BACHMANN IS ONE GOOD REASON TO KEEP THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Like Most Tea Party Members She 
Does a Lot of Damage to U.S. Goals
by Victor M Adamus

But to say that if she's president she would do away with the Department of Education raises eyebrows around the electorate because it's coming from a person who said just last week:

"I will tell you that I had a mother last night come up to me here in Tampa, Florida, after the debate. She told me that her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection, and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter." –Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Fox News interview, Sept. 12, 2011

A quote the fact check people jumped on and in fact, every medical group, saying test trials results never showed any results close to that allegation.  Hearsay shouldn't be allowed on the campaign trail but Michele Bachmann of Minnesota doesn't care which in my opinion makes her dangerous as a Presidential hopeful.  To parents who believe her, they may deny their daughters the vaccine which could end their lives early by getting cervical cancer.

What gave her the limelight years ago was when she challenged the loyalty of members in Congress:
 "I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro-America or anti-America?" -Rep. Michelle Bachmann, calling for a new McCarthyism, Oct. 2008.  They took an oath, like she did, to defend and protect the U.S Constitution.  Where was she going with that statement?  Who knows.

And then there are her stupid statements unbecoming a potential President of the United States:   "Before we get started, let's all say 'Happy Birthday' to Elvis Presley today." -Rep. Michele Bachmann, while campaigning for president in South Carolina on what was actually the anniversary of Elvis's death, Aug. 16, 2011 (Elvis was born on January 8)

Using religion and taxes she said: "Why should I go and do something like that? But the Lord says, 'Be submissive wives; you are to be submissive to your husbands." -Rep. Michele Bachmann, recalling in a 2006 speech at a Megachurch in Minneapolis that pursuing tax law wasn't her choice, but she did so at the urging of her husband because she was certain God was speaking through him.

Probably her most notable dumbest thing she said was a reference to re writing history:  "But we also know that the very founders that wrote those documents worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States. ... I think it is high time that we recognize the contribution of our forbearers who worked tirelessly -- men like John Quincy Adams, who would not rest until slavery was extinguished in the country." -Rep. Michele Bachmann, botching American history while speaking at an Iowan's for Tax Relief event in January 2011. The Founding Fathers did not work to end slavery, and John Quincy Adams was not one of the Founding Fathers.

When the Tea Party talks about doing away with education, it is because they have the least knowledge of all and stand in a group by themselves.  Fact is, this country needs to invest in education, in teachers, in bringing up building standards of class rooms across the nation.  The total budget for the Department of Education is 3% of the total federal budget.  As Bachmann defends the Department of Defense which costs U.S. taxpayers 48% of the federal budget, closing the Department of Education is foolish and just as important as our nation's defense. 

We now have a history of voting not so smart people to the U.S Congress.  I think we've learned our lesson well.  People like Bachmann are obstructionists and will stop Americans from progressing in every facit of American life.  Not only do they need education the most, stopping it would cripple the country and our kids would never again compete in the world markets.

OMG… I cannot believe that she said that!!!

Hutchins’ perspective…

The Department of Education was created by Congress in 1979 when Jimmy Carter was President and has these following purposes (one of which is listed below – to see all purposes):

1.     to strengthen the Federal commitment to ensuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual;

The Department's mission is to serve America's students—to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

The key words here, Ms. Bachmann, are:  ensuring equal access or equal rights.  Excuse me if I am wrong, but in 1972, when Richard Nixon was President, Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment. So, I am really not sure why, as a Presidential candidate, you would make the following statement, "The Constitution does not specifically enumerate nor does it give to the federal government the role and duty to superintend over education," Bachmann said. "That historically has been held by the parents and by local communities and by state government. To put that into the federal government as we saw a Department of Education in the late 1970s has eviscerated the constitutional understanding that the control of education truly lies with the parents."

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (O.E.C.D. which compares the knowledge and skills of 15 year olds in 70 countries), ranked the United States 14^th (average) out of 34 in reading skills, 17^th (average) in science, and 24^th (below-average)  in mathematics.  So, I really need Ms. Bachmann to talk to me as Denzel Washington said in The Philadelphia Story, like I’m a 3^rd grader because I really do not understand her Presidential values here.  Rather than promote equal access to education or have the Government promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness, you would rather “do away” with the Department of Education and have the States and Mom and Dad take on this responsibility?  You have got to be kidding me?  ROGPMHO