Education vs. Stupidity

Dumb Politicians in New Mexico

Ken Hacker, October 4, 2009


The state of New Mexico now faces a fiscal crisis that is threatening education in the state. Some politicians are moving to reduce funding for schools by 3.5% and for educators by 2.5%. The sheer stupidity of such a move should be national headlines and should serve as an election cry to throw out the nimrods come the next electoral opportunity. To help that cause, the names of the thought-challenged leaders will be listed here so that voters know who to vote out or to not vote in.

As economist Paul Krugman notes, education should always be supported and should not be funded on the basis on how the economy is doing. I personally think of this as analogous to medicine. You dont cut back on doctors and nurses because the Dow Jones has dipped. What do you cut back? How about unneeded tax cuts for the wealthy? What about rockets to nowhere?

A crucial deliberation is coming up in Santa Fe on October 17 this year. Voters should take note on who is arguing in favor of scaling back funding for education. These are the leaders who need to be cut back. If we can trim stupid leaders rather than education, we will be making progress.

After empting the garbage in Santa Fe, it will also be time to pressure President Obama and Congress to help universities and K-12 schools the way they did corporate tycoons. Allowing education to be cut back is not the mark of any administration that is serious about America's problems or its future.