BETSY DEVOS IS DEALING WITH TOUGH QUESTIONING FROM
REPRESENTATIVES REGARDING HER EDUCATION POLICIES AND THE FACT
THAT UNDER THE WHITE HOUSE'S NEWLY RELEASED BUDGET PROPOSAL
EDUCATION WOULD LOSE ABOUT $9.3 BILLION IN FUNDING.
ONE
REPRESENTATIVE WHO IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE
ROSA DELAURO, A DEMOCRAT FROM CONNECTICUT, LET'S GO TO VIDEO 6
WHERE SHE KIND OF GIVES IT TO BETSY DEVOS BANG IN AN
AGGRESSIVE FASHION.
THIS IS A BUDGET, AND I CHARACTERIZED IT, MR.
CHAIRMAN,
IN THE AG APPROPRIATIONS COMMUNITY, IT IS CRUEL,
INHUMANE, AND HEARTLESS.
A $9.2 BILLION CUT TO EDUCATION.
AND
WHEN MY COLLEAGUE TALKED ABOUT -- THERE IS 10% -- THERE IS LESS
MONEY GOING TO HIGH POVERTY AREAS, SO TEACHERS ARE MORE
LIKELY TO BE NOVICES IN THESE PLACES.
THOSE UNDERSERVED AREAS
ARE GOING TO BE HURT, NONE OF US HERE ARE GOING TO BE HURT, BUT
MILLIONS OF KIDS AROUND THIS COUNTRY WILL BE SUFFER WITH THIS
CUT IN THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE OUR
YOUNGSTERS, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A GOOD FUTURE AND A BRIGHT
FUTURE.
AND I'M GOING TO FIGHT THIS BUDGET, MR.
CHAIRMAN, WITH
EVERY FIBER OF MY BODY BECAUSE IT IS WRONG TO DO THIS TO OUR
KIDS.
WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT TO BETSY DEVOS, I JUST DON'T THINK
SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT SHE'S DOING.
I'M OKAY WITH LEARNING ON
THE JOB, THAT'S FINE, BUT SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND HER POSITION
AND WHAT SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
AND IT'S SAD.
I DON'T
ROCK WITH HER FUNDAMENTALLY BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT AN
HBCU WAS, AND I WENT TO ONE, SO I HAD A PROBLEM WITH HER.
BUT
YOU RUN PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND YOU ARE CUTTING IT.
SHE SUPPOSED
TO BE IMPROVING THE SITUATION, NOT CUTTING FUNDS FROM HER OWN
BUDGET.
WHAT IS SHE DOING, TYING HERSELF UP?
IS SHE A MAGICIAN?
THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE SHE DOES KNOW WHAT SHE'S DOING,
SHE'S BEEN INFLUENCING EDUCATION IN MICHIGAN FOR SOME TIME NOW BY
PUSHING IT TOWARD PRIVATIZATION OR TOWARD CHARTERS, AND THAT HAS
BEEN A POLITICAL PASSION OF HERS, SO I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT
SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
AND I TALKED
ABOUT THIS BEFORE -- WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT, THEY DON'T PRIMARILY FOCUS ON POLICY THAT IMPACTS
GRADE SCHOOLS.
USUALLY THAT IS UP TO THE STATES.
BUT WHAT THEY
ARE DOING NOW IS TRYING TO INFLUENCE OR AT LEAST
INCENTIVIZE STATES TO PUSH TOWARD SCHOOL CHOICE, THESE
FACTORS IN THESE CHARTER SCHOOLS, IN ORDER TO GET FEDERAL
FUNDING.
SO THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT STATES ULTIMATELY
DECIDE, AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL CUT $9.3 BILLION FROM
EDUCATION SHOWS YOU WHERE THEIR PRIORITIES ARE.
THEY DON'T CARE
ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE, THEY CARE ABOUT PRIVATIZING, AND IT'S BAD
ALL AROUND.
SHE IS INCOMPETENT WHEN IT COMES TO CERTAIN THINGS
LIKE UNDERSTANDING HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS, AND IT'S BEEN
CLEAR BASED ON SOME OF THE ANSWERS SHE HAS GIVEN, OR
UNDERSTANDING THE PROPER WAY TO FEND OFF BEARS, SHE'S BEEN BAD
AT ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
BUT I THINK IN SOME REGARD SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING AND
IT'S DANGEROUS.
SHE IS NUDGING TOWARD PRIVATIZATION, AS ANA SAYS, AND
TOWARDS CHARTER SCHOOLS, THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS SHE'S BEEN
UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT, AND SHE'S TRYING TO CONTINUE THAT NOW THAT
SHE'S IN A POWER POSITION IN GOVERNMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S OKAY TO LEARN ON THE JOB.
ON SOME JOBS
IT IS --
LIKE MCDONALD'S, THEY CAN SHOW YOU WHERE TO PUT THE STUFF IN
THE FRYER.
