Obama Leaves School Reform to Dem Special Interests
Today, Senior House members from both parties will publicly announce their intention to rewrite No Child Left Behind. This comes after the Obama Administration launched talks last months with law makers about the possibility of rewriting the law.
Yet thus far, the President has not publicly provided Congressional leaders with any guidance or red lines. As with the stimulus and the healthcare bill, he has opened the door for a Democratic interest group scramble.
No Child Left Behind is a good idea in need of substantial reform. President Obama's political instincts have led him to stay out of the lawmaking process, lest he look like a fool when the law doesn't pass or squander political capital by unintentionally offending a congressional leader by stepping on his or her toes. But as the president hoards HIS political capital, the people's capital - Washington - is left to the mercy of congressional deal-making.