Kerry Wrong, As Usual
by Big Dog on Feb 1, 2006 at 19:18 Political
Sen. John Kerry claimed this morning on NBC TODAY that 53% of America’s children do not graduate from high school — a claim that raised eyebrows in the NBC control room, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.
Kerry made the comments after host Katie Couric asked the former presidential candidate about Bush’s State of the Union call to train 70,000 additional teachers in math and science.
COURIC: He wanted to train 70,000 additional teachers in math and science.
KERRY: That’s terrific. But 53 percent of our children don’t graduate from high school. Kids don’t have after-school programs… He didn’t ask America to sacrifice anything to achieve great goals and the biggest example is making the tax cut permanent for the wealthiest people in America. The average American struggles to find time to take carry of families, working two or three jobs… It’s a disgrace. He did not tell the real state of the union.
Kerry’s 53% claim conflicts with a recent press release from the U.S. Census Bureau: “High School Graduation Rates Reach All-Time High”
And the Census Bureau’s own website states: 85.9 Percent Of Americans Aged 20-24 Are High School Graduates. (U.S. Census Bureau Website, www.census.gov , Accessed 2/1/06)(emphasis added by this author)
Nearly 86% graduate. Perhaps Kerry needs one of those math teachers Bush wants trained. That should be obvious because he still believes that tax cuts are only for wealthy people when the truth is that anyone who paid taxes got a refund and the wealthiest pay the most taxes so they should get the most back, but do not. Maybe that math teacher could also show Kerry how to fill out tax forms so that he does not pay 12% in taxes while the rest of us pay more than double that….
Tags: Political
Perhaps good ol’ John (the “F” word) Kerry was thinking of the number of high school graduates who can read at a proficient level. THAT number is closer to the 53% he claims – largely due to liberal programs designed with “developing a positive self-image” as their primary goal (as opposed to “learning,” which was the primary goal back in the dark ages when conservatives ran the schools I attended). Half the kids in my son’s 5th grade class apparently can’t read much past “See Spot Run” (sadly, this isn’t said for effect) and we’re in a relatively good non-urban district. Either that, or Kerry is himself part of the 47%.
Come to think of it – might be both.