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Maybe you’ve seen this before. If you haven’t, you need to. If you have, it bears repeating. If there is any doubt about the intentions, the motives and the goals of the teachers union — the NEA and its Virginia affiliate the VEA — please listen to now former NEA General Counsel Bob Chanin the union’s 2009 convention, where he explains his “most important point” — it’s not about the merit of their positions, it’s not about students, it’s not even about “a vision for a great public school for every child.”

What’s it about, then? Power and money, baby! He says so proudly. Power, money and politics. One might even say bullying. Education? “That’s simply too high a price to pay” (ironic since they extract a huge price from taxpayers for failing schools, but that’s another subject). For all the posturing, disingenuine care for improvement, faux concern for education, demagoguing the need for more tax dollars, and vilifying of those who dare to offer solutions which don’t fit their status quo template, they sing a more revealing tune tune behind closed doors.

It’s important to know with whom you deal in the public policy arena and to understand their true intentions, which they often obscure by reasonable sounding public rhetoric. Discerning their aims isn’t usually difficult — the first howl against education choice and reform or for more taxes and spending for a failing system (a VEA broken record) gives it away. But it’s nice to hear them arrogantly admit exactly what they’re in it for — money and power — especially when they think no one is listening. That makes it a tad bit sweeter, though they seem not to suffer any shame from it. More and more, however, people are waking up to the real motivation (as they themselves state it) behind the teachers union and its bosses.

“It is not because the merits of our positions. It is not because we care about children. … NEA is effective we because we have power !”

Today’s Quote of the Day involves your humble blogger. The Conservative Caucus annual legislative agenda news conference had hardly ended when the entire educrat establishment rushed the House Briefing Room as if there was great anticipation for its reply news conference to Governor Bob McDonnell’s education reform event yesterday. They were all there: The VEA, the superintendents association, the school board association, you name it.

Two men each had two huge stacks of red folders. I politiely asked for one. The first man rejected me, saying they were for the media. I mentioned that he had about two dozen and there were only about eight media in the room. Didn’t matter. I then told him, “I do the blog for The Family Foundation.” He said if there were any extra I could get one.

So, I approached the other, equally well supplied man, for one:

Admin: May I have one of those?

Educrat: They are for the media.

Admin: I write the blog for The Family Foundation.

Educrat: They’re for the Mainstream media! 

Oh! I get it! Any wonder the education establishment is viewed as isolated, statist and the only roadblock to reform of our failing education system? Publicly, their motto is, “It’s about the children.” In reality, it’s all about them.

After I left and it was apparent they had an abundance of leftovers, they supplied our intern one. She taped the event, as well as the Conservative Caucus news conference. We hope to have both up tomorrow.

Sometimes we find things that our opposition says or does that are just too revealing not to expose to the public at large. For example, NARAL’s fascinating linguistic gymnastics. Now, an astounding admission from the NEA/VEA that confirms what we, and other education reformers, have said for years: That the VEA is about educators, not education.

Unlike how the VEA poses, it is not about anything resembling education, much less improving it. Quite simply, the VEA is a union. Not a think tank. Not a “for the children” organization. The VEA is a union and is about union membership. But don’t take our word for it. Here is an admission straight from the mouth of the NEA’s retiring chief counsel, in 2009:

And that brings me to my final, and most important point. Which is why, at least in my opinion, NEA and its affiliates are such effective advocates. Despite what some among us would like to believe, it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children. And it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power. And we have power because there are more than 3.2 million people who are willing to pay us hundreds of millions of dollars in dues each year because they believe that we are the unions that can most effectively represent them, the unions that can protect their rights and advance their interests as education employees.

Pretty blatantly stated. But there it is: The NEA/VEA has one goal — the financial and professional betterment of its members, which in turn increases its power. If achievement of its goals requires advocacy for higher education standards or better classroom environments to achieve its union goal, it will pursue what it must. But don’t be fooled. Such advocacy is an inconvenient diversion to its accumulation of power and political goals.

To successfully dismantle the VEA’s power in Virginia politics, we must defund it and alternative teacher organizations hold the key. One such alternative is Virginia Professional Educators, a professional organization that offers better insurance policies and other benefits without supporting liberal causes and candidates (click here for more information). As long as teachers continue to send dues to the VEA, it will continue to hire its 30-plus lobbyists in Richmond every year where they then proceed to undermine school choice efforts, push for higher taxes and, incredibly, involve itself in issues that have nothing to do with public education, such as promoting abortion and homosexual marriage. (Improving education? What’s that?)

