Recently Ursula Burns(Xerox CEO) was asked about the state of education in the U.S., she replied "Very, very, very poor."

Further more:

"It's one of the most important structural problems we have in this nation. The world is full of opportunities -- everyday there's something new that you can do. . . We are structurally creating an underclass that will be hard to fix. If we don't have people who can create value, they will be servers forever. This is not an insurmountable problem. . . If you look at the list of the top nations and try to find out where we are in reading, math, and any science, it is stunning. I don't look at the list anymore because it's an embarrassment. We are the best nation in the world. We created the Internet and little iPods and copying and printing machines and MRI devices and artificial hearts. That's all science and engineering. Who's going to create those thing?"

By now all this shouldn't be so stunning to anyone, but I like the quote. It is embarrassing after all.

Recently I read a book on Presidential facts by Dr Knowledge (Knowledge in a Nutshell) where he informs that Theodore Roosevelt had a simple mantra, to lead a strenuous life.

Coincidently, old T. R. was called a Progressive back then, 100 years ago. Today Liberals increasingly wish to be called Progressive.

While one could draw a few comparison I'm sure, I'd rather draw the distinction that so called Progressives today don't champion anything remotely strenuous.

Despite, and perhaps in spite of, the many wealthy who are drawn to the Democrat party and the liberal idealogy, in practice the left today are more intent on conspiring to increase the nanny state than they are inspiring self-esteem, self-motivation, and hard work.

Improving our schools and our collective intelligence? We could use that kind of progress.