Universal preschool advocates vow to continue efforts

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 7 June 2006 | Dana Hull

[CounterCounterCulture]

Universal preschool advocates vow to continue efforts

By Dana Hull
Mercury News

Advocates of universal preschool vowed today to continue their fight despite the crushing defeat of Proposition 82 in Tuesday's election.

According to the final tally of ballots cast, 60.9 percent of voters statewide opposed Prop. 82 while just 39.1 percent supported it.

The initiative, which needed a simple majority to pass, narrowly prevailed in just three of California's 58 counties: Alameda, Imperial, and San Francisco. In conservative Orange County, 73 percent of voters came out against it.

``It was a tough environment for initiatives,'' said Prop. 82 spokesman Nathan James, who said that low voter turnout worked against the campaign. ``A lot of the Democratic base wasn't there to weigh in.''

Prop. 82 would have taxed the state's wealthiest residents to provide a free year of preschool to every 4 year old. Spearheaded by Hollywood director Rob Reiner, who along with his wife and father donated more than $4 million to the campaign, the measure seemed a sure bet when it was first discussed this spring.

[ElkGroveDan]

OK pencils out everyone. Change your dictionaries. "Universal" now means socialism; as in universal preschool, or universal healthcare. see also: "Affordable".

[xcamel]

liberal moonbats never, ever, ever, ever give up and go away.
see also: mental disorder.

[RKV]

Paint a big "L" for LOSER on meathead's brow.

[Barney59]

PSYCHOSIS: A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning. Hmm... sounds familiar...

[Texan5]

Exactly what part of "no" do these idiots not understand? Meathead should have used that 4 million to send some 4 year olds HE thought were deserving to pre-school for a year...

[layman]

Maybe if the 'meat head' had gone to preschool he wouldn't be so stupid today. But, come to think of it ... he probably would have been just as stupid either way. It's just a gift.

[The Blitherer]

Of course they won't give up. They just won't bother with something as outdated as "voting" next time. They'll get some judge to "discover" that it's unconstitutional to NOT have "universal" preschool. We all know the masses can't be trusted to choose how to govern themselves. /sarc

[siunevada]

``It was a tough environment for initiatives,'``A lot of the Democratic base wasn't there to weigh in.''

Better things to do? I thought Dems 'cared'. At least enough to vote for any insane proposition on the ballot.

Hey, they just squeaked by in SF and that must be about 90% Dem.

[pollyannaish]

Stifle, Meathead. Some of us like raising our own children.

[Lizavetta]

The Meathhead Initiative had two purposes, in my opinion:

(1) To impose ridiculous education requirements on preschool teachers and salary minimums on preschools themselves, hence forcing them to shut down.....the result being the demise of private preschools that are often run on a shoestring.

(2) AFter private preschools are shut down and the only ones are government preschools, the Meatheadites were counting on a substantial boost in union members by preschool teachers who now have nowhere to teach but in government institutions.

In other words, to create a monopoly on preschools and to increase union membership, i.e. getting more money.

Am I right or am I wrong?

[goodnesswins]

YEAH for common sense among 60+ percent of those who voted. They probably didn't NEED pre-school to learn....like me, who went to 1st grade the year my younger sister entered Kindergarden.....and I think Kindergarden REALLY MESSED HER UP!

[CounterCounterCulture]

That's essentially it. I've argued from when this first hit the ballot that it was to shut down the private (particularly religious) schools/daycares and increase union membership and funding for left-wing causes and candidates. It's a huge thirst for power, plus an extra year to indoctrinate.

[45Auto]

The RAT party has based its existence on one big lie for the last 70 years: That you can vote to raise the other guy's taxes. This was just another example of that credo - and the SOB lost - for now.

[Publius6961]

Prop. 82 would have taxed the state's wealthiest residents to provide a free year of preschool to every 4 year old.

There has never been, in the history of the universe, a "Tax only the rich" plan that remained that way; it's only a matter of time before "tax the entire tax base" kicks in, with a gazillion other great ideas added to spend the increased income.

When the income tax was created, it would only tax the "super rich" at a maximum of 1%.

Uh huh.

[Michael.SF.]

Spearheaded by Hollywood director Rob Reiner,

Hey, Robby! If it is such a good cause, how about if we pay for it through a tax on movie tickets and rentals?

How about 15% of the ticket or rental price?

We would exempt Netflix though because I am a Netflix'er and am a cheap SOB.

Sound fair?

[untenured]

Prop. 82 would have taxed the state's wealthiest residents to provide a free year of preschool to every 4 year old. Spearheaded by Hollywood director Rob Reiner, who along with his wife and father donated more than $4 million to the campaign, the measure seemed a sure bet when it was first discussed this spring.

I suppose it's too much to ask that all those folks spending all that money to try to get the government to accomplish their objective on everybody else's dime instead spend it on actually funding preschool scholarships for needy children? Once upon a time, beffore the welfare state, that is what would have happened.

[CounterCounterCulture]

They'd rather tax the buttered popcorn that clogs your arteries than tax the movies that clog and pollute your mind.

But hey, don't give 'em any ideas now. ;-)

[calcowgirl]

Thank you, professor. :-)

[goldstategop]

The liberals will be back. Count on it. They breathe government, they live for government and they are dedicated to having it run every aspect of our lives. A mere election loss isn't going to deter them from pursuing that objective. As they see it, it may take them longer but they will eventually get what they want. So let's not celebrate this too much since a bad idea rarely stays buried for long. The liberals will to see it that like Dracula, it comes back to life.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")