Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, again I would like to thank the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from California, for his leadership. It is instructive, it is informative, not to mention ironic, that there were opponents to the D.C. charter school system, just like there is resistance to the Opportunity Scholarship Program. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, some of the very same people who rise today in opposition to the Opportunity Scholarship Program, lauding the virtues of the D.C. charter school system, once opposed that very charter school system. The charter school system is a success--I will acknowledge that--just like the Opportunity Scholarship Program is a success. They are both successful because the parents in the District of Columbia want choice. I hate to be redundant. I don't want to beat a dead horse, although it does not hurt the horse to return to the evidence. And the evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt by any reasonable, statistical measurement: the parents want this program; the students want this program; the community wants this program; even some elected officials want this program. They just happen to not be ones we have heard from on the other side of the aisle today. Reading scores are up. Educational attainment is up. Graduation rates are up. And it bears repeating again. There is a myriad of maladies that are connected to the dropout rate in this country.…”