Educating Gordon
As the Democratic U.S. Senate candidates compete for the Oregon Education Association’s endorsement this weekend, let’s examine Gordon Smith’s education record.
“Apparently school children, families and teachers don’t donate enough to Gordon Smith’s campaigns,” DPO Chair Meredith Wood Smith said. “Rather than funding our schools and worrying about Oregon's working families, Gordon Smith helps out his special interest supporters. Smith prefers granting $5 billion tax windfalls to his Big Oil contributors. He favors keeping pharmaceutical companies happy by opposing efforts to ensure lower drug prices for seniors.”
Smith Education Facts:
Here are just two of the more than 1,600 times Smith has CANCELLED OUT Oregon's other U.S. Senator, Democrat Ron Wyden.
Voted Against $5 Billion In Increased Funding For NCLB.
When the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was passed, Congress provided funding authorization levels commensurate with the law’s accountability and other requirements. From 2002 to 2005, however, the gap between what Congress promised and what Congress provided for NCLB programs was $27 billion. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W. Va.) offered an amendment to the 2006 fiscal year Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill to add $5 billion for Title I of NCLB. The amendment was rejected.
[Vote 269, 10/26/05]
Smith Voted Against $4.75 Billion Education Funding Boost.
In March 2005, Smith voted against an amendment that would have restored fiscal year 2006 education funding to its fiscal 2005 levels, a $4.75 billion increase. The amendment Smith opposed would have restored funding for 48 education programs slated for elimination by President Bush, including Career and Technical Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools, education technology state grants, and the TRIO and GEAR-UP programs. In addition the bill would have reduced the federal debt by $4.75 billion and would have been offset by a $9.5 billion reduction in Bush's disastrous tax cuts.
[Vote 45, 3/14/05; Sacramento Bee, 3/15/05; NEA Congressional Report Card]
While Smith has opposed raising funds for K-12, he’s also avoided cutting costs for college students.
Posted March 7, 2008 Education 0 comments
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