Austerity Measures

Prof. Krugman, the Nobel prize winning journalist/economist wrote this morning about world-wide examples of the  failure of austerity measures in various countries as a means of dealing with recessions and massive levels of unemployment.  In response to Krugman's article, one commenter described various considerations that must be dealt with in the United States, including massive infrastructure investments.  In reply to that comment, I wrote as follows:

• Tom Bleakley
• Bradenton, Florida

Another major factor to be considered are the various individual states who are imposing austerity programs on such important components of our society as public education. Michigan is a prime example in which emergency managers are appointed by the Republican governor to run 50% of the under-financed block of black school districts in the state. The various 'solutions' among these districts is to increase classroom size to 61 students, fire experienced teachers and hire first year teachers at half the cost, not to mention give-aways to wealthy friends by privatizing partial or whole school districts. To paraphrase your final comment, Mr. McMahon, we also cannot leave to our children a country of individuals whose life opportunities are compromised by inadequate educations. Our kids , all of our kids, deserve quality educations.

Just saying . . .