April 29, 2005

Why So Much GOP Support for Bredesen's Pre-K Boondoggle?

Rob Huddleston has a rather blistering look at the 23 Republicans in the Tennessee House of Representatives who helped pass the governor's pre-k legislation. He says the 23 Republicans "voted to continue to spend the State's money recklessly - even if it means spending us straight into an income tax."

Since we have already had to raise taxes on sales and property in just about every corner of Tennessee over the past few years, it is accurate to say that those who voted for the Pre-K boondoggle appear no better than tax-and-spend liberals that have little staying power in this new era of Tennessee politics. At least that is true in the enlightened parts of the state. That Bredesen's Frankenstein passed the House is not surprising. It was a way to needlessly spend money and was backed by the teachers' organizations, so of course the Democratic majority was passing this bill on to the Senate. That it passed with so much Republican support is disappointing.