Thomas Sowell recently said, okay, Obama supporters demand we talk about "real issues"--so let's talk education. There, Obama talks the talk--he seems to understand the problems we face, especially those faced by urban students in inner-city schools. But he doesn't walk the walk:
"In his book, Dreams from My Father, Obama said candidly that black teachers and administrators “defend the status quo with the same skill and vigor as their white counterparts of two decades before.” It is not a question of Obama’s not knowing. He has demonstrated conclusively that he knows what is going on.But, for all his eloquent words, he has voted consistently for the teachers’ unions and the status quo.“I owe those unions,” he has said frankly. “When their leaders call, I do my best to call them back right away. I don’t consider this corrupting in any way.”Only other politicians’ special interests are called “special interests” by Barack Obama, whose world-class ability to rationalize is his most frightening skill.Even when he verbally endorses the reform idea of merit pay for teachers, he cleverly re-defines merit so that it will be measured by teachers themselves, rather than by “arbitrary tests.” In other words, Obama placates critics of the educational status quo by being for merit pay in words, while making those words meaningless, so as not to offend the teachers’ unions."
It's rather remarkable the Obama is so willing to admit how deeply in the pocket of teachers unions he is. Will that change as president? No way.
