Karl Rove made no secret of his plans for a permanent Republican majority.
I am not ashamed to admit that I am pleased that such plans have been bungled; unfortunately, they took the rest of the country with them.
But I suspect that there is a subtle threat (one of many) hidden amongst the numerous policy debacles of the past eight years.
I have tried to locate a quote I read several years ago, but basically, it implied that the more college-educated the electorate becomes, the less Republican it becomes, as well.
Now, place that sentiment in the hands of a two-term Republican president and six years of Republican majority in Congress, and what do you get?
Here's Why I Think So
- No Child Left Behind, an unfunded or underfunded mandate. From wikipedia on NCLB,
- President Bush requested only $13.3 of a possible $22.75 billion in 2006.[52] President Bush's 2008 budget allots $61 billion for the Education Department, cutting funding by $1.3 billion from last year.
- The Dept of Education, at ed.gov provides an Excel file covering budget allocations by department for years 2001 - 2008. Focusing on Federal Pell Grants under Postsecondary education, the budget for 2001 (President Clinton's last budget), the allocation was 8.8 billion dollars. Requested for 2009 is 16.9 billion. An apparently significant increase, but deceptively so. Other forms of federal aid has been halved in the same amount of time. And, since postsecondary education costs have increased so much over recent years, the grants cover far less than they used do.
- Year over year, the administration has reduced the subsidies to the federal guaranteed loan program.
- According to USA Today, from 1998 to 2005, public tuition increased nearly 35% and private tuition increased 17%
- NPR recently profiled two students, each near the top of their graduating class in Pennsylvania, and their difficulties in getting financial aide.
- CNN's analysis of the 2006 polling data notes a trend between Democratic voters and level of education.
A college education is getting more expensive.
Federal aid is getting harder to come by.
Unfortunately, it will probably be a few more years until the full impact of the Bush education policies will be felt, since many of those students are still in classes.
Lower attendance rates mean fewer graduates.
...leads to fewer white-collar and high-tech opportunities
...leads to more H1B visas for foreign workers
...less access to corporate health plans and medical coverage
...higher medical expenses, higher rates of bankruptcy, lower life expectancy
...rising bitterness and disgruntlement toward "the system".
I wrote a few months ago, while there were still a few other candidates in the mix, on the positions and proposals from each of the major candidates.
Learn and vote accordingly.
Image Student in Class by foundphotoslj via flickr.
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