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Economic Threats Facing Families
& Children
Compared to Prior Generations
Recommended Links To These & Other
Sources - see below by category |
There are related good sites on the Web which compare current economic conditions
facing young families and their children to that faced by prior generations. Please
recommend others. Following is a listing by category of various sites, including several
individual chapters of the Grandfather Economic Reports- - and some cultural items at the
bottom. Here are the category quick links >
General - issues - Debt - Family
Economic - Government - Voting/Trust - International - Economy and Energy - Taxes - Regulation - Education
- Reagan Era - Healthcare - National
Security - Action - Milton Friedman, etc
- Other - Cultural - HOME
General Issues:
- Home Page of the
Grandfather Economic Reports - by MWHodges - A series of picture reports to
increase awareness of difficult economic challenges facing families & youth, compared
to prior generations: on family incomes, debt, social security, education quality,
government (federal, state/local) spending, taxes, foreign trade & exchange,
inflation, energy, regulations, productivity, voter participation (at:
https://grandfather-economic-report.com/)
- Summary of 5 Core Threats
identified by the Grandfather Economic Reports - why these reports. All identified
challenges via 12 serious questions
- Road traveled to a cross-road - from founding fathers
to today - and a legacy - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
Debt:
- Federal Government Debt Report by MWHodges -
increasing each and every year, now $14.6 trillion, and $43,925 debt per child, the
majority of which was created in the 1990s with rising portion of interest going to
foreign entities - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- America's Total Debt Report - all debt - - graphic trends of
total government AND private debt of households, business and the financial sector - $57
Trillion, soaring faster than national income - $186,717 per man, woman and child - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Trust Fund Debt Report - over $4 trillion owed to trust
funds, since all surpluses were siphoned-off and spent by general government on non-trust
business - while claiming the need to 'save social security first' - a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- Household Debt - - highest ratio in history.
- Pay-down Debt with whose money? - - is it
right to use trust fund money to pay down non-trust debt and then just give the trust fund
a few non-marketable IOUs with no repayment plan - - which means debt was not paid-down,
just shifted? - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Total Debt
Summary Table - - showing dollar value each category of debt, government and private
sector - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Today's Federal Govt.
Debt - - The total amount as of today - - to the penny - according to the government
- Bureau of Public Debt - from your Treasury Department
- Trust Fund holds NO real assets
- new Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill confirms (July 2001) Grandfather Economic Report
accuracy.
- External Gross Debt of U.S.
& US Credit - 'The entire US Economy now heads toward a dead-end alley, the
inevitable conclusion of a system whose foundation is built upon growing debt.' - by Jim
Willie, May 2003.
- National Debt - An Analysis By Thomas H.
Smith
- Debt Clock of the Federal Government -
presentation of the Debt - by Ed Hall
- Trust Fund Report on non-existing Trust fund surpluses
- "A World in
Debt" by Freeman Tilden, 1932 - a classic. "There is one cause, and only one
cause, of all panics and depressions in the economic world. That cause is debt. Credit is
debt."
- Debts to the People - by design
- - by Sheldon Emry circa 1960. A brief summary to help novices understand how money is
created out of thin air - - designed to create a society forever in debt.
- The Phenomenon of Debt, based on "The World in Debt" - a classic by Freeman
Tilden. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.
- Federal Reserve data, incl. Flow of Funds - at http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/
- Total
outstanding debt D.3 Federal Reserve data
- Foreclosures active by ZIP code
Family Incomes, Inflation, Productivity, Taxes and
Social Security:
- Full Family Income Report with color pictures - stagnant real
family incomes for 2 ½ decades - male incomes down, female stagnant- a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- Social Security Report, with intergenerational pictures- tax
rates 5 times higher than seniors paid, with less benefit in return, as the general
government siphons-off every penny of $2 trillion in trust fund surplus, spending on
non-pension stuff - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Inflation Report - 87% decline in buying power - rates 3
times higher than past, and of major foreign competitors- a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Family Savings - Americans have not saved so little
since the depression of the 1930s, down 91% - a spending binge & household debt
build-up well beyond income growth, despite the 1990s economic 'boom'.
- Household Debt - - highest ratio in history.
