Dew tell
I got a robocall from Dewhurst over the weekend — along with 850,000 other Texans. The text was very similar to a video he has posted online. It’s about what you would expect: loser pays, kept $6 billion in the rainy day fund, balanced the budget without raising taxes. And then, the coda: “We did all this while making sure we kept our best teachers in the classroom.”
Who gets paid to write lies like this? We did nothing of the sort. Teachers will be laid off all over Texas. So, Mr. Dewhurst, how did you make sure we kept our best teachers in the classroom? Please tell me. I’d like to know. It’s almost enough to make me want to watch another video, the one where crazy talk show host Alex Jones says Dewhurst worked with “top Nazi Klaus Barbie.” Maybe Barbie is the guy who figured out how to keep the best teachers in the classroom.
Every time I hear Dewhurst say an obvious falsehood like this, it makes me think he’s is laughing at how stupid the public is.
Tagged: david dewhurst
Jeff Crosby says:
Oh Paul, don’t you realize that only the “bad” teachers will get fired and the only ones left will be the “good” ones? Why, this is a once-in-a-generation chance to weed out the lazy, over-paid teachers and make sure all 35 students in every class get the best possible education.
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TLG says:
Paul,
Another victim of education cuts: The Keller ISD (Fort Worth area) will charge students to ride the yellow school bus to class. Was not well received by parents.
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The House is Not a Home says:
Why should schools provide free transportation?
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Garyfan Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
House — Because the schools provide a free education and getting back and forth to school is a pretty important part of that. Kind of like a free school lunch for those who can’t afford it. Wait, don’t tell me — you don’t like that idea, either.
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The House is Not a Home Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
I don’t like either idea, because it should not be the school’s responsibility.
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Anon Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I love how liberals think transportation, or education, or lunches, or anything else the government does is “free”. You people are the epitome of insane! Nothing is free – we ALL pay for it. It’s wrong for the school to charge kids to ride the bus because our taxpayer dollars have ALREAY paid for the buses and the gas and the driver’s salary. It’s fiscal mismanagement that has squandered it and forced Keller ISD to start charging parents for their own mismanagement.
Ron Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 9:38 pm
Only about 90% of Texas households have cars. without bus service, I’m not sure how to get all those kids to and from school. Wait, I know. Taxi voichers!
Anonymous Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Dude, it was The house is not a Home that mentioned free no one else. I don’t believe he/she is a liberal. Reading comprehension, try it sometimes.
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Anonymous says:
Well, if he’s been reading JBB’s posts it’s hard NOT to make that assumption.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
lemme it explain so you stupids gets it. Dew has learn to speak democrateese so even they get it.
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Kenneth D. Franks Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Start spelling correctly and maybe just maybe, you will be taken more seriously.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Spelling is a liberal plot to make people feel inadequate when writing and keep the big bucks flowing through schools that teach spelling.
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 7:05 am
@Kenneth
What makes you think anyone takes anything you say seriously? How does this qualify you to give anyone advice?
Oh wait, here it is you’re a democrat.
South Texan says:
Trust me, Dewhurst is 100 percent sincere when he makes such statements. He really believes that his assessment is correct.
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Texun Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
And: he’s rich, so he can’t be wrong.
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anonymous says:
Paul, your blog post is a start, but falsehoods like this will stop when the media decides to call politicians and their consultants on it. Outlets won’t do it because conservatives will call them “liberal.” Convince your editors to put our education system on the front cover of TX Monthly and let’s see where it goes.
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Will Jones Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
yeah, because we need advocacy journalism to become more avid — isn’t that what the Brits have, advocacy journalism?
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Tim Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Uh…. do you know who owns Fox News?
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Kimmy says:
I believe ISDs and charters provide transportation to students outside the 2-mile radius of a school because, um, it’s state law. And there’s like, you know, an allotment provided for it.
As to the last line, my assumption is Dewhurst is referring to SB 8, which ends first end, last out for teachers. Hence, the “best” moniker. And, with one of the amendments over in the House, cuts are expected to apply to both teachers and administrators alike. (All that assumption about being capable of cutting administration without touching the classroom and such…)
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The House is Not a Home Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Right, it is the law. But why is it not the parent’s responsibility?
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Vernon Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
It is the parent’s responsibility to get their kids to school if they don’t use the bus system.
I’d imagine the thinking is that if education is mandatory, the state can at least provide a way to transport the student to and from school.
Believe it or not, every parent may not be able to afford their own vehicle. It only seems fair to provide bus service.
Buses also allow working parents to get to their jobs on time. I’m sure those parents are thankful for it.
