VALDOSTA —
Today at 1 p.m., Congress will start its ‘final’ debate of national health-care reform and a vote is expected sometime today. I don’t know about you, but my head is hurting from the yelling from both sides. I am hoping for some relief by Monday.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi with other House leaders has been working overtime to get enough Democrats to pass the health-care bill. Without the passage of this cornerstone of the Obama presidency, there are those who worry this could be the end of Democratic control in Washington.
The pressure has been on to keep the leadership in place. Congressman Dennis Kucinich changed his vote from no to yes after a third visit with the president and the last time on Air Force One.
On NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” Jay Leno said in his Thursday monologue: “Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day. Republicans are now working on declaring March 18 as St. Obama Day. They want to honor the president for driving all the Democrats out of Washington. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich announced he will change his no vote and he will vote yes on health care. Now, I don’t want to imply he made a deal, but he announced it at Cleveland’s new airport, which is right next to the Dennis Kucinich Highway and the new Dennis Kucinich Middle School.”
Earlier in the month, when asked what he would do if the bill passes, Rush Limbaugh said, “I’ll just tell you this, if this passes and it’s five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented — I am leaving the country. I’ll go to Costa Rica.”
If the Right wins, the Obama presidency is down the tubes. If the Left wins, Limbaugh leaves the country. There are more benefits for both sides in the fallout than there are benefits in the heath-care legislation for the rest of us.
The real issue to me is America really does need health-care reform. Will this bill cost a lot of money? Definitely. Will it solve many of the health insurance problems? Hopefully. If it fails will Congress have the guts to bring it back up? Definitely not, at least not for many years. Look what happen to Social Security reform after George W. Bush attempted to make changes.
The bottom line is this country’s people need relief in their household expenses for health insurance. Let’s pray that by the end of the day today, we will be somewhat healthier than we were this morning.
OTHER THOUGHTS: In reading The Times stories regarding cell phones in the Valdosta school system, I can understand the superintendent’s frustration. The story spoke of students accessing Web sites like MySpace and YouTube on the devices … taking photos of tests … of students using phones to plan gang initiations … and students making plans about jumping people at bus stops or on the bus.
No wonder they feel their only recourse is out-and-out banning of phones at school. I wonder if our school officials are so close to the problem and so frustrated they cannot find creative ways to harness this abuse and turn it into an educational home run. Is there anyone within our readership who might know of ways to help? If so, please let us know.
The Associated Press reported last week: “First-time juvenile violators of a (Georgia) school’s zero-tolerance policy would no longer be designated felons under a measure that was unanimously approved by the Senate. Under the proposal, items ranging from key chains to grooming kits, which could be classified as weapons, would now only carry that designation when used in an assault.”
Finally, some common sense in zero-tolerance rules for the schools. Hopefully, this will pass and be signed by the governor.
What We Think
From the publisher: Health care debate today might open the heavens
- What We Think
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Leaving NCLB behind
Georgia schools may be sighing in relief today, following the announcement that the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver to the state, along with nine others, from the rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind act.
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Don’t jettison landmark
While we respect the request to relocate the F-86 aircraft from outside Mathis City Auditorium to the new Moody Air Force Base Airpark, we would hope the city and MAFB would reconsider moving it.
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Shame in Berrien County
Unfortunately for Sherrie Williams of the Berrien County school-based health clinic, she talked to The Times and praised the program that she oversees. This pride in her work led to the loss of her job.
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Grading policy: A second chance?
In clarifying the Lowndes County Schools’ controversial grading policy, Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith spoke of second chances.
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Be up to any weather challenge
Georgia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week starts today and runs through Friday. The idea behind the week is to prepare Georgians for weather emergencies and how to keep these situations from becoming tragedies.
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Parents and schools
There is a lot of talk lately about school systems and grading policies, and how all of a child's problems come back to a lack of parenting. But is it really that simple? Can it be a case where the school systems are so focused on the problem few that the majority of students are ignored?
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Brooks County High School engineering and technology teacher Don Morgan and his students. They recently received national attention for their work with biodiesel fuel. They collect used cooking oil from area fast-food restaurants then process this oil into biodiesel. Morgan hopes to next interest the Brooks County school buses into running on the fuel created in his class. This classroom not only prepares students for the future but may prepare all of us for an alternative energy source.
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Take me out to the ball park
The Valdosta State baseball season begins today. The Blazers host Lindenwood at 2:30 p.m. Nothing beats quality baseball played in warm weather with a great venue like Billy Grant Field.
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What We Think: Signing Day
Wednesday was National Signing Day, the day when high school athletes across the country make official announcements about what school they’ve chosen to sign with.
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School policy fails expectations
Lowndes County Schools recently implemented new grading guidelines for students. These guidelines have left many parents upset ...
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Leaving NCLB behind
