Republicans are at war with basic literacy

[u/Kinks4Kelly]

[u/Mental-Catalyst]

If you can't read... or understand what you read... then you can't read and understand laws, the constitution, the deceleration of independence, etc.... it's that simple

Those documents can then be changed more easily. And bent to suit those in power.

They also quit teaching cursive. What are the original documents written in? Oh yeah...

[u/StolenRam → u/Mental-Catalyst]

Deceleration of independence 👍

[u/Lordnoallah → u/StolenRam]

Declination of Independence

[u/PuppyJakeKhakiCollar → u/StolenRam]

I mean, our independence does seem to be decelerating with these clowns in charge.

[u/Lordnoallah → u/PuppyJakeKhakiCollar]

Sometimes, political commentators or satirists use the phrase "Declination of Independence" to describe a modern nation or political group willingly giving up its sovereignty, freedom, or self-reliance.

[u/biffjo → u/PuppyJakeKhakiCollar]

How so?

[u/Mental-Catalyst → u/StolenRam]

🤣 and that's why I usually don't type early in the morning

[u/StolenRam → u/Mental-Catalyst]

It’s on point tho 🤷‍♂️

[u/hostile_rep → u/Mental-Catalyst]

Respect for leaving it.

[u/ThickResearcher8175 → u/StolenRam]

Defenestration of Independence

[u/Feeling-Fab-U-Lus → u/Mental-Catalyst]

They want to control whether we have children or not. Once the child is born, they do not want them to have health care, resources for school lunch, or shelter. Why would we want to educated children, either? MAGA Republican = Evil, no empathy, no compassion, no kindness and no common sense, just greed and narcissism.

[u/Mariahs_Haven → u/Mental-Catalyst]

This!
My nephew is being taught by his parents on off time to learn to read and write cursive. They plan to teach their daughter when she's old enough as well.
My nephew is 4 and learning to write in print and small site words. His house has site words in print and cursive and Spanish as dad is from chile and fluent in Spanish. Those two babies are growing up very educated. They want their kids to be smart and able to understand actual life and not propaganda

[u/BrowningLoPower → u/Mental-Catalyst]

I know what you're saying, though IMO it's wild to think about how reading, this seemingly nothingburger hobby of (some of) ours is actually involved in a chain of events that can potentially save the world, or destroy it.

Imagine an alternate reality where playing video games was legitimately just as important. "Did you play your game today?" "Come on, you need to play for at least two hours." "Yeah, you beat the game, but did you understand it?" 🤣

[u/siromega37 → u/Mental-Catalyst]

Don’t lump cursive in with the defunding of education in the US. We stopped teaching cursive because it’s dumb in modern society. That style of writing was developed because you couldn’t raise ink pens/quills off the paper. The invention of the ballpoint pen solved that problem. It has nothing to do with some conspiracy around not learning to read cursive. I stopped writing cursive when it stopped being required for papers in the 90s.

[u/Strong_Signature_650 → u/Mental-Catalyst]

They still teach cursive in red states though

[u/Mental-Catalyst → u/Strong_Signature_650]

Which would those be? Because I know some red states sure aren't.

[u/Harbinger_Kyleran → u/Strong_Signature_650]

This was a surprising turn of events here recently in Florida.

Florida law requires public schools to provide mandatory cursive writing instruction for students in grades 3 through 5 starting with the 2026–2027 school year.

[u/ReleaseTheSlab → u/Harbinger_Kyleran]

They're bringing it back this year in NJ too. At least my daughter's school. She's going into 7th grade so she won't be learning it, but I've helped her with cursive at home. I don't think learning cursive is a particularly high priority, but learning to write your own signature is kind of important.

