Wednesday, May 23, 2012

1968 Teacher Unions 2012



Teacher Unions
          
I will speak plainly -- I will speak plainly on another subject of importance. We're not educating all of our children. Too many are being forced to absorb the fads of the moment.

Not for the nothing are we the biggest education spenders and among the lowest education achievers among the leading industrial nations.

The teachers unions nominated Bill Clinton in 1992. They're funding his re-election now. And they, his most reliable supporters, know he will maintain the status quo.

And I say this -- I say this not to the teachers, but to their unions. I say this, if education were a war, you would be losing it. If it were a business, you would be driving it into bankruptcy. If it were a patient, it would be dying.

And to the teachers union, I say, when I am president, I will disregard your political power for the sake of the parents, the children, the schools and the nation. I plan to enrich your vocabulary with those words you fear -- school choice and competition and opportunity scholarships.

All this for low and middle income families so that you will join the rest of us in accountability, while others compete with you for the commendable privilege of giving our children a real education.
- August 15, 1996, I'm Bob Dole Accepts Nomination, San Diego, California

And I say this -- I say this not to the teachers, but to their unions.

Res Ipsa Loquitur
That call to arms during Dole's acceptance speech was the only time all night I whooped.  From the sound of things, it resonated with the delegates as well.  The next morning, however, it didn't matter that Dole pointedly said his war was with the unions, not the teachers.   The Today Show, and GMA,  and whatever CBS was airing,  focused on Dole's attack on teachers.  In his own acceptance speech a few weeks later,  Bill Clinton went out of his way (as I remember)  to condemn the Republican attack on our wonderful, brave, and dedicated teacher corps. The teachers were up in arms.  I don't need to tell you what the kids were hearing in school the next day.

 I guess you saw this earlier, on Drudge: ROMNEY DECLARES WAR ON TEACHERS UNIONS... 

.[...] And he declared war on teachers unions, saying they “are the clearest example of a group that has lost its way.” He said Mr. Obama is too beholden to the unions to be able to reform the school system.

Poor Dole didn't have a chance in his public "debate," but that was in 1996.  Fox News was barely getting started; the internet still finding its voice.  Not now. Mitt won't have any problem getting his message out, as long as he's up to it.  So far it appears he is; I'm Bob Dole never was.




4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Separation of school and state.

Rodger the Real King of France said...

oh puh-leeeeeeeeze

Anonymous said...

how 'bout: That call to "arm" during Dole's acceptance speech...?

won mo fo

Anonymous said...

When I lived across the street from a public high school and would get into...er debates with teachers, every one of them reacted to my endorsing vouchers like a vampire would to sunlight.

Every One Of Them

There are for sure lots of teachers that would like to be out from under the NEA but they've got to be outnumbered 100-1.

Their unions have the whole hearted support of most teachers.
MM

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