Does my title sound a bit extreme? Well it probably is both extreme and a little inaccurate. The Democrats in Congress have no problem funding education, so long as children have no choice in where they get it. So long as the government monopoly on K-12 education is maintained they are more than happy to waste millions if not billions.
You might ask:"Aren't you being a bit extreme? How can funding education be a waste?!", and I would answer, "The same way it is a waste when you pay twice as much for something half as good!"
What am I talking about? The Democrats pulling the plug the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. This 14 million dollar program (yes that is million with an "M", not billions with a "B") allows about 1,900 students, trapped in one of the worst school systems in the country, to use a portion of the money that would be spent on them in the public school system to get a privet education.
For the past five years this program has given hope and opportunity to poor children trapped in the District failing schools. Parents and students are far happier to be in private schools, and there is some evidence that the children are performing better (even though five years is a short amount of time to see a noticeable difference).
Instead of expanding this program, so more families can feel the benefits, the Democrats have chosen to quietly axe it in the 410 billion dollar omnibus spending bill. Yes, in a 410 billion dollar spending bill, the Democrats have cut a 14 million dollar education program! With fiscal responsibility like this, we will "cut the deficit in half" in no time!
But you say, "Sending kids to private schools sounds expensive! These are hard times!" That is the beauty of this program. It costs about 7,500 dollars per student. Do you know what the District spends per student in the public schools?! $24,600 per student!!
Apparently, if the solution to a problem is not a massive government program backed by an even more massive budget the Democrats can't support it.
But don't listen to me, listen to these kids as they plead with Congress and the President not to cut their program.
http://www.voicesofschoolchoice.org/home.aspx
If you are interested, you can also check out these links for more information.
http://cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/01/AR2009030101617.html?sub=AR
http://www.newsweek.com/id/186952/page/2
P.S. I am sorry for my poor grammar and overuse of explanation points, but this just pisses me off so much. If you want to crush our economy with new taxes, regulate businesses out of business, and centralize power in your hands and the hands of your allies, I can accept that. I do not like it, but I can accept it. Just don't pick on the kids, particularly the poor ones. I mean, have you no decency?! At long last have you no decency?!
