Why is Bush vetoing Pell grants?

Question

http://nasfaa.org/publications/2007/ghouseeduapprops071807.html

Maybe he thinks everyone has a rich daddy

or maybe an educated population threatens the neocon agenda

I guess he thinks this money will be better spent in Iraq.

mr. perfect, when you are literally throwing billions away in iraq, you can't say cut education here at home. Education has proven to be an investment in america. Unlike other spending, america gets money back from education spending.

Answer 1

Yeah, he vetoes this bill because there were no proposed budget cuts to offset the costs... Yet just this week he promised $750 million to win 'hearts and minds' in Al Qaeda-occupied tribal regions of Pakistan. He turned down offers of aid from Cuba and Venezuela after Katrina, but now he's trying to win their 'hearts and minds' with money too. He turned down Greece's free offer of two cruise ships for Katrina refugees, but allowed FEMA to contract Carnival Cruise Lines ($200+ million) to do the same thing.

Of course, it's just all about fiscal responsibility!! I think he's PO'd at Congress for growing opposition to the Iraq War, and doesn't care who it affects when he strikes back.

Answer 2

Well that's just great!

Republicans don't want to spend anything on our kids, no education loans, no universal health plan. Average working people with families depend on student loans, especially at a time when the cost of higher education is rising.

More students work now while in school then ever before. For profit institutions are banking off that, and online private schools that have high tuition rates are becoming more popular. It is obvious that more debt is beneficial to the elite who pull Bush's strings. Next federal loans will be gone, and private high interest loans will take its place.

Answer 3

Well let us be honest and put partisanship aside. The democrats and some republicans are offering a measly $390 increase in the Pell Grant simply to garner more votes for themselves not to actually help people. Have you been to college or looked at the costs? $390 is not going to make it affordable or inaffordable to anyone, it is strictly a political move. Of course it adds up to over $2 billion which is no small sum. So we spend $2 billion yet really achieve nothing except vote buying- very nice, I am sure that is what government was devised to do.

Answer 4

If you read the article, this is why:

"As the House debated the bill, the Bush Administration issued a Statement of Administration Policy stating that it "strongly opposes" the bill because it includes an "irresponsible and excessive level of spending."

The statement says that the administration is disappointed that the House Appropriations Committee did not adopt program terminations, including several student aid programs, proposed by the President's Budget Proposal. It expresses support for the Pell Grant increase proposed by the bill, but only if the cost of increasing Pell is offset by other budget savings."

Now granted, given his track record, it is laughable that Bush is talking about fiscal responisibility. However, we do have an 8 trillion dollar deficit.

Answer 5

He's threatening the veto the /whole bill/. If you think Congress can give you another few bucks without giving someone else a few million, you just don't know how Washington works.


(For a President who's so often accused of grabbing and abusing power, you'd think he'd break out the line-item veto at some point...)

Answer 6

Why should tax money be given to anyone to go to school? We are going to need more unskilled workers after we get the Mexicans booted out of the country.
It is counter productive to spend tax money on students so they will think they are too smart to work. Besides, the Liberal Universities just raise the tuition and the pay of Liberal professors like Churchill.

Answer 7

Neo-cons have no mercy for the working class. I used a pell grant years ago which was very helpful. Now I pay over 17k a year in income tax. Pell grants are a good investment for this country.

Answer 8

Who knows answer this one for me.. directly from Humana Home page...Bush is prepared to veto bill to expand child insurance


The White House said on Saturday that President Bush would veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program, drafted over the last six months by senior members of the Senate Finance Committee.


The vow puts Mr. Bush at odds with the Democratic majority in Congress, with a substantial number of Republican lawmakers and with many governors of both parties, who want to expand the popular program to cover some of the nation's eight million uninsured children.


July 15: nytimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/washington/15child.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

Answer 9

Because of all the "Pork" in the bill. The democrats have attached more spending agenda's to the bill then just the Pell Grants......as they have tried to do on other similar bills.....such as the $1 million bridge in Alaska to go to a remote island that only has 5 houses on it, and a $4 million airport so when the bridge is unsafe (ICED OVER IN ALASKA, imagine that).

Answer 10

From the article:

[the administration] expresses support for the Pell Grant increase proposed by the bill, but only if the cost of increasing Pell is offset by other budget savings.

So he is not vetoing Pell grants per se, just an increase that is not offset by other cuts. Maybe you should get one of them there Pell grants and get your learn on.