When does 8+5=11? Only when "8" isn't "8," "5" isn't "5" and "11" is merely an interpretation of what could be the right answer under the right circumstances. Like Bill Clinton's inability to define the word "is," and like George W. Bush's affinity for "fuzzy math," we now can conclude that "is" means "could have been" and "bailout" means "loan." The only way to preserve such nonsense in a common sense society is to teach it to our children.
It is an unfortunate reality in modern times that the political class is allowed to make up its own reality. A brave Delta Force officer dying in a gunfight is not "combat" and his unit's presence in Iraq during a rescue mission is not "boots on the ground." Ex-Communicated political operatives like Sid Blumenthal sending advice emails to Hillary Clinton is not "advising" the Secretary. Using the power of the IRS to "target" political organizations is not "targeting political organizations because of their political beliefs." Whatever your political persuasion, you can find a myriad of examples of politicians straining reason to create the political reality of their choosing. It is common core. It is the tool of the political class to shape the narrative in a way that avoids absolute truth in favor of their version of events. And now they saddle our children and us parents with their twisted reality.
8+5 is 13. It will always be 13. It will never be 11. This is a universal truth so common at its core that we used basic mathematics to communicate as we launched a probe into deep space hoping some intelligent life would be able to conclude that we are also intelligent. To channel Ayn Rand, "A" is "A". It is not "B." Rand was not unique in her belief either. The concept dates back to Aristotle's "Law of Identity." Put simply, a thing is what it is and is not something else. A leaf is not a stone. A stone is not a horse. A horse is not a tree. There exists no level of perception that will make it so.
However, we now live in a society so deconstructed that somehow it is normal to talk about absolute truths as mere opinion, as if everything in the universe is defined by a simple matter of perspective. For the political class the truth is often inconvenient, so the truth must be obfuscated.
The political class, you see, is so used to being allowed to define its own reality that the idea of absolute truth is a threat to its very existence. Lies are now so commonplace that "spin" is euphemistically used to explain every inaccurate statement from every political operative appearing on television or in print. One's "opinion" is now a substitute for the facts and, as the electorate becomes wise to the game, something has to be done to preserve the Establishment's right to lie.
Defining your own reality has long been a privilege of the rich and powerful. If you do not want to serve in Vietnam, you buy your way out. If you do not want to go to jail for banking fraud, you buy your way out. If you do not want to be held to account for violating someone's civil rights, you buy your way out. Morality has nothing to do with it. It is always about who you are, what you have, and who you know. The solution is never groupthink, or standardization, or a national curriculum. It is independent thought.
Common Core was bipartisan legislation, as was No Child Left Behind. Whenever I see bipartisan legislation I always ask myself, "what do they hope to accomplish with this"? We should all be suspicious of any legislation that garners the uniform support of the political elite. It is almost certainly something that is beneficial to them, unless you still believe that the political class cares about your individual problems. To acquiesce is, ordinarily, just an acceptance that you are not in power and it is natural for those in power to abuse that power. However, Common Core affects our children and we cannot accept it. This muddled thinking, particularly in mathematics, will create in our children an inability to discern reality from fantasy - just as it was intended to do.
The proponents of Common Core defend it by redefining it as a vehicle to higher standards in primary school education. Admittedly, "higher standards" sound like a good idea. But, if those standards rob our already underactive children of an active, healthy childhood, then they are insidious. I remember my parents having to help me with homework every once in awhile, but not on a regular basis. I remember, as I'm sure most of you do, having several hours before dark to do homework and still play outside. Parents now are faced with helping children on a daily basis with homework assignments even we cannot understand.
America has enjoyed the largest economy and the most powerful military, cultural and political influence ever in history. One would have to go back to ancient Rome to find a nation as hegemonic. Yet we pretend that it is our educational system that is somehow crippling our ability to compete with China or India. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is our values and our natural instinct to innovate that makes us great. It is a culture of hard work and our traditional emphasis on entrepreneurialism that has made us who we are. It is our traditional belief that "truth" and "equality" are tangible things and not mere ideals that has guided our nation to prominence. Moral equivalency and deconstructionism are the antitheses of our founding principles. An abortion is an abortion. You can have differing ideas about whether it should be legal, but you cannot redefine into something it is not. Taxing is taking something from someone else for the "greater good." You cannot redefine it as "investment" and pretend it is not a taking. A bailout with taxpayer money is a bailout with taxpayer money and cannot be redefined as a loan. Marriage is marriage and cannot be redefined as "civil unions." Combat is combat and cannot be redefined as "advising." Fall where you like on the issues, but no reasonable debate can be had without all parties first acknowledging the basic parameters of the debate.
We must demand that the political class admit 8+5 equals 13. Until we do, the Bushes and the Clintons of the world will continue to destroy our nation with the false promise that, this time, 8+5 equals 11.
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