Dems May Want to Watch What Duncan Is Wishing for
Gosh. With the White House issuing preemptive veto threats and Secretary of Education Duncan attacking House Republicans, it's almost like the Obama administration isn't all that eager to reauthorize ESEA. It's almost as if they like the status quo and are content to let Duncan keep enjoying his NCLB waivers. If I didn't know better (and if the administration hadn't so often explained its desire to reauthorize the law and its frustration with "congressional inaction"), I'd think that Duncan would rather continue to impose his agenda than compromise with Congress.
Whatever Duncan's preferences, though, other Democrats just might want to contemplate the possibility that Hillary won't win in 2016—and that a Republican might occupy the White House. Should that happen, it might be worth revisiting a possible future that I forecast back in 2011:
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The Obama administration steadfastly refuses to acknowledge the problems with ED's "backdoor blueprint" waiver strategy or the ugly precedent that it's trying to set. But those with even a glimmer of imagination can see where this is going...
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Big Education Ape: This so-called “Student Success” Act should be named the “Student Regress” Act #NOonHR5 http://bit.ly/1GyeuLy
Transcript from Fox News Channel
January 13, 2013
January 13, 2013
Chris Wallace: First off, congratulations Congresswoman Bachmann on being named U.S. Secretary of Education by President-elect Perry.
SecEd Nominee Bachmann: Thanks very much. It's a big job, and I'm looking forward to tackling it.
Chris Wallace: Last November, the Democrats narrowly retained control of the Senate and the Republicans enjoy only a modest majority in the House. Are you worried you'll be unable to make the legislative changes that you and the President think necessary?
SecEd Nominee Bachmann: Once upon a time, that might've been a concern. Happily, the Obama administration provided a path for driving educational change even when you don't have the votes. That's why we've promised that, come inauguration day, we'll be ditching the Obama administration's requirements for waivers from No Child Left Behind and substituting our own. They'll be drawn from the President's plan that we've been calling the Freedom Blueprint.
Chris Wallace: What do you have in mind?
SecEd Nominee Bachmann: We'll be employing the Obama administration's notion that we can provide states waivers from federal law so long as they promise to do stuff that we like. We'll impose a few conditions for states seeking to maintain their NCLB waivers or obtain new ones. They'll have to adopt certain elements of our Freedom Blueprint if they want their Dems May Want to Watch What Duncan Is Wishing for - Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week: