Ben Nelson’s Incoherent Defense Of Slashing School Construction Funds
Ben Nelson’s Incoherent Defense Of Slashing School Construction Funds
In a move that “flunks” every economic test, Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) hammered out a “compromise” stimulus plan over the weekend that “completely eliminated the original plan’s $16 billion for K-12 school repair and modernization, along with another $3.5 billion for higher education school construction.” Bemoaning the cuts, the Economic Policy Institute wrote, “By every definition, the school construction money is perfect stimulus.”
Last night, when MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow grilled Nelson on why he cut funds for new school construction, he could only offer a totally incoherent condemnation of “unfunded mandates” like No Child Left Behind. He suggested that if the federal government provided funds to build new schools, it could somehow represent a malevolent interference in local education issues:
NELSON: Well, the Republicans who are looking to join with us have an aversion to federal money going for that kind of a program. It is a state responsibility, local responsibility. Local governing boards — boards of education. I, too, am concerned about money coming from Washington. As governor, I faced the under-funded mandate of special education where the Federal Government promised to be a partner with it. I faced back here a decision about “No Child Left Behind,” another under-funded federal mandate.
When Maddow pressed him, saying that surely his problem should be with federal intervention into the content of education, not the buildings in which education takes place, Nelson made a 180-degree turn, forgetting his “concern about money coming from Washington” to insist that there was still “an awful lot of money going to education.” Watch it:
Building new schools seems to be a win-win-win: It puts some of the nearly one million construction workers who have lost their jobs this year back to work; it helps facilitate better learning by improving the classrooms where children spend their days; and it provides a needed and timely jolt to the economy. “By even the most conservative estimates it would create about 150,000 jobs,” EPI wrote.
What’s more, as Matthew Yglesias pointed out yesterday, Nelson and Collins touted their plan’s education funding, specifically highlighting their funding for “special education” — two days before Nelson slammed special education as an unfunded mandate and derided Washington funding of education. All this while they CUT $7.5 billion in funding to help states make progress toward goals set by No Child Left Behind. All told, the Senate bill eliminates more than $25 billion in education funding originally included in the House version.
In other words, Nelson opposes school construction, which would create hundreds of thousands of jobs, because it is like an unfunded mandate. At the same time, he touts the inclusion of more mandated funds for special education, while also cutting money to fund the unfunded mandate of No Child Left Behind.
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As I always try to instill in my child, it’s hard to keep your story straight when you lie, and the lie can build and build until it gets out of your control.
Perhaps I need to have a sit down with Mr. Nelson. After I take him out of his time-out chair, that is.
PEACE
February 10th, 2009 at 2:05 pmSen Nelson, are you sure you’re in the right party? Because whining about “unfunded mandates” is a Republican mantra.
You know, if a medicine were invented that could be dropped into a newborn baby’s eyes and prevent that baby from ever getting sick, and if Congress ever directed that this medicine be given to all newborns, the Republicans would complain that it was an “unfunded mandate”.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pmDINO Nelson is cut from the same mold as the Republican Taliban.
He’ll squeal, distort, lie and then promptly forget what the hell his point was, leading to obfuscation, denial and then repeat, lather & rinse.
The Democratic party needs Nelson like they need Lieberboy. Ignore, reject and throw away anything he says.
I used to haves some respect for Collins, but this week she’s acting like a constipated harpy who’s trying to lay a golden egg, but all that comes out is feces.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pmNelson and his ilk are just not used to being interviewed by somebody with a brain that doesn’t make the maracca sound when they shake their heads.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pmI watched it last night. He just danced and danced and didn’t answer the question. Rachel is great to watch, but sometimes she’s just too nice. I guess if you don’t show some deference to these (lack of) characters they won’t appear on your show.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pmYes! Providing money from the federale government to build schools would definitely infringe on the state’s right to keep their children’s learnin from happening in hte fraazee, congiureiovdm jfdklaouc.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pmCampaign slogan for his re-election battle in 2012:
February 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pmBen Nelson: The Lesser of Two Evils.
I watched this last night. Nelson made himself look like a total fool, which would be funny — if he weren’t supposed to be on our side.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:16 pmDid y’all notice that too? I thought that he was just babbling. I think that Rachel did a great job exposing his insanity without embarassing him on national TV.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pmPerhaps this is part of the right’s effort to switch resources (vouchers) from public to private schools.
Strengthening the public system (quantity and/or quality) might be seen as a threat to those who want a wholesale switch over to madrasas.
