McCain Proposed Spending Freeze Would Leave Millions of America's Students in the Cold

[cal04]

McCain Proposed Spending Freeze Would Leave Millions of America's Students in the Cold
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20080927/pl_usnw/mccain_proposed_spending_freeze_would_leave_millions_of_america_s_students_in_the_cold

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The following can be attributed to NEA President Dennis Van Roekel:

"In the midst of the worst economic crisis America has faced since the Great Depression, Sen. John McCain tonight showed that he still does not understand the needs of working Americans. He still fails to grasp the direct link between a 21st century education system and a robust economy. McCain also showed he cannot relate to educators because he is still proposing a spending freeze, effectively creating a No Child Left Behind funding gap of $15 billion and putting a crunch on millions of special education students, low-income students, children living in poverty and the hiring of future teachers.

"Sen. Obama, on the other hand, understands that all roads to economic security and prosperity go through our public schools. That is why he insists education remain a priority. Obama's plan calls for making college both accessible and affordable, emphasizing math and science to keep America competitive in a changing global economy, and doubling the investment in early childhood education."

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school, administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

[stray cat]

1. And many of us out of jobs - also does that mean no push for alternative energy sources?

[Sam Ervin jret]

2. Republicans don't believe it's the job of the government to educate the people. They would get rid

of the department of education given half a chance.

They believe IF the government gets involved it should be in a voucher system. This would have the same disastrous effect as McCain's health care plan. It too basically states that we will give money or tax credit or vouchers to the citizens and then let "the free market" take care of the rest. This would leave a caste system for education and health care. The more money you have the better education and health care you get.

That's not democracy. And if the past week has taught us nothing it has taught us that the rich think it's perfectly alright to have welfare and government interference as long as the interference goes to the right people.

It's no secret that in this society if you make more money, if you come from a family that has money and you are the "right sort of people" you can be "trusted" with government money. The smart money people will invest their, our, money and make more money and make the economy better for everyone. That's the basis of every trickle down economic plan. Poor people will just waste it on things like food or doctors visits. How's that going to help the economy?

This classist ideology belongs in ancient Indian society maybe but not in a 21st century democracy.

[electricD]

3. nothing ever changes from the pugs POV

they've been doing spending freezes since "tricky dicky" and nothing good has ever come from any of it.

[Cresent City Kid]

4. That's what's being missed

Obama has his eye on the future and the present, and a good grasp of the mistakes of the past. McCain is focused on the present, and still lacks a good understanding of that. A freeze on spending is a reckless thing to throw out there without considering the consequences.

[quiet.american]

5. McCain's answer last night really revealed his plan to use the bailout as an excuse to do nothing.

Except continue the 10 billion+ a month to Iraq, pad Halliburton's pockets, ease taxes for the wealthy, and the hell with everything else, using the excuse that the bailout left him with no money to do anything and no choice.

[MichiganVote]

6. We're freezing our budget here so we don't have to freeze another bail out in Iraq

[mile18blister]

7. Our universities are one of our remaining valuable assets.

Frozen spending means no research grants. And if you don't believe in the value of university research go look up ARPANET.

[Tutonic]

8. Good post. When he threw this out last night If I had not been laying on the

floor I would have fallen on it. Reckless, reckless, shoot from the hip. A freeze would affect everyone from basic services such as mailing packages overnight, and National Arts Endowment to greater services such as head start, senior meals on wheels, Section 8. Immigratin Services and Winter Heating Vouchers. Clearly, John McCain does not intent to put County First if elected.