulnerable to withdrawal when there is an economic downturn or unfortunate accident that downgrades their lifestyle. Their addiction to things rather than healthy family relationships is hard to reverse but is do-able.

The cycle of delaying the commitment to starting a family has become more common and acceptable as materialism spreads. The necessary replacement of the population declines as materialism expands. The self-centeredness of the people skyrockets leaving the virtues of the family forgotten.

Young adults should have patience in obtaining all their desires. They should realize that as they mature and gain on-the-job experience their wages will increase. This will improve their purchasing power but too many want it all now.

When two people commit themselves to marriage and having children, they leave behind a lifestyle of self-indulgence.  As a spouse and a parent they will suffer through illness and accidents becoming a team. Struggling and caring for a crying infant during sleepless nights shifts the perspective from the self.  Caring and loving family relationships teach a person there is more to life than just “things.”  Loving family relationships crate a legacy that is priceless.

The religion of materialism is a spiritual death sentence for a society.  Not only to the individual, family and particular nations but to all the civilizations of the world. The survival of humanity will be put into question unless we have a better appreciation of the natural riches of life in the world around us rather than collecting the latest fading fad.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.

MILLENNIALS: CREATE YOUR OWN JOB OPPORTUNITY

MILLENNIALS- CREATE YOUR OWN JOB OPPORTUNITY

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD., Traditional Realist

Millennials are perhaps the most academically educated generation in our nation.

The media has tagged them as the most overindulged, self-aggrandizing and “plugged in” group of young adults ever.  The millennial’s major gripe is that there are no educationally appropriate jobs for them in this economy.

The answer to their present and temporary dilemma is in their hands. Instead of complaining about their economic limitations on social media, they need to create their own opportunities by their own effort, brain power and perseverance.

They should learn from other periods of economic downturn. The same limited job opportunities existed for citizens during these times. Every immigrant group throughout our history had to face employment resistance. The Irish, in the mid 1800s were confronted by signs saying “No Micks Wanted.” The Swedes, Polish, Greeks, Jews, Italians and Hispanics overcame the roadblocks to work by first doing jobs no one else wanted.

The veterans returning from war, especially from WWI and Vietnam faced difficult employment reception. There were virtually no government safety nets to support them. It was work or amount to nothing. The GI Bill was there for Vets after WWII but many of them had personal responsibility to their families. They worked while getting an education. Most joined the labor market full time before reaching their educational dreams. 

Today, educated retirees are taking whatever jobs they can get due to age discrimination. They are employed in supermarkets, retail sales and as assistants in small businesses to survive these tough economic times. These retirees did what they had to do.

Overcoming job discrimination has never been easy. All these previous groups had to take positions below their ability, talents and education. They had to start at the bottom to reestablish references that could vouch for their present work ethic and abilities by actually demonstrating them on the job. The networking that they did was not through self-praising in a social media site but rather by developing a profile through the sweat of their brow.

After learning the business they became employed there and some moved to higher paying jobs. Some with entrepreneurial spirit created their own small business operations, often as a second job. They worked most of the time without getting a profit until the business became viable enough to quit the other job. They earned the privilege to run their own businesses and began to work for themselves at last.  A person’s sacrifice and effort is the key that opens the doors for employment and advancement

Today ivory tower credentialed students gain a dubious piece of paper. These graduated college students have an over inflated impression of their value to a businessman. It is not about how many credits or grades a students has earned in gaining an academic degree but what a person brings to the business to make it better, which is usually shown by starting at the bottom and working up the ladder.

The beginning employee has to prove his worth not believe he is entitled to start at the top. The arrogance of the millennials could be their worst flaw in developing into viable employees. They expect to begin their position making top dollar in a high level position. Most millennials refuse to “pay their dues” as did past citizens.

Today a person who wants to make $80/hour as a plumber initially serves an apprenticeship. He has to start as an assistant. He has to do whatever dirty work the master plumber wants until the plumber thinks he has studied his actions sufficiently to do more on his own. The apprentice earns his status in the same way a mentored teacher reaches a level of competence to be considered qualified.

