Reform to Education is Needed

Our education system is broken.  We have students that are struggling and we are locked into a system that rewards teachers for hanging in there the longest, not ones that effectively teach and inspire their students.

Teaching is and will remain some of the most important jobs in America.  Teachers instruct and enlighten new generations, driving them towards success.  We need to ensure that those who fill these jobs are both well qualified and well prepared to do this.  Merit based teacher hiring, promotion, and retention will encourage teachers to be the best they can possibly be.

This is not all on the teachers though.  Instructors who teach teachers need to be the best they can be also.  Teachers need to be well prepared so that they can succeed. Ensuring that we have extensive teacher training is essential.  Teachers should be informed on strategies that help motivate students.  They can share their ideas so they all can succeed.  Such collaboration must be encouraged in the education system.

In order to push students to learn more, we must challenge them, but not beyond their limits so that they are overwhelmed.  In our educational system, there are often only two streams: Grade Level and Honors/Advanced Placement.  There is no middle ground.  Often students feel they are unready or unprepared for the most challenging class, but then, devoid of options, are frustrated with the simplicity of the Grade Level Class.

This needs to change.  Teachers in all classes need to asses student skill and willpower to offer or assign tiered assignments varying the challenge that students have.  Some students may not be able to go beyond what Grade Level requires.  Very well.  Others can have a challenge, so that they may still challenge themselves and expand their knowledge without overwhelming themselves.  This would not require any additional "Accelerated" classes from being added to the school course offerings, thus eliminating any additional class/teacher cost.  Though all assignments may not be tiered, as to ensure grade fairness, a significant amount of increased challenged could be added to the courses with this system.  Teachers can assign some tired assignments, and present a choice to the student on others, encouraging students to challenge themselves, but within their limits.  This provides a way for all students, not matter their skill level, to push themselves without increasing their stress level.

W.B. Yeats once said, "Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire."  By challenging our students, we can light student's intellectual fires so they burn bright and powerful into adulthood, catalyzing and illuminating their futures.

The Art Of Communication

Obama was immensely successful in 2008 will a clear message of Hope and Change.  One of his greatest shortcomings thus far is a lack of communication in his administration.

Messages should be concise and catchy, and should be a few words or less.  Abstract movements with no clear goals have trouble catching on and sustaining momentum.  With clear communication, a good movement can turn into a great one.

If Obama wants to improve with his standing with the American people, he would do well to turn over a new leaf right now.  He needs to come up with clear messages, and he needs to repeat them over and over.  Not once or twice, but several times in several places across the nation.  Only then can people connect.

Politics That Change

Our political system is set up so that the people do not have much of a choice.  When buying products at a store, there is often much more than just 2 choices.  It should be the same for politics, where we should not have such limited choices in who we elect.  Nationally, Republican and Democratic platforms stay relatively constant, dictated by powerful national leaders.  We need politics that is not rigid but politics that can be tinkered and changed to suit the times.

Shakeup

We badly need a shakeup in American society and politics.  The system is rigid and benefits the power players rather than the people.  It doesn't matter the size of government right now, it has been ineffective all the same.  We need to increase the efficiency of government and eliminate bureaucracy.  We need to facilitate innovation and change in government much as we see innovation and change in the private sector in places like Silicon Valley.

Top Down Authoritarianism Does Not Work

With recent protests in Russia and the Middle East, a theme is clear.  The top down authoritarian style leadership is not working as well, or at all, anymore.  People now doubt their government more than ever, and not just in this country.  This theme is being harnessed, as it should be, to solicit change around the world.  People do not like being talked down to, and justly will not take it anymore.  Now is the time to act against this kind of government, so protesters can ride the wave of discontent.

A Global Picture

We live in a world that is connected more strongly as time goes by.  We have a world economy, vast communications systems, and networks of people that span continents.  Many complex factors govern how this global network work, many of which we cannot understand or comprehend.  As the world grows more complex, governments (and people) must be careful of what they do.  Actions today can not just have an effect in one area tomorrow, but the whole world.  While this has been true for quite some time, this principle is becoming more and more relevant as online social tools bring us closer together.  We need to understand the workings of the world if we are to persevere in our pursuits.  This is not necessarily in foreign countries.  We need to understand the complex workings of our own country in order to instigate an economic recovery.  As we have said before, problems are much more complicated that they seem at first.  The sooner we all realize this, especially those in Washington, the sooner we can make the changes need to make our country and the world a better place for us all.  Keeping in mind the changes that will result from our action everywhere, on everyone will help us decide what to do.  Actions mean consequences.  Let's hope we make the right actions.

Young People Taking Action in Society, Leaders Heed an Important Warning:

Young people have finally found their voice.

All across the world, young people eager for change are taking to the streets and are the real agents of change in global society.  Young people played a great role in the election of President Obama, but this movement is more than that.  In the Middle East, where people under 30 constitute around one third of the population, revolts, revolutions, and demonstrations are commonplace.

A special note to leaders: if you want to stay in power, make reforms and empower young people.  Make sure they have a role in society.  Make sure the have jobs, and education, and a future.  An angry population of twenty somethings is a force to be reckoned with, and leaders who do not heed this warning may soon see the short end of the stick.