*Oops* I meant private and parochial schools.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pmThe Republicans don’t really want anyone educated. These educated people start to think for themselves and figure out the Republicans are fools. Can’t have that, just won’t do.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:22 pmAnonymouse, I believe you’ve hit the nail on the head.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm#11, not fools but TOOLS!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pmWhat is it about funding for Education that scares the hell out of Politicians? Is it that an educated electorate might vote them out?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pmWell, the Republicans who are looking to join with us have an aversion to federal money going for that kind of a program.
Well, the Republicans who are looking to join with us have an aversion with an educated American poplace .
There, I fixed it for ya.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pmI think you answered your own question.
A more basic question relating to this bill is:
what do these people think “stimulus spending” is supposed to be?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pmPerhaps whomever is pulling Nelson’s marionette strings can’t tell left from right. Or up or down for that matter.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pmI wonder where his money trail leads to……
Did anyone else see how BROWN his nose was ( I wonder why? )and how painfully he twisted himself into knots trying to justify the unjustifyable?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pmI thought it was a Federal requirement that all children be educated from K through 12th grades? If it’s a Federal requirement, shouldn’t Federal dollars be going to these educational programs that the repugs have such an aversion to?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:33 pmThis guy sure sounds like he is touting the repugnican taliban talking points and ideology.
Anonymouse Says
hear, hear! There’s the proverbial nail on the head. It really seems like some of these polticians need a nail IN the head.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pmI just watched this again and saw where he said he was a former governor. Yeah and there’s nothing governors hate more than the federal government throwing money at their states for repair physical plants. :eyeroll:
February 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pmHaving been a school board member, I can tell you that at least here in Ohio, the local schools have an extremely limited amount of control over budgets. Unfunded mandates from the state and federal governments are problematic. Having to go to the public to get an operating levy is difficult. Having to go to the public to try to get a building levy passed is d-near impossible. Federal construction programs for school buildings would be a significant boost to a local economy, community pride, and community confidence to say nothing of providing our children and grandchildren a decent school building. And wouldn’t giving the children some immediate and direct benefit from the stimulus package take care of some of the “generational theft” that is so “worrisome” to the Republicans?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pmHere’s the campaign contribution factoids on Nelson…
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=n00005329
Speaking of brown, check out his photo in the link… his hair went from brown to white in just 8 years..
February 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pmLOL
I hope that the Democrats realize that this quest for bi-partisanship is just emboldening the insurgency to make deeper and deeper strikes into the heart of America, specifically our children.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:38 pmAnd you automatically lose the argument when you say that the fed underfunds education and then, in the same breath, argue that the fed is looking to spend too much on education.
Repugs, and the dems who want to be like them, hate many, many things. One is children and anyhting that helps children. Understandable from their basic philosophy, however, because those damn children refuse to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. They exist in a welfare-like state, sapping off of society and leeching off thier families.
Makes one wonder…. how many repugs would embrace allowing children to work in factories again, and work the coal mines again. I would NOT be surprised to find most repugs endorsing that.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:40 pmPerhaps I need to have a sit down with Mr. Nelson. After I take him out of his time-out chair, that is.
Bwahahaha S’mom. I read it the first time and saw:
“Perhaps I need to have a sit down with Mr. Nelson. After I take him out with his time-out chair, that is.”
and though i agreed with it, it just didn’t seem to be ‘you.’
February 10th, 2009 at 2:40 pm.
So Mr Nelson is against slashing school budgets except when requested by (R)ushpublicans?
.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:40 pmNice catch.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:44 pmMr. Nelson needs to be de-programmed. The American Taliban (Republican Party, by its own admission) has got a hold of him and in their cult headquarters (known as the Heratige Foundation) they have brainwashed him into joining their cause. A political “suicide bomber”, if you will (oooohhhh… I’d like to see that term used more — they want to be the American Taliban, let us frame them in all appropriate terms).
Why do republicans hate America?
Why do republicnas hate children?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:48 pmRachel politely and firmly handed Nelson his ass. She doesn’t back down and redirects her follow up question based on the previous response. That is a refreshing quality.
