A Textbook Case of Government Waste and Stupidity
by Capitol ConfidentialWith a finite – and as far as most Democrats are concerned, insufficient – supply of taxpayer funds out there, its always interesting to see the choices that politicians with the power to spend the money make.
Take Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, for example. Yes, that Jack Conway, of ‘Aqua Budda’ fame. Conway has been on the warpath against for-profit colleges, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funds to mount an investigation against seven academic institutions in the state.
Conway’s investigation recently got a big break. The smoking gun? Owensboro-based Daymar College seems to have overcharged students for textbooks. That’s right; apparently Daymar encouraged students to purchase textbooks in the college bookstore even though they were available more cheaply through other retailers.
For anyone who has been to college this quarter-century, the textbook charges are laughable. Every school, from community colleges all the way up to the ritziest private universities, tries to snooker students into buying their textbooks at the bookstore then they could easily get them for less on Amazon.com.
The real issue is that state officials like Conway are conducting a witch-hunt against for-profit colleges when they should be focusing time and money on rampant fraud within taxpayer-funded public schools.
For-profit colleges are private institutions that students can choose to attend or not to attend. The same cannot be said for public schools, which are racking up institutionalized cheating scandals faster than investigators can keep up with them.
A few examples: Edison College, a public college in Florida, was recently caught forging transcripts en masse to inflate graduation rates. In Atlanta Public Schools, a massive fraud operation was uncovered that implicated hundreds of teachers in over 40 schools and went right on up to the Superintendent. Atlanta is by no means alone; an increasing number of teachers and administrators across the country have been discovered inflating grades and forging test answers in order to keep bad teachers on the rolls until they could collect their pensions.
None of this is to say that there are never legitimate instances of bad behavior in for-profit schools. In Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission discovered that ATI Enterprises, which owns 16 vocational schools in the state, failed to meet state-mandated career placement standards. The result? All 16 ATI locations had their certification revoked. It’s hard to imagine the entire Atlanta Public School system being shut down, even though by all reports they are guilty of far worse offenses.
It’s not only over-zealous state officials going after for-profit colleges at the taxpayers’ expense. At the federal level, the Department of Education’s proposed ‘gainful employment’ rule would impose burdensome regulations on these institutions, making it increasingly difficult for them to provide educational opportunities to students that need the flexibility they offer.
Bottom line: As long as there is rampant waste, fraud, and abuse in public schools, let’s focus limited taxpayer resources on tackling those institutions that most children have no choice but to attend, and let the private sector take care of itself.
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65 Comments
That closing line was the best. But you know liberals……….."We got to fix this til it's broke" Can't keep their own porch swept off, they're too busy poking their nose where it doesn't belong.
There's going to mischief as long as government at any level have a large pile of money to play with, and the same applies to over zealous elected officials trying to advance their careers chasing shadows.
Someone, much smarter than me explains the problems we face. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fqCS7Y_kME&fe...
Good article. Most articles from a conservative viewpoint fail to point out that yes indeed sometimes private for profit schools fail. However when a private for profit school fails a better outcome is achieved than when a public school fails.
Off topic: Today, in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote.
"For anyone who has been to college this quarter-century, the textbook charges are laughable. Every school (emphasis added), from community colleges all the way up to the ritziest private universities, tries to snooker students into buying their textbooks at the bookstore then they could easily get them for less on Amazon.com."
And yet this A.G. has only chosen to go after the private institutions. Selective enforcement is a sure fire sign of a nefarious interest.
School bookstores? Really? Come on, get a real scandal.
Bust the Unions and fix the problem…. and Impeach that Jackass.
Well.
The DOJ won't investigate the New Black Panthers, or Operation Gunrunner, but they are going after Standard and Poors with a vengeance. Must be a scandal there somewhere………
It will be a great speech.
He has a nice vacation on Martha's Vinyard to rest up so he can really give us a revved up sampling of his soaring oratory skills.
I hope the economy is listening, and gets inspired!!!
Stupid, uninspired economy. When is it gonna start getting motivated by his great speeches and do its part to make this country better! And I hope he puts that tsunami in its place; the nerve, wrecking the Obama recovery!
By the Republican controlled house and senate, no less.
