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Obama Flip-Flops on D.C. School Voucher Program - Now Intends to Squash it
Life Site News ^ | 06.25.08

Posted on 06/26/2008 1:51:17 PM PDT by Coleus

A landmark education program that provides opportunity to hundreds of families in the nation's capital to attend private schools is being opposed by Democrats in Congress. Barack Obama told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in February that he was open to voucher programs, but just last week announced his intentions to squash the DC pilot program.

"Barack Obama prefers private education for his daughters but won't give DC parents the same opportunity," said Brian Burch, President of Fidelis, a Catholic-based political, legal, research and educational organization. "Vouchers are Change," he continued. "Rather than subjecting kids to rotting schools, vouchers have brought change to hundreds of families, who opted for private or parochial schools. If Barack Obama had fought for this program, it would be saved. But he refuses to help these low-income families. By supporting the teachers union, he sadly has become the Status Quo Candidate on education."

Back in February, it looked like Barack Obama would be willing to back the teachers union and support the voucher program. The Illinois Senator told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: "If there was any argument for vouchers, it was 'Alright, let's see if this experiment works,' and if it does, then whatever my preconceptions, my attitude is you do what works for the kids," the senator said. "I will not allow my predispositions to stand in the way of making sure that our kids can learn. We're losing several generations of kids and something has to be done."

But by June, the teachers lobby convinced Obama to work against the program. The senator told ABC News last week: "We don't have enough slots for every child to go into a parochial school or a private school. And what you would see is a huge drain of resources out of the public schools."

Fidelis also said Republicans in Congress, including long-time voucher supporter Sen. John McCain, deserve credit for placing parents and kids above the special interests of the teachers union. At a 2007 presidential primary debate, McCain said: "Choice and competition is the key to success in education in America. That means charter schools, that means home schooling, it means vouchers, it means rewarding good teachers and finding bad teachers another line of work."

Burch concluded, saying, "Over the last eight years, we have seen some progress on education reform. John McCain has been a long-time advocate of education reform by providing alternatives to low-income families. Despite all the criticisms about Washington lobbyists and special interests, Barack Obama has sided with one of the most powerful special interest groups in Washington, this time at the expense of the educational future of thousands of children."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 2008; fenty; flipflop; issues; obama; schoolchoice; schools; vouchers

1 posted on 06/26/2008 1:51:17 PM PDT by Coleus
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To: Coleus

The more Osama speaks, without a script, the more he proves he is a natural born slippery, sneaky, typical liberal Dimocrap politician. Keep talking Osama, we’re listening.


2 posted on 06/26/2008 1:55:23 PM PDT by caisson71 (Times change, values don't.)
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To: Coleus

Obama, kissing the butts of the teachers union....where’s the ‘change’. This is the same old song and dance from Democrats.


3 posted on 06/26/2008 1:55:39 PM PDT by Always Right (Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?)
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To: Coleus
"Barack Obama prefers private education for his daughters but won't give DC parents the same opportunity," said Brian Burch...

This should come as no surprise to Mr. Burch.

4 posted on 06/26/2008 1:56:45 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The democRATS are near the tipping point.)
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To: Coleus
Back in February, it looked like Barack Obama would be willing to back the teachers union and support the voucher program...

I think they must have meant 'buck' not 'back'. Someone needs an editor.

5 posted on 06/26/2008 1:57:21 PM PDT by Always Right (Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?)
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To: Coleus

What a sad sad commentary.

Is this what the voters consider change.

A change of position on every issue.

Why not call Pelosi every morning and get his talking points so he doesn’t continue making a complete a$$ of himself.

How pathetic.


6 posted on 06/26/2008 2:06:58 PM PDT by Carley
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To: caisson71

School Vouchers for disagvantaged inner city kids?

NO YOU CAN’T!


7 posted on 06/26/2008 2:10:50 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Obama's idea of trickle-down economics is to piss on business.)
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To: Coleus; All

Obama is making John Kerry look consistent.


8 posted on 06/26/2008 2:22:17 PM PDT by KevinDavis (Who is Obama's Puppet Master???)
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To: Carley

Can I use your comment as a new tag line?


9 posted on 06/26/2008 2:24:37 PM PDT by anoldafvet (Is this what Obama voters consider change. A change of position on every issue.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Obama’a kids go to the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. This link shows tuition for kindergarten at $15,500/yr. He might get a discount since he taught there and wife works for the hospital there.

http://www.ucls.uchicago.edu/operations/registrar/tuition.shtml

That would cover 6 to 8 kids at a decent Catholic school around here.

10 posted on 06/26/2008 3:55:12 PM PDT by 11x62
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To: Coleus

Instead of the change candidate, Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas, will be known as the Ooops Uh Flip-Flop Candidate, who couldn't tell the truth!

Quit your whining about my lies, you bitter white racists!

11 posted on 06/26/2008 4:09:58 PM PDT by Grampa Dave ( Kerry was a Uber Liberal, Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas makes Kerry look like Jesse Helms!)
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To: anoldafvet

Please do and I promise not to change my mind in the morning!


12 posted on 06/26/2008 4:22:26 PM PDT by Carley
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To: metmom; Tired of Taxes

.


13 posted on 06/26/2008 5:45:40 PM PDT by Coleus (Abortion and Physician-assisted Murder (aka-Euthanasia), Don't Democrats just kill ya?)
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