I am not one of the screaming voices of fanaticism that you can sometimes find around here. I understand that compromises have to be made, but I do not accept that education has to take the full brunt of the compromise, when we're supposed to have the party that favors education in power.
Schools in my state and a lot of other states are facing incredibly shrinking budgets. We've been reduced to leaving lights off in hallways to conserve power, turning thermostats down in the middle of winter, having our school nurse program across the entire state cut, having our merit pay system removed, having our system of teacher training reduced to nothing, all by a governor who likes to pride himself as being "solidly behind education."
So, it was nice to see how much the stimulus plan passed in the House was going to provide to the states, primarily for education funding.
But, the bitching started, and now the Senate Democrats, surprise surprise, have caved in. And guess what got cut?
Education.
You know, "pork".
I didn't work last year to get Obama elected, to get Democrats elected as much as possible, only to see the other Democrats I'm relying on in the meantime allow education to get the ax.
Most of the blame goes squarely on Republicans and conservatives, but I also blame Senate Democrats for being all too willing to capitulate, especially on education.
The Democratic Party is supposed to be the party for education, so GOD DAMN IT, START ACTING LIKE IT!
Since Reid is spineless and ineffective, I hope to God Pelosi, the House Democratx and sympathetic Senate Democrats can over-ride this and re-instate those cuts.
I am all for re-establishing a civil tone in Washington, but not at the expense of public education.
Contact your Democratic representatives and senators, tell them this is UNACCEPTABLE! Contact Pelosi and ask her to have the spine that Reid lacks!