BUT NOT THIS JOB.
YOU COULD LEARN ON THE JOB TO BE A BASEBALL BROADCASTER, YOUR
COMPANY MIGHT SUFFER, LIKE THIS GUY DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
BASEBALL, BUT NO ONE IS HURT BY IT.
PEOPLE MIGHT BE IRRITATED --
I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS GRAPHIC IS EVERYTHING.
THESE ARE THE 88TH RICHEST FAMILY IN THE COUNTRY, SHE
DOESN'T CARE ABOUT EDUCATION.
IF YOU WERE SERIOUS ABOUT
GOVERNING, AND TRUMP ISN'T, THE PEOPLE HE APPOINTED ARE SERIOUS
ABOUT UNGOVERNING, AND IF YOU ASK TO BETSY DEVOS, GET RID OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION?
SHE WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF IT.
REPUBLICANS WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE IT UP TO THE STATES.
SOME STATES
WILL THRIVE, SOME WON'T, SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY.
BUT THEY WANT TO UNGOVERN.
THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN GOVERNING,
THAT'S WHY IT IS STUNNING -- THAT'S WHY A GUY LIKE JOHN
KASICH STOOD OUT SO MUCH, HE'S A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN, I
DISAGREED WITH HIM ON EVERYTHING -- HE SEEMS TO HAVE AN INTEREST
IN RUNNING THINGS.
HE WOULD LIKE THE GOVERNMENT TO WORK, AT
LEAST.
AND THIS WING OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHICH IS NOW
FULLY IN CHARGE OF THE PARTY, THEY DON'T WANT TO GOVERN.
THEY
WANT SO MUCH LESS GOVERNMENT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
AND THESE ARE REAL JOBS, THERE ARE CONSERVATIVES WHO AT LEAST
KNOW ABOUT EDUCATION, BUT THEY WANT TO DESTROY THE TEACHERS
UNION, THEY THINK TEACHERS ARE THE BAD GUYS, AND THEY WANT
EVERYBODY TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL.
THAT WOULD BE THE
ULTIMATE GOAL, BECAUSE DEEP DOWN THEY THINK PUBLIC SCHOOL IS A
GIANT FAILURE AND WE CAN'T FIX IT OR GET IT RIGHT.
I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY BELIEVE THAT.
THEY CONSISTENTLY
DEFUND PUBLIC EDUCATION AND FUNNEL THAT TAXPAYER MONEY INTO
PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHICH EFFECTIVELY -- YOU ARE ABOUT THE
RESOURCES FROM ANYTHING AND OF COURSE IT WILL START FAILING.
I
DON'T THINK THEY SEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A FAILURE, I THINK
THEY SEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS INSTITUTIONS THAT NEED TO ABIDE
BY THE CONSTITUTION, YOU CAN'T TEACH RELIGION IN THESE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, THEY HATE THAT, THEY DON'T WANT THESE KIDS LEARNING
ABOUT EVOLUTION OR CLIMATE CHANGE, THEY WANT THESE KIDS TO
LEARN ABOUT CREATIONISM AND WHATEVER GARBAGE THEY BELIEVE IN
THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLDS.
AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM, THAT'S MY
BIGGEST ISSUE.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY INTEREST IN REFORMING
EDUCATION SO IT TEACHES KIDS QUALITY CURRICULUM, THEY WANT TO
REFORM IT SO IT ESSENTIALLY TEACHES THEM, OR INDOCTRINATE
THEM, THE WAY THEY WANT KIDS TO BE INDOCTRINATED IN THIS
COUNTRY, THAT'S THE REAL PROBLEM.
AND ALSO THEY DON'T
WANT THEIR TAXPAYER MONEY TO GO TO EDUCATION, THEY WANT TO HOARD
THE WEALTH FOR THEMSELVES.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH SHE'S
WORTH --
$5.4 BILLION.
AND YOU SAID ROSA DELAURO WENT
FOR BETSY DEVOS -- THERE ARE SO
MANY THINGS YOU CAN REALLY SAY ABOUT THAT CUT EDUCATION, I LIKE
WHAT SHE SAID, I APPRECIATE THAT SHE SPOKE UP, I JUST WANT US TO
GET OUT OF THIS LET'S BE SO NICE.
THAT'S NOT MAKING ME FEEL
GALVANIZED AGAINST HER, I'M GALVANIZED BECAUSE IT'S WRONG
AND I UNDERSTAND NUMBERS, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GET IN THE
GAME OF MESSAGING AND CALLING IT WHAT IT IS.
THAT IS A HUSTLE,
THAT'S HORRIBLE FOR THE COUNTRY, THAT WILL RUIN THINGS FOR
PEOPLE.
KIDS AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL, IT WILL BE
A PROBLEM.
