Financial Literacy

This past week, the Senate approved a bill (S-2275) to move forward to the House REQUIRING the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to help implement programs on teaching personal financial literacy in the existing mathematics curriculum. 

The program would include; Understanding Loans, Borrowing Money, Interest, Credit Card Debt, Rights and Responsibilities of Renting and Buying a Home, and Saving and Investing, and Planning for Retirement.

I wonder how many State Senators actually read this Bill and understand what it is that they want our children to learn?  Because for a group that wants to educate the minions in financial matters, they sure don;t seem to act as if they are Financially Literate!

We should all hope that the beta testing of this program would begin in the Governors Office and then work its way into the House and Senate before rolling it out to children.  I like the section about Borrowing Money.  Perhaps our esteemed elected officials in Boston never were educated on the effects of borrowing and overspending.  This would be a grand time to begin a remedial course on, oh say, How not to Budget, or How to Avoid Living Above Your Means.

While this crew on Beacon Hill has enough balls to pass a bill teaching OUR CHILDREN financial literacy while failing at their own Financial Lietracy, Governor John Lynch of New Hampshire was taunting Do Nothing Deval and our legislature over this "tax holiday" we had this past weekend.  Governor Lynch knows what drives business in his state - LOWERTAXES.  He especially knows what drives Massachusetts business to New Hampshire!

How can Deval Patrick and his cronies on Beacon Hill NOT see the same thing that John Lynch sees?  And Lynch is a Democrat!  In fact, Lynch knows that when Massachusetts raises any tax, his state benefits, which means Massachusetts and the rest of us who choose to remain here, lose.

The hypocrisy on Beacon Hill regarding the "teaching of financial Literacy" to children is appalling.  Let us parents teach our children and let the DOE institute courses for Reps, Senators, and the Governor on Good Government, Ethics in the State House, and Budgeting for Dummies, and stop trying to pass the blame onto others.  We are in this financial mess because of the very laws you and your friends in Washington have passed.  And Republicans must share the blame for some of this, albeit, the burden lies with Democrats in Massachusetts.

Governor Patrick, PLEASE be the first in line for the class on Budgeting.  With your track record it appears that you need this course more than anyone!