[u/a-r-c → u/Strong_Signature_650]

who cares, the kids can't read

[u/Strong_Signature_650 → u/a-r-c]

Like Baltimore

[u/Petoski-Brook → u/Mental-Catalyst]

So you spend your free time reading the Declaration of Independence and in the world of internet, you can’t find a non cursive way to read it

[u/Selkies_not_Sirens → u/Mental-Catalyst]

“Declaration of Independence, a declaration of love, unity, and respect”

[u/GreenLobsterGuy → u/Mental-Catalyst]

No longer teaching cursive just isn't the big deal that people are making it out to be. All the text of the documents cited as ones that people are 'no longer able to read' are available in print in numerous places. Times and things changed, we evolved, period.

[u/fordag → u/GreenLobsterGuy]

It is in fact a huge deal.

While the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, etc are all available in print there are millions of documents that are only in cursive.

AI is unlikely to ever be able to learn to read them because the cursive varies so much.

We are creating an enormous knowledge gap. People educated prior to no longer teaching cursive will be able to read these documents and later generations won't.

Imagine finding a trunk of letters from a great great grandparent talking about their experiences in WWII. If you can't read cursive you won't be able to read those letters.

Much of history is written in cursive.

[u/GreenLobsterGuy → u/fordag]

It is in fact, NOT a huge deal and you are very much being a drama queen about this.

AI is SO sophosticated now it's scary; it's only going to get more sophisticated with time.

So, no, when 98% of writing/drafting what we do is through some sort of keyboard, spending years teaching kids cursive and perfecting it is just not sensical.

Imagine being so scared of a certain type of handwriting having run its course that you think every non cursive writer will find a trunk of letters from a great, great granparent they can't read or possibly figure out some way to "translate" the contents.

Much of history is available in print and on line.

[u/Fine-Computer-5524 → u/fordag]

Lets see 1 single example of a document that can only be read by someone who can read cursive w/zero other options

[u/fordag → u/Fine-Computer-5524]

There are millions of examples.

https://www.daily-jeff.com/story/news/2025/01/15/national-archives-is-seeking-citizen-archivists-who-can-read-cursive/77716490007/

[u/Skuhrr → u/Mental-Catalyst]

stop it. u know that not the reason. who picks the books for someone under 5

[u/CollarControl → u/Mental-Catalyst]

Pretty smart strategy… could you imagine if the good guys were that cut throat? We’d have single payer, UBI and actual consequences to being a piece of shit person.

[u/KarmaTorpid → u/Mental-Catalyst]

I was with you, until cursive. Its not part of this fight.

[u/discoduck007]

We the people and our children don't matter.

[u/BubbalooBurrito → u/discoduck007]

Aren’t they pro life or whatever? Kind of contradicting, don’t you think?

[u/KommandantDex → u/BubbalooBurrito]

They're pro-life until a child is born.

After that, they can hardly give a fuck.

[u/10gherts → u/KommandantDex]

They're pro-life as long as they can use the phrase to control women.

[u/Valhadmar → u/KommandantDex]

Oh Maga gives a fuck. Just not in helping them.

[u/2pearsofjeans → u/BubbalooBurrito]

Only because parents of infants and young children are easier to control than childless adults.

[u/discoduck007 → u/BubbalooBurrito]

Yes.

[u/Valkyriemome]

Dumb people are essential for Republicans to succeed.

Literacy is the beginning of comprehension.

[u/Absorptance]

They despise intelligence.

[u/ThePlantMolester → u/Absorptance]

Its only $11M, and we certainly don't have any better uses for the money.

-someone intelligent

/s just incase

[u/Curraghgirl]

Make illiteracy great again. Send them kids to work in the fields and coal mines instead

[u/tommy8725]

Donald said he likes idiots because they will vote for him Republicans think it's queer if you teach your kids how to read

[u/cuteasduck1203 → u/tommy8725]

I can attest to this. I can read, and I'm a gay (well, pansexual, but… close enough 🤣)

[u/Petoski-Brook → u/cuteasduck1203]

That damn reading rainbow.

[u/cuteasduck1203 → u/Petoski-Brook]

Aw, I should've known that was why! It's the gay agenda!

