Left Behind

Don't you love the American political discourse? A minority of people say something based on some facts, and republicans don't respond. Then later, it's confirmed by some study or something else, and no one pays any attention to it.

Remember, say, the presidential campaign? Or before? When Democrats said things like this, froma DNC "special report":

The President Has Repeatedly Broken His Promise to Provide Federal Support for Education. In the two years since the President signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, none of his budgets have come close to meeting the level of funding authorized in the Act. The FY 2004 budget submitted by President Bush fell $9 billion short of the amount authorized for 2004 and his FY 2003 budget fell $7.2 billion short of approved funding. [Office of Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, 6/9/03; Associated Press, 2/24/03]

If you remember that, than surely you won't be suprised by this AP story that comes out today:

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush's education law is prodding schools to help more needy students, but states will not come close to reaching all the struggling children unless the government spends more and lightens demands, an independent analysis says.

The No Child Left Behind Act is turning up positive signs and warning signs in education, according to a review by the Center on Education Policy. The report released Wednesday is considered the most comprehensive review of the three-year-old law.[...]

But the center's director, Patricia Sullivan, said the government must offer more help because  "state education agencies are not designed - either with staffing, funding or expertise - to do the work that needs to be done to turn around low-performing schools.'' a DNC "special report":

The President Has Repeatedly Broken His Promise to Provide Federal Support for Education. In the two years since the President signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, none of his budgets have come close to meeting the level of funding authorized in the Act. The FY 2004 budget submitted by President Bush fell $9 billion short of the amount authorized for 2004 and his FY 2003 budget fell $7.2 billion short of approved funding. [Office of Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, 6/9/03; Associated Press, 2/24/03]

If you remember that, than surely you won't be suprised by this AP story that comes out today:

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush's education law is prodding schools to help more needy students, but states will not come close to reaching all the struggling children unless the government spends more and lightens demands, an independent analysis says.

The No Child Left Behind Act is turning up positive signs and warning signs in education, according to a review by the Center on Education Policy. The report released Wednesday is considered the most comprehensive review of the three-year-old law.[...]

But the center's director, Patricia Sullivan, said the government must offer more help because "state education agencies are not designed - either with staffing, funding or expertise - to do the work that needs to be done to turn around low-performing schools.''

I'm sure Bush and his colleagues, after they're done intervening in a state's medical laws and the privacy of a family and their life or death decision, will decide that they're small government conservatives again make sure that those school districts don't get their money.

Good Episcopalians, Bad Episcopalians   No Capital

The Scots are joining the Americans:

The Scottish Episcopal Church says that being a practicing homosexual is no bar to becoming a priest, a stance which puts it at odds with the Anglican Communion in other parts of the world.
...
It is believed to be the first time the Scottish church has publicly declared their position on gay clergy and blessings of homosexual couples, which have long been unwritten but commonly held acceptances.

The announcement comes at a delicate time for Anglicans worldwide and is in contrast to the Scottish Episcopal Church's sister body, the Church of England, which will ordain homosexuals only if they are not in a physical relationship.

At last month's crisis meeting of Anglican leaders in Northern Ireland, the issue of homosexuality threatened to split the international Anglican Communion.

I'm sure Bush and his colleagues, after they're done intervening in a state's medical laws and the privacy of a family and their life or death decision, will decide that they're small government conservatives again make sure that those school districts don't get their money.