January 7, 2012

AUSCS exposes ANOTHER "madrassa" in Arkansas

http://ktlo.com/wire/newsfri/01596_national_organization_sends_letter_on_Sen_Key_preschool_072102.php
National organization wants MH preschools operated by Keys to stop religious activities or forfeit state grants

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The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports today that Americans United for Separation of Church and State sent a letter yesterday to the Arkansas Department of Human Services explaining what it believes are constitutional violations at Open Arms Learning Center and Noah's Ark Preschool in Mountain Home.
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The two preschools have received just over $1.2 million in Arkansas Better Chance grants since the 2007-08 schools year, according to the Human Services Department. The grants provide funding for low-income, prekindergarten pupils to attend preschools. This school year, 298 preschools in the state received $102 million in grants through the program.
The letter mentions only 2009-2010 state funding of $291,600 to the two preschools.
Earlier, the preschool operated by state Representative Justin Harris of West Fork and his wife Marsha came under scrutiny from Americans United for Separation of Church and State for religious instruction at their preschool which has received $2.6 million in state grant funds since 2005. Harris acknowledged the religious instruction saying if necessary they would move it until after the school day.

How the RWers would have us spend our precious tax dollars...

January 6, 2012

Listen To Me! Demands Womack on his Listening Tour (of one Town Hall)

http://brummett.arkansasonline.com/index.php/2012/01/06/an-instructive-incident-in-fayetteville/#comment-2408

John Brummett's excellent opinion piece in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette shows the arrogance and disdain for his constituents. Read John's column!
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A young woman named Kelly Eubanks, identifying herself as a mother who worked two jobs and attended college, rose to inquire of her freshman Republican congressman. She wanted to know why Womack favored continued subsidies for oil companies but voted, on at least one occasion, to cut Pell grants so vital to her pursuit of higher education.

It was a perfectly fair question. It represented the very kind of interaction that a congressman’s town hall meeting with constituents ought to produce.
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So the young woman kept interrupting him to say he wasn’t answering her question. So he kept talking a little louder to say he would answer if she would please consent to listen.

Someone in the audience told Eubanks to get a job, maybe at Wal-Mart, and there was laughter. But she had previously explained that she had not a job, but two. And this mindless heckling reflected the meanness and insensitivity of the chronically rude and huffy modern right wing in American politics.

Afterward Eubanks appeared shaken as she told a local television station that Womack had not answered her question and basically advised her to join the military.

Brummett's article links to a video of the event.

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So here we are, in the heart of the 99% with a Congressman who only addresses the issues of the 1%...ironically Walmart/Womack tells the young mother that HE got government help and if she wanted the SAME government help he received, she must do it his way! So what if as a mother, she couldn't go off one weekend a month and drink with the "boys" and march around in pretend war.

Oh my, and that was only ONE question from the many hands that were waving like crazy. This incident was simply the only one shot by the news photographer. He had just set up his camera for that best angle moments before she began to speak.

The one hour Womack allowed for the 50 or so people in the room to speak ran out and over as he lauded his own efforts at "protecting the unborn" with his introduction of an odious national bill that was struck down as a state bill in red Mississippi; his support for the XL Pipeline (with the continued and debunked lie that 20,000 jobs would be created.) No, he didn't address the ecological harm.

Steve Womack either loves the sound of his own voice, or he's afraid of what anyone else will say if he allows them to speak. Either way, he allowed only a few questions and comments. There was no discussion about how to address the "already-born" needs, except to say there is no money for them. Handlers in the crowd tried to grab the mic after initial questions, a couple of lucky people were able to elude them and pressed for answers. Kelly Eubanks got bullied by the Congressman for her efforts. But I do think she got her answer. Vote Democratic. I'm sure she just became an ardent supporter of Her next Congressman, Ken Aden. www.Aden4Arkansas.com ... check him out for yourself!

Steve dropped little nuggets of Republican strategy. He did promise the Republicans won't try for the next government shut down until September, 2012. Get ready for more Republican mischief in the fall...perhaps their "October Surprise"? Newscasts are too short to include full exchanges and even this short "listening tour" was too long to show Womack slipping in the Republican drumbeat for war. This time, the neoCons are scheming on Iran. What part of NO MORE WAR don't the Republicans understand asked another constituent? Of course, there was no answer to that.

I can't stress strongly enough that we MUST all find our candidate and work diligently every day. We only have 300 or so days left of this hateful regime if we organize and mobilize. People First and Victory 2012!