I don’t understand what the R’s have against education but they are consistent. Here in Arizona we have been blessed with a Republican witch, Brewer for governor now that Napolitano moved to DC. Her first action is to slash funding for K-12 as well as Universities and at the same time promote tax credits for individuals and corporations who donate to their favorite flat-earth Madrasa. (kudos to Anonymouse)
February 10th, 2009 at 2:52 pmralph the wonder llama
On backup, do as you please with him. I find him to be a disengenuous phony that brings nothing to the table except petty distraction. Same with keltoy…
I know you love sparring with him though so thrust and parry. It is fun sometimes, I admit.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pmAnd yet, NO ONE in the media seems to be making issue that these nitpickers and naysayers who are putting the economic recovery package under an atomic microscope, and sifting for political leverage for partizan purposes, did NOTHING OF THE KIND with Paulson’s TARP funds.
AND, gee, it is NOT TOO LATE to DEMAND accountability for those TARP funds. Hello. 350 billion pissed to the wind? Not a peep from these savages, who are more concerned about denying new public school buildings, or textbooks for children.
F OFF, YOU PIGS! How about we put that money back in, eliminate corporate tax breaks, and ADD MORE money to the schools? Someone should ask them: “Waht is more important: tax breaks for businesses or funding schools for children?” Just to get it on public record clearly.
Gotta split.
:)
February 10th, 2009 at 2:57 pmYou have to wonder about the privileged white as in their minds giving a leg up for those other people’s children, competing equally with their own privileged group…. fear is there be it sub conscience of conscience.
If there could be such a study where you take children from all walks of life at age 5, remove any ethnicity for the study, remove info as to who the parents are and have each one dress the exact same way… by 12th grade we would see a different picture than we do now.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:06 pmI don’t think the Pukes actively hate the People.
I think they regard us mainly as useful livestock, to be used as they see fit: food, clothing, profit, whatever.
They want us not to die in our pens, but are otherwise mostly indifferent to our fate, either individually or collectively, as long as they still collect the revenues of our compliance.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pmEzra and Atrios observe that “confrontation from the left” is what is “entirely missing from our political discourse.”
For Real!
J. Stewart, Keith and Rachel are backing President Obama more than this 111 congress. Some dems are moving too slow and are not backing President Obama.
Shit or get off the pot. There are new dems waiting to take your places.
And why is nelson worried about the repugs? He’s done.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:21 pmOkay, so he said that the programs that his state had were underfunded but he’s against the government giving the states money to fund these programs? I’m lost. I hope the House puts all this stuff back in during conference.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:31 pmCouldn’t we come up with some sort of Congressional Entrance Exam? Kind of like a SAT or IQ test. Not something that is really ‘flunkable’ but just lets the public know who they JUST elected.
Ya know?
February 10th, 2009 at 3:39 pmI taught in Colorado and when you got a Nebraska student you could always count on them being a few years behind. I wonder why?
February 10th, 2009 at 4:08 pmQuisling.
February 10th, 2009 at 4:24 pmrainsan Says:
Okay, so he said that the programs that his state had were underfunded but he’s against the government giving the states money to fund these programs? I’m lost. I hope the House puts all this stuff back in during conference.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
_________
Yeah, I didn’t get that one either.
I mean, I can understand the concern if the Federal government was going to start up a whole bunch of new education programs with lots of funding, and then turn them over to the states after a year with no additional funding. But wouldn’t the solution to that be to fix the policy rather than scrap it?
February 10th, 2009 at 4:54 pmAnonymouse Says:
Perhaps this is part of the right’s effort to switch resources (vouchers) from public to private schools.
Strengthening the public system (quantity and/or quality) might be seen as a threat to those who want a wholesale switch over to madrasas.
*Oops* I meant private and parochial schools.
Everyone needs to hit the green “Recommend” thumbs up on this one. It should be the Featured Comment added to the post. It’s right on target.
February 10th, 2009 at 5:25 pmI watched Sen. Nelson last night and Rachel ate his lunch…He obviously is protecting his Lobbying friends who happen to have gotten us into this mess. It’s OK to support a bridge to nowhere but wasteful to support building new schools and creating a learning environment. The minds of the future will be wasted. Nelson is a Republicon/Tallibon insurgent.
February 10th, 2009 at 11:51 pmspencers mom, I think there’s a few of those people who could use a time out. I wish Obama would put Geithner in the corner till he remembers how to be nice to ALL the kids and NOT steal the poor kids’s lunch money. In fact, in the corner might not be quite enough in his case.
February 11th, 2009 at 12:43 am.
Q U E S T I O N:
What is it called when a Democrat bends over and grabs his ankles for (R)ushpublicans?
.
February 11th, 2009 at 12:58 am