Ideas from a citizen consultant to the PPS Board and Administration

Leslie V. Horne

NNACP Pittsburgh Branch

PPS Public Hearing Testimony

May 12, 2008

There is a crisis in the Accelerated Learning Academies. You recall that these were advertised as a giant step forward in eliminating the racial and socio-economic achievement gaps that are the shame of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. I am especially concerned about the state of the ALA’s because the vast majority of students in these schools are poor and/or African American.

My calling is to speak for those children.

The following are facts garnered from first hand sources in the ALA’s. The original posting for ALA administrators required a 3 year contract.

Proposed: Principals would be able to choose staff from a pool of candidates who wanted to work in an ALA. The difference in pay scale would attract the best and brightest. Principals were told that they would be able to staff their entire buildings without fear of cuts and that seniority and union issues would not be a concern because it was "new" model.

Reality: Principals were unable to hire clerical and custodial staff and many first choice staff selections were cut or bumped out of their positions by senior district employees who in most cases did not want to work in ALAs. Principals in most cases were left with third round choices or no choice at all. At one point, principals were meeting with human resources simply picking from a list of teachers that simply did not have positions anywhere in the district. These people only had to stay for one year (despite the promise that teachers had to commit to a three year contracts) and most of them transferred at the beginning of this year. Teachers can make more money attending a few workshops and working after-school programs.

Proposed: The original model had each ALA with a foreign language and some had Home Ec or computer classes.

Reality: These classes were cut due to either staffing and/or financial problems.

Proposed: Dr. Spampinato told the ALA principals that their budgets would not be cut during the first year.

Reality: She lost her position and budgets were cut when the other district schools made cuts. Proposed: Teachers would receive extensive in-service training on America’s Choice.

Reality: Most ALA staff did not receive adequate training on America's Choice. There were two full day sessions held in Oakland for staff. However, when the training took place, buildings were not completely staffed and in other cases people who went to the training were cut later in the year. Schools received improvement funds and money for "at risk" students but as all district schools get a portion of this funding it was not additional.

Proposed: ALAs receive money to buy classroom libraries.

Reality: This money was only available for the first year and it did not include enough copies for each student or adequate classroom sets.

Proposed: Instructional resources will be plentiful and available when needed.

Reality: The Ramp-up curriculum materials did not arrive to ALAs in a prompt manner. In several cases the books were weeks late and schools had to xerox them. This was true for some teacher materials too. When these materials arrived coaches and teachers found computational and editing errors.

Other problems that impacted the ALAs successful implementation: The America’s Choice Cluster Leader who was responsible for providing technical assistance to ALA math teachers resigned and ALAs went several weeks without a replacement. Principals had to make staffing changes to accommodate this program which proved to be inadequate for students that were in certain ability levels. Most of the ALAs decreased the number of these classes significantly this year. The America’s Choice support is provided by two cluster leaders who provide support one day a month to each of the Academies. This is inadequate.

Most ALAs are not air conditioned and start school in August. In some schools, rooms reach temps exceed 100 degrees during August and September.

The parent engagement piece is lacking because of the low pay scale and lack of qualifications required by this position. Parents of ALA students are not required to participate any more than other schools and do not have increased accountability.

Three ALA principals have either taken medical leaves or sabbaticals during the 2007-08 school year. A significant number of these principals are relatively new administrators. They feel threatened, not supported. And, the district may lose some of them who are dedicated and caring but frustrated and unappreciated. They are penalized for poor performance even when they have teachers who are on improvement plans and do not want to work in ALAs. The burden of the PA tenure law allows a bad teacher to stay in a classroom for TWO YEARS before firing. The ALAs have a lack of adequate support staff.

These schools are set up for failure. The NAACP will not accept inadequate education for our children. This is a promise.

Digital Summer Camp, a spin out of PodCamp

Background statement about critical issues leading to the CLOH.org efforts for the summer of 2008.

The Bruce Kraus authored "moratorium" is working like a charm

The Bruce Kraus authored "moratorium" is working like a charm. It is such a relief to see that sins of the city are getting resolved with extra time to deliberate and comprehend the "progress" that has been occurring at "breakneck speeds."

