Welcome to Atlanta, Mr. President. Now about pre-k . . .
President Barack Obama is expected in Atlanta today, to pitch a problem to a solution.
No, I don’t have that backward.
The president’s planned visit today to a Decatur pre-k school comes on the heels of his lauding Georgia’s preschool program during his State of the Union address Tuesday night. He wants to use it as a model for a federal effort “to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America.”
While I join Obama in applauding educational innovation in the states, I can think only of reasons a federal preschool program is a bad idea. Not least is the fact that the existing federal preschool program, Head Start, has been declared a failure by the very agency that administers it.
Head Start, a program for low-income children, has been around since 1965. But three years ago, after four and a half decades and $166 billion spent on the program, the Department of Health and Human Services concluded first-graders who had been in Head Start held virtually no advantage over their peers who hadn’t.
It’s an expensive failure, costing more than $7.5 billion per year to serve fewer than 1 million kids. At $7,838, Head Start’s cost per student in 2011 nearly doubled the $4,302 Georgia spent on each pre-k student that year.
But if Georgia is getting better results at roughly half the price, shouldn’t we want to see its model copied in other states?
Maybe so. Or maybe other states have different needs. Either way, they won’t match our success — and we won’t maintain it — if the feds take over pre-k.
As U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss put it to me last month: “There are too many people in Washington who are entrenched in the idea that if the federal government’s going to be involved in a program, we need to control it. And the way you control it is with money.”
Chambliss was talking about obstacles to devolving federal programs such as k-12 education and Medicaid to the states. But this fact of life in Washington is also a certain preview of how pre-k will turn out if it’s federalized.
There will be money, but also strings: regulations, stipulations, expectations. Even in Georgia the program won’t look like it does now, because the feds will craft policies for Savannah and Seattle, and everywhere in between. Successive agency heads for the program will want to put their stamps on it, if only to justify their jobs and budgets.
And, as clearly as Georgia’s elected leaders should see this coming, they’ll be hard-pressed to avoid it. The money will be too hard to pass up.
Georgia spends about one-third of its lottery proceeds on pre-k, about $312.4 million in next year’s projected revenues. The rest goes to the HOPE scholarship. How tempting will it be for a Georgia governor one day, if the value of HOPE continues to shrink relative to the cost of tuition, to take the federal pre-k dollars and devote all lottery revenues to college students?
But it will be fool’s gold, and not only because there’s no such thing as “free money” from the feds since taxpayers foot the bill sooner or later.
There’s also this: Those folks who rate government programs chiefly by how much money we spend on them will declare this a good deal — at first. Eventually, though, they’ll bemoan the falling quality of pre-k in Georgia and beseech Atlanta or Washington to cough up more money so that it can regain the effectiveness it once had … back when it was a cheaper, state-run program.
Washington this year is projected to borrow $7 billion (almost the annual cost of Head Start) every three days. Yet, Democrats and some Republicans are wringing their hands about the so-called sequester budget cuts that would trim that figure by barely one-tenth. So, you’d think this is exactly the wrong time for the feds to take on yet another role the states have proven themselves capable of handling.
That Obama is holding up Georgia’s pre-k program as a reason for Washington to get more involved in pre-k, rather than as evidence the states can handle more roles the feds can’t afford, shows just how backward he has it.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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418 comments Add your comment
Politico
February 14th, 2013
5:03 pm
Enter your comments here
Aquagirl
February 14th, 2013
5:11 pm
Couldn’t leave ya without a little something for your special evening, Bruno…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDW25nrnQpk
Dusty
February 14th, 2013
5:17 pm
Well, I don’t know whether I can address Bruno what with him getting all kinds of commendations and running around with governors.
Actually,Bruno, I think that was great to get a commendation for serving the troops. Way to go!
I like Gov. Deal, not that I have met him in person. He sounds practical to me . And the Democrats don’t like him. That proves something (and it isn’t bad.).
indigo
February 14th, 2013
5:50 pm
Tiberius – 11:02 “the Federal Govt. is awash in debt and can’t pay it’s bills”
But but but but but I keep hearing we’re the richest country in the world.
If we’re actually practically broke, why are we still spending billions trying to convert Afghanistan to truth, justice and the American way?
md
February 14th, 2013
6:05 pm
“If we’re actually practically broke, why are we still spending billions trying to convert Afghanistan to truth, justice and the American way?”
Might want to ask Obama, he is the one that had the choice to end it 4 years ago…….
cj
February 14th, 2013
6:22 pm
I don’t get you conservatives… you expect everyone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but you refuse to teach them how. So typical of your “I got mine so screw the rest of you!” mentality.
