Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Today, by a historically narrow 51-50 margin (with Vice President Pence breaking the tie), the U.S. Senate confirmed knows-nothing-about-education billionaire Betsy Devos as Secretary of Education. And perhaps it won’t matter. Like Trump nominee Pruitt for U.S. EPA, Devos is the President’s pick, not because she can do anything positive for public education or the families it serves, but she will oversee the complete dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education.
And now this bit of news, which, with all the other news overwhelming the press and exhausting politicos, not to mention everyday consumers of news. A bill has just been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives that would abolish the Department of Education by December 31, 2018. Yes, you heard it right. On the very same day, Devos was confirmed, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is the sponsor of a one page bill that says simply, “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2018.”
Yes, Massie is a bit of a maverick (he was the lone Republican to vote against Paul Ryan for Speaker), but this bill has co-sponsors, including House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Reps. Justin Amash (R-MI), Andy Biggs (R-AZ.), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Jody Hice (R-GA), Walter Jones (R-NC) and Raúl Labrador (R-ID).
Will the bill go anywhere? Abolishing the Dept. of Education has been the wet dream of Republicans since Ronald Reagan first proposed it back in the ’80s. It’s gone nowhere, but with the combination of Donald Trump and a Congress that quakes in fear of being Tweeted into submission, I fear the time may have come.
Is the EPA next? Watch this space.
What do you think? Will the Trump/GOP abolish the Dept. of Education? Let us know in the comments below or by Tweeting me @B_Barnett
