Education

Interesting article on best way for education system to function. I did teach for a couple years. Were a lot
of variables to consider when designing your approach to the students. One I most adhered to was high expectations similar to how many asian countries deal with their education systems. I'd work my students hard.
Rating teacher performance could have the adverse affect in that teachers just try to tow the line and not make waves. May give their students more generous grades so as not to offend parents or administrators. In doing so, students are cheated out of a superior education.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2011/0104/To-improve-schools-stop-treating-them-like-businesses

Safety Net

More on how other successful nations handle health care.  Emphasis on the safety net that provides a foundation for citizens to succeed. Something which is missing in our society. And why is it missing? Is it the old American spirit gone awry? The wealthy who may desire high unemployment and a poorly educated workforce in order to keep their costs down? A severely dysfunctional government?
I saw a government official was being interviewed from Indonesia recently and his country emphasized full employment, free health care, and free education for all it's citizens and their economy is booming.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/1229/What-Germany-could-teach-America-about-health-care-reform-and-government-s-role