Self-assessments from our opposition are fascinating. Sometimes the honesty in their words is revealing. Take note of the deflated words delivered in an April 2010 speech by VEA President Kitty Boitnott:

This year, our [General Assembly] ‘wins’ are better measured by what we prevented from happening. … the VEA has lost members in significant numbers this year due to a whole host of reasons . . . along with the external challenges of having few friends in high places, we have also been suffering from an internal malaise of sorts in many of our very own local affiliates. … I do not believe that I overstate the case when I say that public education is under siege. It is being attacked at every corner, and there are those who would not only under fund public education . . . but they would dismantle public education in favor of alternative avenues. …

By its own admission, teachers are wising up and leaving the VEA and, in turn, the VEA is feeling the heat. No longer is it advancing its leftist agenda at the expense of hard working, well meaning teachers. Instead, it’s on the defensive. As we’ve said before, the VEA’s worst nightmare — education freedom — is coming to Virginia. It’s a matter of when, not if. The Family Foundation and our educational freedom allies are continuing to build a convincing case for school choice in Virginia. We will not relent until Virginia families are given the opportunity to freely choose the best educational option for their children.

One might say Tim Kaine wasn’t exactly original as governor. Much of his agenda was a typically liberal one — new spending programs, increased overall spending, kow-towing to the special interests (the VEA and homosexual lobby come to mind), and those annual attempts to jack up our taxes. Now, he’s proving to be just as unoriginal as chairman of the Democrat National Committee.

In an attempt to drum up support for something that supposedly doesn’t need it — it is now law and president says the people and businesses want it — Mr. Kaine and the DNC are spending millions of dollars in radio advertisements in targeted House districts around the country to prop up government-run health care against those running on its repeal. In fact, he’s trying to scare people with a slogan in the ads: “Hands off my health care.”

There’s one small problem. It’s a slogan used quite effectively by Americans For Prosperity, one of the most vocal and well organized opponents of President Obama’s tax-it-all-and-spend-even-more policies. AFP created the “Hands Off My Health Care” campaign about a year ago and has a U.S. trade mark pending. Looks like Mr. Kaine, who tried to rob from Virginia taxpayers to pay for his grandiose spending plans, can’t get out of the habit of taking from others.  

AFP, whose Virginia chapter did its fair share of bringing to the public’s attention Mr.  Kaine’s spend-and-deficit budgets as governor, sent the DNC a cease-and-desist letter on March 27 and asked for reply by April 2. According to Anita Kumar at the Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog, AFP plans a law suit if the DNC does not stop. It looks like we’re headed to court. DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse arrogantly told Kumar:

This group used this slogan to try and deny millions of people access to affordable health care. We should have sued them for false advertising a long time ago.

So, the DNC is against free speech? Love that leftist tolerance.

AFP national President Tim Phillips rightfully claims that the DNC is creating confusion on the meaning of the AFP campaign and Virginia Director Ben Marchi explained (Washington Post Politics and Policy Blog) that AFP spent millions of dollars developing the brand. More to come on this, but we won’t be surprised to find out soon that the new law also has nationalized all health care slogans as well. 

Based on dialogue on the House floor this afternoon, it’s a 50-50 shot the budget will be agreed upon in time by conferees and printed for a vote tomorrow. It may go to Sunday. Even into next week. Which gives us time to renew our call for no new or additional fees or taxes.

However, according to news reports this morning, there may be some backtracking on cutting the much over bloated education spending. Of course, the VEA is making wild claims about thousands of teachers losing their jobs. It must be noted, however, that spending on K-12 education in Virginia has increased 60 percent over the last 10 years while enrollment in public schools has increased only 7.2 percent. In 2004, the General Assembly infused public education with more than a billion dollars in additional funding — remember that tax increase? — with no reforms, and every two years the antiquated funding formula guarantees one billion dollars in extra taxpayer money into public education.

Interestingly, The Family Foundation participated in a poll last year with last year with renown Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, and found that a majority of Virginians vastly underestimate the amount of money Virginia spends per pupil on public education. While most thought it was less than $6,000, in fact it is in excess of $11,000 per student!