Yeah I can imagine THAT meeting:
Holder: "How DARE you downgrade us!"
S&P: "But you're tanking the economy…"
Holder: "I know, but you can't say that out loud! Now bend over!"
Do these private schools have unionized instructors? No, it couldn't be about that. (SARC) But I just heard that some law school is being sued by graduates who can't get jobs. Is Conway looking into that? Thought not.
Something the progressive statist have twisted and turned, in order to manipulate the masses. The truth always wins!
I went to grade school and high school with Jackass Conway and can tell you he is perhaps the most arrogant SOB I have ever encountered. He felt supreme back in middle school even though I routinely out performed him. Regressive to the core, but an Arian pretty boy that the media is chomping at the bits to get into the national spot light.
Then we know some of the same people.
I have done business down there, and bought some good horses through the years.
If you know that about Conway, then you know there are four men who put Steve Beshear into office.
Those same four, are grooming Conway, to be their "boy".
I'd have given you two thumbs-up if it were allowed.
Absolutely. What's so scary to me is that even back in those young formative years, he was aloof and arrogant. It stemmed from nothing of note. SLightly above average athlete, decent student, but nothing stellar, yet the extreme arrogance was still there. Yes those four are pushing hard, but the national DNC REALLY wants him in front of the spot light as well. They try to claim he's a moderate when nothing could be further from the truth.
Off topic: Cell Service Shut Down To Prevent Protests In San Francisco California AMERICA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ITibsw68mY
Do you think they are practicing for the future?
Whoever believes that Coal is still not King, has never tasted Kentucky politics.
Yep.
Who da thunk Archie Bunker was a prophet?
Maybe this is why private college are being targeted?
At the moment, just 11 percent of higher education students attend for-profit schools, yet they receive 26 percent of total federal student aid and account for 43 percent of total student loan defaults. The schools have profit margins as high as 30 percent and pay their executives far more than their non-profit and public counterparts, while providing what, at the moment, is a product that is not always living up to its billing. http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/student-loa...
Yes, there ARE two sides to every story! Everything isn't as simple as public vs. private enterprise.
FEMA Exercises Include Foreign Troops Practicing on U.S. Soil July 29, 2009 by Bob Livingston
http://www.personalliberty.com/conservative-polit...
I remember that being in the news back then.
Believe me, there aren't enough of them.
They don't have a fighting chance.
Off topic-
There is something BIG blowing in the wind.
It is wayyyyyyyyy to quiet.
that's what's so great about narcissism- you don't have to actually achieve anything to bask in that aura of superiority…
When I find info like I did above on the shut down of cell towers it concerns me of where our government is heading US for. We still must remain vigilant, and make sure we have our eyes wide open. I also remember O wanting a civilian force just as powerful, and just as strong. Remember that statement as well?
Yes.
I remember it clearly.
Noticed that myself…..
Calm before the storm?
Dunno.
But you and I both spend enough time here, that we can feel the pulse of things.
Something is amiss.
I don't know if it is just the dog days of summer, or the fact the enemy is all in summer quarters, gearing up for a winter campaign, but something just does not "feel" right…………
Whenever there's a lul in the fighting, assets are being moved into place….
Barry can't run on his record, so it's likely going to be the 'hard' way…..
Yep.
It is going to be trench warfare this time around.
If they really wanted to investigate waste and fraud within education, they could start by looking at a few particular schools such as Southern University in Baton Rouge which have a laundry list of scandals over the year, including fraud in the registrar's office to raise grades for cash and even award degrees to people who never attended the school.
Of course, a public HBCU such as Southern won't get the same kind of attention that a private for-profit university would due to obvious racial implications.
There is too much of a coincidence in the increase of flash mob violence and looting along with a lack of media coverage and little to no mention of law enforcement’s effective means of catching, finding, much less prosecuting….there is a buzz that the campaign will be in parallel of a brewing racial tension….I’ve always felt the audacity shown with these flash mobs are litmus tests to a greater purpose, nefarious nonetheless…..
Caught Rush speaking the Obamunist’s campaign mantra will be how all his ideas would’ve worked great if not for those pesky Republicans…..his problem though is that he will not be running against said Republicans unless Ryan throws his hat in. Considering the logic in this, his record will not help his campaign, so desperation measures makes complete sense for a narcissist like Obama….
