Trickle down economics

The war in Iraq is cost taxpayers billions and billions of dollars -- so much, in fact, that no-bid contractors have managed to lose more than $12 billion. Imagine having so much money that you could just lose a cool $12 billion.

So what does this have to do with trickle down economics?

Well, the more money spent on a war that should never have been started is that much less money the federal government can provide for state mandates. One of the mandates is the Bush administrations' 'All kids left behind' nonsense.

The Washington Post reported today that Prince William County (Northern VA) teachers won't be getting a cost-of-living increase many had expected. It also means their facilities are not going to be upgraded. The children will just need to get comfortable with overcrowded classrooms.

Maybe the VA teachers should ask Halliburton, or whoever misplaced the $12 billion, to make up the $38 million shortfall in the county's education budget.

And all the people across the country who demonize public school teachers take note that Prince William County teachers have worked hard to narrow some achievement gaps in recent years. Usually when people do a good job they are rewarded.

Where are our priorities as a nation when a failing CEO can get a multi-million dollar exit package, yet teachers who can show measurable improvement of their students can't even get a lousy cost-of-living increase.