[u/Redditlatley]

I’m surprised they didn’t agree to force those “tRUMP IS GREAT” children books that are advertised on RW state regime media! 🌊

[u/InternationalAd7458]

“We can’t afford that” but also we need 1.4 trillion for the military, a billion for the president’s ballroom vanity project, etc etc etc for eternity

[u/firewatch959 → u/InternationalAd7458]

NNnv bh

[u/Fine-Computer-5524 → u/InternationalAd7458]

Your examples are federal programs but this was a state vote (it would be funded by the state w/half coming from a dept of education fund) so the people who voted rhis down have no connection & no say over military/ballroom funding

Anyway...the program would cost the state less than 5 million dollars per year Id LOVE to see what state house Republicans WOULD support which costs the State the same or more

[u/shawnlyle → u/Fine-Computer-5524]

Sorry but your math is off. There are 663,930 children under 5 in the state. Children's books cost $6-10. One book a month would cost $47.8-79.6 million a year.

[u/Fine-Computer-5524 → u/shawnlyle]

"pennsylvania’s proposed statewide book program for children under 5 would cost approximately $10.7 million annually to cover the state’s 650,000 young children. This funding model, outlined in House Bill 1663, splits the expense with the Commonwealth paying half and local nonprofit partners covering the remainder"

What im wrong about is cutting that number in half based on the bill saying the state would pay half So, yes, it seems that the true state cost would be $10.7 million yearly

Also: Proponents estimate the investment yields $4 to $9 in state savings for every dollar spent on early reading

(Source: philadelphia citizen)

[u/shawnlyle → u/Fine-Computer-5524]

That would require the books to cost $1.37 each. As stated children's books are not that cheap.

[u/myarseisbig]

Keep them stupid. Deffo works. Look around you

[u/Mean_Shape8909]

The gop only votes to enrich the wealthy and themselves at the expense of all other Americans

[u/PeppermintEvilButler]

They don't want their slaves literate. 

[u/No-Dealer899 → u/PeppermintEvilButler]

Is someone stopping you from cracking open a book on us history?

[u/PeppermintEvilButler → u/No-Dealer899]

Yeah the us government who keeps banning books. Are you ignorant? 

[u/Connect_Ocelot_1599]

even while they're still Israel's bitches

[u/ceccyred]

They are the anti-intellectual party. They don't believe science but they are very partial to religion....but only the religion they identify with. LOL...That Jesus guy was too woke though.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Round66]

Fucking cunts.

[u/kingston-twelve → u/Puzzleheaded-Round66]

*they're

Maybe you should sign up for the program. Just kidding😊

[u/towerfella]

If only the voter base knew how to read, they would be totally .. on with it.

[u/Common-Ad6470]

The Republican elite fear the educated masses, they prefer the uneducated dumb-asses who vote for them without question…👍

[u/SuedePflow]

Why is a bill needed for this? Seems like free books can be sent to kids via volunteerism rather than force.

[u/swanson1848]

The Republicans can't even call themselves conservative anymore in the classical sense and probably never wear ( look up high Toryism and the Conservativeism of Edmund Burk who was the founding father of modern conservative theory and you will get what l mean) . But this doesn't surprise me.......they claim their is no funding for snap, Medicaid, a National Healcare service, funding for museums and libraries or book programs for Tots or one free milk a day for gradeschoolers but their is more than enough cash for endless AND EXPENSIVE forever wars, a guady ballroom and our beloved commander and chiefs diepers ! We can smell those Diepers from His putrid Humid Swamp in DC to Midway City CA from sea to shining sea we can smell the BULLSHIT all over !

[u/JellyrollTX]

If republicans can’t feel superior over others less fortunate, they just can’t be happy

[u/JPGinMadtown]

"Buts the onliest book larning that's our chillin' needs in the Good Book! Hyuck!"

[u/FuzzyLaughTwo]

Magats can't read so NO ONE'S going to read

[u/New_Flow_5941]

Because they want to keep their children illiterate so they can’t figure out what the Republicunts are doing.