- Tax Report - Average citizen needs to work 5.3 months just to pay
all taxes - - 4 months more than prior generations. Average family federal tax rates up
1,700% and social security tax rates up 500%, compared to prior generations.- a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Generation Celebration Report - - We have much to
celebrate today, compared to prior generations - - such as no exterior war threats &
longer life expectancy. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Manufacturing - 62% decline in ratio of
manufacturing jobs, impacts median incomes and trade balances. - a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- Financial
Terrorism Against Seniors - - crushed incomes and international buying power. - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Income Distribution - trends - a 'Grandfather
Economic Report,' which includes a summary of a Sept. 1999 study 'how Census data
misrepresent income distribution and over-state inequality' by Robert Rector & Rea
Hederman - the Heritage Foundation.
- Cost of
Living Debate - One could say if you don't like what you are paying then change the
way you measure. In this light, the Clinton administration and some congressional leaders
have decided to change how inflation is measured in order to reduce the annual
cost-of-living adjustment pay-outs to recipients of social security and other programs.
(Wash. Post on Boskin Report - 'fobbing off decisions on technical revisions?')
- What is a Dollar worth?? - a calculator
by the Minn. Federal Reserve, showing how many dollars you need today to buy what one
dollar purchased X years ago. Also, CPI since
1800
- Social Security is Sicker - the
Social Security Trust Fund is really little more than a polite fiction - Cato Institute.
- The
Over-Spent American - why so many middle-class Americans feel materially dissatisfied,
by Juliet B. Schor
- Families Are Not Filling
Their "Piggy Banks" - Families under more financial pressure - a
prescription - by Tracy Levine
- Home Mortgage Bubble
- "The U.S. financial system is dependent to an unprecedented degree upon the
greatest housing-real estate bubble in human history, led by Fannie Mae. Unless corrective
measures are taken, the inevitable collapse and the ensuing devastation will destroy
millions of families."- by Richard Freeman
- Motherhood - Still
the most beautiful career in the world - a verse by Harry Gorman
Government: Federal, State & Local, vs.
Private Sector
- Trends of Government Expansion - total (federal, state,
local) government spending now consumes more than 50% of the total economy's national
income, compared to a 12% share when I was young - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Decline of Private Sector - a more socialistic, less
free-market economy, than ever before - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Federal Government Expansion - consuming 32% of the
nation's economic pie, compared to 3% before - the major rising component has been social
spending ratios, up 14 times faster than growth of the economy.- spending trends by
category - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- State & Local Government Expansion - consumes 18% of
the economic pie, compared to 6% before - 12.5 million excess employees, increasing in
numbers and compensation faster than general population - spending $6,848per capita - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Regulatory Compliance Cost Impact - $3,964 per person -
$1.1 Billion - 13% of the economy - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Budget Deficit and Trust Fund Siphon Report - Instead
of truly reducing debt, we just hear talk about eliminating deficit spending - and even
that is a camouflage operation. Last year they claimed a budget surplus, yet debt went up
$120 billion as they siphoned-off and spent huge amounts of trust fund surpluses - - so,
there was no surplus in general government accounts - - it was a huge deficit. - a
'Grandfather Economic Report' - and short article with FY2000-07 Data.
- Privatization - part of a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- Tax Report - Average citizen needed to work 5.3 months just to pay
all taxes - - 4 months more than prior generations. Average family federal tax rates up
1,700% and social security tax rates up 500%, compared to prior generations.- a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- 126-year Spending trend Compared to other nations - the
U.S. has followed the big-government upward march of others. .- a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- The Reagan Era in Perspective - first time government
expansion stopped in 4 decades - a cross-road. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Statistical Revisionism & Wizardry - a danger
to a nation? Since the mid 1990s many statistical measurements of our economy (inflation,
GDP, productivity) and education quality have been revised regarding criteria. Now, there
is almost no clean comparison with the past - - although many brag about how much better
things are compared to the past. Is it true? - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Example of one state (Florida) - this gives an idea of the
increases in spending and headcount ratio trends of one state- a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- Social Security Report, with intergenerational pictures- tax
rates 5 times higher than seniors paid, with less benefit in return- a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- How Excessive Government
Killed Ancient Rome - Bruce Bartlett - the fall of Rome was fundamentally due to
economic deterioration resulting from excessive government, inflation, and over-regulation
- Government Size &
growth, as a share of the economy, reduces economic growth and investment - Joint
Congressional Committee Study - 1998 - (Chairman Jim Saxton with paper via
James Gwartney Professor of Economics and Policy Sciences at Florida State University,
Robert Lawson Assistant Professor of Economics at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio,
and Randall Holcombe DeVoe Moore Professor of Economics at Florida State University).
