Posted on 11/05/2010 9:20:31 PM PDT by luvie
I don't blame you. Defending the indefensible isn't a fun place to be, which is why the rest of your post is spent whining about how hard it is to govern, constructive criticism, etc.
The time for 'constructive criticism' has passed. The ideas that should be followed have never changed. You want ideas for education? How about breaking the back of the teacher unions with vouchers and tax credits, introducing competition into the system for one thing. Most of that should be done at the local level. The federal department of education should be eliminated. That's been the official position of conservatives for years. Yet, instead, in the course of 'promoting and expanding Conservative values', George W. Bush decided to use Ted Kennedy's bill as an unprecedented power grab and expansion of the federal government.
Please forgive me for failing to praise him sufficiently for these 'great things' he did in the name of conservatism.
One wonders who the 'us' is that I should be thanking later. Because if it's the same bunch of weak-kneed, slack-jawed, conventional-wisdom-worshiping, Republicrats who were running things before, there isn't likely to be a result worth thanking anyone for.
For myself, I’d rather fix the problem, than waste my time fixing real or imagined blame.
That's how we end up with moronic policy like NCLB. Because you 'agree with the underlying premise' and don't give a damn how awful the policy is as long as you're 'doing something'. You sound like Arlen Specter when he was defending the stimulus bill. Well, we've all seen where 'Republicans' like Arlen Specter take us. Thanks, but no thanks.
You were a Marine?
“You want ideas for education? How about breaking the back of the teacher unions with vouchers and tax credits, introducing competition into the system for one thing. Most of that should be done at the local level. The federal department of education should be eliminated.”
Yeah! He can do more than throw firebombs! Even though much of that has been around for a while now....
How you gonna accomplish all that? Even though the Democrats ran their 2006 election campaigns against the “Bush” NCLB Act (funny how they never mentioned it being written by their “Liberal Lion,” and passed by Democrats along with a few Rino/ jump on the populist bandwagon Republicans) they will fight tooth and nail for it’s retention, or replacement with something worse.....adittionally they’ll fight to keeps their hands on the education reins......
Last union that was broken that I recall was The Air Traffic Controllers back in the 80’s by Reagan.....easier said than done, but teachers are state workers not Federal employees like the ATCs as you have noted. So that part really is a state issue. Are you doing something to accomplish that in your state? Is it working? Are your state teachers Unions broken or nearly so? Ours aren’t either, and it seems their influence is a sstrong as ever.....sigh......
Vouchers and tax credits as a vehicle to breaking the unions?? I was schooled 1-12 in parochial schools....got a great education......State University for college though......all over 40 years ago.....when tax rates were much higher......
My parents never got 1 voucher, nor any tax credits for my tution....if everyone did as my parents did the unions would already be broken,...we were lower middle class, yet my parents choose to make that sacrifice....one that I think few would make today.
Vouchers and credits weems kinda close to a big goverment solution to me.....$ from the feds or the state always seem to have some sort of strings attached, usually inforcing some sort of a lefty goal....if that is true, would things be any different than what we have now?..I don’t trust politicians, or any single politician. Maybe vouchers to everyone with kids and a mandatory “free market” solution for all? Everyone has to choose? That might work!
Boy are those state employees gonna cry! No one in their right mind, who is politically aware and loves their kids, would want them educated by todays state employees unionized teachers. I don’t know about your state, but here, on every political issue, the Teachers Association is running commentary 24/7....all self serving for both both the union and the Dems....gonna be hard to get any of the above past them.....because alot of people buy into their propaganda....spit.....schools? nope! Indoctrination Centers!
“Because if it’s the same bunch of weak-kneed, slack-jawed, conventional-wisdom-worshiping, Republicrats who were running things before, there isn’t likely to be a result worth thanking anyone for.”
Don’t look now, but your 3rd party bias is showing! The TPM Republicans are not, NOT as you say “republicrats”......get up to speed man....we’re “We the People” and things will change for the better, because we’re watching and they’d better change that direction! Our job? Keep our eyes open and our enthusiasm and motivation up....fire any politician that doesn’t measure up after a single term, ......a difficult task, but oh so necessary!
Funny how you never mentoned the single most important solution to nearly all our problems....the end of the ruling elite political class and the return to the citizen legislator......it’s a worthy goal, but has to take root in the hearts and minds of the population for it to happen........no more hereditary Senator seats like the Kennedy’s, or the Dodd’s......or the Gore’s, et al.....
May I suggest 3 terms only? Two in congress and one in prison for all elected officials! Now there’s a real solution.....I know thats an old one, but still true!
