*** ...picture what this country would look like if we spent as much money feeding and educating our people... ***

At the risk of pushing you completely over the edge; is starvation really an issue in the US? Is this a problem that can be solved by the government and it's usual high levels of incompetence? Look at the great job they did in New Orleans.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/obese/obse99.htm

If 65% of the US is overweight or obese, what percentage is starving and would require government help to keep from dying of hunger? “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today.  Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime."

And you want to spend more on education? A study conducted and released on August 25, 2000, by the American Legislative Exchange Council (the nation’s largest bipartisan, individual membership association of state legislators, with nearly 2,400 members across America) found that there is no correlation between increased spending and student performance. The study reported on state education performance, noting that Minnesota’s public school performance ranked highest in the nation spending at an average of $6,245 per student and the District of Columbia’s public school performance ranked last-even with spending $8,670 per student. According to ALEC Chairman Ray Hynes, “This study shows the path of least resistance fails our children, and that throwing more money at the problem is not the answer.”
http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000002/00000270.asp

Rather than spend more, why don't we dump the teachers unions and require schools to actually educate and motivate our children. Let's pay schools for performance rather than just throw money at them. Hold them accountable.

If you choose to respond to these opinions, please keep it civil. Let's not have a repeat performance of yesterday's  lugubrious inquietude. 

 :^)