Bipartisan tit-for-tat

There used to be a great deal of talk about the "dumbing down" of American society. I saw it as a teacher, noting the differences even in textbooks from the late 1980s to 2002. More pictures. More pizzazz. Less substance.

Of course, our dear leaders are no exception. When former president Carter called the current president the worst in history, the White House responded that Carter doesn't matter. He's "irrelevant." I was disappointed in the comeback. It lacked substance and ran more along the lines of "So's your old man" or "Your mother wears Army boots" (an outdated phrase if ever there was one).

Carter apologized and retracted his comment, in spite of the lackluster White House response. That's the end of it, I guess.

I miss the days when students were expected to read their textbooks and not just browse the pictures. The days when a research report meant hauling yourself to the library and coming home with an armful of books. The days when a political spat lasted longer and burned brighter.

I'm not that old, really, but I've seen the dumbing and dimming of America. Will somebody please turn on the lights?