Another Year for Abstinence-Only Education Funding?
Tucked into a Medicare spending bill that passed the House yesterday is a provision that would extend a controversial abstinence-only education program for another year. It's so controversial that 22 states have actually opted out of taking the funding. Two more states have said they plan to decline the funds when the new fiscal year begins in October. The AP reports:
Some $50 million has been budgeted for [the program] this year, and financially strapped states might be expected to want their share. But many have doubts that the program does much, if any good, and they're frustrated by chronic uncertainty that it will even be kept in existence. They also have to chip in state money in order to receive the federal grants.
Abstinence-only education has taken plenty of heat. A 2007 report from the Dept. of Health and Human Services-funded, independent Mathematica Policy Research Group found that such programs had "no effect on the sexual abstinence of youth." Nonetheless, the push for such programs lives on.
In April, TWI reporter Matthew Blake covered a hearing where the House oversight committee took a look at the issue. Matt noted at the time:
The hearing showed that social conservatives continue to shape the public debate on [abstinence-only education]. Abstinence-only education, one plank of Newt Gingrich's 1994 "Contract With America," is now a big part of the Bush administration's public-health agenda, receiving $1.3 billion since 1997. Despite the current calls to end funding, the conservatives who framed the abstinence-only policy have created a formidable obstacle for opponents to overcome.
The Senate still needs to pass its own version of Medicare's funding bill before we'll know if this has a chance of making it another year.
Comments:
Posted 06/30/2008 12:41am with
eah.. so stop getting pregnant and you won’t need to kill your baby.
JOHN McCAIN’S 3R ECONOMIC PLAN 2008
Abbreviated version
Progressive Republican Candidate John McCain comes through for America with his 3R economic plan. In the persona of Theodore Roosevelt, McCain’s plan just makes sense.
NUTS AND BOLTS of the plan are simple.
The US needs a separate tax revenue source before it can move away from fossil energy fuels which supply hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes for state and federal agencies.
Here is the John McCain 3R solution.
McCain’s 3R is about technical, closely monitored and rapid hands on training from pros to create new pros. Thousands of currently-job-displaced “once leaders in the manufacturing arena” will be asked to train and play instructor rolls in the 3R plan.
Paid, of course, as these new leaders will help create a whole new style of prosperous America. A massive restructure providing thousands of new American MFG companies means millions of new jobs for infrastructure alone.
1. RETHINK: America must see globally on what America is capable of in our current state of technology, engineering and meet the demands that face the world.
“RE-Think” the basic job goals involve the dwindling retirement, health care and social security plans that are failing Americans. With a strong base and a higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) America has a new bargaining chip in the way we live and the ways we retire.
Private Sector framework is in place and current laws allow the 3R to happen. The Progressive attitude of John McCain to get things done by crossing party lines will resurrect America.
2. REFORM: The American people must demand higher quality products and less restricted trade routes for Made in USA components. We will lead the way of MFG again!
The USA will reform its dead manufacturing base to create the most innovative and green-engineered products possible. We will compete in a world market along with other high quality products. Our Private Sector teams are making this reality now.
3. REINVENT: America and Americans must reinvent themselves to reach and maintain these standards and by sheer American ingenuity, control the world’s marketplace in the competitive manner, as the USA has always been proud to be #1.
Americans are going back to McCain’s 3R-schooling program where they are paid to reinvent their skills and learn new skills to design and lead their personal LLC, Corporation or joint venture company. That’s easy enough to comprehend and just as easy to implement.
The 3R plan is designed as a six-month rapid advancement system. Graduates may return for additional skill enhancements from time to time, or step up after new advanced training in executive management.
While manufacturing is a very important part of this plan, thousands of other new businesses must to be created to meet the new surge of 3R manufacturing industries to create a new era of prosperous Americans.
Initial estimates of 1 in 5 students will begin his or her own company and drive even more Americans into a viable lifestyle with real jobs, real benefits and a retirement to look forward to.
This 3R plan will be done without costing taxpayers (or the government) additional funds. America has the means to follow through with John McCain’s 3R plan, ready and in place across the USA. The buildings we need sit vacant for the most part. By assuming leases on abandoned stores and factories across America with MC-3R schools and mini-manufacturing training centers, the USA made products can be sold and support the stores. Building owners write off the loss in taxes over a few years if they donate the space!
This is the new place for financial speculators to invest!
The speculators who first drove the economy with mortgage investments and most recently with crude oil investments have a better arena for their investments. America as nation of industrious individuals who want to work and want to succeed will make them huge profits. The supply of eager Americans with ideas and dreams to prosper is limitless.
Although the thousands of new businesses manufacturing USA Made products is exciting enough, the real excitement comes from the massive amount of additional jobs that will be created to provide the new housing, new buildings, new parks, shopping, grocery stores, schools, government outlets and so much more.
McCain’s Progressive nature embodies Theodore Roosevelt more than any US presidential candidate in history since the original Rough Rider blazed the greatest era of growth in America.
We need John McCain to lead our nation with the same type of change.