Posted on 02/01/2006 9:34:25 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - After a series of reports warning of the growing economic threat from China and India, ``competitiveness'' has become the latest catch-word of Silicon Valley's high-tech industry.
President Bush elevated the issue for the nation Tuesday, announcing a decadelong ``American Competitiveness Initiative'' that would pour $136 billion into scientific research and the promotion of math and science education.
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High-tech leaders praised the proposal Tuesday night.
``I was heartened by the amount of time he spent talking about competitiveness,'' said Carl Guardino, head of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. ``To hear him focus on math and science, especially in middle school and high school, was terrific.''
Bush's plan includes longtime priorities of the high-tech industry and echoes calls made by academic and business leaders in reports on competitiveness dating back to 2004. The initiative also mirrors congressional proposals, including an extensive ``Innovation Agenda'' unveiled by Democrats in the House of Representatives in November.
Competitiveness is an issue on which Democrats and Republicans can work together, said Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, who helped craft House Democrats' proposal. But the real commitment will come when Bush funds his proposals in upcoming budgets, she said.
``The president has a history of coming up here and giving great speeches and not acting on what he says,'' Eshoo said, noting shortfalls from funding promises for his ``No Child Left Behind'' education plan.
About two-thirds of Bush's competitiveness package will be paid for out of a business tax credit for research and development that Bush wants to make permanent. Much of that money would probably be spent anyway over the next 10 years, although the White House also wants to enhance the credit.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
You teach them math and science. You use teachers that wanted to be math and science teachers. Enthusiasm is contagious.
Where do you think the 36 24 36 came from, they already understand multiplication.
LOL - I thought that was more like circumference!
That assumes a competitive teaching market, which is not available to most people these days.
If his program 'transfers' money from broken programs to ones that work, I am all for it.
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