See this fundraising letter from President Obama's political arm, Organizing for America. There's surely no talk of the "new normal" as far as I can see! And it's not at all clear where they are getting their numbers from (55,000 teacher jobs at stake?).
President Obama said this week that any budget that sacrifices a commitment to education is a budget that sacrifices our future:"And I will not let it happen."
Here's why he's taking a stand:
The cuts in the House Republican budget to education would be devastating for teachers, students, and families -- costing 55,000 jobs, slashing financial aid for 8 million college kids, and dropping hundreds of thousands from Head Start, an early-education program proven to help low-income children graduate high school.
This week, the House passed another short-term extension of the federal budget that will fund the government through early April -- between now and then, we need to find common ground.
President Obama is committed to commonsense spending cuts that allow us to live within our means without sacrificing key investments that will help us win the future.
With your support today, we can redouble our campaign for a responsible budget as the deadline nears, with OFA volunteers calling lawmakers and hand-delivering petitions to congressional offices.
Together, we'll work to make sure that every family, principal, teacher, and student across the country understands that critical funding for education is at stake -- and what they can do about it.
Will you donate $25 or more today to support Organizing for America and fight to protect our investments in education?
House Republicans are proposing reckless cuts that would undo our progress on health reform, prevent the EPA from protecting our air and water, and hurt our economy and job creation.
The cuts are particularly bad for education, and when we're talking about investing in children and schools, we're talking about investing in our future.
If the House Republican budget cuts are adopted:
-- More than 16,000 classrooms would close;
-- 55,000 teachers would lose their jobs;
-- Nearly 200,000 pre-kindergarten children would lose access to Head Start; and
-- More than 8 million college students currently receiving tuition assistance would see their Pell Grants cut.
The budget the President signs must have bipartisan support, but he's made it clear it also must invest in -- not sacrifice -- education.
Anything less is irresponsible and not worthy of our children.
Your support today will ensure all Americans understand what's at stake. We'll stand together and support the President as he tries once again to reach common ground with Republicans.
But we need your help.
Please donate $25 or more to support Organizing for America today:
Thanks for standing up for teachers, kids, and jobs.
Mitch
Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America
As I've said before, unless the President wants another $100 billion federal bailout for our schools, there are going to be budget cuts in the real world, at the local level. The "debate" about education funding from Washington is kinda besides the point. But of course, he doesn't have the political capital to call for another bailout, so he's satisfied with playing the usual inside-the-beltway game instead. Cynical!
-Mike Petrilli
