(Monday, September 20, 2010) is juxtaposed against another head line “Bond Markets Get Riskier.”

The issues are fundamental: security versus Risk and education versus unemployment.

But, even more basic is my belief that all life is an investment of your time, money and resources.

Whether in a finance business or life, in different forms, we are in search for the highest rate of return (ROI) on investment.

Right now, investors are chasing after junk bonds and bidding them up because they are desperate for yield.

In part, this is fueled by the government and the Fed in particular, keeping interest rates artificially low. These low rates penalize savings and investment. They are a tax payer subsidy of banks and housing among them.

What appears secure is getting riskier and riskier if you believe that rates and inflation will increase as the government inflates its way out of its enormous debts by monetizing them.

In the same way, every day jobs and job security has become a riskier investment.

Education alone is no longer a guarantee of a good job.

College education gives a relative advantage over high school education in getting a job, staying employed or finding a job if laid off.

But, who has the securer jobs and greater wage increases – government workers and teachers.

As government debt and government workers grow, there is a crowding out of the private sector jobs and opportunities.

To make matters worse, the government keeps extending unemployment benefits across the board.

Many college students are burdened by student loans and wages that are stagnant.

What can we do?

On an individual level:

On a national level:

To get the highest rate of return, on investment, jobs, education and as a country and, we have to do the opposite of what we are doing.

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The confusion of do gooding and fairness with achievement and success.

What ails the US economy and its education system is the constant desire to rationalize the idea of equal outcome.

By the nature of being human, you will always have a pecking order. Some will succeed more than others.

Having taught in a public school in New York City, it was clear years ago and clearer today, why our education and economic system are declining.

The focus on mediocrity. Pass students at all costs who were in 7th and 8th grade reading at 3rd and 4th grade levels.

The school unions were oppressive. The older teachers wanted a job. There was no merit system.

Today, we face the most insane economic policies led by a President and Congress determined to organize America into one big community ruled purely by

their

idea of fairness and what they determine is right for us.

The new King – what the constitution looked to protect against – is taxing us economically socially and educationally without true representation.

They encourage the all too familiar political gambit play the rich – and successful – against the taken advantage middle and poor.

In the name of fairness and mediocrity – rather than meritocracy – we are being overtaken by bureaucrats that believe to profit and succeed is evil – meaning unfair.

Yet, they soak the entire popular with their ridiculous salaries, pensions and benefits.

The country is crippled by a double standard where big is ok because they have the dollars to buy politicians through lobbyist and contributions. In turn, the politicians vote for them to get the votes and the backing.

The result is a Fed controlled by an academic who has little understanding of simple business. He is a political animal who lacks common sense. The believes we are reliving the Depression. Yet, all predictive models have been shown you cannot predict the future from the past. You can learn from it but the future will be different.

The idea that you can keep borrowing your way to prosperity following Keynesian models is a pipe drea. There are no free lunches.

What do I recommend seems more a wish list:

1. Get back to the basics of what made this country great – support small business and entrepreneurs
2. Foster true fairness by raising all school standards and facing that students are failing for a number of reasons – teaching methods, emotional issues, cultural circumstances, economic reasons and purely differences in intelligence.
3. Stop spending. Balance the budget. Everyone has to take less.
4. Stop raising taxes to cover up the wasteful, uncontrolled spending
5. Stop borrowing
6. Politicians and bureaucrats have to be put on a system based upon meritocracy not pork barreling. This means a reporting system on the internet of what they are doing which is understandable.
7. Have big business ally with education and small business so that they can incentivize innovation and job creation.
8. Give incentives to small businesses, entrepreneurs which will create more start ups, jobs and long term investment.
9. Create an atmosphere of greater economic certainty by honoring the successful and not bailing out the unsuccessful. It’s good to succeed and to be wealthy if done within the rules (rules that are not onerous)
10. Make the government stay as the referee not the participant.

Do I believe this will happen?

No.

Why?

Because we are appealing to the lowest common denominator – to fairness which sounds moral and wonderful. Fairness attracts very bright and idealistic people.

But only being realistic, facing the current reality going back to basics and taking our current medicine will return us to being the economic and social engine that the world has admired. By being the world’s policeman in the name of fairness, we are being unfair to the Americans we are supposedly trying to help.

Just think of the enormous waste of money going to wars, pork barrel, bureaucrats, entitlements etc.