It sounds like you think the school bus service is a non-essential luxury. Are you advocating abolishing it?
If so, who do you think would sponsor such legislation in Texas?
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Amos Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Some people did a REALLY poor job choosing their parents!
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Big D Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 1:12 am
Kimmy -
Well, like, you know, if you’re going to throw around your knowledge of school finance, it would be nice if you actually did more than scratch the surface.
Transportation allotments in Texas have not been adjusted since the 80′s. Last I checked, fuel, buses, labor, repairs, and supplies all cost just a wee bit more now than they did back then.
Those allotments do not come close to covering the costs of transporting kids to and from school. so money that could be going to classroom
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Kimmy says:
Oops, I meant to type “last in, first out”…. Sorry.
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Anon says:
It’s crazy. I’ve never heard a political push call or ad stretch, distort, or misstate the truth. Thanks for bringing this to light. This should change everything.
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Tammany Hall Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Best comment so far!
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Robert says:
Burka, it’s more likely that Dewhurst is laughing at how, in a state dominated by conservative voters, the press and Austin crowd think Texas Monthly opinion, on things political, matters.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
Most democrats do foolishly believe that only what they opine matters.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
You’ll get beat up in Fort Bend Co. for using words like “opine.”
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Jed Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
not if you’re talking about the star freshman running back.
or a sugar-refining technique.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 7:08 am
only on the east side.
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Glenn Smith says:
With 100,000 fewer teachers, the closing of schools, overcrowded classrooms, the teaching of creationism and idiot history (thanks, SBOE) it will be easier than ever to lie to voters in coming years. The Right, you know, is not without tactical smarts…
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Cow Droppings Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
But Glenn, how will you ever build a Democratic majority without Republicans created more under-educated, impoverished citizens? Have you looked at the makeup of most blue precincts?
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Jeff Crosby Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
So CD, you admit that the Repubs have sabotaged the schools, which will keep more people living in ignorance and poverty?
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Cow Droppings Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
I admit nothing — but if you believe that is true I’m not sure why political animals like you would complain. The more ignorant the voter, the more likely they are to vote D.
Tim Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
You need to define ignorant. Because most of the Democratic districts in Texas are only Democratic because of the Voting Rights act. They’re not built around ignorance, but around racial groups. Who happen to vote for Democrats, because Republicans like to call everyone with a darker skin town ignorant.
Incredibly well educated Democratic strongholds like downtown Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas are carved into tiny little slices so their votes are overpowered by less educated rural voters.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
“The Right, you know, is not without tactical smarts…”
yep they swept the Texas House 101 to 49…
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Anonymous Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 9:38 am
2010 was a outlier election year. The GOP did a great job of nationalizing even state legislative races. The Dems had been picking up seats in the Texas House since 2004. The GOP will lose at least 10-12 seats but will keep a solid majority.
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Jed says:
hmm, i thought that was the RINO’s.
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anita says:
Dewhurst is just along for the ride. He’ll read whatever they put in front of him, and believe it, too.
Folks just need to be honest that he wasn’t elected because he had umique ideas or mastered certain subjects — he was just a bored rich guy who was willing to write checks. Nothing wrong with it, or especially new — it is what it is.
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FruitDealer says:
I bet that Dewhurst is referencing SB 8 during special session, which allow school districts flexibility to use something other than seniority if they need to make cutbacks.
There was debate on this on the House floor — not sure if there was debate on the Senate side. I believe the conservatives can argue that this allows school districts the flexibility the need to keep their best teachers.
I believe that statement is accurate and, actually, could be a net benefit in a primary.
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Amos Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 6:24 pm
True it could be a benefit in the primary, as so many falsely believe Texas teachers are members of real unions and have tenure,the right to strike and collective bargaining. Not true, but an Oprah episode said it was true all over the nation, so it must be…
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WUSRPH says:
Whenever I think of The Dew I remember a story I heard when he first started running for public office in Texas. I have no way of knowing if it is true…but it was a good one.
It involves his short period in the CIA….The story is that he was sent to South America to be a field agent but blew his cover almost literally on the drive in to town from the airport….As a result, he had to be put to work as the body guard for the CIA Station Chief and his service with the CIA soon came to an end.
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Blue says:
Anyone know when the Dew is resigning as light gov?
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Ed says:
“Flexibility to keep the best teachers”? What BS. They ditched seniority so they could fire experienced teachers and replace them with younger teachers because it costs less. Dew and Rick and some in the school administrator lobby were all about educating on the cheap so we can keep the title of the state with the most sub-minimum wage workers. And Dew won’t resign – this is the “me” generation of politicos on steroids – how else do explain this obscene budget?
