These are Democrats?

**OntarioVanMan** · 03-12-2010, 06:52 PM

South Dakota...
Democratic legislative leaders said they also support using the extra federal money to balance the budget, but they continued their call for long-term changes aimed at restraining state-government growth.

For example, Democrats have proposed limiting general state spending growth to the rate of inflation, up to 3 percent.

Senate Democratic Leader Scott Heidepriem of Sioux Falls said the growth of most agencies in state government should be limited so more money is available for schools.

"We should reduce the size of government, making it smaller, smarter and more accountable," Heidepriem said.

The difference a state makes...*LOL*

Also just signed into law
SB0089 exempts from federal regulation any firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition manufactured and retained in South Dakota.

**layoutshooter** · 03-12-2010, 06:58 PM

Close but no cigar. Both the Feds and the State should be out of education. All funding and control of education should be at the local level. Parents and those who foot the bill should have and must have total control.

**OntarioVanMan** · 03-12-2010, 07:07 PM

I was going to delete that part of the statement just because I knew someone would say something about just that...

Small communities could never not ever afford to run their school at proper levels...just not enough money...Money collected statewide gets spread around. The tax base is just not there for a county of only 1500 people..

This wasn't about education...it was aimed at how Democrats act in SD...gee whiz..you missed the whole point!

**layoutshooter** · 03-12-2010, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by OntarioVanMan

I was going to delete that part of the statement just because I knew someone would say something about just that...

Small communities could never not ever afford to run their school at proper levels...just not enough money...Money collected statewide gets spread around. The tax base is just not there for a county of only 1500 people..

This wasn't about education...it was aimed at how Democrats act in SD...gee whiz..you missed the whole point!

No, I did not miss the point. While they are talking about smaller government they are still controlling things that they have no business in. That is no how you shrink government.

I am for no public education as Greg is. There is no good reason that any size community cannot handle this themselves. It can be done for far less money and with control by the parents who should be paying for this. They are responsible for their children and should have control what they are taught and who teaches them. State or Federal control usurps that.

Smaller government is the right idea and backing out of as much as is possible is how you get there.

**OntarioVanMan** · 03-12-2010, 07:38 PM

Your idea maybe feasible east of the Mississippi, but not in remote or sparsely populated areas...there is just no income

Maybe you are rich but there is no way even 20 couples in one county can afford to educate say 10 children of different ages...

**layoutshooter** · 03-12-2010, 07:46 PM

Of course they can. They can home school. It is just as good or better than public education. They can form a small group and hire one teacher. There are many ways. Depending on the government should be the last.

My wife's cousin lives west of that River. Home schools 7 kids. The two oldest have already graduated from college. Both have jobs. One is married to a proud Marine. No problems. All are as well if not better adjusted than their public school counter-parts.

Putting my kids in public school was one of my biggest regrets in life. I did them a great disservice.

**chefdennis** · 03-12-2010, 07:51 PM

Do those people in those "sparsely populated" areas own property? How many of those propertys are large tracts of ground? We pay a "property tax" strictly to fund schools....its is a % of the tax value of the peoperty, the more you own or the higher the value, the bigger your tax burden....While the state SC rules about 10 yrs ago that it was a "unconstitutional" way of funding schools, and that the state was suppose to find another way, i think 3 govenors later they are still doing it illegally....there is a group of people that are starting to make noise that the state and the school districts are forcing the citizens to break the law and they are trying to get enough people to stop paying.....i hope they can pull it off....

**LDB** · 03-12-2010, 07:53 PM

If you have 100 democrats 20 will be decent ones. If you have 100 republicans 20 will be decent ones. That 80/20 rule holds fast to pretty much everything.

Schools. Seems to me that "half pint" was a teacher after Miss Beadle and that would have been a school of 20 or so kids of assorted ages funded and controlled solely by the local community. Yes, that was television but I suspect it was representative of how things were back then when the states and especially the feds weren't into everything they shouldn't be into.

**OntarioVanMan** · 03-12-2010, 08:06 PM

sure back when everyone would kick in a buck to pay the teachers salary of 10 bucks a month and the school was nothing but a big woodshed....gee compare apples and oranges

**layoutshooter** · 03-12-2010, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by OntarioVanMan

sure back when everyone would kick in a buck to pay the teachers salary of 10 bucks a month and the school was nothing but a big woodshed....gee compare apples and oranges

The fact don't bear you out. As of 2006 there were still more than 400 one room school houses in active use in the United States. Home schooling is a valid option as are many others. We have just allowed ourselves to become dependent on the State.

**layoutshooter** · 03-12-2010, 08:19 PM

Source for that statement:

America's One-Room Schools : NPR

**OntarioVanMan** · 03-12-2010, 08:21 PM

Home schooling sucks....never ever would I be part of that garbage!

**layoutshooter** · 03-12-2010, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by OntarioVanMan

Home schooling sucks....never ever would I be part of that garbage!

What do you base that on? My wife's cousins kids are doing just fine. Like I said, two have graduated from college. Not basket weaving classes either. The oldest has her degree in forensic science and the other is a nurse. HEY WAIT!! Were you just stirring the pot again? LOL!!

The point is that there are always better options than government control.

**chefdennis** · 03-12-2010, 08:28 PM

Yeap it sure does suck....for the parents that don't care to take the time to work with their own kids....but id venture to say that the millions of parents that are doing now and their kids wouldn't agree with you....most test out by their states standardied testing better then their counterparts from public schools...If my daughter was just entering school instead of just about to leave, she would be home schooled....