Somebody recently opined in a letter to the editor in The Dallas Morning News that teachers are overpaid. He said the average pay is $53 thousand and change, and that there is little to show for it.
First of all, that figure is not the norm. Most teachers make between $30 and $40 thousand – some even less. And they work long hard hours for that pay. If results aren’t what people expect, maybe it has more to do with the work ethic of the students and not the teachers.
Earlier this year the government announced that there would be no cost of living increase in Social Security payments. The reasoning was that there has not been a significant increase in the cost of living.
Excuse me, but what about the fact that it now costs $80.00 for four bags of groceries that cost $60 last year. And now we have gas prices going out of sight.
Recently the House voted to cut funding for NPR, which received $5 million in federal funds in 2010.
As if that is really going to significantly impact the federal budget. I’m going to say this again, and continue to say it until somebody in Washington pays attention, CUT SPENDING FROM THE TOP. Sorry about the shout, but it would be so easy to fix the federal budget if we streamlined agencies and administration. Just streamlining the IRS would save hundreds of millions a year. The top agents make annual salaries in the high six figures, with entry level starting at about $50 thousand. And just recently it was announced that the IRS is requesting 1054 new staff members that will cost about $359 million in salaries and offices.
Glenn Beck just couldn’t let the tsunami go by without saying it is part of God’s plan to punish mankind for how we are behaving. Never mind that the Japanese people have responded with the utmost dignity and character, so what exactly are they being punished for?
Despite the floods and fires and swarms of locusts cited in the Old Testament, I do not believe that the God I believe in would use disasters to punish His people. Stuff happens because it happens, not because God wants to teach us a lesson. The lesson comes from within as we deal with tragedy and disaster.
What have you found of interest in the news this week?
I am a total news junkie at heart. Since I started my new writing regimen at the beginning of the year, I’ve had much less time to read everything. I was sad learning Elizabeth Taylor died.
I was too, Carol.She was a good actress and so glamorous. A gorgeous lady even in her later years.
Hope the writing is going well.
I believe the full pensions for life after only one term should be cut for politicians should be done away. As a matter of fact let them collect SS and adhere to limits of earnings.
If they want to start small — let them pay for their own housing, education for their kiddies, lunches, haircuts and take away drivers and cars supplied by us.
IMHO the earth is acting up because of all the foliage we’ve removed and the concrete and asphalt we poured leaving it no room to breathe.
Didn’t mean to rant. Sorry.
Oh, Maryann, I get rabid over such news items. I’m not sure any longer that 24-7 news is a good thing, but the internet is even more overwhelming. Much of it what is put out as ‘news’ is trite, celebrity oriented, opinionated self aggrandizement, or outright garbage, and finding facts or truth difficult.
Maybe it’s just me because no one seems to agree with my opinion anymore.