Jeb has huge pep rally to defend his voucher program...manipulative sob.

[madfloridian]

part of which has already been declared unconstitutional. It involves giving public school money to private religious schools. It does not bother him and his cronies. They are using it to manipulate folks to think taking money for public schools for their kids is alright.

The bastard actually had a pep rally, with cheers and chants and all that.

http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060216/NEWS/602160386/1005/NEWS02

TALLAHASSEE -- Invoking images of God, civil rights and apple pie, Republican leaders urged thousands of cheering parents and children to lobby lawmakers for what may be a final battle over the nation's only statewide voucher system. The state's Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the Opportunity Scholarship Program is unconstitutional. The program uses taxpayer money to pay private school tuition for about 700 children in schools that fail to meet testing guidelines.

While some detractors say the program violates the separation of church and state by using public money to send students to church-run schools, the court didn't address that issue. Instead, it ruled the program unconstitutionally created a separate but unequal school system because private schools don't have the same requirements as public schools, such as teacher qualifications and the mandated use of the FCAT assessments.

It was a striking scene Wednesday as a predominantly black crowd outside of the Capitol cheered as white, millionaire politicians promoted the voucher plan as an antidote to class and racial inequalities.

"In Florida and the United States today, if you've got money, you can make a choice," said Gov. Jeb Bush. "What about the children whose parents don't have the ability based on income to make that choice? Don't they have the same dreams? God gives every child the ability to learn. God does that."

Jeb, you manipulative bastard, using emotional pleas to pass vouchers taking money from our public schools. Our 4 year olds can go to religious private schools for Pre-K, being taught whatever curriculum that religious school teaches.

[clyrc]

1. The arrogance doesn't surprise me, but it does infuriate me

Save Our Students? Arggh!

[madfloridian]

7. Hi, stranger.

Did you catch the SOS emblem on the podium, and the pic above. He is such a you know what.

[Erika]

2. Jeb is no poster boy for anything

He would do well to mend his own family above all. They were the wealthy and the elite but that didn't save the family from personal painful problems.

He also is the one who promised relief better results to the poor served by Social Services.

Again, an utter failure.

[RagingInMiami]

3. Killing as much of Florida education as he can

Before his term ends this year.

[laheina]

12. Hopefully he goes away then.

But I don't trust that SOB walking around free. He'll prolly pop up in Washington. :thumbsdown:

[RagingInMiami]

15. He once vowed he was not going to run for president

Which means he probably will

[geomon666]

4. Here's an idea: FIX PUBLIC SCHOOL!

Is that so hard? When you have to take money away from school so you can call brown people in another country, YES IT IS!

[Erika]

5. They don't want public schools "fixed"

They want our tax money diverted to private, preferably religious schools, of their choice.

They want to kill public education.

There are no studies that show private education produces superior results.

[geomon666]

6. I know. I'm merely venting.

Here you can, "Fix public schools" and everyone knows what to do. You say that to a republican and they tell you they already are.

[Clark2008]

8. Yep.

My son is the poster child for the betterment of public schools.

Yes, I know I encourage it - me, always with two books in my hand, at the very least (normally three or four and DU! I'm a reading whiz!), but let them take my baby out. Not I! My son will help RAISE those scores!

He's in first grade and has to go to second and third for reading classes, so you know, because he's so bored. The PUBLIC school recognized this and is addressing it.

NOT a problem.

[aquart]

9. Aww, just like in the old Soviet Union.

[laheina]

13. How so? nt

[sam sarrha]

10. he sunk all the retirement funds in a failed Private for profit schools

Corporation, who only showed a profit in one quarter in 7 years... needs to keep their head above water till after the election...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...state retirement funds

[kevinbgoode]

11. What exactly does Jeb Bush really know about God?

If there is one thing a rightwinger is good at, it's talking in vague terms about everything. . .words without definition. If Jeb Bush knew so much about God, then why did he try to send state agents in to "free" Terri Schiavo and nearly create a state constitutional crisis?

This is about the ONLY thing Republicans seem to be good for - to create these ridiculous revivals to manipulate the masses - and then deliver worse corruption when they hold power until the words "morality" and "values" mean nothing but greed and disregard for the Constitution.

[soup]

14. and if anyone thinks he'll stop when he leaves office,

BIG money says he won't.

Developers big donors to Bush's foundation

The foundation's stated purpose is to help the governor continue to pursue his educational goals after leaving office.

By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor
Published February 18, 2006

Developers are pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into Jeb Bush's private foundation aimed at promoting his legacy as the education governor.

The governor has raised $897,000 for his Foundation for Florida's Future since quietly creating it last year. Bush and his foundation staff have declined to say how they will spend the money promoting his education agenda, but its new Web site discloses that he is tapping some of his most reliable political donors.

>snip<

The foundation's Web site, http://www.foundationforfloridasfuture.org touts rising student achievement under the governor's education program, but says the foundation is especially important given the recent state Supreme Court ruling overturning one of the state's school voucher programs.

"Seven years of improvements won't ensure that tomorrow's kindergarteners will benefit from the same commitment to their education. And due to the Florida Supreme Court's recent decision that Opportunity Scholarships are unconstitutional, the opportunities of thousands of Florida students hang in the balance," Bush said in an e-mail Friday seeking support for the foundation.<<
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/18/State/Developers_big_donors.shtml

LARGEST DONATIONS

Here are the biggest donors to Jeb Bush's Foundation for Florida's Future:

The Villages, development, $300,000

Century Homebuilders, Miami, $100,000

Arnold Y. Aronoff, investor, Naples and Bloomfield Hills, Mich., $50,000

Ambassador Richard Blankenship, investor, Jacksonville, $50,000

Lawrence DeGeorge, investor, Jupiter, $50,000

Trans Florida Development Corp., Miami, $50,000

Alberts Air Conditioning Corp., Miami, $40,000

Florida Association of Realtors, Orlando, $25,000

James Holton, developer, Madeira Beach, $25,000

Nick Kotaiche, builder, St. Petersburg, $25,000

Stephanie Siegel, wife of developer, Boca Raton, $25,000

St. Joe Co., developer, Jacksonville, $25,000

United Communication & Protection, security, Hialeah Gardens, $25,000

U.S. Sugar Corp., sugar, Clewiston, $25,000.

--

>>Republican lawmakers are already discussing ways to reconstruct the voucher program and are expected to seek remedies during the legislative session that starts March 7.

"Solutions are imminent," said state Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who chairs the House Education Council.

One possibility: Modeling Opportunity Scholarships after a related program, in which businesses get tax credit for donating their state corporate taxes to scholarship funding organizations for vouchers. That program was not directly affected by Thursday's ruling.

Another possibility: a constitutional amendment.

"I don't think any option should be taken off the table," Bush said.<<
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/06/State/Court_throws_out_vouc.shtml

--

No way pouting jeb is going to let go of this.

Supreme Court be damned, change course, full speed ahead.