- State Spending Splurge: the real
story - by Stephen Moore - the spending binge continues
- The
States Move to the Supply Side - tax-cutting states substantially outperformed tax
raisers
- Social Security Privatization - by
Martin Fieldstein - $10 trillion un-funded liabilities.
- Rates
of Return from Social Security - Nov. 1999 report by Federal Reserve economist Kevin
Lansing
- Trust fund debt articles
- RegRadar.org is a website of George Mason
University dedicated to monitoring federal regulatory activity
- Threatening Trends
in State & Local Government Pensions - by Janice Revel, Fortune - May 2004
- Social Security & Medicare
Trustee Annual Report
- Government Dependency
Growth - - growing 3 times faster than the general population since 1962, and 2x the
growth rate of the population above age 65 - William Beach, Heritage Foundation, 6/2005
(see also prior Overview)
- Learning from
FDR's New Deal - Jan. 2008 by Scott Reeves, finance editor Forbes.
- Great Myths of the Great
Depression - debunking convential wisdon - Sept. 2005, by Mackinac Center for Public
Policy President Lawrence Reed (pdf dounload)
Citizen Participation in Voting Turn-out and Trust in
Government:
- The Voting Turn-out Report - 36-years of declining citizen
participation - 27 million missing voters compared to 1960 - a very serious issue for a
representative democracy - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Trust in Government Report - 69% do not - a massive drop from 3
decades ago - troublesome for representative democracy - long-term graphic. - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- The 2000 Presidential Election Report - 4 dramatic
graphics show how major population center voting nearly overwhelmed voting in 80% of the
nation's counties - showing two Americas. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- The 2004 Presidential Election Report - dramatic
graphics show the results of the 2004 presidential elections. - a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- About the Electoral
College - how it works, how electors are selected.
International:
- Loss of international value of the dollar - will largest
debtor nation on earth restart down-turn of the dollar, as shown by this long-term chart?
- a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Decline of Foreign Trade Balances & Reserves - continuing
negative results in trade and reserves- - cumulative current account deficit now $3.8
Trillion, and growing - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Dr. Allan Greenspan - Federal Reserve Chairman - on need to increase national savings
instead of continuing to depend on international inflows, which cause current account
deficits. (Note: how unfortunate this excellent article has been removed from its server
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~freeman/CONCORD/articles/greenspan.html, which I noted
2/99)
- International Education Report, with color graphics -
comparison study of U.S. education vs. international students.- a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- 126- year Government Spending Trend Report - U.S. vs.
others. a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Financial
Terrorism Against Seniors - - crushed incomes and international buying power. - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Trade Deficits - cumulative USA with all
nations and with China - - (link to Census Bureau foreign trade divisions China data) - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- The US Dollar and
its Loss - May 2003. 'US savers (including a lot of seniors) are vulnerable and
devastated from forced-down interest earnings (by record low interest rates) and a falling
dollar, wondering who represents them and why are powers-to-be making war on savers
instead of on debtors.'
- The End of
Dollar Hegemony - Feb. 2006 by HON. RON PAUL OF TEXAS Before the U.S. House of
Representatives
- U.S. Trade Deficit Commission - Dec. 2000. Enlightened reading, showing all
commissioners, from both parties, are deeply concerned that not only is the trade deficit
not sustainable but that it carries a great deal of danger to the nation and living
standards. No real solutions are proposed with any consensus. (NOTE > this link has
been discontinued, formerllay at > http://www.ustdrc.gov/)
- U.S. Trade Balance by
country - US Census Bureau - trade division
- When Money Dies - the nightmare of the
Weimar Collapse - - how it affected each class - - winners and losers
- 'United-Bluff', by Danish economist Ebbe Vig
- - thoughtful perspective of history and trends regarding the European Union and EURO.
- Excess
foreign reserves and dollar crisis - excellent report on implication of exploding US
current account deficits and where the debt money goes. Richard Duncan, May 2003
- U.S.