MarkV
February 14th, 2013
6:22 pm
Dear Dusty,
I hope your Valentine’ Day has been as happy as you expected it to be.
I am glad that Kyle has chosen as his subject for today something RELATIVELY less likely to incite furious fighting.
As you might know I am selective in choosing the subjects I comment on. Pre-school education is not one I feel comfortable enough to deal with in any detail, and I bow to your superior knowledge.
Still, I have some lingering doubts after reading you post @10:22 am. One is regarding “the fact that Headstart has been pronounced a failure by the agency itself.” If we fail in something, should be simply give up, or try to do better next time? Or are you fundamentally against the goals of HeadStart?
indigo
February 14th, 2013
6:30 pm
md – 6:05
Bush got us into the Afghanistan war.
McCain said he would not mind if we stayed there 100 years.
Obama promised, in 2008, to get us out.
Now, in 2013, we may get out next year.
It seems that, no matter who we vote for, a powerful faction in the Govt. keeps getting us into costly, bloody useless wars.
I wonder why that is?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
February 14th, 2013
6:31 pm
Indigo, save your poutrage for someone who actually supported the Afghanistan war. I supported the initial incursion to take out the training camps, but not the extended stay.
And as was pointed out Obama could have shown some leadership and changed the timetable, but chose not to.
md
February 14th, 2013
6:38 pm
“I wonder why that is?”
Off the top of my head…..jobs.
Unemployment just went up to 7.9%. The realities of war include the fact that if/when ended, jobs will also be lost, both in the military and private sector. I’m guessing the numbers wouldn’t look too good.
md
February 14th, 2013
6:43 pm
“I don’t get you conservatives… you expect everyone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but you refuse to teach them how. So typical of your “I got mine so screw the rest of you!” mentality.”
cj – do you know the difference between letting the States do it and letting the feds get involved? Some of us understand it and are opposed to that aspect of the situation…..
As for greedy, 50% of tax filers pay zero income tax. We ALL got a tax cut under Bush AND Obama, yet when it came time to give them back the only outcry was for others to give them back……..that sounds like greed to me…….
Hillbilly D
February 14th, 2013
7:06 pm
I’m in the camp that sees Pre-K as an issue for the states and not the Feds.
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
February 14th, 2013
7:07 pm
curious
My bad, decimal error, should read Blacks 22.8%. Had you gone to the website you would have been able to figure that out. Little knowledge gained in a little amount of time.
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
February 14th, 2013
7:14 pm
cj
pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but you refuse to teach them how.
Well, I’ll let the secret out here for the first time cj. Gather everyone around, it is so simple, if you can follow instructions.
1. Go to school every day, do your homework, respect your teacher, read often, and graduate on time.
For the few that make it that far.
2. Do not get married before your education is complete, you have a job, and can provide for a family.
3. Save and invest the money you earn. Pay yourself first. Deny yourself things that depreciate quickly.
Wish you would have asked sooner, think of how many we would have saved.
md
February 14th, 2013
7:21 pm
Geez Rafe, and miss out on all that fun in between? You need to remember this is the “I want it and I want it right now” society…….to heck with that turtle pace, we now have a bunch of hares……..
CC
February 14th, 2013
7:24 pm
“2. Do not get married before your education is complete, you have a job, and can provide for a family.”
Do NOT produce children until you have accomplshed both steps 1 and 2 even though the thought of the government handouts is tempting!
Hillbilly D
February 14th, 2013
7:31 pm
Off-topic but food for thought.
What worked for privileged, educated women hasn’t worked so well for those at the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/views/os-ed-kathleen-parker-021313-20130213,0,1684144.column
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 14th, 2013
7:45 pm
When Harding died in August 1923, Coolidge had not seen him since March, but the new president, assisted by a splendidly named former congressman, C. Bascom Slemp, continued Harding’s program of cutting taxes, tariffs and expenditures. “I am for economy. After that, I am for more economy,” said the 30th president, whose administration’s pencil policy was to issue one at a time to each bureaucrat, who if he or she did not entirely use it up had to return the stub.
This, of course, returned 13.4% growth and 3.6% unemployment in 67 some months.
Better known as the good old days.
CC
February 14th, 2013
7:51 pm
Rafe:
Let me add just a bit more to your response to cj:
Get an alarm clock. Sounds silly, doesn’t it? It is important to get to work EARLY and not just “on time”. Unless sick or attending a genuine family emergency, go to work EVERY day. Being dependable is a highly valuable asset.