Energy Independence is Needed to Free Ourselves From Foreign Energy

We must pursue alternative energy resources in order to achieve energy independence.  We must reduce our consumption of oil and coal and turn to renewable.  We can structure our economy on this, for if the US is not a producer of green energy, it will have to be a buyer.  That would be very harmful to our economy in the future.  We can build a powerful energy economy on green energy.  Large producers of oil can control prices and reap the benefits.  We can do the same, with green energy, right here in the US.

Also, regarding biofuels:  we should not use our precious corn supplies to make biofuels.  Instead, we should try to expand cellulosic and other types of ethanol.  It is much more efficient and it is not food, so we will not run the risk of shortages.  It can even be made using the husks of the corn, something that would normally be thrown out.  That way, food prices will be low for farmers can get money for their garbage.  We can use that garbage as part of our energy future.  

Investing in energy will require an upfront cost, spending cuts can cover that, but we can get it back in the future by selling energy and technology to other nations. We must pursue solar, hydrogen-fuel cell, and wind energy futures as well. 

It is time to phase out oil and coal and usher in new, more efficient forms of energy.  One method could be a tax break for people who own cars that have over 35 miles to the gallon.  This way, along with the tax hikes, there will be some tax cuts.  Hopefully, more people will take advantage of this and get a car with a tax break and therefore save money by going green.

Oil Companies must also pay their fair share in taxes.  We must not let oil companies go off free when they do not produce fuel that is sustainable or beneficial to the environment.  We need to push energy companies to reform their practices, encouraging investment in clean and sustainable technologies.  

No More Same Old, Same Old

Desperate times call for desperate action.

We need to change the way we do things in order to succeed.  Government needs to acknowledge that changes must be made.  We cannot keep operating under the same practices.  We must challenge the status quo and think for ourselves.  We cannot just sit back and eat up what the major parties tell us.  They can deceive the electorate, and this is very dangerous.  They polarize the American people, so we are really just choosing those who are good party candidates, not American candidates.

We need people in Washington and all of government to really value what the American people want.  Bickering in congress of this and that does not help anyone.  It hurts the American people.  These two sides need to learn to get along and put aside their interests groups, their big sponsors, and do what is right for the people.

Party Platform Now Comprehensive and Updated

Due to the changing times, we have commenced additions to our party platform.  We will continue to post updates to the platform and blog as new issues present themselves.  Please give us your opinion on these issues. Let us know what you think of our blog.  Your voice matters, and we value the people's opinion.

Embrace Challenges to Fix Problems in Society

Problems face our society every day.  At times, these problems seem overwhelming, as if they can't be fixed.  If we are to improve society and make it stronger, we need to embrace these challenges and fix our problems.  Many politicians shirk away from bold action when it is needed.  While there is a time for prudence and patience, there are also times when we need actions.  The status quo will remain forever, if we do not get our acts together.  We all have the power to change society.  Let's take action when action is needed most.

Innovation

America must encourage innovation in business and in government.  The best ideas sometimes come from unlikely sources, and the government must foster ways to take risks and test ideas in the private and public sectors.  This means encouraging a break from the status quo.  Innovators defy normal, and come up with trailblazing new ideas.  Small businesses are great incubators of innovation, and strengthening them will also strengthen innovation.  Reform to the patent system to eliminate frivolous patents easily and make it easier to submit legitimate ones could also go a long way towards encouraging innovation.

Problems with the Media

As time goes on, people should be aware of several alarming facts.  The media in the United States, and several other places in the world, is increasingly being centralized into a few news organizations.  As evidenced by many sites, including freepress.net and fair.org, these corporations include many media and news outlets, and continue to become bigger.

As this happens, more and more Americans are getting their news from very few organizations, regardless of how many shows they watch.  Instead of valuing small, thought provoking, and independent journalism, we instead are getting large conglomerates who answer to their rich owners and corporate funders.  The independent, small scale journalism is held accountable to the people.  Since their operation depends solely on, say the publication of a single newspaper, they are more likely to listen to criticisms about their integrity or depth, since their success depends on only one or a few journalistic ventures.

Now, it will be quite difficult to prevent or change the course that is happening at this moment. But there is action that everyone can take.  Write to congress.  Tell them to pass legislation limiting the spread of media conglomerates.  Bring up anti trust legislation.  Encourage limitation on these media empires.     In addition, support your local papers.  If they have not been bought up already, encourage the operators not to sell.  Buy papers that are not from these empires, buy magazines that you value for there in depth, thought provoking coverage of the news.  Lastly, if you are unsatisfied with the media, start spreading your own magazines, newspapers, and pamphlets.  Encourage others to do the same.  Take on the empires.  Make journalism truly free and balanced.

Stand Up For What You Believe In

What is popular is not always right, what is right is not always popular.  We must not be afraid to stand up for what we believe in.  Standing up for what is right requires a great form of courage, courage that we all can muster.  If we stand up, we become noticed and therefore can elicit positive change.

You

We all can change this world.  Big, tall, young, old, we all can make a difference.  People are the agents of change in this world.  We all have the power to make the world a better place.

Young People

Ignoring the young people of a nation is a grave offense on the part of any government.  It is tragic whenever governments do this and they are duly punished.  When young people are ignored, the get angry and revolt.  Change needs to come; reform must be swift.

What we really need

Overall, both big government and small government are bad. The Auxilia Party believes in a balance between the people and the government. In part, the Auxilia allied forces are the government and the people in an alliance to better this nation. In some areas the people have more power and in others, the government has more power. But overall, it should be a mutual discussion and connection between the people and the government.