Exiting from Building Passenger Aircraft, a market the U.S. led for more than half a
century, with profound economic and job impacts, says August 2003 study. Soon all new U.S.
airline aircraft may be produced abroad, as Boeing (and its machinists and engineers) exit
market?
Economy:
- Energy Report - Declining U.S. production back to 1950 levels,
declining reserves, soaring consumption and imports for oil and natural gas - - more
dependent than ever on others - - a danger facing young generations told in
easy-to-understand picture form. Contributions from world experts. - a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- Inflation Report - 89% decline in buying power - rates 3
times higher than past, and higher than major foreign competitors. Just as U.S. oil
production peaked in 1970, world output is expected to peak within the next 5-15 years.
(implications for inflation, real family living standards, and national security looking
forward, compared to past generations?) - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Productivity Report - 73% decline in growth rate - to the
lousy 1% average rate for 2 decades- a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Family Savings - Americans have not saved so little
since the depression of the 1930s, down 91% - a spending binge & household debt
build-up well beyond income growth, despite the 1990s economic 'boom'.
- Statistical Revisionism & Wizardry - a danger
to a nation? Since the mid 1990s the criteria used for many statistical measurements of
our economy (inflation, GDP, productivity) and education quality have been revised, some
making it appear all of a sudden as if the U.S. has become a nation on go-go steroids -
some sort of 'new era.' Since those changes there is almost no clean data comparison with
the past - - although many brag about how much better things are compared to the past. Is
it true? - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Manufacturing - 61% decline in ratio of
manufacturing jobs, impacts median incomes and trade balances. - a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- Lawyers compared to other nations - It is interesting
that the chart ranking of the nations regarding lawyer concentration correlates with the
same ranking concerning trade competitiveness and inflation rates. - a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- Financial
Terrorism Against Seniors - - crushed incomes and international buying power. - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Energy reserves - When
Will the Joy Ride End? by Randy Udall, 1999. As recently as 1950 the U.S. was producing
half the world's oil. Forty-eight years later, we don't produce half our own oil. Domestic
production peaked in 1970, 30 years ago, and today we produce just 45% of the crude we
consume. A different review and excellent analysis of reserves is by Dr. Jean Laherrère
- Free
Market Interest Rates vs. Federal Reserve control - Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992), a
Nobel Laureate in economics, of the Austrian School of economics stated that any
government interference with markets will lead to distortions and inefficiencies in an
economy and that the price of current consumption versus future consumption, that is, the
interest rate, also must be allowed to be determined in a market free of government
influence. Because central banks either directly or indirectly influence interest rates,
the Austrian School sees central banks as major mischief-makers in an economy. An
excellent article by Paul Kasriel, Northern Trust. 'Central banks are essentially legal
counterfeiters. They can figuratively create credit out of thin air, resulting in the
misallocation of productive resources (malinvestment) caused by interference in the
free market determination of interest rates.'
- The Federal Reserve - what is it? (RealAudio, rm) - - This is one of the most
simple-to-understand reports on what is the Federal Reserve, why and how and by whom was
it created, how it works and to what entities is it beholden. It's a Sept. 2002 audio
interview of Jim Griffin about his book, 'The Devils of Jekyl Island' - -
"First let's say what the Federal Reserve is not - - it is not a part of the Federal
Government. The Federal Reserve is, simply, "a banking cartel
operating solely in the interest of certain money-center banks, just as OPEC is a oil
cartel operating solely in the interest of its oil producer members. One of the Federal
Reserve's objectives is to protect its money-center bank members from major losses that
could result from their poor domestic and international loans - - by arranging for
taxpayers to pick-up the tab." (NOTE > this link now appears
broken - it was formerly at: realmedia.cts.com/ramgen/crash/jpuplava/netcastdaily/radioexperts/052900.rm)
- Gold and Economic Freedom - Alan Greenspan, 1966. Stripped of its academic jargon, the
welfare state is nothing more than a mechanism by which governments confiscate the wealth
of the productive members of a society to support a wide variety of welfare schemes. The
abandonment of the gold standard made it possible for the welfare statists to use the
banking system as a means to an unlimited expansion of credit. In the absence of the gold
standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation. There is
no safe store of value. The financial policy of the welfare state requires that there be
no way for the owners of wealth to protect themselves. This is the shabby secret of the
welfare statists' tirades against gold. (NOTE > this link now appears
broken - it was formerly at: 216.46.231.211/boards/user/non-frames/message.asp?forumid=4&messageid=121588&threadid=121588)
- Welcome to the Energy
Crisis - Harry Gorman, an insightful commentary in verse form.
