Teachers Unions, Dems, Croak School Vouchers in D.C.?

Matt Welch | February 27, 2009

In the D.C. Examiner, Timothy Carney explains how the porktastic $410 billion omnibus bill "included a provision that effectively would end the D.C. school voucher program after next school year." He then breaks down the power that competition-hating teachers unions have over "change"-spouting Democrats.

Lockheed Martin, the top recipient of military contracts most years, spent more on politics than any other defense firm in the 2008 elections. They still spent less than the American Federation of Teachers, which shelled out $2.8 million in the last cycle—with nearly every AFT dime going to Democrats.

The top two teachers unions—AFT and the National Education Association—spent more combined, $5.27 million, than the top two defense contractors.

The top five lobbying firms, combined, didn’t equal the AFT and the NEA in federal contributions in the 2008 cycle. Both of the teachers unions gave more than any oil company, and the NEA and AFT combined gave more than the top four oil companies combined.

These contributions give the unions clout, and federal lobbying records show they use this clout. Again, on closer inspection, the teachers unions look an awful lot like those corporate special interests Democrats supposedly oppose.

The NEA employs four different lobbying firms in Washington, in addition to their in-house lobbying arm, which includes at least six lobbyists.  Over the past two years, the NEA spent $10.7 million on lobbying. Reviewing the filings of the NEA, the AFT, and their K Street hires reveals that lobbying to kill DC vouchers was a priority.

More here; link via Will Wilkinson. Reason on teachers unions here.

Comments

Rimfax|2.27.09 @ 1:30PM|#

Tracing teacher union lobbying dollars is just as pointless as noting that Reason gets money from tobacco companies. The money follows the ideology more than the money changes votes. The whole "follow the money" school of rhetoric fails both for and against your preferred hobby horse.

kilroy|2.27.09 @ 1:37PM|#

If Reason could force me to smoke I might see some value in that statement.

|2.27.09 @ 1:40PM|#

And of course, the Obamas enrolled their kids in private schools.

|2.27.09 @ 1:41PM|#

Whats pointless about it? Do you feel that lobby dollars don't change votes?

|2.27.09 @ 1:43PM|#

In other news, dog bites man.

|2.27.09 @ 1:45PM|#

Read and weep.

Oh well, They're just stupid nigger kids in the DC system anyway. The failed DC school system is good enough for them. It's not like they or their parents make campaign contribution or vote in large numbers anyway. Even the ones who do vote will overwhelmingly vote Democratic.

This is win/win for team blue.

D.A. Ridgely|2.27.09 @ 2:14PM|#

If you can't keep people ignorant and frightened, they might stop voting for Democrats.
.
.
.
.
Or Republicans.

|2.27.09 @ 2:18PM|#

That extra Demo Representative from the District of Columbia will tip the balance in favor of fairness for America.

|2.27.09 @ 2:27PM|#

Again, on closer inspection, the teachers unions look an awful lot like those corporate special interests Democrats supposedly oppose.


How can you say that? Unions are the people, man! THE PEOPLE! You're not against THE PEOPLE, are you?

sissi|2.27.09 @ 2:33PM|#

Yo! Fuck Big Teacher.

Taktix®|2.27.09 @ 2:35PM|#

Good thing McCain got the money out of politics...

|2.27.09 @ 2:48PM|#

Public employee unions that can control politicians in order to vote their own paychecks represent one of the greatest contemporary dangers to the integrity of the democratic process. It pretty much boils down to politicians using the people's money to pay a select group to donate to and vote for the politician. Such an unrestrained feedback loop is obviously very, very dangerous.

I find it strange that people can see the obvious danger of having the military involved directly in day-to-day politics but don't see the same danger for any other public employee. What would our military spending look like if every member of the service belonged to a compulsory union that endorsed specific candidate, donated money to those candidates and voted in block? Such a condition would make the military-industrial complex look like high school bake sale. Yet, we happily tolerate the exact same dynamic in every other facet of government even though it presents the exact same danger.

JB|2.27.09 @ 2:51PM|#

Democrats love fucking over children. They get off on it.

The Democratic Party|2.27.09 @ 2:52PM|#

Perpetuating an underclass nationally since 1913.

Other Matt|2.27.09 @ 2:56PM|#

How can you say that? Unions are the people, man! THE PEOPLE! You're not against THE PEOPLE, are you?

And it's for THE CHILDREN, man! THE CHILDREN!

Oh well, They're just stupid nigger kids in the DC system anyway.

JSD-Still too early in the day for baiting joe's ghost. Always too early in the day to my thinking.

The Democratic Party|2.27.09 @ 3:10PM|#

We Believe In Community

You doin' better than your neighbor? Why, that's not very civil!

|2.27.09 @ 3:16PM|#

Hey Teacher, give some of that money to me! LOL

http://www.anonymity.com/schools_out

Johnny Nowhere|2.27.09 @ 3:37PM|#

Once again, anonymity guy's pithy wisdom encapsulates my feelings perfectly. LOL, indeed.

A TEacher|2.27.09 @ 4:07PM|#

The vouchers program is a bad idea, they are correct to oppouse it. It takes money away from the public schools that need to have the money to educate the children that go to the public schools because it costs alot of mone for the scools to educate the children. In order for the children to get a good educayshun the scools they need more money for to spend on children. Each vouchers takes money away from the schools that could be used the money for to educate the childrens.

|2.27.09 @ 4:19PM|#

Such an unrestrained feedback loop is obviously very, very dangerous.

I agree. Separation of school and state should be a major goal of the libertarian movement.

-jcr

Sadistic Voyeur|2.27.09 @ 4:22PM|#

A TEacher,

Who needs voucher money to educate the childrens when you have Wu-Tang.

|2.27.09 @ 4:23PM|#

JSD-Still too early in the day for baiting joe's ghost. Always too early in the day to my thinking.

There must be some Obama fanboy or fangirl here who's willing to defend sending these kids back into the DC system at greater cost than continuing the vouchers.

Someone willing to explain how it's really for the greater good and not a sop to the teachers unions.

P Dier|2.27.09 @ 4:33PM|#

@A TEacher:

troll score 1/10, too obvious

anti-joe|2.27.09 @ 5:20PM|#

joe lost his spine. Hopefully, he'll find it. I miss his posts.

|2.27.09 @ 8:05PM|#

Good one, TEacher! You really had me going for a moment there...

|2.28.09 @ 10:19PM|#

Unions are the people, man! THE PEOPLE! You're not against THE PEOPLE, are you?

Damn, I miss joe.

Puddleglum|3.4.09 @ 1:05PM|#

lol@P Dier, well played.

Israel|3.8.09 @ 12:09PM|#

Voters need to call their Congressman (202-224-3121) and urge them to sponsor the Civil Rights Act for Equal Educational Opportunity. This would mandate eqitable funding for children in nonpublic schools, while respecting the liberty of schools in hiring and provision of services. In accordance with the 10th amendment, educational standards and means of funding would be left to the states.