Develop and ALWAYS utilize a strong work ethic. Perform your task the very best you possibly can.
Do not be a “clock-watcher”. If it takes you longer than your assigned work time, stay until the job is as near perfect as you can make it. This will pay dividends you can’t begin to imagine!
Don’t be a complainer. Leave that to the true ‘losers’.
Don’t belittle co-workers in an attempt to enhance your position. This is an easily recognizable scam that is nearly always recognized and rewarded accordingly.
indigo
February 14th, 2013
8:09 pm
Rafe – 7:14
And, after you graduate from college and can’t find anything but minimum wage clerical work, try to get along, as an adult, with Mommy and Daddy, since you’ll be moving back in.
And, wonder why Big Business could not possibly care less for you.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
February 14th, 2013
8:17 pm
And if you do get a job, remember that no task is beneath you. And always look for things to do, even if it’s not your specialty.
Make yourself invaluable to the person who pays you.
CC
February 14th, 2013
8:18 pm
indigo:
Could it be that the college is substandard, or maybe the dgree field isn’t particularly suited to the job market?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
February 14th, 2013
8:24 pm
Yeah CC. That degree in French lit will really take you far, won’t it?
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
February 14th, 2013
8:44 pm
And, wonder why Big Business could not possibly care less for you.
Not their responsibility to care for poor little indigo. Their responsibility is to make money for the owner or shareholders. No wonder you are living with mommy, indigo, you don’t understand the free enterprise system.
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
February 14th, 2013
8:50 pm
We could go on all night with how to be successful, but if you follow the three things I said, you will be successful. To be valued and respected as well, follow CC’s steps. I would add one, NO WHINING. If the job is not to your liking, move on to a better one, just don’t whine and complain. You took the job so do it and don’t whine until you can find something else.
Of course, no whining, has to be a learned behavior for the Dems.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
February 14th, 2013
9:13 pm
Politico: the consistent insults and namecalling that is done consistently here by Aesop, Barry blah blah blah
————————-
Take your beatdowns like a big girl and quit whining.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
February 14th, 2013
9:15 pm
Welcome to Atlanta, Mr. President. Now about pre-k . . .
———————
Doesn’t the fact that Georgia has done pre-k without federal taxpayer help give Obozo a clue about how it should be done?
Oh, forgot, it isn’t a real solution unless it’s a liberal fascist solution…and then it’s a failure.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
February 14th, 2013
9:27 pm
Kudos to the heroes in San Bernardino who put down that worthless thug and, as a bonus, spared taxpayers the cost of a trial.
CC
February 14th, 2013
9:49 pm
Tib:
“Yeah CC. That degree in French lit will really take you far, won’t it?”
French Lit, Urban Life and African Studies offer such a panorama of opportunities!
CC
February 14th, 2013
9:53 pm
LBB:
Don’t forget the years of housing costs (likely the remainder of his life), legal costs to counter his appeals and the cost of the execution (unlikely in la la land!).
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
February 14th, 2013
9:56 pm
Crispy Chris Dorner: He’s toast.
Bruno
February 14th, 2013
10:38 pm
Couldn’t leave ya without a little something for your special evening, Bruno…
LMFAO @ Aquagirl.
Just in case my “ex” pokes her head in, just wanted you to know that you will have my heart forever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMHemXOO-PU
Bruno
February 14th, 2013
10:43 pm
Kudos to the heroes in San Bernardino who put down that worthless thug and, as a bonus, spared taxpayers the cost of a trial.
I guess the only commendable thing to come out of it all is the story the person told who was carjacked. From what he said, Dorner let him walk away unharmed, even though he didn’t have to. Dorner’s target was law enforcement officials. As someone who has dealt with dirty cops before, I can partly relate.
Quick note to the armchair tough guys here: You’re not impressing anyone.
Bruno
February 14th, 2013
10:44 pm
Never thought I’d be singing this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmCscz2Ev_c
md
February 14th, 2013
10:46 pm
“And, wonder why Big Business could not possibly care less for you.”
They are padding your 401k indigo, hope you are participating. That is their job along with keeping their doors open……..unlike Uncle Sugar, when they run out of money they go bye bye…..usually forever. And ironically, Uncle Sugar goes on forever after taking what they could from these mean ole businesses that went bye bye……
JDW
February 14th, 2013
10:48 pm
@Bruno…”I don’t know if you’ve ever had the chance to meet Gov. Deal, but he definitely has a presence about him, almost like a Mafia don or something.”