- "The Bubble
That Broke the World" by Garet Garret, 1932. A classic showing the Great
Depression was caused by a horrendous bubble economy created by excessive money (debt)
creation out of thin air by the new federal reserve bank.
- Powershift - Oil, Money, and
War - by Jim Puplava - dramatic challenge to the U.S. looking forward.
- Immigrant Population Explosion - trends at
'Numbers USA' - - 1 in 5 citizens are either foreign-born or first generation immigrant.
1990s growth highest in history.
- 'Boom bust cycles and their causes' -
"A loose monetary stance by the central bank enables the diversion of resources away
from wealth generating activities towards wealth consumption." by Dr Frank Shostak.
- Great Myths of the Great Depression - by
L.W.Reed - traces the central role that poor government policy played in fostering this
legendary tragedy.
- The Nightmare German
Hyper-Inflation of 1922-24 - The many parallels between 1919-24 Germany and
present-day United States are cause for concern. This article explains causes and effects
of this terrible hyper-inflation period in Germany.
- The Cultural and Spiritual
Legacy of Fiat Inflation - by J.G. Hülsmann, Mises Institute - July 28, 2004
- Crash History - a summary of economic
bubbles
- "Government
Economic Reports: Things You've Suspected but Were Afraid to Ask!" - Oct. 6, 2004 - Gillespie Research
- "Cost of Living Guide" -
Jan. 2005 - Americn Institute of Economic Research (includes purchasing power conversion
table vs. prior years)
- Economics in One Lesson - Henry Hazlitt - a 1946 classic
- Man vs. The Welfare State - Henry Hazlitt - a 1968 classic
- Inflation
Definition and End Game - Dec. 2006 intereview with Paul Kasriel, Sr.
V.P. and Director of Economic Research at The Northern Trust Company
- Inflation Caused by Money
Supply Growth - Federal Reserve Bank
- On the Origin
and Evolution of the Word Inflation - Federal Reserve Bank
- Composition of the U.S. Money Suppy
(as of July 2007) - by Mike Hewitt
- the Collapse Gap - - comparing
collapse of the Soviet Union to a potential U.S. collapse.
- The
Numbers Racket - 'why the economy is worse than we know it.' - Harpers, May 2008, by
Kevin Phillips (see also this subject Statistical
Revisionism & Wizardry and George Orwell's
'1984' today, including its section 'Ministry
of Truth'.)
- Hyper-Inflation - explained in
detail.
- When Money Dies - the nightmare of the
Weimar Collapse - - how it affected each class - - winners and losers
Regulation:
- Regulatory Compliance Cost Report - compliance costs
mandated by federal AND state & local government, relating to per capita and share of
economy - $3,964 per person - $1.1 Trillion Billion per year - 16% of the economy- a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- A satire - could Noah build his ark today? - considering
regulations.
- "Regulatory
Costs in Profile" - by Professor Thomas D. Hopkins and other references on
regulation costs from The Heritage Foundation
- Ten Thousand Commandments - by
Wayne Crews. Snapshot regulatory cost trends 2000 vs 1999
- Cato Institute -
regulation site
- Cost of Tax Compliance - $194
billion in 2002, per Scott Moody, Tax Foundation
Taxes:
- Tax Report - Average working citizen work 5.3 months just to pay
all taxes - - 4 months more than prior generations. Average family federal tax rates up 1,
700% - - social security tax rates up 500%.- a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Tax History Report - how far we have come from the
intention of our founders. An article by G. Edward Griffin and the New American
- Social Security Drain Report - tax rates 5 times higher than
seniors paid, with less benefit in return- a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Tax Foundation - in 1996 a median income
dual-earner family paid the highest inflation-adjusted taxes in U.S. history.
