Joe Cunningham: “I agree with the gentlewoman who just spoke: Education is the future of this country. I do not think there is…”

“I agree with the gentlewoman who just spoke: Education is the future of this country. I do not think there is demagoguery. I think there is an honest debate here on policy, whether we want the Federal Government to be able to have the control to spend the dollars in education, or we want people in States to control that. I think that is a legitimate debate. That is what is before us today. I do not think there is demagoguery. I think people truly believe. I believe that those that believe that a socialistic model for the poor is better are wrong. That is what I would like to speak about tonight. Mr. Chairman, my friend who spoke in the well a minute ago said he wishes there were more dollars in the Federal education system than just 5 percent. I believe that is not demagoguery, I believe he believes that. We, however, believe that people can control their dollars more and spend it on their children than the Federal Government can. They can get a bigger bang for the dollar than the Federal Government can with its big bureaucracy. Yes, only 5 percent of education funding comes from the Federal Government. In some cases, as little as 23 cents on a dollar, 23 cents on a dollar, gets back into the classroom in many areas. That is wrong, Mr. Chairman. That is a waste. That is cutting education. And I propose that the liberal Democrats that are trying to save education have done it a great harm and have actually cut education.”