The air does smell very different as of late……best keep our faces towards the wind…..
These things are happening, like the cell towers are the kinds of things that really need to peak our interests. So, I just felt it necessary to keep people in the know.
VIVA LA TEA PARTY!
WHile I would LOVE to see 'him' gone, in all fairness (and point it out if I am wrong — not based on opinion or what one would like but rather based on facts etc.) I don't think he has done something that is actually impeachable at this time. In any case, he would be treated like Bill Clinton — who should have been removed from office because he DID break the law and given a political free-pass. That was disgusting. What we have up there now is also disgusting.
Editorial: Did Bo (Obama's Dog) Eat The Recovery? Posted 08/16/2011 06:38 PM ET
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/...
"Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness." George Washington
Not sure if anyone else has had this experience, but the school I attended allowed us to rent the textbooks with the option of buying them at the end of each semester.
The downside is that I assume almost nobody actually purchased the textbooks related to his or her major. The upside, though, is that I didn't have to buy an $80 anthropology textbook that I'd never open again.
Syrin and I are in the same boat, I voted against this tool when he ran for higher office and his ilk is the reason our state and the city of KY are going down the drain. The previous Attourney General waged a 10 year battle with strip clubs to get nudity outlawed. Then they managed to get smoking banned in all bars and restaurants. Now keep in mind that a lot of revenue is gained from conventions that come to town, Farm Machinary Show, National Hot Rod Show, and many other little conventions that come to Louisville for low cost events. They cant smoke in the bars any longer, all the strip clubs are unable to sell liquor, have lap dances or even show nudity. Guess which conventions are ending their contracts with Louisville.
If Jack really wants to take on waste he needs to walk down to the University of Louisville and check on the prices there and tell me they arent gouging students and tax payers.
Fine with me…
CQB is the way I roll…..
Get yourself a set of CB radios with the longest range you can get…..
More advice to follow….
My nickname used to be WFO.
Now I just limp steadily along.
I've got a slight limp, myself…
Steady as she goes and full steam ahead…..
I replied to this article two weeks ago. I mailed it in.
Anybody seen it?
nuff said.
Perhaps we should be wasting tax payer funds to investigate the un-American activities of schools like Harvard? Last I heard they make a pretty good profit.
I think that really depends on your major, gb.
I bought not just required textbooks and kept them but others as well, for reference. The sciences, math, medicine, engineering…..things that while they do of course change, also have a major body of information that remains constant tend to have students who buy and keep books.
Thank you….
)
That must be it.
Larry Grathwohl on Ayers' plan for American re-education camps and the need to kill millions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWMIwziGrAQ&fe...
So if publicly funded colleges gouge students on textbooks, that's gooooooooooooood.
If a private for profit college gouge students on textbooks that's eeeeeeeeeeevil.
I see how these people are (not) thinking.
That's right, genius. In a free-market system there is risk and failure. Not like Obama's economy where no one is allowed to fail…..at the taxpayers' expense.
They are over on Fox Nation preventing free speech by flagging comments.
I want to inform all of the uninformed readers and the OP of this.
This entire blog post is nothing but an attempt to deflect the billions of dollars (not tens of thousands) being wasted by the For-profit college industry . The work Conway is doing is to protect taxpayers and stop CORPORATE FRAUD committed by EDMC and others like them. I would actually believe this blog is nothing more than another viral attempt at EDMC and their spin doctor lobbying force to hide the truth.
That they have a multibillion dollar scam operation going on to funnel government money through innocent poor students by making them believe that the useless degrees that they're giving out are actually going to be respected in the world and that they can get these people jobs.
These for-profit colleges need to be removed from the government teat NOW.
Sincerely,
Mike
Student from one of the Art Institutes (run by EDMC) and another for-profit college run by CEC.
All I got was debt.
Its corporate scam artists trying to keep defending their scam.
Operation Vigilant Guard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGlI0kdJjMo
Democratic Senator Lautenberg: "We Got to Eliminate the Rich"
Senior moment, or Freudian slip? Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) lets his class warfare rhetoric get the best of him at a press conference in Belmar, NJ.
