Head Start Back In Business Thanks To Private Donation In Wake Of Government Shutdown

[kpete]

Source: hu

WASHINGTON -- Head Start doors will remain open through the end of October after philanthropists offered up to $10 million to the embattled institution.

Laura and John Arnold, who made their money in the hedge fund and oil and gas industries, said on Monday that they would be donating emergency funds to the Head Start program so that some 7,000 kids from low-income families could continue to receive educational services.

Many Head Start classrooms were put on the brink of closure after the federal government shutdown pulled their funding, forcing parents to cope with the loss of their schools and the vital services they provided. Some Head Start staff have been forced to look for other employment as the shutdown has dragged into its second week.

The philanthropists' gift was announced by the National Head Start Association. It will allow children to return to their classrooms as early as Tuesday morning. A spokesperson for the Laura and John Arnold Foundation told The Huffington Post that the $10 million will come from the family's private account, not the foundation.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/head-start-government-shutdown_n_4059584.html?ref=topbar

[Rebellious Republican]

1. Well there it is, we don't need no stinking government, the teabaggers were right all along...

And here it is, their chance to prove it for a couple of weeks!

[Heather MC]

2. I was thinking the same thing

I wonder which Oil Barron or otherwise wealthy person will cough up the funds to pay Veterans Nov 1st

[Rebellious Republican]

3. Great minds think alike Heather!

[Heather MC]

4. YES!!

We ARE Great!

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Chickens for check-ups!

[Buddha_of_Wisdom]

11. or the Social Security checks...

[RebelOne]

18. I hope someone will help the veterans,

as my sister and her husband exist solely on his veteran's benefits. And since I exist solely on my social security, I hope someone will save that.

[Heather MC]

19. It all needs to be saved

as in Re-open the Government

Unfortunately it's going to be a bumpy ride

[dogknob]

6. "Come into my parlor," said the spider to the fly. n/t

[Cha]

7. That is so overwhelmingly kind and generous!

Wonderful people to do this for Head Start!

Hope it tides them over until we can get our government up and running again!

[BumRushDaShow]

8. The sad irony of this story

which wasn't mentioned in the Huffington article but is here -

A former hedge fund manager, John Arnold, 39, is worth $2.8 billion, according to Forbes.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/07/20860381-billionaire-couple-donates-10-million-to-head-start-programs-closed-by-us-government-shutdown?lite

I.e., as a "former hedge fund manager", John Arnold's income was most likely only taxed at the pre-2012 15% capital gains rate versus as a salary at the higher income rates (which suggests why he is a "former&quot . Wikipedia shows that he retired as a hedge fund manager in May 2012 (surprise surprise?). So I expect that much of his income was thanks to the tax loophole.

I am glad to see he and his wife have graciously stepped up but the fact that he and the rest of the current and former "hedge fund managers" STILL pay proportionally LESS in income taxes than the average "middle income" worker, just goes to show why we have so much of the problem that we have today with the income gap. Even if he remained a hedge fund manager, he'd still only be taxed at 20%.

[Buddha_of_Wisdom]

12. 15% tax loophole? Seize their assets!

Fully Fund Headstart fully for 10 years!

I hate thieves who do not pay back the government fairly.

When I see that they are oil & gas people, then it makes me even disgusted.

[B2G]

9. This is great, but

why won't they allow private/state funding to open some of the parks? From what I've read, those offers have been rejected.

[Merlot]

14. Because we're not selling off our national parks to the highest bidder

At least not yet. Unless their in Detroit.

[B2G]

17. Buy we are for HeadStart?

These aren't proposal takeovers. They're short term funding allocations.

[beerandjesus]

10. This is absolutely awful.

Yes, it's great that Head Start will get the funding, and the Arnolds are doing a good thing by putting up the cash.

But when the government funds Head Start, we the people, as a community, are collectively putting our money toward the well-being of our children. When a wealthy individual deigns to do it out of generosity, it is feudal patronage.

As another poster said above, this *is* what the baggers say they want. What they want--and what we are now getting--is the way things were done in the Dark Ages. There were generous people back then, too: "Noblesse oblige" is not a new concept. But it is no way to run a society that claims to be civilized.

[leftyladyfrommo]

13. I expected it to be the Gates.

But no matter.

It's a very good thing.

[Merlot]

15. Gov't smorgasbord - just what the t-party ordered.

We shouldn't have to depend on the kindness of corporations and billionaire to feed the elderly and school the children. What happens when they start demanding something in return, or cut off the funding completely? Because as sure as the t-party wants a shutdown, corporations and billionaire are greedy.

I have trouble seeing this as any type of good thing.

[leftyladyfrommo]

20. Oh, you're probably right.

I was just glad the little guys got back in class. Cutting Head Start is a really awful thing to do.

[KamaAina]

16. So billionaires get to decide which programs will be funded.

The very essence of democracy.