Head Start Stopped

The Republican-controled Senate Appropriations Committee froze funding for early child development programs like Head Start and a number of grants for kids with special needs in the latest draft of a speanding bill. When I first read this I thought, Oh boy Bush is going to use his second veto on this spending bill because other than switch grass-related energy programs and snowflake babies, Head Start was his most favoritest domestic program ever! Por ejemplo:

1. "We got to make sure our Head Start programs start children off early with the fundamentals of reading. We want to make sure our high school diplomas mean something. We need an intervention programs for children who cannot read in junior high. We got to be emphasizing math and science." -George W. Bush at a campaign event in Beaverton, Oregon, August 13, 2004
2. "During the President's first week in office, he submitted a plan to reform our Nation's elementary and secondary schools to ensure that all children are proficient in reading and math by the 2013-14 school year. More Needs to Be Done: President Bush knows that more needs to be done to prepare our students for the future. The President's new education proposals build on his first successful reforms by: …Ensuring high-quality education opportunities so every child begins school ready to succeed. President Bush will expand efforts to strengthen early childhood education, including Head Start." -White House Press Release, September 26, 2004
3. "I believe that -- I know there's curriculum available for pre-schoolers that provide them the basics for reading. And I think our Head Start programs ought to be encouraged to adopt very simple curricula, but based upon the science of reading. My friend, Reed Lyons, at the NIH, is a pro, an expert. He understands how kids learn to read. And, therefore, it seems to make sense, since we're spending federal dollars on Head Start, as part of the core curriculum of Head Start, be to lay the foundation for little kids reading. We need intensive reading programs." -President George W. Bush at "Ask President Bush" Event in Annandale, Virginia, August 9, 2004

What do all of these quotes have in common? First, they seem to be very pro-Head Start, Ted Kennedy-esque if you will. And second, they were all stated at election time. A simple Nexis search turned up dozens of Bush quotes in support if Head Start, narry a one after 2004. The amazing thing is, Bush is threatening a veto. He is doing so because the Senate is appropriating too much money on domestic programs and not enough for the Pentagon, which has a budget of $420 billion.

In other news, Bush also thinks Mt. Everest needs to be taller, the sky bluer and the ocean deeper.


Senate Panel Freezes Head Start, Grants (Washington Post)