Institutions of higher education have made the millennials believe that their piece of parchment paper would be the key that effortlessly and automatically opens the door to a high paying job in their field of interest. Instead, it has fostered angst, disenchantment and paralysis for these young adults.  The promotion of higher education has misrepresented the acceptance of college diplomas as a union pass. This misconception is angering many millennials, which prevents them from eagerly beginning to climb up the ladder to success.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.

STUDENTS ARE THE GUINEA PIGS IN COMMON CORE

STUDENTS ARE THE GUINEA PIGS IN COMMON CORE

By Domenick J. Maglio, Ph. D.

Common Core is backdoor nationalizing of the US educational system. Arne Duncan, secretary of education, used Race to the Top grant money to encourage and seduce state bureaucrats to get on the Common Core bandwagon.  Educational bureaucrats and lobbyists nudged the state legislators to vote for acceptance of this initiative without any specifics of the program and concrete research to determine the way it would impact students and/or teachers. 

The same rush through formula used to pass Obamacare is being used to create a ground swell of support for Common Core before any specifics are written. Big government politicians of both parties are anointing it. They give their word “it will be good for education” but they only talk in generalities/political speak.

Jeb Bush, ex governor of Florida and presidential candidate for 2016, developed and advocated another top down fiasco: No Child Left Behind. He currently is supporting Common Core. This should raise a red flag.

High standards alone do not determine student performance. It does place immense pressure on teachers to reach the standards, which is transferred to students to meet them.  The students are once again guinea pigs in a process not tested in the classroom but abstractly devised. The creators do not have first hand knowledge of dealing directly with the variability of student’s ability, skills, habits and motivation.

Even more pressure will be applied to younger children to learn more abstract complex concepts at an earlier age. Much of it will be developmentally inappropriate. Most children cannot abstract before the age of 11 according to Jean Piaget, preeminent educational psychologist.  Predictably this will cause more, not fewer students to be dumped into the educational trashcan of failure at an earlier age.

There will be a greater divide between the top students and all the rest who cannot keep up. Presently there is a media-advertising blitz, LearnMoreGoFurther.org, where teachers are vouching for Common Core.  These “high-falutin” standards are a wish list for student performance and not a curriculum. These representatives act as if their promises of success have already been accomplished.

Most actual classroom teachers are more cynical. They understand the critical issue of how you get students to reach the standards. It is easy to write them, but the difficult part is obtaining them.  Teachers understand CC will require even more paperwork to document student progress. This leads to even more time taken away from direct interaction with students.  The factors that were part of NCLB will be magnified by this more “rigorous” Common Core.

Like all the other mandated, innovative programs the eventual curriculum will require teachers to move forward with the program even with the students who do not get it. It will be another prescriptive approach leaving little time for teacher creativity. Even the NEA has voiced concern with the impact on the teacher’s ability to teach.

Factual knowledge has been deemphasized in favor of abstract critical thinking at a young age. Many students with limited general knowledge and basic skills along with limited life experience will not have the ability to think critically but will be perfect specimens to believe in teacher-led state propaganda. Cursive writing will be eliminated along with minimizing traditional civics or history. The lack of these vital subjects will make it impossible for future generations to read original documents and understand the history leading up to the birth of our nation and the genius of the founding fathers. Again this will make many of our students more illiterate then they already are.

Many states are putting the brakes on Common Core. Indiana has officially withdrawn from Common Core. More importantly, citizens, parents and teachers are organizing to have their voices heard. Like Obamacare, Common Core promises “standards “ that sound great but the “devil is in the details.”  The more meat we see on the bones, the more rotten the smell.

Nationalizing education is a game changer for America. It will end any chance of local control of our education.

America needs to decentralize education to give parents more direct input into their child’s education.  They should not be shut out of supposedly local school boards who act as apologists to teacher unions and state education bureaucrats.  

We need to bring education back to students, their families and communities. Our students should be treated as unique, worthwhile individuals not as throwaway victims in an untested educational ploy to nationalize US education.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.