What are they teaching Public Policy/Administration students? (NASPAA,MPA/MPP awards)

What I call - and no doubt you will call - one of the World's Dumbest, Saddest, and Most Pathetic Videos has just won the 'MPA/MPP You Tube Public Policy Challenge: Change the World in 1 Minute' contest. The contest was sponsored by the "National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration" (NASPAA, naspaa.org), and the MPA/MPP stands for "Masters of Public Administration/Masters of Public Policy".

The video in question is here; it's called "Crossing Lines: Immigration Reform in America" and the author is Jon Hickey, who's a Masters of Public Administration student at the "Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington in Seattle". In other words, he's in graduate school, not the 2nd grade as you might first suspect.

I'm stunned at how stupid the video is, and I even feel a bit embarassed for everyone involved, even including Youtube's Steve Grove, shown here kicking off the contest.

The video's argument is so self-evidently faulty that I am honestly surprised that no one pulled anyone involved aside and told them that, for instance, there are billions of people worse off than "Carlos". And, one would think something calling itself "public policy" would be able to understand the role the Mexican establishment plays in their current situation and instead of supporting that support reform.

From naspaa.org/youtubechallenge/index.asp:

Hickey also tried to be creative and different and chose to create his video by color cartoon instead of filming real people or places.

Yeah, I do that too, but at least I have a real argument.

These were the judges:

Kathryn Newcomer, President of NASPAA
Chris Wolz, MPA & Founder of Forum One Communications
Jeremy Bronson, Producer with Chris Matthews 'Hardball' on MSNBC

Someone please tell me this is a prank or something.

Comments

petty bourgeois, It is not so much that I disagree with you but I simply am taking a look at past history. Yes, the Mexican illegals shameless exploit their children to further their cause of staying in this country in contempt of our laws and sovereignty. We both know this constitutes extortion by threatening Child Abuse. Still the majority of American on a national as opposed to regional level do not agree with you or even I that it is acceptable to penalize children of illegals for the unlawful behavior their parents. To the majority Americans not educating, sheltering or feeding any child on US soil constitutes state sanctioned child abuse. The fight to change those opinions is progressing but it would take another decade wait in order to win. We do not have the time. Sorry, but we just happen to live in a country of decent people who feel bound by a social contract however misguided on occasions. Time and time again this has been the wedge that has provided the political cover which Federal courts have used to overturn the will of the people as in Plyler vs Doe and Prop 187. Sad to say but that is reality. And honestly even with the current Roberts SCOTUS who is to say that they will would not up hold the president of a Plyler Vs Doe. Is the current SCOTUS really more principled on the Constitutional Intent of the 14 amendment or is it just both a Political and Corporatist animal. After all remember who nominated Roberts and Alito. I really would not want to bet my life savings on these issues. We both know the bullshit is going to get real deep over the "Dream Act". Worse the "Dream Act" will be used a Trojan Horse/Clay Pigeon to attach all sort of additional heinous legislation like radical expansions of the the H1-B and F4 visas that will cost millions more US middle class jobs and tens of billions. Yes 60-70%+ of the children of Illegal Aliens drop out of US high schools. Yes as a whole they very may well constitute a real detriment to our school systems and the education of US citizens. But the sad fact is all it takes are a relative small percentage of decent kids who do make the honor rolls for the MSM to brainwash the public into believing the "Dream Act" is worthwhile legislation and the only viable option. And lets be honest when its comes down to a battle over bogus sentimentality over the "American Dream", dubious talking points can and will win the day. Why not be able to counter the bullshit with our own talking points with "Sure these good kids deserve a shot a college education just not in the United States. Yes their parents "may" have paid some state taxes but surely not enough. Besides that does not entitle them to an college education in the US at taxpayers expense and risk denying discounted tuition and a slot a state college to a US citizen or legal resident. Why does the Mexican Government not wish to see these kids get an education in Mexico where they would only

Part II Why not be able to counter the bullshit with our own talking points with "Sure these good kids deserve a shot a college education just not in the United States. Yes their parents "may" have paid some state taxes but surely not enough. Besides that does not entitle them to an college education in the US at taxpayers expense and risk denying discounted tuition and a slot a state college to a US citizen or legal resident. Why does the Mexican Government not wish to see these kids get an education in Mexico where they would only be a credit to their nation? Why does Mexico it expect the United States to take a great interest in the education of its citizens than its own Government?" As far as the University system in Mexico, yes it is a hot bed of radical ideologies, anti-Americanism and mediocrity. I would not give a single US tax dollar to help fund their system. Mexico's elites have no interest in reforming the Universities since they send kids to study abroad. The elites could give a rats ass about creating an educated middle class. But these issues were precisely why during the Cold War our country stressed continued funding for US Chartered University education in places like Beirut, Greece and Cairo. Why the hell not Mexico?? If that is what in takes to gain the political advantage to out maneuver the Mexican Ethnocentric lobbies than why not? Surely it would cost a fraction of the cost of perpetuating the mess we suffer today another year. In order to start the long over due Revolution in Mexico you first have to get the Mexicans out of our country and back in theirs. Doing so requires a lot of political will and gamesmanship. Until now the Mexican Government LULAC, MALDEF and LA Raza have been able to play US politics against us. Sometimes in order to win the battle it pays not to take an inflexible hard line in order to out wit your opponent. I am not smoking anything. If you disagree with me it is on strategy. If you have a better plan. I am all ears.

