Nikola Drobac – 8/8/07

This page was last updated on August 28, 2007.

Teach students capitalism; Nikola (Nick) Drobac; Beaver County Times; August 8, 2007.

Mr. Drobac has written at least 25 anti-Bush and/or anti-Republican rants since July 1, 2004. In a letter entitled “GOP messing things up” (October 29, 2002), Mr. Drobac expressed a wish to be able to laugh as all Republicans face financial ruin in retirement, calling them fools because they may have more confidence in themselves than in government bureaucrats and politicians.

According to his website, Mr. Drobac attended CCBC, Pitt, and USC.

As you read this letter, keep in mind Mr. Drobac describes himself as a current/former “high school accounting and business teacher.” Does anyone doubt the thinking he displays in letters like this also finds its way into Mr. Drobac’s classes?

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“All students have the ability to learn. However, not all students want to learn.

“Not pointed out in Monday’s ‘Ambridge adds financial literacy to curriculum’ article was that many youngsters in fourth through 10th grades cannot relate to the importance of saving and planning.

“Many students (families) don’t have enough money to pay for the basic necessities of life.

“Saving money is not an option when living from paycheck to paycheck. Balancing a checkbook is not a pleasant thought when you don’t have enough money to buy food, clothing or to pay for other daily necessities.

“Students in public schools really need to learn about capitalism. Capital is money. Money is capital. Like it or not, we live in a society based on money.”

[RWC] What about students in private schools?

“How do you make the money needed to buy food, clothing and pay for the necessities of life?”

[RWC] How do you acquire “food, clothing and … the necessities of life” in a non-capitalistic society?

“According to the Census Bureau, a person’s level of education is considered to be a predictor of earnings. On average, the more education, the greater the potential earnings. This is true for blacks, Hispanics, whites, Croatians, Greeks, Italians, Jews, Serbians, etc.”

[RWC] Mr. Drobac needed to go to the Census Bureau to learn this? My parents and grandparents knew this many, many years ago.

“As a high school accounting and business teacher, I always taught my students, ‘The more education you have, the more money you make, the less work you do. If you want to be successful, earn a bachelor of art/science degree or better.’”

[RWC] So, bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and other skilled tradesmen can’t be successful? It would be interesting to know Mr. Drobac’s definition of “successful.”

“Before teaching students how to save money and balance a checkbook, we need to teach students at a very early age how to get the right education needed for that good-paying job so they can make money that they will need in this economy based on money.

“If a student can see the light at the end of the tunnel, that student will then be more interested in learning how to save money and how to balance a checkbook.”

[RWC] Some folks who commented on this letter on the Times website appeared to believe Mr. Drobac was making a positive statement about capitalism. Below is what I wrote in response.

“I could be wrong, but I have a different interpretation of Mr. Drobac’s letter.

“I’m familiar with Mr. Drobac’s body of work over the last several years. Since July 1, 2004, Mr. Drobac has written at least 25 anti-Bush and/or anti-Republican letters to the Times alone. Opposing some positions of President Bush and some Republicans isn’t a problem; I do that myself. What makes me take a different view of Mr. Drobac’s letter than some of you are the economic/business assertions and positions he presented in previous letters.

“Though I’m sure there are exceptions, people who are as anti-Republican and anti-conservative as Mr. Drobac’s letters indicate he is usually aren’t big supporters of capitalism. In a letter entitled “GOP messing things up” (10/29/02), Mr. Drobac expressed a wish to be able to laugh as all Republicans faced financial ruin in retirement, calling them fools because they may have more confidence in themselves than in government bureaucrats and politicians. Does that sound like a pro-capitalism position?

“While all of Mr. Drobac’s letters make for interesting reading, “GOP messing things up,” “Economy should benefit us all” (10/19/06), and “What about the unemployed?” (7/12/06) are probably the most germane to interpreting the intent of the current letter.

“Nowhere does Mr. Drobac say he believes in capitalism and its superiority over the economic principles of communism/liberalism/Marxism/progressivism/socialism. I came away with the opinion that Mr. Drobac believes “Students in public schools really need to learn about capitalism” so they can protect themselves from capitalism, not so they can take advantage of the freedom it provides (and requires). For example, Mr. Drobac wrote, “Like it or not, we live in a society based on money.” I disagree. Money is merely a common medium we employ to simplify the exchange of the fruits of our labor. What’s wrong with that? Would we be better off with a barter system? It would still be capitalism; it would just be harder (less freedom) to exchange your labor for your needs and wants.

“Mr. Drobac wrote that he believes “The more education you have, … the less work you do.” Maybe it’s just me, but this sounds like class warfare stuff, just using education in place of wealth. If Mr. Drobac is referring specifically to physical labor, that’s probably true. Work, however, isn’t all physical. If a person has a job consisting primarily of unskilled labor (physical or not), does that mean he automatically works harder than a surgeon or works more hours?

“Anyway, the above explains why my interpretation of Mr. Drobac’s letter differs from the interpretation some of you appear to have.”