During the last budget process, as everyone recognized that we were in a deep economic recession, the General Assembly passed a budget based on then-Governor Tim Kaine’s projection of significant increases in revenue. Such a notion was rightly dismissed as foolish by some legislators, but a budget laden with spending based on the fictitious numbers passed anyway. Now, we’re paying the price in the form of a $4 billion deficit because even though the revenue was projected, the spending was real — Virginia’s budget is based on estimated revenue, not actual receipts. So when the real money never showed up . . .

Yet, we’re being told by some, we have to pay for their mistakes. The only one who should pay a price in this situation are those who spent the money — not those who supplied it. Tell your delegates and senators not to increase taxes and “fees” in the budget, and to cut its excessive spending to the levels of real revenue.

If you know who they are, you can get their contact info here for delegates and here for senators. If you don’t know who your delegate and senator are, click here.

Earlier in the week we vividly showed how the obstinate the  education reform is to education reform, freedom and choice (see here). Also last week, in a much less publicized action, the Senate killed a modest bill, HB 76 — watered down from its original incarnation thanks to the educrat establishment, which amends, amends then kills then stomps the remains to death — patroned by Delegate Dickie Bell (R-20, Staunton), a public school teacher. The vote in the Senate Education and Health Committee was 14-1, but its fate was sealed last week when an Ed and Health sub-committee voted 4-1 not to recommend it.

The bill, had it become law, would begin the process of moving Virginia’s government-run schools toward spending 65 percent of their budgets in the classroom and to pare down central office administrative waste. However, sub-committee members Mamie Locke (D-2, Hampton) and Janet Howell (D-32, Fairfax) and every educrat organization in Virginia, such as the VEA and the Virginia School Boards Association, lambasted the bill as “undermining public education,” despite the fact it would improve education by putting more money into instruction, as several states have with great success — and waste less on administrative overhead and bureaucracy. Only Senator Frank Ruff (R-15, Clarksville) spoke in favor of the bill and made a motion to save it, but could not get the necessary second, even from fellow Republican, and sub-committee chairman, Senator Harry Blevins (R-14, Chesapeake), who is the chair by a quirk in Senate rules. Senator Ruff was the only dissenting vote in the full committee, as well.

Liberals like to call conservatives and negative, lacking in creativity and vision, always saying “no.” We ask, when are liberals going to stop reflexively saying no to reform and what are their suggestions (except more money for the status quo)? Do they really think the current education system is working as is?

As Virginia’s statewide campaign winds down, it’s a time for reflection . . . what’s been your favorite gaffe moment? There are many, to be sure. But we took the painstaking task of narrowing it down to seven. Creigh Deeds and Jody Wagner star in three each. All but one are below in video or audio form, and there’s a link to our original report for the other. If you need a refresher, feel free to review them again — or watch/listen/read them again for old times sake and a good laugh. Or, if they are burned indelibly into your mind, vote straightaway. If you have another nominee, feel free to cast a write-in vote in our comments section. However, as tempting as it is, votes for the Deeds, Wagner or Shannon campaigns as a whole are not allowed. It’s just not fair. Feel free to forward or share this link (especially to undecided voters).

The Deeds Dodge on taxes.

Marriage should be between a man and a woman except you shouldn’t discriminate against same-sex couples.

I feel strongly both ways on the public option.

Steve Shannon’s “Jeopardy!” moment. Where’s Alex to make him answer?

Jody Wagner will have a lot of time to spend looking for the Lt. Governor’s Mansion.

AUDIO CLIP (8:34): Jody Wagner’s Rambling “Let’s Be Clear” Interview With WRVA’s Jimmy Barrett (click here).

BLOG POST: Jody Wagner Sticking With A VEA Accusation Against Bill Bolling That Even The VEA Retracted And Apologized For (read here).

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Non-Endorsement Edition

The news is just as Doug Wilder likes it — about him. It’s practically sucked out the news cycle any mention of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce endorsement of Bob McDonnell and the Virginia Fraternal of Police endorsement of the entire GOP ticket. The latter merited a picture and a sentence in today’s Richmond Times-Dispatch, buried in an article all about Our Doug’s announcement. Even the New York Times wrote about it! Elsewhere, Jody Wagner continues to miscalculate and delegate races are heating up. Oh, and surprise! The VEA is attacking Bob McDonnell.