It reminds me of failing companies where everyone gets around a table and says we can’t cut any expenses. But, we are losing money – lots of it.

Finally, the company faces the news – we are going under.

Suddenly, there are numerous proposals for cuts but often too late.

That’s our federal state governments today.

Fairness and mediocrity versus reality and meritocracy.

Bureaucracy versus Entrepreneurship.

Unfortunately, I believe its time to face we are going under. I hope it’s not too late.

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Step 1 Online or offline

There has been great debate about whether an online degree has equal or more value than a degree from a regular brick and mortar college or university. According to the National Education Association (NEA), in the last two years there has been a 20% increase in the number of students enrolling in an online class. Although manty employers view any degree as favorable, be sure to take online classes that are offered through a brick and mortar school to valid the course legitimacy. Recent legislation that will take effect at the beginning of 2011 has changed the value of strictly online degrees and notes that most of them are not valuable despite their claims. hence, consider getting a degree from the University of Nebraska extension or the University of Texas. For lower costs schools consider Western New Mexico university. There are many online classes you can also take at community colleges and most four year schools.

Step 2 Pick a major

As states slash university budgets and fewer departments exist within schools, consider the value of a major. Why are states slashing the budgets of schools and the schools in turn shutting down certain departments? Because the major(s) offered from that department are no longer applicable or there is little enrollment. English, Math, Language, and evem Computer Science departments are getting closed at schools across the nation. Currently, the most popular major is business and with good reason. Business is directly applicable to nearly all facets of life as there is a business of some kind in every industry.

Communicatons/Writing is second as we as humans need to communicate. Pick areas that will be there years to come and cannot be replaced with technology. For example, agriculture will alwaysd exist because human must eat food to survive. In like manner, water must always be tested because humans cannot function without water.

Step 3 Think ahead

Where do you want to be five years from now? Do you want to own your oown business or be the head of a company? Even though it is difficult to determine what we want to be in the future given lack of jobs and the elimination of industries, research the possibilities of what may be.

Step 4 Transfer yourself

You need to be able to have a college degree that can be used in most industries. By doing so, you can easily be employable and may only require specific on the job training.

Step 5 Evaluate the alternative

Do you believe you would be better off investing in a franchise or ETF? consider the reality. If you have not embarked on college yet, you may consider this alternative. YOu can also get a two year degree in graphic design, radiology, or nuclear medicine, and then invest the rest of the money that you would use for a four year degree. Review the market and look around your area. Are businesses locking up? If so, then go to school. If not, consider the alternative.

Remember, your life is in your hands. Please visit stepsto.com for more great business advice.

Step 1. Government Graduate Loans
This type of loan is the same as undergraduate loan. The only difference is name. Like undergraduates, graduates have the opportunity to get a Stafford or Perkins loan from the government.

Stafford graduate loans are available to any graduate student regardless of their financial situation. Two types of Stafford graduate loans exist: subsidized and unsubsidized. The difference in the two lies in who pays the interest. For subsidized Stafford graduate loans, the government pays the interest. Students pay for the interest in unsubsidized Stafford graduate loans, though there is the option of not having to make payments until after graduation.

A Perkins graduate loan is available to students who demonstrate financial hardship. It has an interest rate of only 5 percent and can finance up to $4,000 of the graduate student’s education. For graduate students who are adversely limited economically, the Perkins loan is not a bad option. However, one must keep in mind that payments are still expected to be received promptly and perpetually. In extreme circumstances it is possible to request a deferment on loan payments until one is able to pay normally.

To apply for either the Perkins or Stafford graduate loans, one must submit a FAFSA form to the government. When the form has been processed the government will send a SAR (Student Aide Report) which will give further instructions on how to apply for these loans.

Step 2. Alternate Graduate Loans
This loan has also been known as private graduate loans, are loans funded by non-governmental entities. Companies offering these loans could be banks, credit card agencies or any other enterprise interested in helping graduate students secure student loans. The Education Resources Institute (TERI) is an example of a company offering this type of loan. It is called the Act Graduate Student loan program. The application can be filled out online at http://gradloans.com. Decisions are received in as little as 15 minutes.

You can first try to visit websites of all the major banks because many do offer student loans services. Or you can use a search engine by typing the name of banks you know. Some banks will even offer graduate loan comparison charts to help their customers see how their loans stack up against the competitors. These charts can serve as a further aide in researching graduate loans.