“You were a Marine?”
Former Marine Sgt...yes
How about making your case to the people? How about proposing some legislation? Don't look now, but we just voted a bunch of folks into office who were running on getting rid of the DOE.
Even though the Democrats ran their 2006 election campaigns against the “Bush” NCLB Act (funny how they never mentioned it being written by their “Liberal Lion,”
This is standard operating procedure for the Democrats. They get idiot Republicans to support their crap and then blame them for it when it all goes south. Too bad one of Bush's 'Decision Points' wasn't to figure that out.
Because it might be difficult to accomplish conservative goals is NOT a valid reason to do the exact opposite and push through an unprecedented federal power grab and EXPAND the very department that CONSERVATIVES have been wanting to eliminate for decades.
The TPM Republicans are not, NOT as you say “republicrats”
Yeah, but you said 'we' and 'us', as though you were both one of the ones who was there previously and one of the new crop. Well, which one are you? Someone who makes excuses for past failures? Or are you one of the TPM Republicans, many of whom ran on the very ideas I proposed above? Are you a maker of excuses or a taker of action?
Vouchers and credits weems kinda close to a big goverment solution to me
Money is forcibly taken from us to pay for public education. However, the quality of government schools is sub-par. The introduction of vouchers allows parents to have control over where THEIR money (that is being forcibly taken from them anyway) goes. This isn't federal money though. Using federal money for it WOULD be a big government program. We need the feds to get their mitts out of our childrens' education.
The unions are going to scream no matter what we do. They're also going to put all their money into beating Republicans. Since their actions are going to be the same regardless of what we do, it makes a lot more sense to try and break their back than to go-along and get-along.
As for term limits, I know they are popular, but I don't think they'll help much. If we were to change the system, I'd rather see some revisiting of the rules of Gerrymandering to introduce some competition to some of these districts. But I'm pretty sure I want Jim DeMint and Michelle Bachman in the Senate and House as long as they are willing to be there.
I don't want a 3rd party. What I want is a conservative party. I'm perfectly happy if that party is the Republican party, but I'm not going to pretend that its behavior has been conservative, because it hasn't.
Even with a radical leftist Congress, President Bush didn't allow them to raise taxes like Reagan did.
My entire point has been that what is true of Laura has been true of her ALL ALONG. I guess you must have assumed certain things about her, or assumed what you wanted her to be was what she was, or else I can see no reason to be “recently disappointed in her” upon learning she supports Roe v Wade.
Known all along that she was not on the anti-abortion side of things, even though she chose not to have an abortion despite a dangerous pregnancy.
And in general never led anyone to believe she was a conservative.
I cannot speak for her, and wouldn’t want to, but I discern from her statements that she fears if there were no Roe v Wade, there would be back-alley abortions and women would become ill and die as a result; therefore she is on the side of making abortion available and not against the law. I’m sure she would be for someone having the legal right to abort in the case of rape and incest, because she would feel sorry for the victim.
I understand that the unborn child is the most helpless victim of all. But I note that many people - Laura among them - care about those who are already born more than they do those that are in the womb whenever the two interests conflict. Her heart would bleed more for the young girl who might seek a back-alley abortion than it would for the baby. What she would argue is that the young girl is going to get an abortion one way or another, therefore it should be safe.
I never thought it was an excuse to be led in thought by a liberal denomination. I just think that is what has influenced her, and many others of her mindset. That is the reality of her thinking...has nothing to do with excusing it.
I think her “bleeding heart” also shows in her opinion of “gay marriage”. She wants everyone to be happy, so if “gay marriage” makes some people happy then okay. I realize that the slippery slope theory is in play, and the question is, where do you stop with that attitude? I don’t think she is particularly analytical on the point...she’s thinking of the immediate issue and people she knows who would be so happy if they had “gay marriage”.
I in NO way meant to say that you were not pro life, obviously you are pro life!
I do not HATE Laura Bush, she is a very nice lady in worldly terms.
I also realize you are not excusing anything! I would only add though, as you probably agree, that if the choice was left to you and I,and the choices where Make abortion 100% illegal and assume that there will be back alley abortions and some women dying, OR keeping things just the way they are now?
Without question the right way to go is to make abortion illegal regardless of the fact that there will back alley abortions and women dying.
The Bible clearly states that our bodies are not our own but God`s...1 Corinthians 6,v 19 and also again in vs 20
Preaching to the choir I am sure
Lastly on the original thread discussion on GW Bush, he clearly denied saying anything bad about Sarah Palin, so I am hanging my head a bit in regards to that. I repent.
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.