While the Bushes keep draining the "schools are being built" meme down to the dregs to try and hold some popular support for the war in Iraq, today's budget request from the White House takes a sledge hammer to our nation's own education programs.
The bugdet includes a raise of more than $24 billion for the Pentagon - bringing the total up to $624.6 billion for wars. That's a hefty budget for Baghdad schools. The same budget lines up forty-three (43) national education programs for elimination.
(Think of this as the Ploughshares into Swords Act of 2007).
Let's look at just some of what's being cut to pay for Bush's War:
You've got to do some looking to find it (PDF), but the details of Bush's budget for education reflect the scorched earth policy being taken to domestic programs government-wide.
Today we learn that the GOP likes war better than:
Dropout Prevention
Even Start
Comprehensive School Reform
Education Technology
Gifted and Talented Education
Arts in Education
Parental Information and Resource Centers
Character Education
School Counseling
Physical Education
Civic Education
Tech-Prep (Career and Technincal Ed)
(and many more national programs...)
Keep in mind - the White House is NOT suggesting we reduce funding for these programs, but that we ELIMINATE ALL funding.
Luckily, the Decider doesn't get to dictate whether these cuts get passed - to some extent this give and take gets replayed every year. But as the cost of the wars explodes, pressure is growing on the Congress - even the Democratic Congress - to make these cuts.
Please consider contacting your Congresswoman or man and your Senatorand ask them to save funding for education in America.