[ebarker]

IHMO,

On a great many matters it isn't the Federal responsibility to fill every pothole, correct every matter and inconvenience of the populace.

Federal participation in local education generally amounts to a few percentage points of total local education budget. Having said that the Fed's exercise a lot of leverage and guidance in how local policy is created and executed. That do that through legal means plus throwing around a little money.

I think the most we should want or ask for is some 'steerage' - some seed funding to do 2 things. a) focus schools on STEM, b) incentivise the process. Outside of that as far as I'm concerned "what happens in Washington needs to stay in Washington". Their participation in local education has already exceeded constitutional limits.

Succinctly put - leadership is the ability of someone to focus a group on a task so they will continue to move forward and make progress. Washington's role is to do that, by 'bully pulpit', policy, and seed money. And no more.

But I digress - leadership ? Washington ? - I thought this was the daily funnies......

Deans comments that Dave mentioned are totally hilarious... and well deserved by the universities.... I don't think there is any inconsistency here.

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