Sen. Lautenberg's net worth is over $50 million… by the way.
dude, you went to an "Art Institute" in THIS economy and expected a high-paying job after graduation?
put down the pot and back away slowly…..
Apparently, "Capitol Confidential" has not read the complaint regarding Daymar. This "journalist" caught a few quick media summaries and dashed off this ill-informed article. Or, perhaps, he is one that Daymar has paid off to counteract the education fraud charges.
The fact is that Daymar has been and continues to siphon MILLIONS of dollars every year from federal education funds, including GI Bill, in exchange for USELESS degrees. They are a diploma mill of the lowest order. They ruthlessly lie to get people into their scam system, strip them of all their education money, leave them deeply in debt with little hope or chance of getting that good paying career they promoted, and threaten and insult them when they complain.
It is patently absurd to suggest that the AG should operate on a political basis, never confronting criminal bahavior of the perceived 'opposite party', lest a fourth rate journalist makes a stale, baseless accusation of political discrimination.
Thank God that Conway isn't standing back saying, 'It's an election year, so I better not go after this company that is cheating our citizens because they might be Republicans and it would look partisan.'
Wouldn't DAYMAR just love an AG with that attitude!
What is clear is that DAYMAR is paying and cajoling people, bringing on a PR company to 'manage their image' –all paid for by their ill-gotten gains.
Read the complaint and educate yourself to the nature of the problems and the charges before you mouth off, 'Capitol Confidential.' Ha! You are a joke.
Read the complaint at links below.
http://www.bryantpsc.com/daymar.htm
http://ag.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/43A720F0-E43C-464B-...
I have worked for both a private and a public 2-year college. I can say, with fair confidence, that there isn't all that much difference in educational quality. The problem is the private colleges have their teachers work far more hours, which means they can charge less. They also innovate far more rapidly, and don't waste money on things that don't work. To be honest, I don't care WHERE someone wants to go to school. If they go to a diploma mill, that's their problem. If they go to public school and become a number, that's their problem. If they go to private school and pay more, that's their problem. Government just doesn't like competing in a free market.
I Am the True Embodiment of a Socialistic President
(With a hat-tip to Gilbert & Sullivan)
I am the true embodiment of a socialistic president;
My community organizing skills are eminently evident.
Weapons legal on our streets make shooting much too common;
Let’s sell them south to the Zetas so that they can shoot some lawmen.
I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters economical.
I understand a stimulus, both small and astronomical.
Billions spent to keep a failing auto maker steady;
And shovel-ready projects that are never shovel-ready.
And shovel-ready projects that are never shovel-ready.
And shovel-ready projects that are never shovel-ready.
And shovel-ready projects that are never shovel-ready.
My style of public speaking is deceptively transparent,
While its penchant to bamboozle is intrinsically inherent.
Since my dialectic skills are quite eminently evident,
I am the true embodiment of a socialistic president.
Since my dialectic skills are quite eminently evident,
I am the true embodiment of a socialistic president.
I know the mythic history of our socialist progression,
The overriding principle of federal intervention.
I know that life on welfare is a right and not an option;
And the public need not like a law, if I prefer adoption.
I understand the outlook of all modern PC-osophy
Equality of the working class and an added small apostrophe:
Of the many hues of bigotry that have worldwide come to light,
The only one that matters is the one that’s colored White.
G & S couldn't have done this without you…
LOL, I'll never be a poet, leastwise a good one.
)
This isn't the entire picture. Public schools and their profit margins are lower for reasons other than pay. Surely you jest when you insinuate that this is the only reason.
When you go to the store to buy beer, wine, meat, etc. you can buy quality that is more expensive, or you can buy cheap which lacks flavor. It's appears to be the same but there is a reason the expensive stuff is expensive. If I had the chance to hire a grad from Harvard (which your beloved Al Gore attended) or one with the same degree from Bishop State in Mobile, Alabama, I wonder which I would prefer to hire?
Not surprisingly, you missed the entire point. The idea here is that public schools do the same thing about buying textbooks as for profit schools. Yet no one wants to police them.
Bishop State, I might add, lost accreditation due to financial aid fraud. It was lucky they were even caught… but only because the staff, just as you would expect from an institution like it, was stupid.
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