This week's Top of the Class Award winner is Paul Begala. While his idea isn't directly related to education, he's certainly on the right track.
Begala suggests that all of those Republicans who voted against the stimulus package walk the walk by refusing to accept any of the money from the package. The Republicans are clearly willing to reap the political windfall that would accrue should the package fail, while taking the monetary windfall with their other hand.
This week's Bottom Feeder is none other than Michael Bloomberg, who suggested not only laying off 15,000 teachers, but also making city employees pay 10% of their own health care costs. So far, I have not heard him rescind those threats. I suspect that at the very least he will attempt to make us help pay for our health care by striking up a deal with the UFT--let's say, making us fork over 5% so that Randi can say how she helped preserve the other 5%. And if you're an ATR--watch out. I can easily see Bloomy targeting ATRs in a deal to save money and avert layoffs. Of course, layoffs shouldn't be on the table at all now, considering that the stimulus bill should help save or create 119,000 jobs in the city, restoring all the funds Governor Patterson threatened to cut.
Speaking of the Guv, Patterson receives a Bottom Feeder dishonorable mention for raising the salaries of a dozen of his staffers while asking state employess to forego a 3% pay cut.
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