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**My personal opinion is that school systems run at the local level fare best - hence my disagreement with the No Child Left Behind Act. Federal money hurts the education system**
Well, that's where we differ. I believe that President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act is making sure that children learn the basics at a young age. I've gone to school with people who still don't know the order of the months. It amazes me that they ever made it beyond elementary school. Clearly the local level isn't doing their job.
**But how will that happen when we continue to experience unrestrained growth, and have a deficit of $500 billion?**
Since President Bush has a plan for cutting the deficit in half over the next five years, I am not currently concerned about the deficit. If his plan does not seem to succeed over the next few years, then I would be concerned.
**Anyone can agree on very generic statements of policy, but when we get down to actually implementing them, that's where disagreements surface.**
But again, President Bush has done something on that regard as well. I completely agree with his decision to ban partial-birth abortion and the fact that it was ever in existence seriously disturbs me. I am very worried about that, in particular, because I know that if a liberal is elected, the first thing that will go is the ban on partial-birth abortion.

Well, that's where we differ. I believe that President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act is making sure that children learn the basics at a young age. I've gone to school with people who still don't know the order of the months. It amazes me that they ever made it beyond elementary school. Clearly the local level isn't doing their job.

Based on history, what makes you think the federal government will succeed where local government has failed? Can you cite instances where removing the decision-making power from the people most impacted has EVER ended in success? The answer lies in revamping the system - not trying to take control of it at the federal level.

As to the mechanics of the NCLBA, do you realize how contorted the process is for complying with the Act and receiving federal grants. Administrators are beginning to devise workarounds rather than comply with the bureaucracy the Act has created. You see, it sounds good on the surface, but in practice the Act has created unintended consequences. That's what happens when you centralize government power and allow lifelong bureaucrats to run the show.

Since President Bush has a plan for cutting the deficit in half over the next five years, I am not currently concerned about the deficit. If his plan does not seem to succeed over the next few years, then I would be concerned.

Given his inability to exert any control to this point, what makes you think he'll suddenly be able to halve the deficit? For that matter, can you cite some specifics of The Plan? I've seen some generic throwaway statements concerning control of spending, but nothing of any substance. I have a hard time taking this administration at its word after seeing three years of action to the contrary.