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Blue Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
A first-in, first-out RIF rule is idiotic; removing that was a good thing. School administrators need to have large flexibility in hiring, firing, and wage decisions–and we’re no where near that situation.
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Robert Morrow says:
Burka: “It’s almost enough to make me want to watch another video, the one where crazy talk show host Alex Jones says Dewhurst worked with “top Nazi Klaus Barbie.””
Who says Alex Jones is any more crazy than Dewhurst, Perry, Straus, Cornyn & Hutchison?
The schools are not “fixable.” It is only a question of just how more socialized do we want them to be; how much more money we will throw down the public education rathole.
Let parents KEEP their own money. They will educate their kids if they want to. Public schools are an impediment to learning, not a tool for learning. The only public school I would put my kid in is on the rich side of town. And the best teachers want to teach at the best schools in the RICH areas, because they are not stupid.
When I think of public schools I think of “Dazed and Confused.”
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Jed Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 9:40 am
i would be fine with this, if the “educate their kids if they want to” part came with a $20K check for every kid.
you don’t think education should be done by the government, fine. but it needs to be paid for, unless you want yourself a third-world country, where only the rich can afford to get rich.
jefferson (oh, wait, who?) said that a civic education is the most important thing to a democracy. certainly, unequal access to education would not provide the equal opportunity that libertarians are so fond of, robert.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
@Jed
if edu was as important to democrats as you assert, why have democrats worked so deligently to dumb down their voters?
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Big D says:
costs has to be used to cover the rest of those transportation costs. The district in question has chosen to offset that by charging the parents that use the service a minor fee.
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Kenneth D. Franks says:
Yes, all thirty five students will likely have an inexperienced or young teacher that is sending resumes to either rich school districts or looking to go to graduate school or change professions. The six billion in the Economic Stabilization Fund is already or will be dedicated to the next shortfall. We do have a structural deficit after all. It was a very disappointing session for nearly everyone but the noodling enthusiasts.
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JUICE says:
That guy who made Dazed and Confused? He went to that high school. Turned out alright for him.
And as for tactical smarts, absolutely. When you ensure that people are dumb and poor (and through the redistricting process give them no hope of changing their prospects through politics), all that’s left is religion. And when they get to church, they are told to vote Republican, because God hates gays (and really anyone who is “other”) and thus a political perpetual motion machine is built. It’s perfect.
Finally, this: “And: he’s rich, so he can’t be wrong.” There are a lot of folks who actually reason this way.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
“And as for tactical smarts, absolutely. When you ensure that people are dumb and poor” Bingo!
Democrats have worked deligently to dumb down their voters and speaking of churches, why do black democrat preachers insist on preaching hate from the pulpit.
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AFC says:
“Last in, first out” only applied to continuing contracts. Most Texas teachers are under a term contract and never had that seniority protection. So eliminating the law didn’t affect the majority of teachers or districts.
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Something like that Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 10:44 am
That is true but continuing contracts were the only contracts that required seniority to be a priority. By removing it, seniority is no longer a priority in any contract and school districts will now feel more comfortable going back to continuing contracts which use to be used much more often.
School districts can still operate under “first in, last out” as nothing prevents them from doing it but at least that will now be a local decision, not one dictated from Austin.
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JonBarnardBrooks says:
Charlie Adaway is only interested in fat government contracts that allow him the time and money to rail against big government on this blog. While taking his Medicare and Social Security and over-65 tax freeze.
Joker writ large.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 1:00 pm
uh oh the liberal has his panties in a wad again.
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Anon says:
So JBB is one of those “keep your government hands off of my Medicare” people?
It appears that he does not understand how the Interwebs work, either.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 9:42 am
Naturally the free market fairy created it. That’s the extent of JBB’s understanding of everything.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 1:05 pm
thats true, I only understand one thing real well.
Democrats are losing and they don’t like it.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 1:02 pm
As I’m not on medicare, I’m not sure of the crux of the post.
Oh wait I do, its liberals lie.
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AreYouKiddingMe says:
Our recent Legislative session was all based on the political aspirations of Perry and Dewhurst. Now, they can make the assinine statements like in the Dewhurst call. The problem (for Perry) is, most Americans are not as naive as we Texans have been in recent years, and people will actually look at the FACTS, and not the BS that these guys spew. Repeating lies does not make them come true… Dewhurst will likely be elected (because all he needs is those naive Texans to vote for him), but Perry has no chance…
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JohnBernardBooks says:
“Repeating lies does not make them come true…”
so why do dems do it?
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