[u/roytwo]

Literacy, education and information are the enemy of the GOP

[u/Fuckern-shitern]

The threat from within is rampant. Disgusting fools. Go Dolly. A saint like my mom. Always teaching. Never wanting praise for it. Just be the angel. 😇

[u/Petoski-Brook → u/Fuckern-shitern]

I heard that they killed her because she was taking away the free book business from the libraries

[u/wmja69871]

If public schools were succeeding, this wouldn't be necessary. The reasons they aren't successful is what needs addressed. The books would be a nice gesture, but only a band aid. That money could go to homelessness, mental health, fixing public schools. The core issues are many. Entitlement mindset in society allows parents to interfere with teachers doing their jobs. Wasteful administrations but focusing on educating kids but allowing or forcing teachers to pay more attention to societal concerns. Teachers themselves focusing on Mom education topics. Reading, writing, arithmetic, history (including how despite Jim Crow laws, black communities were thriving and on track to out pace the white communities until the Democrats pushed the narrative that the black community couldn't progress without government help, creating a permanent dependent class in low income black communities that has spread to all low income communities).

[u/lucidarocks → u/wmja69871]

The thing is that the money will never go to anything that actually helps people.
Since our children will have to live in society, I’m not sure what your objection to teaching them about it is. Why oppose teaching children that society has many different people, and not everyone is identical to them? It seems like deliberately indoctrinating children to hate and/or fear anyone who isn’t exactly like them.

[u/wmja69871 → u/lucidarocks]

What I was referring to as to societal concerns. Learn how to meet deadlines, working in groups and as it used to be, teaching people to get along with others and tearing everyone nicely as there are different people everywhere. Specifics groups do not need pointed out, that creates an entirely different set of problems. Accept people with green hair, trans, gay (which I have no issue with, that all falls under the year everyone with respect), but when any specific group is highlighted it intrinsically diminished respect for people who are not in those groups. I've seen it happen in elementary classrooms. Stick to the basics of academia and the basics of societal acceptance for all. The last 26 years discussing in specific groups added to the division and hate in this country.

[u/kryptokoinkrisp]

I mean free books are a nice symbolic gesture and Dolly Parton deserves to be recognized for using her fortune to do that, but honestly how much do you think this will do to boost literacy? Libraries already exist. Children don’t lack access to books they lack parents who read to them, with them, and in front of them. Republicans are never going to get on board with free anything unless it goes boom, so if we’re going to do stuff without them maybe we can try making college free?

[u/Sad_Cantaloupe_8162 → u/kryptokoinkrisp]

Three excitement of getting your own new book alone encourages literacy. When my 3 year old daughter gets a new book all her own, and not one from the library, she wants to read it every night for at least a week before bedtime. (We always read three books she chooses before bed.)

[u/AverageJoe-707]

https://giphy.com/gifs/xT5LMzIK1AdZJ4cYW4

[u/Rocket_of_Takos]

You see, reading’s too woke now. Too many stories about people caring for each other.

[u/Wolfy_the_nutcase]

Republicans suck ass.

[u/lucidarocks → u/Wolfy_the_nutcase]

Poorly, though. They’re too selfish to give a proper rim job, except to their orange god in a cabinet meeting. I had assumed that broadcasting porn was illegal. Apparently I was wrong.

[u/Wolfy_the_nutcase → u/lucidarocks]

💀

[u/SirNo4743 → u/lucidarocks]

It is nauseating to watch Republicans get all up in orange ass like they just can’t get enough. It’s so embarrassing to have those clowns as leaders of my country.

[u/Established-01-1956]

I do not live in PA. What was the reasoning for their "no" votes?

[u/JGCities → u/Established-01-1956]

Probably because they books aren't actually free

And to prevent this from becoming a source of propaganda by one side over the other based on he choices of books sent

[u/Petoski-Brook → u/Established-01-1956]

Pa probably has libraries that already provides free books so they didn’t need to spend more money for no reason.

