Discussion for article #239308
Por$periterians Untie!
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So much tax exempt money to throw around!
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Hey journalists. How about we stop helping spread propaganda under the guise of news?
Small example:
âThe Independence Institute, a conservative think tank based in Colorado focused on issues like school choice and limited governmentâŚâ
VS.
âThe Independence Institute, a conservative think tank based in Colorado focused on issues like private schools and weakening governmentâŚâ
(Or whatever more neutral phrasing you think is better) Even â⌠a conservative think tank who states that it focuses on issues like school choice and limited governmentâŚâ is better, though clunky.
âSchool choiceâ and âlimited governmentâ are framing. Theyâre phrases designed to make the thing advocated for seem more reasonable. Likewise, we donât say the pro-choice debate or the pro-life debate, we say the abortion debate. Not the first ever or most egregious example of course, but just thought Iâd chime in with a reminder. Off base?
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As conservative groups gear up to educate voters
Only if âeducateâ also means propagandize, harangue, brainwash, etc.
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Does that sign in the photo say âDonât cencor my right to learn?â
Cause if it does she should worry about her right to spell.
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The Republicans, Cons and Baggers alike, have one ultimate goal in education, and that is to keep enough people dumb enough to vote for them and they can garner and maintain political power.
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And to be proud Americans of the Christian persuasion.
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The rise of these conservative attempts to control school boards has taken place at the same time large amounts of (conservatively-sourced) money have found its way into the process. This is not a coincidence. By allowing undisclosed and unlimited cash to influence elections at every level, the SC via Citizens United and other decisions has broken the balance in our system and heavily weighted it toward the 1% who are spending vast (for the rest of us, chump change for them) amounts of money to further tip the scales in their favor.
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Perhaps sheâs making astute commentary by substituting the name of a venture capitalist firm, Cencor, for the word âcensor.â Clever girl.
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Fields said that AFP is interested in education issues like school choice and teacher pay.
âŚMore like were more interested in reducing Teacher pay and steering public tax dollars to corporate for profit education centers.
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I canât stress enough how important it is that efforts like these (on behalf of the school board majority) be defeated. I canât believe weâre dealing with crap like this in 2015.
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Conservatives have long appreciated the small obscure elected offices as the âfarm teamâ for the majors. They carry the water for the national issues at the local level hoping (and many times succeeding) to get tapped by the DC party bosses to carry that message in DC
The Kochs in particular donât wait for people to decide to enter the political arena and then get associated with them. They recruit them before anyone else even notices them like a Scott Walker or a Paul Ryan - or the Thrillah From Wasilla. Then all of a sudden seeming out of nowhere we have this ârising starâ
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I wish that David and Charles would get their Kochs out of my state ! â
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Jefferson County is in the spotlight right now, but the âtargetâ is Douglas County. DC encompasses the wealthiest suburb of Denver, and second most affluent school district. Several years ago, a slate of Board members ran together rather blatantly disregarding state law in identifying themselves as Republicans (school Board elections are supposed to be non-partisan and party affiliation is not on the actual ballots). They have since absolutely run that district into the ground, dramatically changing the rules (and rewards) for tenure, not only approving but backing loans for charter schools, and host of other Koch/AfP/ALEC goodies. Younger teachers have fled the district in droves, leaving only those that reached the tenure point and cant afford to take the pay cut to move to another school district (where they lose their status). Hopefully, the JeffCo recall will be successful and provide momentum for the ouster of the current DC board at the next actual election.
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That protest sign about school elections would be more persuasive if it had properly spelled âcensorâ.
Oops, sorry, fargo. I should have read your comment before posting my own on the same point.
And behind that level, the oligarchs supporting the politicians want a workforce just smart enough to do the jobs, but too dumb to understand their power to vote in their own self-interest.
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But then they must endure the inevitable possibility of learning that the âphenomâ just canât handle major league pitching (See Sarah Palin).
If progressives organize local school board elections, relying more on shoe leather than television buys, can be difficult for conservatives, but progressives donât so I suspect the conservatives will continue to win. I feel sorry for the people in Jefferson County who are interested in good education.
One of the cornerstones of the modern Conservative movement is the destruction of public schools. If you look nationwide you can tell where they have been successful. Just look for formerly solid districts on their way downhill.
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