Touching on some more local news

James Simpson
Published: November 21, 2008

Math Investigations: I don’t have children. However, I am greatly concerned that the “Math Investigations” program is detrimental to children. The reasoning given by many supporting this program
is that all children do not learn as well with the same teaching methods. In my view, the school system is trying to fix the fact that there are a few who will never be able to wholly grasp the concept of
math by introducing a system that will actually hurt those who can grasp the traditional, established and time-honored math algorithms. These standard algorithms are the foundation of more advanced
mathematics; without a solid foundation there is no way these students can advance.

I believe that the schools are trying different methods so that their pass rates can be increased. No one wants to hear that “x” percent of students fail annually. So our society continually lowers
the bar to help reduce whatever “x” is each year, and the nation as a whole continues to decline when compared to other countries in math and science (as well as other areas of academia).

According to a Potomac News article on Sept. 16, titled “Colleges spend billions on remedial classes for freshmen,” taxpayers are now spending “$2.3 to $2.9 BILLION annually” to bring students up to
speed. We are only going to exacerbate the problem by trying to lower the bar so that everyone can simply step over it.

Second Amendment: Alfred Biddlecomb wrote in the News & Messenger on Nov. 19 that he is not buying into the hysteria that the Obama administration will enact any new gun control laws. Sorry …
can’t agree with that. Obama’s voting record in Illinois is very anti-gun rights.

According to the NRA (http://tinyurl.com/5u8yuy) the Obama questionnaire, required for those who are interested in a staff job under his administration, asks:  “(59) Do you or any members of your
immediate family own a gun?  If so, provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been
the cause of any personal injuries or property damage.”

The Democratically controlled Congress, headed by Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, is very hostile to private gun ownership. At the very least, in the first year of this administration, we will see an increase
in the cost of ammunition and guns due to extremely strict regulations and higher taxes.

Taxes: I also disagree with a point in Denise Oppenhagen’s recent column. She stated in her Nov. 11 column: ”We need to make the argument that raising taxes isn’t anti-American …” and “The lower tax
folks get heard by the BOCS because they are loud and large.”

All the hearings I have attended usually have massive turnout for people wanting increased taxes to support all kinds of social programs. The number of anti-tax people is approximately 5 percent. And our
taxes go up every year regardless. This will all come back to bite us one day (http://tinyurl.com/64gxc5).

As far as taxes being anti-American, well, it used to be. But then again, socialism used to be anti-American. According to a U.S. Treasury Web site (http://tinyurl.com/f5t6o) “For most of our nation’s
history, individual taxpayers rarely had any significant contact with Federal tax authorities as most of the Federal government’s tax revenues were derived from excise taxes, tariffs, and customs duties.”

The Web site goes on to quote Thomas Jefferson, who said (regarding the general Welfare clause of the Constitution) “To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his father has
acquired too much, in order to spare to others who (or whose fathers) have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, ‘to guarantee to everyone a free
exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.’”

Proof of Citizenship: Keith Kessler asked in a letter to the editor on Nov. 15,“I would like to know what factual information you have to justify asking me if I am not a current legal resident when, in fact, you
have been sending me tax relief for several years?”

He may not have received an answer from the Real Estate Assessment Division, but I think I can help. The reason, from my perspective, is that in order to keep programs available to those who are legally
allowed to take advantage of them, abuse by those who should not have access must be curbed. Until recently the law allowed abuse of the system (and taxpayer). It has now been changed to prevent
that.

James Simpson lives in Lake Ridge.