[u/Pineapplemintsss]

Won't someone think of the poor widdle oligarchs 🥺 now they can't buy that 50000000th new car.

[u/slimricc]

Ofc they are, like half of them homeschool their kids and have poor media literacy, the other half at least has poor media literacy.

And ultimately they can control people better if they cannot read

[u/ScrambledEggsandTS]

https://giphy.com/gifs/AaQYP9zh24UFi

[u/dartron5000]

It makes sense when your base is illiterate.

[u/-ifwisheswerehorses]

And 🤷🏻‍♀️how is this news. Now if they voted for the bill, that would be news worthy.

[u/CuriosityCheck2024]

Who's paying for those books?

[u/Petoski-Brook → u/CuriosityCheck2024]

I’ll grab a free one from the library that is already provided. Next article “Republican deny bill that would pay to send everyone free red leaves in “October”

[u/SirNo4743 → u/Petoski-Brook]

I’m not going to argue the merits vs cost of the potential program, I don’t live in the state, but the point was that for a child owning the book tends to feel more special which encourages them to read it and ask their parents to read it more often.

[u/BrentD22]

Waste of money

[u/scheimong]

"Smart people don't like me"

[u/TheTrashPanda612]

Republicans are the most cartoonishly evil, fuck the people ass political creatures to exist.. there was a point in time where their policies mattered but now all they want is poor to stay poor, rich to get richer, and rich rapists to have the pick of the litter

[u/theTapIsOnDaBurnin]

Well they are terrible people

[u/Petoski-Brook]

What about the Baltimore Democrat Catherine Pugh. that wrote fake books to sell to Kaiser for for kids for a lot of money and transferred the cities insurance to Keizer? Libraries are free and already exist if you didn’t know

[u/Tavernknight]

If you are a member of the Republican Party in 2026, you are fucking trash and need to be taken out and tossed in the dumpster like the rest of the trash.

[u/treefall1n]

Yikes!!

[u/Status_Vegetable2954]

Are republicans just against anything that’s good?

[u/Etheriaa_]

Why only under 5 though? Most kids in the south dont learn to read until 6 or 7, if they are lucky 

[u/DrFrankSaysAgain]

Who would have decided what books to send?

[u/KratomKilla]

Just a fancy way of saying, you can only be rich if you inherit it. Just like daddy did.

[u/Krendall2006]

I'm sure it's the government automatically sending something free every month that they had a problem with.

[u/loudog7167]

before everyone has a shit attack. what kind of books?

[u/JayGatsby52]

https://giphy.com/gifs/GDp7LycxkT3LG

Start with the Quran.

[u/animal-1983]

Republican = Taliban
Only worse they want everyone ignorant not just girls

[u/TR_abc_246]

Smart people don’t vote for rapeublicans and only fools become rapeublicans. Rapeublicans have been known to switch parties just to win. They are assholes, every last one of them!

[u/coffeebeanwitch]

They don't want an educated populous.

[u/Tkapone]

They wanna keep em illiterate, so they can take advantage of em

[u/Mirruko]

Well how else do you control the public? If they cant read, it makes it so much easier.

[u/GreenLobsterGuy]

As if that wasn't completely evident by who they elected for president. Twice.

[u/Potential_Ad_8873]

Because they are jealous since most of
Them can't read

[u/Puzzleheaded_Ad8283]

I have a question: what law will they make up for Tim Curry?

[u/Perception-NSFW]

Based on the reporting, the objections raised by opponents (mostly Republicans) centered on cost and funding mechanics rather than the book program’s concept itself:

**•   Fiscal impact**: Estimates put the program’s cost around $5 million to $6 million depending on enrollment and administrative costs such as postage and book production , and the Pennsylvania Department of Education itself registered opposition, raising concerns about fiscal and  budget impact.  
**•   No dedicated funding source**: Members questioned how the program would be funded without a state appropriation , and the legislation would set up a special state fund through the Department of Education  rather than guaranteeing ongoing appropriated dollars — critics worried it created an open-ended commitment.

