More Useless Rhetoric

In the April 15th copy of Herald Times an article labeled “Simpson fighting for school funding” by Kurt Van der Dussen prefaced his article with the statement “State Sen. Vi Simpson is on the warpath”. First of all let me start out by chastising Mr. Van der Dussen by his callous and insensitive choice of words using the connotation “warpath” in light of Senator Simpson’s American Indian Heritage. It’s any wonder he didn’t go on to suggest she is simply beating her campaign drum across Indiana about a lack of adequate educational funding. Regardless of his choice of words in the article it served no useful journalistic purpose other than allowing a detractor from current fiscally responsible policy a headline that appears to indicate she is fighting for better education. It is easy to step forward and support funding for a single segment of the overall budget, it’s even easier to go around in support of increased funding for every facet of the budget whenever votes hang in the balance. What isn’t nearly as easy is finding the revenues to back up your support.

Devoid in Vi Simpson’s letter was any possible sources of funding for her proposed increases. What she wants people to believe is the State’s financial situation really isn’t all that bad and that going ahead and finding additional funding for the schools is fine with her even though the State has been drowning in red ink under her leadership. Hopefully people will realize the differences between hollow promises and real fiscal leadership. Governor Daniels is trying to right the ship and yes it is going to require that school systems across the state tighten their budgets on a short-term basis. Business as usual in Indiana under Democrat leadership over the last eight years has been a dismal financial failure. Vi Simpson has supported every possible social and educational program that would gain her the necessary votes to secure the Governors seat and this latest diatribe is no exception. She knows that people are passionate about education and rarely will anyone suggest not supporting adequate funding. The real question that needs to be answered by Senator Simpson is, what funding would you like to cut in order to provide the additional educational funding you are proposing?