‘Education’ is the best answer

Matt Pearl

Being somewhat of a fiscal conservative myself, I still have to chuckle at the idea of President Donald Trump.

I believe that among his ideas are several that would spur an economic boost, and probably several that would continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

I say, “continue,” because our present system does the same — an economy stifled and handcuffed by regulations will favor the rich, for the most adept folks at making money will find ways to do it no matter what. But when theses folks aren’t hiring people and expanding their holdings, the economy suffers.

Anyway, back to Trump.

The Donald hits the conservative talking points as well as anyone out there right now, and will ultimately be unelectable, thanks to the liberal talking points — proof that most of the time, the parties talk with very little point to make at all.

More intriguing to me is Dr. Ben Carson, a man who is far too nice to be president, but who has brought a type of decency to the conversation that will hopefully help dictate the tone of the 2016 election.

He won’t say bad things about President Obama. Dr. Carson seems to disagree with pretty much every one of the commander-in-chief’s policies, but in a nice guy kind of way. It’s a good reminder to each of us, if we’ll listen.

Disagreement in the political arena doesn’t need to lead us to social division. Our problem is that each end of the political spectrum claims to be fighting the other to prevent needless human oppression. And they’re both wrong a healthy share of the time.

I’m so tired of being expected to choose a side, and I’m sick of watching mindless party followers support candidates, even when the candidates are obviously doing the wrong things.

Half of America is always rooting for the next president to change things, and the other half is hoping that he, or she, keeps things the same. And the losing side always says it’s ready to start the next revolution, an empty threat in this day and age.

A person can’t defend the cop who shot Michael Brown, or Brown himself, without making half the population call him hateful or ignorant. A life is lost and another ruined, and I can’t feel bad for anybody?

You know what I regret the most about the incident?

I regret that America can’t figure out that more schools, smaller class sizes, more teachers, fewer frills and bigger libraries would go a long way toward solving this nation’s remaining racial tensions. Did you ever read in school about men like W.E.B. DuBois and George Washington Carver? A century ago and more, those folks believed that education was the best on-ramp to freedom.

When’s the last time you heard any activist — white or black, conservative or liberal, happy or hateful — talk about educating people out of poverty and racism?

Dr. Carson has, and it’s why I’m beginning to enjoy the man’s words. He may not be on the 2016 ballot, but I hope he’s in Washington somewhere when it’s all said and done.

We must educate, and it will cost money on the front end. But years from now, when a more educated population doesn’t have to spend so much money dealing with poverty, crime and needless human suffering, won’t every dollar be money well spent?