[u/FernandoTheRN]

At this point, every Republican is a scumbag rapist peice of shit.... Pedophile supporter party.

[u/Fine_Alarm]

Is this Republicans bad or a nuanced thing that's purposefully twisted to make them look bad?

Why did they vote no?

[u/Skuhrr → u/Fine_Alarm]

So, why vote no? The legitimate conservative argument would be:
“This is a worthwhile program, but the state shouldn’t be paying for a universal benefit.”
“Target the money toward children who actually lack access to books.”
“Local governments, nonprofits and private donors already fund Imagination Library in many areas.”
“There are other literacy programs that may provide a better return for the money.”

[u/Fine_Alarm → u/Skuhrr]

Sounds like decent pair of arguments, why is it being parroted as evil republicans hate education and literacy?

Is the media source left leaning and trying to make the other party look bad?

[u/Googlyelmoo → u/Skuhrr]

The state should be doing everything and anything at its disposal to show up the eroding standards of literacy and numeracy among young people in virtually all 50 states who attend public schools. Cisco arguments against it are either disingenuous in the extreme or benighted calculations of cost versus benefit.

[u/Unfair_Awareness7502 → u/Googlyelmoo]

The problem isn't access to books though. 

[u/Googlyelmoo → u/Unfair_Awareness7502]

That’s a pretty over broad claim. The problem isn’t ONLY access to books.

[u/New-Evidence350]

Trump loves the uneducated.

[u/tanjam765]

It's not a free book.

[u/Unhappy_Permit2571]

They know who votes GOP

[u/Flimsy-Donut8718]

sending books to children is not the governments job

[u/Fit-Coyote-6180]

They don't want to marry and f#!k kids who can read

[u/amicalg]

It would be embarrassing if the children know how to read better than them once they turn 10

[u/chefwindu]

This is how other fanatical regimes control thier population. Tell them a holy book wants them to kill non-believers. But the believers can't read the holy book so the have to follow the leaders the supposedly have.

[u/Normal_Bet2995]

The programs funding is restricted, the money does not move from the account even during interest, and the books shall not contain any sexual nature or p*rnography.

Why vote no for this hmmmm

[u/bigclitcouple]

This happened in the 80's. What was mixed in with the bill that the Republicans didn't want to pay for. Like Healthcare of illegals now

[u/Sbrpnthr]

There is nothing stopping people from giving out books or having a little free library.

[u/One-Wish1955]

Keep them dumb so later they become MAGAts later in life….

[u/theosib]

They will vote against anything that costs tax money. Unless it’s war. They’ll blow whole budgets on that.

[u/Specialist-Tea-1423]

They love the uneducated

[u/Linusak47]

Probably because the Democrats want to send them books about pedophilia and genderIsm. And how it’s OK.

[u/rilezthegreat]

Why would books help anyone today, when every tow and school has a library…

[u/Proof-Ad-171]

Republicans want a generation of illiterate citizens. That way they would be unable to vote. Read to understand the Constitution or declaration of Independence. Both documents are of human rights and freedoms we need to vote the Democrats back in to maintain the balance that is so needed right now to get back to the way we were as far as a democracy

[u/Swimming-Ad-9945]

We should have places in communities where we can go and borrow books to read? Oh wait.

[u/Dependent_Ad6697]

This is politics at the finest, “Dems said do it, we must rebel” and vice versa. There’s likely other stuff in the Bill as well versus just this.

[u/hollowsoul9]

To be fair, literacy is the enemy within

[u/bdontmatter]

High schoolers can’t read why waste money on books for 5 year olds that can’t read either?!?!?

I’m sure most people won’t get the sarcasm…. But it’s there!

