Sorry you're bored walker (zzzzzzz.) The GOP is pretty bored when it comes to fixing schools too.

I will respond to the critiques of Barack Obama's education plan.

Before I do so, point by point, I'd like to once again mention the hypocrisy of republicans who scream about BIG SPENDING. There s no bigger big government spending program than a war. This year's wars cost 170 billion dollars. Jim Beam will have to check my math, but there are about 65 million students in the country, from pre-k all the way to college. We could have spent $2615 additional education dollars on each and every one of those students, instead of this stupid war. You can double that money if you count Bush's stupid knee-jerk fiscal stimulus plan.

Walker believes that we spend plenty, and I agree. The problem is HOW we spend it. Barack Obama understands what the right priorities are, whereas most Americans don't. In countries like Switzerland, school funding goes towards basic education and high teacher salaries. In Europe teachers are civil servants, with guaranteed job security, high pay, and high levels of education and skill. In our country we pay for busing, athletics, clubs, school books, supplies, etc. etc. Having gone to school in Germany, I know that all you get for your taxpayer dollars is a basic school, very highly paid teachers, and no after-school activities. The same is true all over the world.

We just have a very different culture, where kids spend a lot of time in school. Since most Americans are in dual-earner households (thanks to the erosion of wages under Bush) that is actually a good thing. Kids learn more in school than home alone while the parents are at work.

"Teacher Retention is a Problem: Thirty percent of new teachers leave within their first five years in the profession. (They are not empowered enough.)"

They leave because it is HARD HARD work, with LOW LOW pay. Most people with strong skills and intelligence move on to more lucrative careers. The few that stay are saints.

"College costs are soaring just like health care costs are soaring becuase the federal government subsidizes everything....there are no incentives to lower costs.... Why should they? The US government will subsidize them."

I agree with this in part. Costs are also rising because students demand a certain kind of college experience, and are willing to go into debt to pay for it. They want rec centers, pretty dorms, and super expensive athletic programs. They want placement services, health care centers, etc. So colleges are all in an arms race to beautify their campuses and provide more student services. They are responding to what students want. I love Barack's plan to provide 4K in college money in return for service. Many European countries have these plans - i.e. Germany. You can choose the draft or civil service. I think it would be money well invested in our country, and do a lot of good by exposing young people to helping those in need.

Barack Obama's Plan

Early Childhood Education

"Voluntary, universal pre-school?? Great!!! Hugely expensive AND utterly inneficient!!!"

You don't have to send your 4 kids (hence the voluntary), but studies have show that among target populations where education is not valued, early education yields big results.

"More science and math is a good thing."

I'm glad you recognize the necessity of this. We are getting killed globally in this area.

"Address the Dropout Crisis: Obama will address the dropout crisis by passing his legislation to provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school - strategies such as personal academic plans, teaching teams, parent involvement, mentoring, intensive reading and math instruction, and extended learning time. (Zzzzzzz.......)"

I'm sorry you are bored by this. Maybe when one of those drop-outs stops by your house and robs it, you'll stop snoozing.


"Will the spending ever stop??!!! Now we need AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS???????!!!!!! How about OVER NIGHT PROGRAM????"

The after-school programs are about studying and keeping kids out of negative home environments. It works. Check out KIPP and YES schools in houston, which Obama has looked closely at as models for the country.

"Way, way, way too many people go to college. What a farce. It's all dumbed down so bad now....."

It's not that too many people go to college. College is the most important predictor of whether a new someone will escape poverty. The problem is that too many students are unprepared for college when they arrive. Obama is making a serious attempt at addressing that.

Recruit, Prepare, Retain, and Reward America's Teachers

"Recruit Teachers: Obama will create new Teacher Service Scholarships -
(So much money........so little real reform....... Can I kill myself now???)"

It was your solution for recruiting better teacher? What's your big reform? I think Obama's idea is pretty awesome, but I'm sure your's/McCain's is really great too. I'm waiting.

"Reward Teachers: Obama will promote new and innovative ways to increase teacher pay
(Sure. Not a bad idea.)"

I'm glad you agree. He has gotten a lot of grief for promoting merit pay, so don't lump him in with teachers unions and other thoughtless spenders.

"In a nutshell, A HELL OF A LOT OF NEW SPENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No real reform. None, really."

Nuts. He wants to keep kids in school longer, which has proven to be effective in breaking the cycle of poor kids who are trapped in a culture that doesn't value education. He wants to get college kids to serve the country and do something besides who hooking up and beer bong hits.
He wants to hold education schools and teachers accountable, while paying them more. He has looked closely at charter schools which have effectively reformed how are school are run, and want to duplicate that success throughout the country.

I agree that less spending would be better, but at least his spending is serious, thoughtful spending. If I have to choose between that republican non-action and refusal to raise teacher pay, I'll go with Barack.