Political Quotes

“I want to make sure I choose my words very carefully, because what the Department of Education has been circulating, what the lobbyists for the chief State school officers is circulating, and what OMB is circulating is, let me find a word, ``disingenuous'' at the very best. Now, I am being very kind when I say that, because if I used the real language that I should be using it would be much stronger than just ``disingenuous.'' What they are doing is trying to raise a battle about the appropriation process. So they are trying to mix apples and oranges. Yes, the Committee on Appropriations has reduced funding in this particular area. It will not happen by the time it goes through conference, et cetera; but they have, and so they are trying to use those numbers. Well, I understand why they are doing this. They do not really have an argument against the legislation. They do not have an argument against the legislation because it sends an additional, at least, $425 down to every classroom. Now, what their argument is, that they do not want to come out and say is, we do not want to give up all our bureaucratic jobs. We want to keep these people on the payroll. And that is what the chief school administrator representative is saying. And back in the State: We want to keep them on the State level; spend the money there. Do not worry about children. We know better in the bureaucracy.”