From the You Just Can’t Make This Crap Up dept:
The homeless woman accused of stealing up to $15,600 from Norwalk taxpayers by sending her 5-year-old son to a city elementary school pleaded not guilty Wednesday during an arraignment in state Superior Court.
Defense attorneys Darnell Crosland and co-counsel Michael Thomas entered the plea on behalf of their client Tanya McDowell, 33, who is facing up to 20 years in jail on first-degree larceny and conspiracy charges. The case was continued until May 11.
[…]
Crosland said that his client was undeniably homeless when she enrolled her son at the school and he should have been allowed to remain there, according to federal law.
#32
Whenever there’s a story about a failure or shortcoming of government several of you stand up “See? Government can’t be trusted. We should abolish it! The free market will solve our problems!”
Yet when there’s a story about Corporations running roughshod over customers, or the failure of the market to solve every problem…I don’t hear a corresponding out cry.
Its almost like there’s an agenda at work.
The market has its place. So does government. Fix/Correct/Restrict both where appropriate to meet society’s needs. Any dogma that calls for the elimination of either is foolish.
#35 tcc3,
I hardly said anything of the sort. I simply do not understand why the left is so strongly against freedom of choice when it comes to education. It has nothing to do with us being able to “trust” government – but we need to ask ourselves what is the appropriate role of government in education when we see stories like this. If you cannot look at a story like this and see there is something wrong with the way things currently are, you need to ask yourself if you are avoiding looking at your own dogma. There is a place for government and a place for free market. I believe we have more needs for limitations on the government than on the free market, but we obviously need limitations on both as much as we need both. No one is calling for the “abolishment” of government or anything close to it. Even the most “fringe” elements call for scaling it back to the size it was in the early-mid 20th century.
I have never seen a story about a corporation who has the power to tell someone what they do with their child for the 5th-17th years of their lives, and then threatening them with 20 years in prison if they do it the wrong way. Corporations do some sleazy things, but they simply do not have the power to do something like this. Also, when corporations do something wrong, it is usually against the law, and if not we can change the laws. When the government does something like this, it is because a particular political party thinks it is “best for us”.
By the way, if you want a great model that shows how less government intervention gives you better education, look at Finland.
http://bit.ly/m2xOnc
http://bit.ly/2Xld8J
In many ways Finland is a more liberal country than the US, but when it comes to education, they get that pushing the authority down the lowest level – the teachers themselves, and away from government – gives far superior results. Yes, there are some cultural difference that gives them an advantage. However, when their kids are beating Japan and China but go to school half as much, an honest person cannot say that a centralized government dictating every aspect of education is the best approach.
#36, Because a liberal never met a social program they didn’t like. They would rather take a big McDonald’s Ass Kicking (the new Big MAK) then give up a social program, no matter how inefficient it is.
“Just throw more money at it. That’ll fix it!”
I am proud to be a liberal and I support “choice.”
Usually when PUKES talk about choice a la the voucher system, the vouchers remove general funding from the system that remains after the vouchered kiddies go to the new school system: usually the subburbs leaving the downtown kiddies in the Public System.
So–its reasonable for people who know they are going to be stuck in the underfunded system to not be for the choice/voucher system. Its Money.
ITS MONEY: nothing prevents anyone from going to private school or being home schooled except values and money. And while money alone hardly ever fixes any issue, its even more rare that less money fixes it either.
Here is why Pukes lie all the time, just compare: Dumbo like social programs and say so and often they want to raise taxes to pay for them. You can like or not like this approach to government but it is what it is.
The PUKES on the other hand, LIE ALL THE TIME ABOUT EVERYTHING: they want to keep as much of their money for themselves as they possibly can so they falsely claim reductions in social programs are advancing some other interest other than keeping more money for themselves. ITS A LIE. You can see it in most voucher programs–from schools to Ryans Plan for Prosperity. Prosperity? Really?
Ha, ha. Liars. When they tell the truth, or the public spies it out, they lose votes big time. so don’t call it “less money for public schools” instead call it “choice” in the educational system.
F*ctards all.
Animby—you mean everything I think is wrong? but, but, but….but, but……how could that be?
You’ve seen the charts showing the spike in deficits everytime Pukes get into office with leveling off when Dumbos are in? Yes, Obama is the BIG HUGE exception. Other than standing up so far for MediCare, the man has been a big dissappointment with the only saving grace he is being better than McCain would ever have been. What ya gonna do?
Well, it would be “fun” to nail your feet to the ground and build the dialectic with you. Define–what you think the end goal of the USA government should be. Then some more defintions and some facts. No dogma–just goal directed analysis.
I do honestly wonder what has your goat. Feeling over taxed? over spent? just lied to? Yes, it would take some time. Maybe screws rather than nails.
My dogma is pragmatism. The R’s & D’s aren’t what they were 20 years ago. The pukes ARE trying to Kill America but they can’t be truthful in that which is why they lie. Most of what’s wrong with Obama is his caving into the Pukes==and yet the first real reform to healthcare in 50 years. Too bad he’s not doing the same for financial regulations…..etc….until I barf.