Education:
- Full Education Report - Table of Contents Page - a
'Grandfather Economic Report' pictures you have never seen of education quality &
spending trends - declining productivity index - polls concerning quality - a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- International Education Report, with color graphics - a
comparison study of U.S. education vs. international students.- a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- College Report - lowering standards to meet lower incoming
quality from high schools - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Bilingual Education Report - a flawed
social-engineering practice holding back children while wasting resources? A review of
this controversial subject. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Parental Choice Report - - not a 'rich-kid' gimmick - 57-65%
of minorities want it. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Various recent polls - Poll: Voters consider public
schools Mediocre or a Failure and 1997 Polls Show
Voucher support for private education accelerating - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Education Comments by teachers, parents &
students - problems described from the inside. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Remedial Education Report - as many as two-thirds of
college freshmen require remedial courses, because the basics were not learned in high
school. Are high school diplomas 'bogus,' even for those graduating near the top of their
classes? Should high schools be charged back for graduating students who require remedial
courses the next year? - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Student-teacher ratio Report - quality actually
fell, instead of improving, as class sizes shrank, proving top-down mandates for smaller
classes is not justified on a quality achievement basis. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Centralized Power & Control - 50% of school funding
controlled at federal-state levels - power to government & unions - not answerable to
parents, or even local school boards. 93% less parental influence due to 85% fewer school
districts. National PTA mimics unions not parents. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Union Power - in education. - a 'Grandfather Economic
Report'
- Textbooks - 85% of middle schoolers use science text books that
are significantly error-laden and unacceptable, although perhaps politically correct.
Should we care that honors high school science texts are no more difficult than an eighth
grade reader 50 years ago? - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Testing Standards - could you pass the test required to pass
the 8th grade in 1895? Probably not, but neither could most of today's teachers and
professors. Testing standards are a huge issue. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Home-schoolers out-perform peers - -
home-schooled students' average scores were between the 82nd and the 92nd percentile in
reading and reached the 85th percentile in math, compared to 50 percentile for public
schools - - similar results in Canada - - a summary of many reports regarding home-school
performance - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Grade Inflation - becoming out of control at
universities for money reasons. Despite a higher percentage of high school graduates
attending college than ever before, more than 44 percent of freshmen entering four-year
colleges fall 2001 reported they had A averages in high school, compared to under 18
percent that averaged A's in 1968. - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Teachers - - within a monopoly system - - Many
blame teachers for poor quality education, but is it not naïve to expect high, measurable
world-class quality from most employees of a monopoly system?
- School Daze - by R.
Vedder - 11 employees per 100 students (vs. 5 in 1950), including 3.4 times more
non-teaching employees. (note- on 11/01 found this link not functional)
Also see this link > http://www.ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/rptcard/1996/drc663.html
- Low Achievement, High
Satisfaction - DOE - grading practices give parents wrong impression
- Happy Talkers Are Wrong; Achievement Has
Declined - a restructuring of the test
- Math Wars - Eight of the 10
curriculums recently recommended for nationwide use by an influential Education Department
panel teach the New New Math called "Connected Math," or "Everyday
Math." 200 mathematicians and scientists, including four Nobel Prize recipients and
two winners of a prestigious math prize, the Fields Medal, published a letter in the
Washington Post deploring the reforms, saying that 'programs of the sort picked by the
federal panel turn out to be horrifyingly short on basics.'
- Summary Statistics from DOE source -
CER statistics on spending, salaries, enrollment, etc.
- Milton and Rose Friedman Education
Foundation - a summary of Friedman writings concerning education
- Public Schools - make them
private - This is the Cato Briefing Paper that Friedman wrote about school choice
- Administrative
expenditures, which have been growing in relative importance, tend to have negative
effects on learning. National Center for Policy Analysis
- No Excuses
- A story about turning a failing, 99% minority, inner-city school into top academic
achievement by strict course standards, discipline and teacher performance control.
Administrators, instead of trying to replicate it elsewhere, were openly hostile and tried
to block recognition. Jan. 1998.
- Schools of Thought - Rick
Henderson, Washington editor of REASON, 1997. An excellent survey regarding
education privatization.
- Productivity Collapse in
Schools - Eric A. Hanushek (University of Rochester), education has had relative
productivity declines of 3½ percent per year compared to the service sectors. - a similar
finding to the Grandfather Education Report's productivity
index.
- Money & School Performance -
Paul Ciotti, March 1998 - Test scores did not rise despite the smallest class sizes (12:1)
and highest spending ($11,700 per pupil) in the nation, including highest teacher salaries
and capital spending - Kansas City Experiment.
