Senate Democrats ignore underprivileged children
By JR Hoeft | Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 | PolicyThere are some votes where you just have to wonder what Senate Democrats are thinking. Such was today on a strict party-line vote of 9-6 committee vote to kill an education bill (HB 2314) that would have encouraged corporations to help the underprivileged go to better schools.
Specifically, the bill would have established
a credit beginning in taxable year 2012 for corporations donating cash to nonprofit organizations providing education improvement scholarships to students who would have been eligible for the free and reduced lunch program under federal law [emp. added]
Basically, Democrats voted today against the poor. There is no other way around it.
From Governor Bob McDonnell:
“Once again, Democrats in the Senate have unfortunately voted against innovative education reforms that would increase educational opportunities for Virginia’s underprivileged children, and have instead decided to side with special interest groups and unions. This proven legislation would have allowed non-profits to provide more scholarships for lower income children to attend non-public schools, a measure that would actually save the state money. It would incentivize the business community to do good work to help those in need, a great American value. It is time for Senate Democrats to rethink their priorities and make decisions that are in the best interest of Virginia’s children, not outside unions and advocates for bigger government. The growing national effort to provide more educational opportunities for our young people is a bipartisan one. In Washington D.C. President Obama is committed to this effort and implementing new options and creative educational tools like charter schools and merit pay. I want to thank the Republican members on Senate Finance who stood up for Virginia’s low income families and voted to provide new educational options for children across the Commonwealth, and all those who have worked to move this measure forward. Helping disadvantaged children access greater educational opportunities is the right thing to do, and we will continue to work to increase that access in the years ahead.”
Why do Democrats ignore the education needs of children? Why do Democrats not want to encourage those who are poor a chance at a better life and more opportunity? Why do Democrats make kids cry? (an eyewitness source tells me kids in the committee room left crying)
Votes like this one today need to be remembered in November.
Update from the Republican Party of Virginia:
If Democrats really cared about “the children,” they’d support a good education for students, regardless of where it comes from.
Then again, with what we’ve seen on Capitol Square in recent days, perhaps it’s not all that surprising that when a union says ‘jump,’ Democrats are quick to say ‘how high’
… provided the check clears.
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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7 Responses to "Senate Democrats ignore underprivileged children"
Why do Democrats call falsely label Tea Partiers as racisit when “Progressives” put filth on the internet calling presidential candidate Herman Cain a “black garbage pail kid” and “monkey”?
http://bigjournalism.com/dloesch/2011/02/15/alternets-racist-tirade-against-herman-cain-black-garbage-pail-kid-monkey-core-condemns/
As of a few minutes ago, Coby Dillard confirmed that the “Progressive” article referenced by the above article was still online and not taken off. He didn’t want to link to it and neither do I.
I would hope the Democrats, Progresseives, and the NAACP would condemn the “racist elements” with in the Progressive Movement.
Sorry for being a bit off topic.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bearing Drift, Medical Cumulus. Medical Cumulus said: Senate Democrats ignore underprivileged children | Bearing Drift … http://bit.ly/hPoaTS [...]
Remember the old song, “look for the union label”? Check the money trail- it’s true here too. This is scandalous. Especially for Louise Lucas and Yvonne Miller who represent districts here in Hampton Roads where underprivileged kids are terribly shortchanged on their education. Next time you hear these women talk about how much they care about their communities – remind them of this despicable vote. I hope that the parents of these children vote both those women out of office this year.
Karen
Don’t count on it. The Democrats will break out the busses and $5.00 box lunches here in Norfolk, and they will all vote the same way as the Dem Machine tells them to.
Pam
J.R. and Britt Howard,
I thought off topic posts were deleted? Hmmm?
I think the argument on education has more to do with how the education is provided more then if it is provided. Agreed?
The NEA’s argument is that if funds are drained off from the “available for all” education source, then some will be left behind. The fortunate few will get a great education and those left behind will suffer.
I am only trying to provide their side as I understand it. I am not in lock step with the NEA since I firmly support the SOL’s (Standards of Learning)testing which the NEA so firmly seems to oppose.
Watch Yvonne Miller at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTWs_D6BnWI. She is commenting on a similar bill before the Senate Finance Committee during the 2010 General Assembly session. In this video, she says: “We were sold once for money and people profited by our free labor. Now we are saying sell our children so that people who want a reduction in their tuitions can profit from the use of poor children. If they are interested in poor children, my recommendation is that we fully fund public education. Once public education is fully funded then this could be a viable option.”
Translation: If we give the teachers and the VEA what they want…If we take care of the adults in the public education education, then its OK to sell our children into slavery. Sen. Miller is not concerned about the children…she’s concerned about the adults who fund her campaigns and vote her into office.
BTW, Public education costs $11,500 per student per year while St. Pius Catholic school costs are as low as $3,500 per student per year. The taxpayer could save $8,000 for each poor student given a $3,500 voucher/credit to attend St. Pius.
You can see the 54 minute hearing on this bill at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFamilyFoundation
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