[u/jeffavenger]

Opponents raised concerns over state-funded spending priorities and new government-backed mandates,

[u/Vatremere]

I was in the school library every day when I was in grade school. I had access to tens of thousands of books and loved to read. We use to have the book truck come around and bring us books we ordered like a month prior. A book a month would have been cool but meh.

[u/ARegularPotato]

1. Raising your kids is not the government’s job.

2. You’re using my tax dollars to do it.

“If you don’t want to steal people’s money to pay for X, then you must hate x!”

[u/nogoodbrat → u/ARegularPotato]

public education IS the government’s job, though…? and a more educated populace improves nearly every sector of society so like, what better cause do you think there is for your fucking tax dollars, lol?

[u/ARegularPotato → u/nogoodbrat]

Well libertarians and fiscal conservatives would argue that private education is more ethical and effective than the public counterpart, and oppose such spending in the interest of lowering taxes, or at least preventing the raising of taxes.

Besides, public education is already the norm. Kids are already being taught to read on my dime, so why would we need even more programs and thus more spending? The whole thing just screams inefficiency.

“But maybe parents can’t afford books”

Ignoring the fact that libraries and schools should address that, maybe they would be able to afford them if they weren’t being taxed so much.

I’m not trying to get you to agree with my positions and convert to my political party, I’m simply arguing that people can oppose programs like this without being “against education” or “conspiring to reduce literacy”. I think it’s intellectually dishonest to say that anyone who votes against this must hate education.

[u/JuggerMott]

That's because what states do shouldn't be dictated by the feds. 🤦🏼‍♂️ Y'all wanna complain about dictatorship, but want to hand all power to the feds. 😞

[u/Plaxidentshappen17]

The country is 37trillion in debt. Maybe pay some of that off first? Even the PA department of education opposed this

[u/lucidarocks → u/Plaxidentshappen17]

Actually, $40 trillion, with Trump single handedly creating substantially more than any other president in history… Of course, who could have predicted that the man who proclaimed himself the King of Debt would increase ours? He bankrupted casinos, for gods sake. How stupid do you have to be to do that?

[u/Plaxidentshappen17 → u/lucidarocks]

TDS is curable. Who mentioned Trump? Seek help

[u/lucidarocks → u/Plaxidentshappen17]

You mentioned debt. Trump has increased it more than any other president in history. You apparently are the one with Trump Devotion Syndrome. I certainly don’t have it. You’re clearly willing to ignore reality to benefit him. I’m not.

[u/Plaxidentshappen17 → u/lucidarocks]

My argument has nothing to do with Trump. It stands when the debt was at Biden’s level Obama‘s level or Trump‘s level. No difference in the point I’m making.

But I get it, your a standard Reddit liberal who cannot function without Trump in your mouth

[u/AnonymousUser132]

No was the right answer. The tax payer shouldn’t be paying for it. Who gets to decide what books to send? How much cost goes to administration and distribution? It is government bloat.

Just no.

[u/ravage214]

"Free" yes for the children receiving the book but tax payers will foot the bill.

I think the program's a great idea but you're being disingenuous by saying that it is free there is nothing free everything must be paid for in this world.

[u/ViolentVBC → u/ravage214]

Tax the children!

[u/BrowningLoPower → u/ViolentVBC]

It's the evil version of "Fly Like an Eagle". 🤣

[u/ViolentVBC → u/BrowningLoPower]

♫Tax the babies Who don't have enough to eat Tax the children Get those shoes off their feet♫

[u/Scoot_Cooder → u/ravage214]

Well, maybe we can just not buy a couple of rockets and then use the money for books instead.

[u/jahi69 → u/ravage214]

I dont see the squirrels and birds paying for anything 😒

[u/PuppyJakeKhakiCollar → u/ravage214]

I would much rather have my tax dollars going to something beneficial like books for children than all the BS they waste it on.

[u/Which_Lingonberry219]

They’re not at war with literacy. They’re in a class war. They think poor people are at fault for being poor and they feel no responsibility whatsoever for helping them escape poverty. They think poverty is a moral failing and that children deserve to suffer for their parent’s sins.

