The Silver Lining In The Eye Wall

Hurricane Katrina has taught two lessons to the city of New Orleans: (1) The reaffirmation that God brings good out of even the worst disaster; and (2) what it takes to bludgeon Big Labor out of a socialized education gulag:

Funny how "choice" only matters to lefties when they're trying to shove THEIR choices down OUR throats.  Whereas true "choice" entrusted to Da Peepul invariably produces the results that libs insist can ONLY come from the government monopoly - with just one more hike in funding, of course.

But then for Obamunists, it isn't about results, and never was.  It's about greed, power-lust, and blind, malevolent, totalitarian ideology:

Everyone knew OSP would be a bargain.  DC has among the highest spending per pupil in the nation.  At a conservative estimate of $17,542, the public schools spend over $10,000 more per child than the $7,500 spent through the scholarship program.

But would OSP achieve measureable results?

The answer is a resounding yes.  Previous studies by Wolf showed an improvement in academic performance, to the point that a student participating in OSP from kindergarten through high school would likely be 2 ½ years ahead in reading.  The key finding in this final round of research, Wolf told us, was the graduation rates.   OSP dramatically increases prospects of high-school graduation.

Wolf pointed to research showing that high-school diplomas significantly improve the chance of getting a job.  And dropouts that do find employment earn about $8,500 less per year than their counterpoints with diplomas. Further, each graduate reduces the cost of crime by a stunning $112,000.  Cecelia Rouse, an economic advisor to President Obama, found that each additional high school graduate saves the country $260,000.

Simply put, OSP has a profoundly positive effect not just on students, but on the city and the country as a whole.

So when it came time for Congress to reauthorize OSP, it would seem to be a no-brainer:  Expand the program.

Instead, they killed it.

OF COURSE they did - because it would work.  You can't keep jeghpu'wI' down if you don't keep them cowed and terrified and, most of all, ignorant, especially of their own history.  A school system that actually educates children in the truth is one that turns out citizens much less likely to swallow Obamunist propaganda whole and unquestioningly (which is what happened in 2008), and that simply cannot be tolerated.

Sounds to me like Washington, D.C. is in desperate need of a category five hurricane.  Blessedly, there is a cataclysmic tempest scheduled for the first Tuesday in November.  And it will be a lot more selective in its choice of victims.