CALL IT WHAT IT IS, DON'T COUCH IT AND CALL IT
INHUMANE.
SAY WHAT IT IS.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE RHETORIC OF CALLING
SOMETHING INHUMANE IS TOO SOFT.
YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE IN THAT MOMENT
THAT YOU HAVE THEM WHAT THIS ACTUALLY DOES TO KIDS.
THIS WILL DESTROY PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR
PRIVATE SCHOOL.
IT WILL DESTROY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
UNDERPRIVILEGED.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR
PRIVATE GRADE SCHOOL, YOU WON'T EVEN GET A CHANCE TO GET
EDUCATED, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IF YOU DO HAVE THE MONEY TO
AFFORD PRIVATE SCHOOL, THOSE SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE TO ABIDE BY
IMPORTANT STANDARDS.
SCIENTIFIC STANDARDS, FOR INSTANCE.
BY THE
WAY WE ALL UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS THIS IS, BUT ONE PERSON
WHO APPARENTLY THINKS THIS IS A JOKE IS REPRESENTATIVE TOM COLE,
TAKE A LOOK AT HIS REACTION AND RESPONSE TO DELAURO'S LINE OF
QUESTIONING.
I'M GOING TO FIGHT THIS BUDGET WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BODY
BECAUSE IT IS WRONG TO DO THIS TO OUR KIDS.
I HAVE NO DOUBT.
MADAM SECRETARY, I JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY, YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, I PARTICULARLY
LOVED THE EMPHASIS ON CHOICE AND FRANKLY TRYING TO GIVE AS MANY
OPTIONS TO YOUNG PEOPLE AS WE CAN, AND YOU CERTAINLY LAID THAT
OUT ROBUSTLY IN YOUR BUDGET.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD TO MAKE TOUGH
DECISIONS, WE HAVE THREE CABINET LEVEL JURISDICTIONS HERE AND WE
ARE GIVEN AN ALLOCATION AND WE HAVE TO MAKE A LOT OF TOUGH
DECISIONS TOO, SO WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF SYMPATHY FOR THAT,
AND WE WANT TO SEE YOU SUCCEED, WE KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT AMERICA'S
STUDENTS DEEPLY, WE KNOW THE PRESIDENT CARES ABOUT THAT ONLY
WORK FORWARD TO WORKING FOR YOU IN THAT COMMON ENDEAVOR AS
WE GO AHEAD.
HE DIDN'T COUCH IT, HE WAS LIKE, YOU ARE THE BOMB.
FIRST HE DIMINISHES DELAURO WITH THAT COMMENT, I'M SURE YOU
WILL, AND THEN HE GOES ON TO, AS YOU SAY --
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SHE SAYS BECAUSE THE DIE IS CAST FOR
WHAT KIND OF BUDGET IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THIS ADMINISTRATION
WITH A REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED HOUSE AND SENATE.
THE SENATE
WILL MITIGATE, A TINY LITTLE BIT.
BUT WE STARTED THIS SHOW --
I'M NOT CALLING YOU OUT, IT JUST REMINDED ME ABOUT IT, A STORY
ABOUT GREG GIANFORTE BODY SLAMMED THE REPORTER IN MONTANA
-- YOU THINK TOM COLE IS GOING TO GIVE A GUY LIKE GREG
GIANFORTE A HARD TIME WHEN HE GETS TO THE HOUSE?
BUT ROSA IS THERE, STEP IT UP A NOTCH.
DOESN'T MATTER, YOU COULD SCREAM, YOU COULD STRIP, IT
MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.
DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE ARE LARGELY
POWERLESS TO STOP AN EXTREME RIGHT-WING AGENDA, AND A
LUNCHBOX FOR A SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.
WITH NICE GLASSES,
I'LL GIVE HER THAT.
THEY ARE GOING TO STOP IT, OUR ONLY HOPE
IS THAT THE BEN SASSES AND JEFF FLAKES AND SUSAN COLLINSES AND
JOHN MCCAINS OF THE WORLD WILL SAVE US, THAT'S DEPRESSING BUT
THAT'S WHERE OUR HOPE IS WITH BOTH THE HEALTH CARE ACT AND
THIS BUDGET.
THAT THE SENATE WILL MITIGATE SLIGHTLY.
BUT THIS
STUFF WILL PASS, TRUMP WILL SIGN IT, AND THAT'S WHY OPPOSING HIM
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND WEAKENING HIM POLITICALLY AND
GETTING HIM OUT OF OFFICE MATTERS, BECAUSE WHEN THERE IS
NO POLITICAL STRENGTH THERE YOU UNDERMINE EVERYTHING.
SO DON'T
GIVE HIM ANY POLITICAL WINS, AND GET THIS GUY OUT OF OFFICE
BEFORE HE DOES FURTHER DAMAGE TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY.