Schwarzenegger adds to the not-so Golden State woes

Well beyond the notion of bettering society, long-term economic growth and recovery is based upon quality of education. While spending habits of three decades has finally boiled over into the hellfire storm of the present day, areas with poor levels of education will be less likely to recover and lag behind for decades.

As the State of California grapples with imploding debt, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has decreed that "outdated" school text books with digital devices. Hiding behind the veil of "technology", the actor turned politician showed once again why he should never have been in elected office with the mindless comment

"Textbooks are outdated, as far as I’m concerned. There’s no reason why our schools should have our students lug around these antiquated and heavy and expensive textbooks. California is the home of Silicon Valley, the world leader in technology and innovation, so we can do better than that."

Furthering his stance on product placement and ringing endorsements, he added:

"Our kids get their information from the internet, downloaded onto their iPods, and in Twitter feeds to their cell phones... Basically. kids are feeling as comfortable with their electronic devices as I was with my pencils and crayons.

"So why are California's school students still forced to lug around antiquated, heavy, expensive textbooks?"

To debate why students should be reading from textbooks as well as classic literature in printed form is a mindless exercise considering the Governor is embracing the notion that "learning" can be achieved via 160-characters. In the best case scenario the complexities of managing and entire reader system for the state is a near impossibility and merely a carefully crafted edict that will lower expense but through the real cost of future generations education. For businesses this is just another in the long list in the reasons why workforce problems in California are extraordinarily troubling and in the long run will only lead to further migration out of the not-so Golden State.