Ron Paul’s War on Education
Ron Paul was in Minnesota this past Saturday and will be in Minnesota on Feb. 7 to caucus. The presidential hopeful says he wants to return liberty to the citizens of the U.S. He wants to end entitlements and cut $1 trillion from federal spending. However, the 12-term Texas congressman’s exuberance for cutting all entitlements and $1 trillion from the federal budget will have disastrous effects on many areas of government and society, none more than the U.S. Department of Education.
Paul has argued for the end to the U.S. Department of Education for years. It is one of his many mantras he doles out to mainly white middle-class crowds. In Paul’s mind, the U.S. Department of Education is a violation of the U.S. Constitution — a superfluous department and one that should only exist at the state level. Unfortunately, Paul’s zeal to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education would push back large social and cultural efforts to give students in dire circumstances a real chance at education and class readjustment.
Paul’s argument to rid our country of the U.S. Department of Education seems to stem from two points: First, the U.S. Constitution doesn’t mandate the cabinet-level department, and second, it’s inefficient. Indeed, Paul is correct the U.S. Constitution doesn’t mandate the U.S. Department of Education; however, the U.S. Constitution also doesn’t say that it can’t be amended, expanded or tweaked. The Founders wisely knew the U. S. wasn’t a static country, so why should we have a static constitution? The U.S. Constitution is a living document and one that should change and evolve as our society changes and evolves.
The U.S. Department of Education is certainly not without its problems. However, to suggest that since there are inefficiencies, we should just get rid of the entire educational infrastructure is ludicrous, and it makes no sense. The Department of Education could be improved, of course, but one could say that about any federal, state or local governmental department. This is not a new argument, and it has become somewhat played out. Paul’s continual assault on a department whose overarching goal is to ensure proper, equal and equitable education for all citizens in the U.S. is typical of not just Libertarians but Republicans in general.
Read more: http://www.mndaily.com/2012/02/06/ron-paul’s-war-education