- Other Viewpoints - The Chthonic
Side of Education by Dr. Robert Kizlik, June 1998
- Home Schooling information by Rose Rock Support
Group
- "A student in my graduate course this fall wrote a great paper on the past,
present, and future of elementary curriculum, and referenced the Grandfather Report web
site. I decided it was of ample quality to post on my site. Elementary Curriculum: a Janus Look by
Louise "Jody" Barnetta ('Students today not only cannot compete globally, they
cannot compete with past generations of their peers in our own country.') Dr. Kizlik"
- Is the Current Education
System Failing Our Children? By Tracy Levine
- The Schools We need
- and why we don't have them - Professor E. Hirsch says, 'we have somehow placed more
importance on self-esteem and freedom of expression, rather than hard work, learning the
"basics," and academic achievement. These are some of the reasons why American
students lag far behind almost every other developed nation.' - Tracy Levine's
review of a powerful book
- Bumper Stickers and how
many know Federalist Papers
- Danish point of view
regarding developmental history of education in USA and Europe by Danish economist Ebbe
Vig
- International Test
scores are fair and accurate, according to U.S. Commissioner of Education Statistics.
\
- June
2004 Graduation Tests - Achieve, Inc., a bipartisan, nonprofit education organization
formed by governors and prominent business leaders, found that math and English tests for
high school diplomas require only middle school knowledge, and those math tests measure
only what students in other countries learn in the seventh grade.
- Mell Gabler, RIP - a
personal mission to reform textbooks in Texas. The 'little guy against the biggies.'
- Free Online LSAT Preparation Tools
Prep Test Exams, Practice Questions - this link suggested August 2014 by Kelly Hart
(kelly.hart@world.edu), who said this really helped in her studies.
Reagan Era:
- The Reagan Era in Perspective - first time government
expansion stopped in 4 decades - re-thinking government size - a cross-road - - a
'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Other Reagan Links
- Reagan Economic Record - Policy
Analysis No. 261, by William Niskanen & Stephen Moore
- Reagan Belongs on
Kings Row - There can be no question that Mr. Reagan was one of the greatest
visionaries since Lincoln to occupy the presidency of the United States - December 4, 2000
- by Steven G. Calabresi, a professor of law at Northwestern University and National
Co-Chairman of the Federalist Society
Health Care:
- Health Care Report - while we celebrate increased
life-expectancy relative to our past, its less than achieved by other nations - - and, we
spend 82% more of our economy on such care than others - - including by our government
covering fewer - - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
National Security:
- National Security Report - our founding fathers called
national defense the #1 principle reason for a federal government, yet we note a dramatic
long-term down trend in defense spending ratios to pre World War II levels - - with much
less war-time private sector economic mobilization surge potential than was available for
those who faced WW II, because of government growth in the social arena not envisioned by
our founders as a function of the federal government. Additionally, the US is a net
importer of 60% of its oil needs, compared to being independent of imports during WW II.
We have been surprised before, and may be again - - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- While
America Sleeps - - Self-Delusion, Military Weakness, and the Threat to Peace Today - -
thought-provoking Real Audio interview - - citing historical implications of U.S. failure
to shape a policy and to commit the resources needed to maintain peace has cost valuable
time in shaping a peaceful world and has placed America's long-term security in danger. Frederick Kagan, professor history U.S. Military Academy (if you don't have Real
Audio software, you can check this
site).
- Future
of the American Pacifier - - Future strategic threats to U.S. super-power status,
recognizing the central aim of American foreign policy has traditionally been to dominate
the western hemisphere while not permitting another great power to dominate Europe or
Northeast Asia. Faster emergence of China by encouraging its economic growth is
questioned, and instability in Europe is forecast if Germany develops nuclear arms. Foreign Affairs, October 2001, By John J. Mearsheimer
- Dangerous
Intentions - - questions and answers today and looking forward regarding China and
USA, April 2001, Geoff Metcalf interviews China expert Steven W. Mosher
- National Defense - lost priorities
of our founders' #1 priority for forming a federal government must be recovered. Dr. Joseph May, US Senatorial candidate 2002.
