posted
As the strutting but numbwitted person in the White House shows more of his true colors.
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Bush budget plan would cut reading program
By GREG TOPPO April 24, 2001 | WASHINGTON (AP) --
Reading Is Fundamental, but funding can be fickle. For 35 years, the RIF program has given millions of free paperback books to poor children in 50 states. But it stands to lose all of its federal money next year. President Bush's 2002 education budget cuts all funding for "inexpensive book distribution."
Bush still champions literacy, and he is proposing a $5 billion, five-year plan to get all of the nation's students reading by third grade.
Reading Is Fundamental supporters say that's what their program does best.
"You ask the second-grade reading teachers and they'll say it's extremely effective," said Patricia Heck, a RIF coordinator in Mesa, Ariz. "It's really quite magical."
In fact, former first lady Barbara Bush, the president's mother, is listed on the program's National Advisory Council. Laura Bush, herself a strong literacy advocate, is an adviser, too, according to the White House Internet site.
Program officials say the loss of federal funds -- they total $23 million this year -- would take away about 70 percent of the budget.
"The program is too important to this nation and to children at risk to discontinue," said William Trueheart, the program's president and CEO.
He said volunteers serve about 5 million children, handing out nearly 15 million new books a year -- 200 million since the program began. The national organization provides about 75 percent of funding for most local chapters, but gives 100 percent of funding to programs for especially needy children, such as migrant workers and those in homeless shelters.
------------------ I'll kill you, you bloated museum of trechery! ~ C. Montgomery Burns
posted
Speaking of which, I think you need an "a" in your .sig. Treachery?
Besides, the homeless are too dumb to read. Why give 'em books? They probably just wanna use 'em for toilet paper or the like.*
------------------ Star Trek Gamma Quadrant Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted) *** "Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" -Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001 *** "I think this reason why girls don't do well on multiple choice tests goes all the way back to the Bible, all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve. God said, 'All right, Eve, multiple choice or multiple orgasms, what's it going to be?' We all know what was chosen" - Rush Limbaugh, Feb. 23, 1994. *[DataSpeak]grin, sardonic laugh, sarcasm, insinuation, inuendo, bad compliment, scandaleuse, roor-back, cynicism, criticism, mockery, irony, hiss, hoot, gibe, flout...[/DataSpeak]
[This message has been edited by JeffKardde (edited April 25, 2001).]
posted
Trechery, the act of treching.... Scandaluse, the use of a scandal....
------------------ "One's ethics are determined by what we do when no one is looking" Nugget Star Trek: Gamma Quadrant Star Trek: Legacy Read them, rate them, got money, film them
"...and I remain on the far side of crazy, I remain the mortal enemy of man, no hundred dollar cure will save me..." WoV
posted
For 35 years, the RIF program has seen the armed forces drastically reduce in size.
Oh, wait. RIF as in Reading Is Fundamental? Oh.
------------------ "Instructed by history and reflection, Julian was persuaded that, if the diseases of the body may sometimes be cured by salutary violence, neither steel nor fire can eradicate the erroneous opinions of the mind."
-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.
posted
Yep, we've lost more troops and equipment through RIFs antics than most countries will ever have..... At least we had a slightly lower unemployment rate when there were another million people in the military.....
------------------ "One's ethics are determined by what we do when no one is looking" Nugget Star Trek: Gamma Quadrant Star Trek: Legacy Read them, rate them, got money, film them
"...and I remain on the far side of crazy, I remain the mortal enemy of man, no hundred dollar cure will save me..." WoV
posted
Apparently, W's view is "If I can't read, no-one can!"... :-)
------------------ "Although, from what I understand, having travelled around the Mid-west quite a bit, apparently Jesus is coming, so I guess the choice now is we should decide whether we should spit or swallow." -Maynard James Keenan
posted
We already have an inexpensive reading program. It's called a public library.
I got 80,000 books here. You wanna come in and read 'em? It's free. You wanna take 'em home? If you live in the city, it's free. If you don't, it's $30 a year. A YEAR!! $30 wouldn't even buy you TWO kid's books nowadays!
In the summer, we give kids who read FREE TOYS!!! Read 10 books, get $10 to buy Scholastic books with!
We have free computer access. The only thing we charge for is when you print out.
Get off your duffs, America. Git'cher asses to the library.
------------------ The government that seems the most unwise, oft goodness to the people best supplies. That which is meddling, touching everything, will work but ill, and disappointment bring. - The Tao Te Ching
Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
I'll agree with First here. Provided that the budget doesn't cut funds from libraries.
Such a program is quite unheard of here. Teachers are regularly encouraged to get their kids to the libraries so they can read books. Ad campaigns are out and about stating the importance of the library.
The only problem here is inner-city kids whose libraries and schools have inadequate resources to pay for such books to educate these individuals. That is where it would probably hurt the most. But then, giving funding the these libraries and schools oughta do the trick.
Bush still champions literacy, and he is proposing a $5 billion, five-year plan to get all of the nation's students reading by third grade.
Let's see what he's got in mind. You never know.
------------------ "In a completely unrelated news story, I have a date tomorrow night." - Omega, in trying to explain why pigs are now flying, why Microsoft products are now working perfectly, hell freezing over, and George W Bush giving a flawless speech. 04/06/01, 12:17AM
[This message has been edited by Tahna Los (edited April 25, 2001).]
posted
Reading at a third grade level? Or just reading the instructions for their DEATH FILLED COMPUTER GAMES OF EVIL!
------------------ You know, when Comedy Central asked us to do a Thanksgiving episode, the first thought that went through my mind was, "Boy, I'd like to have sex with Jennifer Aniston." -Trey Parker, co-creator of South Park
posted
There are literally dozens of programs with the goal of encouraging elementary-age reading. RIF is only one of them.
Read Across America (Partnered with Pizza Hut) First Book County Literacy Programs (most counties I know of have these programs) State literacy initiatives (just about every state has one of these, they pay to put on summer programs for children) Readers 2000 (now Readers 2001)
etc, etc.
Cutting one is no big deal. What WOULD be a big deal would be putting all these eggs in one basket and actually ENRICHING struggling public libraries. Also, mandating that libraries be supported by the areas they serve would be good. As it is right now, we serve practically the whole of Fayette County, but only the City of Uniontown pays for us. If we were supported equally by even HALF of the other areas we serve, we'd be capable of nearly TRIPLING our services.
------------------ The government that seems the most unwise, oft goodness to the people best supplies. That which is meddling, touching everything, will work but ill, and disappointment bring. - The Tao Te Ching
posted
Right, and to that I say there is something very special about a child owning a book esp. if that has never been something considered important before.
------------------ I'll kill you, you bloated museum of treachery! ~ C. Montgomery Burns
posted
Lest I be misunderstood, book giveaways are part of four of the five programs I mentioned above.
------------------ The government that seems the most unwise, oft goodness to the people best supplies. That which is meddling, touching everything, will work but ill, and disappointment bring. - The Tao Te Ching
posted
great, but what is the purpose of eliminating one that is successful for so many years?
or do we partner with pizza hut and create good little consumers while we're at it? ------------------ I'll kill you, you bloated museum of treachery! ~ C. Montgomery Burns
[This message has been edited by Jay (edited April 26, 2001).]
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