Rob 'Meathead' Reiner
Posted on 11/17/2005 9:24:24 AM PST by NormsRevenge
For six months starting in September 2004, Rob Reiner hosted "house parties" every week, sometimes at his Beverly Hills home.
The guests did not talk about Hollywood or the actor/director's new movie starring Jennifer Aniston.
They talked about politics and public school and the monumental idea of offering each California 4-year-old free preschool for a year.
It was an odd group of folks at the table: union officials, business leaders, early childhood experts and sometimes civil rights advocates and
attorneys.
Instead of spending massive amounts countering criticism during a campaign, Reiner took a novel approach, spending the time to get polarized groups to buy in early.
They didn't always agree, Reiner said. And they didn't all like his four conditions for his proposed preschool initiative.
-It had to be for any 4-year-old who wants it — universal preschool.
-It had to be fully funded.
-Quality had to be a top priority.
-And, perhaps the most controversial, it had to include all types of preschool providers: private, public, nonprofit and home-based centers.
Even religious groups or churches could participate as long as the three hours of publicly paid preschool was nonreligious.
In the end, they all compromised, wrote a draft and submitted it to 100 interest groups throughout the state. The initiative would increase the income tax on individuals making more than $400,000 per year and couples making more than $800,000.
The more than $2 billion raised annually would pay for the estimated 350,000 4-year-olds who would enroll in the taxpayer-funded preschool for 180 days each year.
"This is, literally, no child left behind," Reiner said of the measure.
Initiative submitted today
Today Reiner is scheduled to submit 1 million signatures to put the final draft on the June ballot — a nice cushion to ensure the nearly 600,000 valid signatures required.
Those six months of work have seemed to pay off for Reiner, who has gathered together an impressive list of supporters — even before the Preschool for All initiative has made the ballot.
Getting business on board has been one of his top priorities.
To date, the Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles chambers of commerce are among those endorsing the measure. The San Mateo Chamber of Commerce is expected to consider an endorsement today.
Reiner said the Los Angeles Chamber had not endorsed a tax increase in its 117-year history.
In addition, Reiner has garnered the support of Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, who has donated $250,000 to the effort, and the California State Council of Service Employees, which has donated $300,000 to the campaign so far.
A long list of legislators, local officials and education organizations are also backing Reiner's initiative.
Glaringly absent from his list are Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Teachers Association, the state's largest teachers union.
Reiner has had many, many conversations with both.
The CTA will consider an endorsement early next year and will likely support it or remain neutral — given the sticking point of a voucher-like system of providers.
As for the governor, Reiner said it will be hard for him to oppose even with his no-tax-hike promise to voters. Yet this is the governor who sponsored his own after-school initiative, Reiner said, which will cost $500 million out of the state's already stretched budget — starting as early as July 1.
"I think at minimum he will stay neutral," Reiner said. "I'm hopeful he will be supportive."
The measure would increase the income tax from 9.3 percent to 11 percent for those affected.
"I like to say this 'goes to 11,'" said a smiling Reiner, quoting his own cult classic, "Spinal Tap."
Wealthy opposition?
While it's hard to argue against the overwhelming research showing the benefits of preschool, it won't be hard to find those who oppose a tax increase.
"I'm sure there are a lot of wealthy Californians who like Reiner would be more than willing to write checks to pay for their government," said California Taxpayers Association spokesman Ron Roach. "There are probably a lot more who feel they're paying their fair share."
Roach fears increasing the tax on the state's wealthiest will hurt business. Many small-business owners pay personal income tax rather than a business tax, he said.
Yet Roach said voters will like the measure, much like a tax on the wealthy earlier this year to pay for mental health services. "It's going to be quite popular with voters because they won't be taxing themselves," he said. "They'll be taxing someone else."
Indeed, Reiner would be among those hit by the hike, but he says he won't feel it and neither would the individuals making more than
$400,000 a year or the couples making $800,000 who would also pay it.
In fact, Reiner wants to pay that tax so badly, he's already shelled out $530,000 to help pass the measure.
Selfishness "is the only reason to say you're against it," Reiner said. Rich people who would be taxed should realize "this is good for me, this goes to my bottom line."
Rob 'Meathead' Reiner
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
I'm glad they aren't using my tax money. I guess it will be run by volunteers?
Why should he care? He can afford it. If I lived in CA, I'd be 'selfish'.
Bwahahaha!
Ping!
Rob Reiner's push for "universal preschool" in CA.
Home Educators Ping List
If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.
If you are a homeschooler looking to share advice with and offer support to other homeschoolers, click on the link below for our Home Educators Year 2005-2006 discussion:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1461375/posts?page=1,50
They just want to be able to get their hands on your kids at an earlier age to indoctrinate with leftist, un-American ideas and undermine what parents want to teach their children.
Why do people have children if they really don't want to be around them? I mean, it seems "parents" are trying harder than ever to never be around their children. Basically, they rent them for $1,200/month from the "day-care" centers for an hour or so each night and sometimes on the weekeends, and now they want the government to take their kids at an even earlier age.
translation: Free Daycare for the Illegals
What's to keep California's 50%+1 from voting that the other 50%-1 must give ALL their money to them? If that wouldn't be considered legal or constitutional, why should this be?
In today's Age of PCism and Feeel Good about Yourself, minorities and their advocates call the shots. Everybody knows that. ;-)
If the feel-good liberals want to offer free preschool, why don't the ultra-rich meatheads just offer scholarships out of their own pocketbook, rather than taxing Californians? They'll be spending enough money anyway to get it passed.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
I think a good way to fund his program would be to tax all movie tickets and TV sets 50% and send the money to some friends of mine to distribute to all the schools. It's for the children, we're only trying to saves lives and it's Bushfault.
I guess this means we will soon be having 4-year olds walking out of school to protest the Bush Administration policies.
Leftist intellectuals want children from the cradle through age 22, for obvious reasons. And most parents will rollover for the free babysitting.
Much to consider in your comment but I still have two fundamental problems.
First, with just conveniently taxing the rich to raise government revenue. If this works, a Rob Reiner clone will come up with another meritorious cause. So, I'm thinking a slippery slope here.
Second, making poor Californians more dependent on Government -- effectively creating public preschools.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.