He IS a Mafia Don or something…how else do you explain one of the most corrupt congressmen of all time getting elected Governor, which pays about $130K if I remember correctly, while tottering on the edge of bankrupcy with millions in debt and then two years later…why it just all seemed to…shall we say vanish.
Hillbilly D
February 14th, 2013
10:53 pm
Chris Dorner deserved what he got but he likely had family, who had nothing to do with this and they have to suffer for his actions, too. People forget that when things like this happen. So i’m just happy it’s over with no more evil than had already occurred. No celebratory dancing for me.
Hillbilly D
February 14th, 2013
10:54 pm
Since Nathan Deal got mentioned, if anybody ever wonders what a classic middle Georgia accent sounds like, just listen to him; he’s got one.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
February 14th, 2013
10:54 pm
JDW: how else do you explain one of the most corrupt congressmen of all time
——————-
For a minute there I thought JDW was going to go off on Harry Reid, who has made some, shall we say, amazing profits on real estate deals where he had no skin in the game, and has become a multi-millionaire on a Senator’s salary. Scumbag.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
February 14th, 2013
10:56 pm
Nothing wrong with a little celebratory dancing to celebrate the end of the celebratory dancing the Democrats were doing over a POS murdering innocents.
JDW
February 14th, 2013
10:59 pm
@Aesop…”When Harding died in August 1923, Coolidge had not seen him since March, but the new president, assisted by a splendidly named former congressman, C. Bascom Slemp, continued Harding’s program of cutting taxes, tariffs and expenditures. “I am for economy. After that, I am for more economy,” said the 30th president, whose administration’s pencil policy was to issue one at a time to each bureaucrat, who if he or she did not entirely use it up had to return the stub.
This, of course, returned 13.4% growth and 3.6% unemployment in 67 some months….Better known as the good old days.”
Hummm…now just what is August 1923 plus 67 months…why that would be January 1929…nice strategy the “good old days” lasted until October then we got Depression for 10 years. Kind of like the Duhbya approach…cut taxes, spend like a drunken sailor, fall asleep at the switch all for 8 months of great economy followed by 10 years of Depression/Recession and you idiots want to do it again.
CC
February 14th, 2013
11:01 pm
“For a minute there I thought JDW was going to go off on Harry Reid”
. . . or maybe Queen Pelosi whose husband has profited amazingly because of her once mighty position in the House?
JDW
February 14th, 2013
11:04 pm
@LBB…let me know when Harry resigns rather than face the music then fires the ethics oversight in his new job in a stunning bit of deja vu…then we will have an apples to apples comparison. Till then you are comparing apples (of the rotten variety) to seeds.
CC
February 14th, 2013
11:05 pm
““For a minute there I thought JDW was going to go off on Harry Reid”
. . . and we won’t even mention the Clintons, Al Gore and “Other Famous Dimwits We Have Known and Loved” who have profited immensely from their public office.
JDW
February 14th, 2013
11:06 pm
@CC…see my 11:04 it applies to you as well.
Bruno
February 14th, 2013
11:10 pm
. . or maybe Queen Pelosi whose husband has profited amazingly because of her once mighty position in the House?
Hillary’s magical investment returns come to mind as well, along with Michelle Obama’s cushy hospital job, although a few hundred grand isn’t much compared to what some of these other cats have raked in. I know Wayne Hill didn’t walk away empty-handed from his job as Gwinnett County chairman, and I wouldn’t trust Charles Bannister any further than I can throw him.
CC
February 14th, 2013
11:10 pm
JDW:
“Kind of like the Duhbya approach…cut taxes, spend like a drunken sailor”
“spend like a drunken sailor”?
I can’t believe you actually wrote this! You don’t want a comparison of spending between Bush and Hussein! I am also sure that “drubken sailors” resent your remark because they quit spending when they run out of money, unlike your master Hussein.
Bruno
February 14th, 2013
11:13 pm
JDW–I’m feeling a little generous tonight, so I’ll extend an olive branch to you. We haven’t gotten into it too badly here, but I’ve gone out of my way to be abrasive to you due to your Lib tendencies. I think you sincerely have well wishes for the country, however, so will cut you some slack in the future.
md
February 14th, 2013
11:13 pm
Wonder if the Pope has 2nd thoughts?
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/02/13/lightning-strikes-st-peters-basilica-the-day-pope-benedict-xvi-resigns/
Bruno
February 14th, 2013
11:18 pm
Wonder if the Pope has 2nd thoughts?
I dunno, md, it may have been God’s way of saying “Good riddance, sucker”.