#21, Lyin’ Mike,
Yea, stealing from people is wrong, but this woman was stealing from the government!
Nope. She was obeying a government regulation that orders all children to be educated. Since she is homeless and doesn’t consider herself capable or qualified to home school, she has followed the other government standard of enrolling her child in a school. How this equates to theft is beyond anyone with a rational mind. Which is why you could accuse her of stealing.
#36 “If you cannot look at a story like this and see there is something wrong with the way things currently are, you need to ask yourself if you are avoiding looking at your own dogma.”
I never said this was right. At best its a waste of time and money by the state and at worst its a gross miscarriage of justice. But that doesn’t mean I think the answer is foolhardy privatization either.
#40 Animby
I never said corporations didn’t make money. Of course they do and that’s valuable. But it doesn’t always make up for the ill they can do, especially if they can make so much money that the market doesn’t keep them in check any more.
#40 Animby,
Sure maybe in almost every way than this Finland is more liberal than the US, but that includes unions. I agree that unions are really hurting the quality of our teachers in the US, but you have to admit teachers unions are there in Finland. I saw a statistic that 90-some percent of teachers in Finland were in a union. I believe the reason it is such a problem here is that teaching is not really a respected profession. In Finland, (at least partially) because of the trust and authority they give their teachers it is a very respected and competitive field, so you naturally don’t have as many bad teachers shielded by the unions.
#39 Bobbo, you are worst than a rabid Apple fanboy off his meds. It must be a nice feeling seeing the world through your “my side can do no wrong but the other side is all devils” glasses. Well, it was fun seeing your ravings again while it lasted, but a little goes a long way. Time to re-enable my silenceBlogWasters GreaseMonkey script.
Going to prison for sending her kid to school.
I kind of have a feeling our system of laws do not use positive reinforcement theories.
#42 Mr Confusion indeed. And this was one of your better posts.
Once, a homeless person could give the address of a public library as his or her own address in order to vote. Hopefully, that isn’t the direction that the country is going to.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS, I DONT CARE WHAT SHE DOES SHE IS JUST TRYING TO SEND HER SON TO SCHOOL TO GET AN EDUCATION SHE SHOULD NOT BE PROSECUTED FOR THAT.
I PAY SCHOOL TAXES AND I DONT EVEN HAVE A KID IN SCHOOL HOW ABOUT I SUE THE STATE FOR THAT.
I AM A TAX PAYER AND I PAY ALOT OF IT, I HAVE NO PROBLEM PAYING FOR HERS TO GET AN EDUCATION.
Other people without kids paid for your education too.
#42 is right: it is a legal requirement to educate your child. If you don’t own fixed property, exactly what DO you put when an address is required? Living on the road is not such a ridiculous idea as some of you think. For some of us, it is the only option available within our financial means. I’ve been wondering about this since I can’t afford fixed property (house or rental) and am preparing for living on the road. How do I register a vehicle for instance? To where? I can pay tax to the state I spend the most time in, but what on earth do I do about vehicle registration? What about vehicle insurance since they tie their rates to where you live? Does the fact that I cannot afford to buy or rent a house/appt mean I should be barred from living in a camper and if you think that, then do you prefer I suck money out of the government(that would be all of you) for a place to stay? The number of people in this situation is expanding folks. These are real questions.
#50 caunt – Here are two links that may help:
http://changingears.com/rv-sec-state.shtml
http://changingears.com/rv-sec-state-residency.shtml
On one hand, I feel for the lady. I really do.
On the other hand, I understand the district. They have a mandate from the state and if they don’t follow it, they are fined.
I have no answer for this other than it is an Unintended Consequence of the government trying to do everything for everybody.
Yea, everything for everybody, except the homeless. But they don’t vote, pay little in taxes, and are a social drag. Let’s ignore them and the next generation they are breeding.
Thanks crankygeeksfan! That was very helpful 🙂
#53, I suppose I shall be considered homeless, but I DO vote (In fact I vote AGAINST these outrageous gov increases at every opportunity… not that voting against the gov spending more money does any good in CA), and I have a moral stake in keeping children in stable homes (I’m not “breeding” another generation). It is true I pay little in federal taxes,in fact they give me some back, but CA always takes that for themselves. CA is so whacky though, I shall be signing up for a health program next week on the taxpayers dime. I vote against such things when I can, but when the voters put it in place, I consider it my part, (as one of the eligible beneficiaries), to make it clear to them that the system is unstustainable. My nay votes don’t ever seem to have much impact here in CA, but me joining the swelling ranks of the subsidized might do more convincing over time. 🙂
>> bobbo, change only comes by voter the worse of two parties OUT OF OFFICE said, on April 30th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
>> Yea, everything for everybody, except the homeless. But they don’t vote, pay little in taxes, and are a social drag. Let’s ignore them and the next generation they are breeding.
I take it you are enjoying that Ayn Rand book I sent you! 😉