Posted on 07/21/2005 6:53:39 AM PDT by Gipper08
The President's Education Agenda Was Left Behind
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives would be better titled The Missed Opportunities Education Act. I voted against H.R. 1 because this legislation does little to improve the quality of education for Indiana students and creates an even more bloated federal bureaucracy.
Our founding fathers enshrined in the Constitution the principle of federalism -- the notion that the federal government should involve itself only with those issues that states and localities could not resolve on their own. States and localities are closest to the needs of the people and know best how to address those needs.
In his "No Child Left Behind" proposal, President Bush sent Congress an outline of the major initiatives needed to reform America's schools. His original vision would have empowered parents with choice and would have given state and local governments the flexibility to use federal dollars to improve our schools. Unfortunately, the bill Congress passed looks nothing like the one President Bush sent us. I am disappointed and saddened that the President's proposal, which could have bettered our children's lives, was left behind in the legislative process.
Congress passed a bill that mandates federal testing and calls for a 22 percent increase in spending on the education bureaucracy next year -- double the President's original request. As it now stands, H.R. 1 will result in the largest funding increase for the Department of Education since it was created during the Carter Administration.
The House Education Committee eliminated the best proposals in the bill. Committee members replaced the "Straight A's" provision, which would have freed states from burdensome federal regulations and allowed them flexible use of federal funds, with a 900-page program that provides little relief from regulations and allows few transfers of funds.
House Democrats also eliminated school choice provisions, replacing them with hollow "public school choice." Under public school choice, failing schools must offer a choice of public -- but not private -- schools to their students. This bill denies parents of children in our poorest performing schools the right to choose private education.
In my visits to schools across the Second District of Indiana, teachers, administrators and parents have asked me to fight for real education reform. They did not send me to Washington D.C. to increase the federal government's role in their lives. They sent me to fight for innovation and reform by funneling resources, not red tape, from the federal government to our local schools. Over the past couple of weeks, three-quarters of constituents writing and calling my office have opposed H.R. 1.
In stifling the energy and innovation of the fifty states, this education bill does not allow the American people to govern themselves as our founding fathers intended. James Madison, wrote that, under the limited government he helped conceive, "the powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government are few and defined." These powers include war making authority and foreign commerce. Powers assigned to the states, however, are "numerous and indefinite," and "extend to all the objects which... concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State."
Education is a top priority for our country, but it remains an issue of primary concern to the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the states. Responsibility for educating America's young people is, and should ever remain, in the hands of parents with the aid of state and local government when appropriate. If we continue to usurp the power of duly elected state and local leaders -- those most accountable to the people -- then government of the people, by the people, and for the people will not long stand.
Mike Pence
--Congressman Mike Pence
Amen. If I had to raise my children again, they would NEVER set foot in a government "school". Ever.
He almost had me until he said that state and local govs had a role.
Get the government, in all forms, out of education.
FYI
Why does the minority party have so much power? How large a majority do we need before the Republicans will assert themselves?
Straight talking Mike. Can't disagree with anything he says. I can't believe that bill increases spending by 22% and eliminates school choice. Bush ought to be ashamed of such a thing.
But, if Hillary gets elected in 2008, no parent won't have any say to were their children goes to school.
It will be mandatory for all American children to go to a Government sponsored socialist state school, being indoctrinated in more servere communist propaganda and feminist propaganda.
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Yes. She tried this stunt back when the Don was in the White House with some Senator, can't remember his name, where she wanted the government to take over high schools AND DICTATE WHAT YOUR CHILD WAS GOING TO DO FOR THEIR CAREERS TO SUIT WHAT "THE STATE" NEEDED. If anyone thinks this "woman" is not a HARD MARXIST they had better think again -- she is!!!
Why is Pence supporting that bill to give members of the MSM special privileges on sources that wouldn't be extended to bloggers or regular individuals?
I understood that. My beef with his statement is that he supports any role for government in education. Once you open the door to ANY government control, it becomes impossible to argue that there should not be MORE control. The establishment of state DOE's made the federal DOE inevitable.
I agree that DOE must go, but so must the DOE in every state. I realize he's a Congressional Rep, not an Indiana Rep and thus has no role in the Indiana state legislature or local legislation, yet his position is still logically inconsistent.
"supports any role for government in education"
OK.
Amen. If I had to raise my children again, they would NEVER set foot in a government "school". Ever.
I second your AMEN! AND, I am going to do everything I can to see that any future grandchildren I may have never set foot in a government school. I'll homeschool them myself, if need be.
Amen. If I had to raise my children again, they would NEVER set foot in a government "school". Ever.
I second your AMEN! AND, I am going to do everything I can to see that any future grandchildren I may have never set foot in a government school. I'll homeschool them myself, if need be.
I am going to do everything I can to see that any future grandchildren I may have never set foot in a government school. I'll homeschool them myself, if need be.
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You will HAVE TO since if pinko socialists like Comrade Hitlery take over, you won't have a choice -- they will push to MAKE IT LAW that you kids have to attend their government indoctrination camps...
She made some mistakes the first time around..
The first two terms with Bubba were training.. She will not make those mistakes again.. Shes had much time to think and plan.. the next Coup D'Etat..
She will start a war to distract the sheeple from the real shenaingins.. You know, like Bush did, from the mexican border, with the Iraq and Afgan wars..
Am starting to think Hillary would be GOOD for the U.S...
Some incentive for the sheeple to S.T.A.M.P.E.D.E...
Cause they are chewing their cuds oblivious NOW.. and in 2008 will vote for "another" RINO for president anyway.. Bush don't seem to have a conservative bone in his body.. Judgeing by the evidence.. What evidence.?.. The evidence of the federal government getting bigger and bigger under his incompetence.. But maybe its not incompetence, cause it appears to be ON PURPOSE.. In that case, its not incompetence, then, that makes BUSH democrat a MOLE, a Posuer, a Shill, a Ringer.. maybe even a figurehead of more sinister characters in Washington D.C...
The republicans under Bush have taken two steps forward and at least three steps backward.. Backward meaning leftward.. Only a BushBat could miss the leftward tilt.. The right wing is broken.. and Bush appears to be the "lefts" secret weapon.. The only thing that hasnt been tried is pushing Hillary up Americas nose till they SNEEZE...
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