Address the failure of the education system as if it was the most pressing issue in our nation.

Much of the funk that our nation finds itself in can be attributed to the education of those now in power. Perhaps it has changed with policies such as NCLB, but to see a change in the future of our nation's economy, and overall global rank, the education system must be thought of in a new way. In recent surveys of 34 developed nations, American students ranked 25th in math, 17th in science, and 14th in reading. We were never on top, but we are losing our global footholds to bigger players like China. Democracy, citizenship, and economic awareness are elements that absolutely DEMAND a good education. We can't make change by throwing money at local districts either. This change requires a change in thought: we must train our students to run our nation, preferably not into the ground.