News:

Wilder on Deeds: That’s not ‘leadership’ (Washington Times)

Wilder declines to endorse Deeds (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Former governor refrains from endorsing Deeds (Roanoke Times)

Wilder Declines to Endorse Anyone for Governor (Washington Post)

Governor candidates spar over economic plans (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Virginia Teachers Union Blasts McDonnell in TV Ads (Washington Post)

Bolling, Wagner clash over rules of debate, Va. Budget (Northern Virginia Daily)

Landes, Marrow Get Personal (Harrisonburg Daily News-Record)

Lesinski criticizes Gilbert for failing to create more jobs (Northern Virginia Daily) 

GOP Takes Page From Democrats in N.Va. House Races (Washington Post)

National News:

Wilder Balks at Endorsing Deeds in Va. Race (New York Times The Caucus Blogs)

Analysis:

Two Groups of Women Help Put the Race Into Focus (Jennifer Agiesta and Sandhya Somashekhar/Washington Post)

For perhaps the first time in this entire campaign, Creigh Deeds today stated very succinctly the primary difference in economic philosophy between statists (sometimes referred to as “liberals”) and conservatives. At a meeting with business leaders in Richmond, Deeds said, “When you create a job, you create a taxpayer.”

Note that the first thing Deeds sees when someone gets a new job is an opportunity to TAX them! One can almost see him salivating at the potential for more money in the state coffers to spend to keep the unions and to the VEA neutralized. 

Conservatives, on the other hand, see a new job as an opportunity for someone to feed and take care of their families, a chance to make a better life for themselves and their loved ones, a step toward the American dream, a place to learn and develop a skill to be able to advance to even better employment opportunity, and a means to give philanthropically to their church and favorite charities to better society.

Finally, a clear statement from Mr. Deeds. Too bad for him that it reveals his true philosophy.

Annotations & Elucidations 

AP Truth Squad, Distilling Pelosi

After yesterday’s super-sized edition, much of today’s news is of the national variety, including some spot-on commentary. Among the most eye-catching articles are one in which the Census Bureau reports on the change in lifestyle brought on by the recession, including the delay of marriage; a Muslim girl who ran away from her parents because she converted to Christianity will have her day in court; and Florida school officials are cleared in a case brought by the ACLU over a meal blessing.

Elsewhere, the AP comes out with its second fact check in two weeks disputing claims coming directly from President Obama’s golden tongue (see first one here). Yes, Mr. President, your “reform” is a giant tax increase, even if you can get David Letterman to believe otherwise. The AP better watch itself if it keeps reporting the truth. Thomas Sowell writes about facing advantages and disadvantages in life by recounting his own upbringing. Truly inspirational and a must read.

Bryan Fischer examines the dirty connection between the National Education Association and ACORN. If you are a NEA/VEA member and still need a reason to leave this union, please take a look (or forward to someone who does)! Bobby Eberle, Jeremy Wiggins and Dick Morris take more looks at Obamacare, but from different angles (economic, medical and political); while David Limbaugh looks at the administration’s ambition to ram through legislation so vastly opposite the desires of the country. Finally, Eberle and Wiggins distill Nancy Pelosi’s crocodile tears.

News:

Bolling touts jobs during visit here (The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

New ads by Deeds use foe’s ’89 thesis (Roanoke Times)

New Deeds ad wagers big on McDonnell’s 1989 thesis (The Daily Press)

Dems critique Hamilton’s spot on money committee (The Daily Press)

National News:

Census: Recession had sweeping impact on US life (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Political asylum suggested as remedy for Rifqa (OneNewsNow.com)

Obama, Clinton fundraiser indicted (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Senators to start work on revised health care bill (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Senators urge Treasury to end bailout program (AP/GOPUSA.com)

School Officials Cleared in Mealtime Prayer Case (Tasha Easterling/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Analysis:

FACT CHECK: Coverage requirement enforced with tax (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary:

The Underdogs (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com) 

Obama At Odds With Majority But Undeterred (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

NEA: Big time supporter of ACORN (Bryan Fischer/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Yes, Mr. President . . . It’s a TAX! (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

The Cost of Government Health Care — For Doctors (Jeremy Wiggins/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Obamacare: Losing Everyone  (Dick Morris/GOPUSA.com)

Pelosi ‘Frightened’ by Free Speech (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Pelosi’s Crocodile Tears (Jeremy Wiggins/Rightly Concerned Blog)