Positive thinking really is killing us. We spend billions every year on "hope" based medical treatments.. We throw money into stupid 'investments' and 'hope for the best'. We hand money over to religious institutions because that will take us to prosperity. The biggest argument in favor of the two wars the country is fighting at present? Why, we haven't 'won' yet but we will prevail. We actually haven't won a war since World War 2. (Technically, we did not win the gulf war, the Iraqi army fled Kuwait and we declared victory. Touchdown maybe, but it wasn't a war won.

Brighter days are just around the corner only if we turn on the lights.

Thinking positively won't fix the economy. In fact, it was ignorant optimism that brought about the near collapse of the economy! It went like this: Buy a home you can't afford now because tomorrow you'll be making more money and this house will be worth more money. You can't lose.

But when the notes came due, we weren't making more money and the house was worth less. And we had borrowed against the paper value of the house. Then the government threw trillions of dollars into the banking system to prevent total collapse. Where'd that money come from? Our friends in China bought U.S. Treasury notes to cover us.

The debt ceiling must now be raised to $14 TRILLION Dollars. That can never, ever be paid off. Never. It's impossible. We've crossed the line of no return.

So before you think I'm all doom and no gloom, here's a dim ray of light toward which this dying country should move before it's too late. Education.

No, I don't mean throw money at the system. Fix it. The curricula from K-12 is so dated and 'meatless' it should be thrown out with the bath water. We must get back to reading, math, science and history. Kids need to learn problem solving. No, that doesn't mean they need to learn how to find an answer using Google. I want to our kids to write the answers Google finds.

P.E. needs to be mandatory. Look at the fat people you work with. Then look at their kids. Half this country will be on insulin in a few years.

Teachers. Here we go, but sorry you guys have been in control for years and your product isn't that good. You're fired. I'm sorry your kids have lousy parents and I'm sorry you don't have unlimited budgets. But I'm sorry when I hire one of your graduates who cannot solve a simple problem, make change or spell enough words to complete a sentence.

Why in the hell does a second grade teacher deserve tenure? I don't know of anyone who can do a mediocre job for two years and then be guaranteed a job for life. That is just wrong.

Tenure. Think about it. If you had employees who could never be fired, how great would they be? We must end tenure. If you feel sorry for teachers, take a look at what a teacher in your state makes after 3 years. You will be shocked. Bet you thought it was lower. The NEA does a great job of marketing the woes of the poor teacher forced to buy pencils out of her minimum wage check. Nonsense. Look it up.

Teachers teach. Every teacher should be required to pass a current competency exam annually. Hey, you want a job paying $60,000 with 4 months per year off and great benefits? Qualify.

Few teachers even work an eight hour day. Yes, they will tell you about the endless hours of correcting papers. Sure, I think a high school teacher probably does have a longer day. But a third grade teacher? How long can it take to correct a third grade spelling test?

Okay, this really isn't about picking on teachers, but is about seeing this nation of ours go down the tubes if we don't make a very radical improvement in our education system. If K-12 produced more thinkers, we'd be a lot better off today. Tomorrow is bleak.

There is a whole crop coming up that can't get to the grocery store without a GPS on their cell phone. And once they get to the store, they don't know what to do with most of what's in a grocery store!

Fix education and we'll produce the fixers of all the other problems we face now and will face in the future.

Is this a business post? You bet. Demand the best from your education system. Support it and hold it accountable. And start a library at your business. Buy some books, stimulate thinking. You will be amazed at what a little mental stimulation can do.

Basketball coach Phil Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls to six championships. He regularly would give his players books. Not books about basketball, just books. I remember reading that one player said, "I didn't know he thought I could read. I hadn't read a book in years. It made me think. I started playing better."

Think about it.

Chris Reich wants a better education system and knows your business can develop talent from within--- now.