IPod Gift Gets Better - Apple Paid for Democrat officials travel to sunny California
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/NEWS06/704110305&imw=Y
For Republicans, this is a gift that keeps getting better. The "No Ipod Left Behind" story has expanded - apparently, according to breaking news, two key Democratic state House members, including the Speaker, Andy Dillon, were paid to travel to Silicon Valley by Apple just before they announced their idea.
The fabulous Dawson Bell of the Detroit Free Press reports:
Two state lawmakers backing a controversial plan to buy iPods for every schoolchild in Michigan were among a group of politicians who made a trip to California that was paid for at least in part by Apple, the maker of iPods.
The 2 1/2 -day trip earlier this year covered a range of issues and interaction on topics related to Michigan. It included a visit to Apple in northern California, where the politicians discussed classroom technology and educational uses for the popular audio and video players, said Rep. Matt Gillard, D-Alpena, one of the legislators who made the trip.
House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, also made the trip to San Francisco and nearby Santa Clara County.
The $36-million iPod proposal was unveiled last week at a news conference called by Dillon to discuss the state's budget crisis and House Democrats' plans to address it.
Dillon's office did not provide details on the trip or say whether Apple paid for all or part of it. Gillard said he thought Apple covered a portion of the costs.
It appears that they won't give up on the idea either, although they see it as impractical during the budget crisis, it may come back sometime in the future.
Dillon defended the trip in a statement issued by his office Tuesday night. He said he was "one of several lawmakers to take this trip, and I am more convinced than ever that the future for our children lies in education. As we move to the technology age and the knowledge-based economy, it would be irresponsible to separate technology from our K-12 system.
"I have four children, and I see how powerful technology is in their learning experience. While I believe that moving our classrooms into the 21st Century is critical to the future of our children and this state, I fully understand that unless and until we solve the state's fiscal crisis we cannot pursue this initiative. As I have said all along, we are focused on the state's fiscal crisis first."
Dillon and Gillard have been vocal supporters of the iPod idea. They did not identify the other lawmakers who went on the trip.
Critics of the proposal have said it indicates that Lansing policymakers are out of touch with Michiganders' anxiety over the state's $600-million budget shortfall and the state's depressed economic conditions.
No guys. This is a bad idea throughout time - its wasteful spending, and would not help teaching or student motivation. If it was a great idea, then abolishing schools and plugging kids into TVs or radios (I-Pods are mini-TV/radios) would be a good idea, and it would save billions. When you subsidize something you get more of it. We shouldn't be subsidizing entertainment tools.
Republicans need to put this one in the opposition research file - and it goes straight into ZR's public corruption file.
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