FLIP: Tells FL he supports Obama school takeover
FLOP: Tells NH he'd fight Obama school takeover "to n'th degree"
AUSTIN — In Florida yesterday, Mitt Romney announced his support for President Obama's program to implement national testing and curriculum education standards. But in New Hampshire this summer, he told a concerned parent he'd fight the Obama school takeover "to the n'th degree."
Yesterday, Romney "praised Obama's education secretary for the Race to the Top program that rewards state education systems for reaching specific goals. 'I think Secretary Duncan has done some good things,' he said. 'I hope that's not heresy in this room.'" [1]
Romney told the Floridians, "I think the American people recognize we're at a point of crisis. They can tell when people are being phony and pandering to an audience. And you'll see that in politics; you're not going to see that in my campaign." [2]
Phony and pandering to the audience? At a June town hall meeting in New Hampshire, Romney said he vehemently opposed the Obama Administration's takeover of education standards and curriculum. [3]
A concerned New Hampshire parent asked, "Right now we have Obama taking over education, too, setting national standards. We're going to have a national assessment, which gives us a de facto national curriculum. My question to you is, would you tell me your views on this, number one, and would you come out against this?"
Romney spoke strongly against the Obama Administration's school takeover: "Issues like education, these are going to be handled at the state and local level, closest to the people. ... If Barack Obama says I'm going to take that and impose it on the nation, I will fight it to the 'n'th degree. It's against the Constitution and it's wrong for America. ... I can't imagine an America where you're going to have a White House, Republican or Democrat, or a Congress, Republican or a Democrat, laying out what our kids have to be taught. That is unacceptable."
Mitt Romney is flip-flopping again on important public policy issues.
"In his latest flip-flop, Mr. Romney is on both sides of the Obama Administration's takeover of public school standards and curriculum. In Florida, he praises Obama's school takeover, but in New Hampshire he attacked Obama's school takeover," said Perry spokesman Mark Miner. "Romney flip-flops are legendary and are exactly why he isn't connecting with conservative voters. After years of pandering and policy evolution, Mr. Romney just can't be trusted on important economic and social issues."
Gov. Rick Perry has opposed Race to the Top since its creation, defending states' rights to design and control their own education curriculum. Texas is one of a number of states — usually led by Republicans — who declined to participate in President Obama's Race to the Top school takeover program.
As Politico reported June 2, 1010: "Nine [states] decided to sit out this second round of the competition. ... Some wary of relinquishing their tradition of local control. ... Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming all sidelined themselves, joining a handful of states that didn't bother applying the first time around." [4]
[1] "Mitt Romney cites bipartisan record, Canada in Florida appearance," Politico, 9/21/11, http://www.politico.
[2] "Romney steps up Social Security attacks on Perry," Boston Globe, 9/21/11, http://www.boston.
[3] "Mitt Romney Town Hall Meeting," C-SPAN, 6/3/11, 32:30 mark of video available at http://www.c-spanvideo.org/
[4] "States opt out of school funding," Politico, 6/2/10, www.politico.com/
Rick Perry, Perry Campaign Press Release - Romney Flips Again Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/297556