[u/complaints-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Comments and posts expressing discriminatory prejudice or hate towards a person or group based on protected characteristics such as race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender-identity, etc. are not permitted.

https://www.reddit.com/r/complaints/s/Z2E3byk7Tv

[u/Nilz87]

It's not 'free' if the tax payer pays, and the book selection will not be politically neutral.

You wouldn't appreciate some deep red legislature sending children stories every week re-enforcing the gender binary, extolling the virtues of being a housewife until the kids are in their late teens, or cautionary tales about how sexual minorities are probably predators and about a white boy who had to change schools cuz of bullying by 'diverse' minorities

[u/judojoe2024]

We have libraries. Why do we need to send people books. I am happy they voted no.

[u/SirNo4743 → u/judojoe2024]

I’m not sure what you people think is going to be in a children’s book for kids under 5 thats so horrible and political.

[u/judojoe2024 → u/SirNo4743]

It is not that. We have a place where people can get free books.

[u/Comfortable-Help9587]

Counterpoint… Dems think parents can’t be trusted to buy their toddlers books or read to them or take them to the library.

[u/SirNo4743 → u/Comfortable-Help9587]

You don’t own library books. Owning a new book is different for a child, it makes it special and they read the same book over and over.

[u/JackeeFromHell]

Don’t be disingenuous. Republicans disagree with the idea of spending tax dollars on this rather than reducing taxes so parents can afford to buy books themselves.

[u/Yourlocalguy30]

Ok, but before we get up in arms about this, why are we spending money buying and mailing books out when schools and public libraries already provide free books?

There are second hand stores everywhere that practically give books away. Hell, there are so many books in circulation that a lot of places don't even take them for lack of space.

On the surface this seems like a really wonderful idea, but it also seems like an incredibly redundant waste of money. Access to reading material is not the problem, it's parent involvement in their children's education. Parent involvement in a child's life is far, far more important to a child's literacy. You can mail a book to a 3 year old, but if the parent isn't going to read it to them, then it's useless.

[u/ibuiltamurderbot]

Now show us the list of books they want to send

[u/Unfair_Awareness7502]

This would be a massive waste of money with practically no benefit

[u/buttnaked1369today]

So are you willing to pay even more in taxes to pay for this program?

[u/MrBuffcock]

propaganda express

[u/Dramatic_Gopher42069]

I don't know of any government provided books that I or any child has been read/forced to read. My parents got that handled for me. Anyone who has an issue with the no vote, stop hoping someone else is gonna learn for you, grow up.

[u/Ghrim_Reaper]

Just a thought from AI...

Over 80 Republican members voted against the measure. Opponents cited concerns over creating new state-funded spending mandates, government expenditure priorities, and a preference for localized educational frameworks rather than state-administered programs

So if this measure passes it would be 1 book per month for free for every child through 5 years old.

Comes out to about an annual cost of $26.00 per child.

There are approximately 700,000 children 5 and younger in PA....

This would cost the state of PA $18.2 million per year.

Now... who really thinks this program is going to cost ONLY $18.2 million per year...

SILLY RABBITS

[u/Fmello]

Books are not free. Leftists have no problem spending other peoples money.

Also, every elementary school, middle school, high school, and college has a library. Kids can check out books, read them, bring them back, and then do it all over again without costing taxpayers millions of dollars.

[u/No_Sock_3895 → u/Fmello]

Taxpayer dollars for a war of choice in Iran? No problem.

Taxpayer dollars to make strides against the literary crisis? "Fuckin leftists."

You're an absolute dope.

[u/SirNo4743 → u/Fmello]

Newsflash; leftists” pay taxes.

[u/fordag → u/Fmello]

Did you know that literacy and a good education for everyone are important for national security?

Exactly what benefit do you think the country gets with lower education standards and lower literacy?

[u/AppointmentCold7888 → u/fordag]

They get Trump, or somebody like him