This is way to much for me! Immigration reform is away that Mexico city and it's drug dealers can rule here without a fight. As far as the war with mexico goes it was a just war and the other side attacked the USA, This land never was part of Mexico and if we allow the murdering pig's to take it from us we will have shit in the face of the Great guy's who made this Nation what it is. Now if we keep going down the road of love and peace we will disappear into a third world hell on earth. Bush is our enemy and so is anyone who help's the enemies of freedom who want one thing "your head", The people of the third world will never get anything without doing the work of a free people.

That just tells you how much political correctness, sappy multiculturalism and mau-mauing by Latino groups have damaged critical thinking on Immigration issues. As far as the Dream Act. I would much rather see the US help fund quality university education in Mexico. That is on the condition that the Mexican people show a real earnest effort in assisting on fighting the drug war and support border security from there side as well. It would cost far less than an education in the US.

Give mexico my hard earned tax dollars? What are you smoking?

petty bourgeois Drugs from Mexico are costing the US economy how many tens of billions each year? How much is educating illegal alien children here costing us now? I don't advocate giving Mexico anything with out results. Building a wall to help stop drug dealers and illegals will work much better if you can get Mexico to assist in stopping tunnel diggers and drug dealers who will attempt to blow holes in the fence. The huge problem in Mexico is that it has almost no virtuous middle class that abhors crooks and drug dealers. Mexicans do not value education in part because the opportunity to go to college is so limited there. Therefore they expect the right to come here and through currency arbitrage support their families back home meanwhile socking US taxpayers with the social costs of having them here. A good college education in Mexico that costs a fourth, fifth or less than that of a US education would be worth the price in the long run. Funding "American style" Universities overseas has been a good investment where it has been done. Send the illegals who are crying for the Dream Act back to Mexico and both demand and shame the Hacienda Class into beginning funding college education on a large scale. Why did NAFTA fail. Well lots of reasons. But a large part of it was a crappy educational system incapable of supporting a modern manufacturing base.

In plain text it should read "GIVE US WHAT WE WANT AND THERE WON'T BE ANY TROUBLE, WHITEY." What retail chain or business haven't they drove into ruin? They never wanted equality, it had to be domination. They never could care less about acceptance as long as we perform for them. I pity the GD wiggers of our society, overcome by cowardice to take a stand and be themselves. You want a scary label? Try this; EXASPERATED WHITE PROCREATORS. Its been long enough. Let's end this shit.

"Drugs from Mexico are costing the US economy how many tens of billions each year?" Oh really? What "costs" are you referring to, and what about the domestic drugs? The war on drugs has always been a failure, and always will be. Throwing more money at it only makes it worse. It's a negative correlation, just like educational spending. Giving a corrupt third world cesspool (that already has untold riches to spend on its people) is about as lame a foreign policy as you can get. Their domestic economy depends on remittances. Cut them off and revolution will follow. That's what mexicans do every 100 years. We need to helkp them along with economic collapse and bloody violence. It's a mexican tradition. The fact that Mexico has a very small middle class is the concern of mexico's poor, not I as an american citizen. They need to fix themselves with another violent revolution. Furthermore, mexicans don't take advantage of educational opportunities even when it is given to them in the USA. They suffer from the problem of zero normative values towards education, in addition to being a full standard deviation in IQ below whites or asians, along with high rates of illegitimacy to boot. Ghetto culture (like african americans) does not have a normative value which emphasizes education, and you aren't going to be able to change entire cultures and genetic traits by giving my tax dollars to mexico. People less smart don't get PhDs, including mexicans. They contribute nothing in terms of science or innovation, even when presented with the opportunity in this country. As for your argument about dumping money into schools in mexico (the "autonomous" unis are dominated by communists) is about as wacky as a statement I've ever heard. Again, what are you smoking?

BTW, it looks as if Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has just passed Bill Gates as the richest man in the world. Mexico has a much lower tax rate than the US. We are constantly being told that Mexico lacks infrastructre, schools, etc. Does anybody see anything odd about this?