Heitsman: Does our political system work?

In 1964 after the presidential election NBC wrote a book describing that election, titled “Somehow It Works.” The question facing the nation in 2011 is simply: Does our political system still work?

While political scientists and pundits rush to defend our political system, an analysis is needed. For our democracy is to work it must have men and women who are willing to forgo their zeal and devotion to ideology. The result of fanatical adherence to ideology is constant brinksmanship over issue after issue.

This constant rattle of arms between fanatic liberals and fanatic conservatives is destructive of the ability to govern and is creating cracks in our form of government.

Perhaps it is the media’s insistence on drama and celebrity over debate and deliberation that has led to the lack of faith in government.

Perhaps it is the lack of men and women of good will. Our government seems infested with persons putting their own personal agendas above the public interest.

Perhaps our democracy is disabled by our old two party political system.

No matter what the cause, the question needs to be asked: Does it still work?

When our Constitution was created Ben Franklin was asked what our founders had created. He responded, "A Republic, If You Can Keep It." Good question, Ben.

Heitsman: Corporate state on the verge of replacing government

The art and science of demagoguery requires that the demagogues who lead social movements stir up peoples emotions in order to gain power. Therefore such movements do not need heroes to succeed but need a constant supply of devils.

As the Pharaohs used the Hebrews, the Romans used the Christians, and as Adolph Hitler used the Jews, public employees and public school teachers are now the targets and devils for the demagogues of the extreme right.

The shock jocks who inhabit much of talk radio and write columns, books, and letters to the editor are the major players in the takeover of governments large and small and as such are the prime propagandists of our era.

The goal is to take control of the national government as well as the state and local governments in order to dismantle the federal system of government and replace it with a government run by and for corporations. These corporations that are becoming part of an emerging international system of corporate states that are on the verge of taking over the job of governments.

This cannot be done until faith in local and state governments’ ability to solve problems is destroyed.

Historians recognize the former existence of the city state, which was replaced by the nation state. Groups of corporate power brokers, dedicated to the divine right of capital, are now creating a corporate state system, putting their propagandists on call day and night, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, to replace nation-state system and replace it with a global corporate state.

The reason for this is that nations keep passing laws to protect humans, the environment, and public employees and teachers that keep the powerful from making all the money in the universe.

These people run as Conservatives. They are more con than servatives, trying to keep the mythology of the past alive and well. Their ideology is based on John Wayne's individualism, Walt Disney’s planning, and Ronald Reagan’s image. In the disguise of fiscal responsibility, reform of government and saving the taxpayers money, they are deconstructing local, state and nation government and creating a mythological confederation of states that cannot, and is not supposed to, meet the needs of its citizens.

The goal is to use the economy to make the nation and state unable to form a more perfect union, incapable of establishing justice, unaware of domestic tranquility, and totally unworkable in its mandate to provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to anyone than the demagogue’s corporate sponsors.

Once this is accomplished they will create and administer the nation through a series of international corporations that will serve the functions of government without the transparency or accountability. The Constitution will be set aside and corporate policy will take its place.

The problem is that the con servative revolutionary movement, like all movements, requires a continuing supply of enemies or devils to keep it going. Therefore once the public employees and teachers and politicians have been dealt with, they must find new devils to keep the public's attention from the corruption and abuse that demagogues bring with them when they have power.

They must create a constant state of fear in order to create a perception of uselessness in order to get the public to replace the groups in control and put themselves in control.

Once in power, the demagogues must be replaced with people who know how to do things and get things done if the corporate state or any other vehicle that functions as a government is to remain in power. For this reason revolutionaries usually don’t stay in charge for too long and their demagogues and propagandists must be set aside.

Heitsman: Paul predicted 'itching ears', attacks on schools

The Apostle Paul’s letter in second Timothy, found in the Christian New Testament, gives an idea as to the motivation behind the so-called educational reform movements so popular in the United States today.

In his letter Paul notes, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.”

While education and educators have tried to keep people focused on what needs to be and should be learned as sound teachings the public and itching ears have been wondering into myths that threaten to destroy American education.

Myth number one is that education is a cure for all the ills of society. While there are many things education can solve it is unwise to saddle schools and teachers with the task of curing all the ills of society.

Myth number two is that education can or should take the place of parents. Replacing mothers and fathers with schools is an idea that does not work and cannot work in spite of the best intentions of either proponents or opponents. Children succeed in spite of and because of parents and multiple forms of parenting. Schools that try to be parents are attempting a task for which they are ill fitted.

Myth number three is that all parents do better than schools. Some parents can and do a fine job of teaching their children. Throughout history teachers have hoped that some of their children would become home schooled. Homeschooling, however, requires a sacrifice on the part of the parents. Parents will have opportunity costs in jobs they could have had, vacations they could have taken, or money they could have used for something else if they did not spend the time and money to home school their children. If parents are unwilling to take the time and spend the money to do a good job they let the boob tube or the streets educate their kids. It does not take a genius to see that either the tube or the street is worse than any school.

A lot of the bad press schools have been getting is by propagandists who are very good at their jobs, have massive media access, and are bought and paid for by people who want to make a lot of money in corporate run schools.

They want to do to schools the same thing they have done to hospitals and medical care.

At one time most hospitals were run by religious groups, colleges and universities, and governmental agencies. Than the corporations determined there was a lot of money to be made in health care. Since than, health care is subject to the market forces While markets are both powerful and can be productive they also are ridden with falsehoods and lies as different corporations try to monopolize the market in search of bigger and better profits. Especally creating markers for drugs like Viagra and Botox.

Another powerful force is the tendency of “free markets” to be anything but free. The price of education is making college out of reach for many of our college students, when the private sector takes over public education it can be envisioned that economics will be used to recreate discrimination for the poor and make education out of reach for those who need help the most.

Because of the potential for profit there have been more than a few ideas, some good some not so good to meet the needs of people who seek teachers for their own liking.

Charter school, private schools, magnet schools, and special interest schools have been springing up, and will continue to do so. Considering some of the laws passed and enforced by well meaning but woolly-minded legislators, courts, and special interests its no wonder that parents and the public have lost faith in public schools and have itching ears ready to be satisfied by the market for schools and schooling.

Education would be ill served if it became another commodity and as such the itching ears would be satisfied, but at what cost to the country as a whole.

Heitsman: Haley's words and deeds are incongruent

Letter to The Editor
The State
Columbia, South Carolina 29202

The revelations The State newspaper has published concerning Governor Nikki Haley are proof that Governor Haley’s conservative positions are more con than serve and show the need for recall of public officials in South Carolina.

Her winning the governorship was predicated on several principles that she has abandoned in the short time she has been governor.

Her stance on fiscal responsibility does not apply to her own cabinet as she brings cabinet members on at a considerable increase from the salaries of Mark Sanford’s cabinet -- while she implores legislators to cut back on state pay for police, teachers, and doctors who actually help the citizens of South Carolina, not just the rich and well-connected.

Her accountability campaign proved to be an exercise in deceit since her committee to “fix” government in South Carolina meets behind closed doors in violation of both state law and her pledge of accountability.

Her promise to work with legislators, unlike her predecessor, resulted in a proposal to create a legislative report card so she can intimidate those legislators who have the courage to disagree with her. This winning through political intimidation shows that there are bullies inside the Statehouse as well as the school yards.

Finally, in what must be one of the most blatant examples of the arrogance of power in recent history the Governor has replaced Darla Moore on the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees with a Lexington attorney who’s service to the University was contributions to the Governor’s campaign.

It may be a little early but if anyone has a recall petition going I would like the opportunity to add my signature.

Sincerely,
William C. Heitsman
Darlington, SC