- The
Hidden Cost of War - U.S. Representative Ron Paul, Texas, June 2005 - "Conveniently
forgotten are the goals never achieved by armed conflict, and the negative consequences
that linger for years.The more people have faith in and
depend upon the state, the more difficult it is to keep the state from initiating
wars."
Actions and Targets:
A Tribute:
- A Tribute to Milton Friedman, a National Treasure - by M.W.
Hodges - his great works and his influence on the birth of this Grandfather Economic
Report series - a 'Grandfather Economic Report'
- Famous Quotes of America's Founding Fathers - Wise words from
founding fathers of our great nation. Many agree it foolish to ignore great wisdom of the
past. Many also agree we depart from this wisdom at our nation's peril. - a 'Grandfather
Economic Report'
- Milton and Rose Friedman Education
Foundation
- Friedman ring of the Free World index
- the 6 best Friedman ring links, including by Grandfather Economic Reports - and Renowned Economists (Frederic
Bastiat, Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Julian Simon, Adam Smith, and
Thomas Sowell)
- Hoover Institute web site http://www-hoover.stanford.edu/bios/friedman.html
- Friedman
on Govt. Tax Cuts vs. Spending vs. Pay Down Debt - - 2003. I always choose the tax cut
option, any time, any way - - because its best that citizens decide how to spend their
money, not politicians.
- A
Friedman Legacy - his contributions to the theory and practice of monetary policy.
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas - B. Bernanke, Oct. 2003
- "Where
Friedman Went Wrong," Antal E. Feket - Nov. 2006. Accusing that Friedman's
endorsement of an irredeemable currancy will result in the worse credit crisis in U.S.
history. "The monetary, financial, and economic stature of the United
States is in shambles, thanks to Friedmans floating dollar. It was the sinking
dollar that has turned the country from the greatest creditor into the greatest debtor the
world ever knew. We are facing a credit collapse."
- 10 Other excellent
Friedman links
- "Harry Gorman's
Cleansing Shower". Tribute to a great 20th century economic poet, who feared
economic trends threatened America's survival as the nation's founders intended. Well into
his late 90s Harry tirelessly broadcast his warnings, documented by 37 unique poems.
Other Resources:
- National Bureau of Economic Research
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Human Action by Ludwig von Mises - a
classic - the Austrian School of Economics
- The Cato Institute - promoting public policy based on
individual liberty, limited government & free markets
- DeJa News - a power search engine, with filtering
tools, for internet USENET newsgroup articles
- CIA Fact Book - -
comparative data about nations of the world compiled by the U.S. Central Intelligence
Agency
Cultural Interests - the first link is for
fun and genuine laughter:
- Grandfather Jokes Page - A time to smile. Question#1: Why did
the chicken cross the road? Question #2: Could Noah build an ark today? Answers here. - a
'Grandfather Economic Report' chapter
- Famous Quotes - a 'Grandfather Economic Report' chapter
- The
Constitution of the United States of America - - (our founding forefathers called for
limited government, defined only by powers specified in Article
I, Section 8 of the Constitution )
- The Federalist Papers - an
index/link to all 85 of the Federalist Papers - 1787-88 - plus brief description of prime
subject of each. (search engine -
- example, type-in 'Hamilton' for his papers or type 'war' for related papers).
- The Federalist No. 23
ALEXANDER HAMILTON December 18, 1787 - the 4 principles of union (para. 3) - "The
principal purposes to be answered by union are these: the common defense of the members;
the preservation of the public peace as well against internal convulsions as external
attacks; the regulation of commerce with other nations and between the States; the
superintendence of our intercourse, political and commercial, with foreign
countries."
- The Declaration of
Independence and the founding fathers
- Noah's Ark - About government regulations if Noah tried to
build the ark today - - funny reality.
- The Vatican Museum -
a large collection of fine paintings, of unbelievable web quality
- Some wonders of the 20th Century: The Greatest Century That Ever Was - 25 Miraculous Trends - Cato Institute
- The Smithsonian Institute - select
your own self-guide tour by subject
If you're lost, RETURN TO
GRANDFATHER
ECONOMIC REPORT HOME PAGE - by MWHodges - for the complete listing of
reports, showing economic trends facing families and youth, compared to prior generations.
If you have link ideas for addition here, please contact me by mail - or make recommendations to make this
site more valuable, accurate and comprehensive.
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