"Smart Start." It sure sounds nice, doesn't it? Heck, if you're opposed to "smart start," then you must like "Dumb Start." You must be a racist if you oppose this one. It fits in the same category as "Smart Growth." SURELY you wouldn't DARE to oppose a program with such a wonderful name as that, would you?

Wait, before you answer, I need to tell you one more thing -- it's for the children. No, wait, it's for the POOR children. If you haven't heard anything about this program, don't worry, you will. There's no way ANYONE can oppose this. It has a good name and it's not just to help the children, but it's to help poor children. Do you support it yet?

Well, it costs billions of dollars and produces absolutely ZERO measureable results. Sounds like a Democrat's dream come true, doesn't it? Well, it is. And socialists gathered by the thousands hundreds dozens last week to "celebrate" this wonderful program that sucks tens of millions of dollars out of the pockets of working people to help the poor children, yet produces absolutely no results -- to ask for more money. And it's being held up as a model for the rest of the socialist nation. Just try to hold on to your wallet.

The concept is that since poor black children are doing bad in school, if we just give them money and train them before they enter school, since their parents aren't doing it, then they will do better. The concept sounds great. Let's take those who are "pre-disposed" to do poorly in school and get them up to the level of everyone else so that everyone starts at the same level. Then everyone will be wonderful.

One problem: it doesn't work. There has been no decrease in dropout numbers for participants. And the reports in the linked article are blatant lying -- they actually claim that a program started in 1991 produces people who are "more likely to ... be employed at age 40." For those slow on math, those who started the program in 1991 at age 4 are now only 18 or 19. So even graduation rates cannot even be measured yet! But dropout rates can. And they're bad.

But, like any good socialist program, all they need is a little more money. They measure success by how much money they spend, not by how many people are actually helped. Smart start is nothing more than yet another income redistribution plan that punishes the working and rewards the lazy.

Posted by: Ogre at 11:09 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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