Don't you think? April 1, 2008 -- such a milestone.

Mr. Kraus has a knack of injecting more rust into a system that is already overflowing with fear, uncertainty and doubt.

From what I heard, Jim Motznik did NOT talk on the air to Marty G about the Pens' sign situation. Motznik didn't fuel that conversation one bit, as described in another blog thread. Marty G did try to bring up the subject and Motznik didn't bite, but passed on discussing it.

Bram, the Reebok logo does NOT make the sign advertising. Even without the sponsored logo, the sign is still advertising. The Pens and NHL are not charities.

Bram may have posted in another thread on another blog, http://burghreport.blogspot.com: "This sign could have gone up like that (snaps fingers) if Reebok or Nike or whomever was not advertising on them, but they were."

Isn't the Bruce Kraus authored "moratorium" is working like a charm????

Banners For Penguins Hit Grant Street Snag
KDKA - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
Councilman Bill Peduto says the moratorium was never the issue - it was the size of the 40ft by 85ft banners. "The sign is over the maximum amount of ...

Mayor of Pittsburgh, city council in hockey fight over banners, ethics
Detroit Free Press - United States
"There were no ultimate decisions made," said Councilman Bruce Kraus. Council drafted the holiday legislation, and he was ready to introduce it -- until he ...

Pittsburgh Plans To Get Tough on Graffiti Vandals - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Plans To Get Tough on Graffiti Vandals - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh 'I want to see the complete eradication of graffiti, every piece of graffiti in this city,' said Pittsburgh Councilman Bruce Kraus.

One's "wants" and "needs" are not the same, Bruce. What you "want" is up for review.

I don't want my kid, nor his peers, to have his driver's license taken from him for years because he has a magic marker in his pocket.

I don't want the Pittsburgh Police running sting operations against local merchants. Merchants are not guilty of making the graffiti.

Over-reaching sucks. There are problems that are sure to unfold.

A 'conspiracy' has often become a 'code word' for lynching innocent people by those who are badge empowered.

I do not favor the taking of property by the police for their own use. Asset forfeiture stinks. Ever hear of the successes of the 'war on drugs?'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_forfeiture

"I'm absolutely convinced that abatement is the answer," said Kraus.

Well then, why the talk about punishments? If abatement is the answer, do abatement in spades.

I agree. Abatement empowerment is a worthy direction. Go there. Going elsewhere is sure to be counter-productive on many fronts.

Man vs. Che = SuperBowl of football (in Moscow with UK teams)

ESPN2, live.

Score was: 1 to 1 at halftime.

Ended in a shoot out.

I wonder, with all the international publicity (for both Manchester, UK; and Chelsa, UK) will there will be many headed there for vacations and/or business opportunities.

BTW, Peter's Pub on East Carson Street was jumping!

Downtown banners for Penguins put on ice - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Downtown banners for Penguins put on ice - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Two giant Downtown banners heralding the Pittsburgh Penguins quest for the Stanley Cup have been put on ice thanks to a quarrel between City Council and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's administration.

Humm....

Where oh where can the banners be hung?

How about in the shape of a "M" and put on the top of the US Steel Building?

From signs

How about from the upper deck at PNC Park?

How about if the are used as a patch on the roof at the Convention Center?

From Convention Ce...

How about as a wind-break on the construction site of the new slots parlor on the North Side?

How about within Century III Mall?

How about as a massive slip and slide on Rt. 28 or Kilbuck Township?

From playground - usa

How about from the broken bridge on the upriver side of the Birmingham Bridge, still in one lane status?

Or, what about on the closed lower McArdle Roadway?

From playground - usa

How about on a stand right behind the still closed Point State Park bandstand? Why in the hell is that place still closed? Work has not been done for months within Point State Park.

How about if the banner goes into the Pittsburgh International Airport to close off the empty wing that is now vacant due to the shrinkage of US Airways over the years.

Perhaps a banner could be floated on the surface of the river tied to one of the many sets of locks and dams that are in frail conditions throughout the region?

A banner could be hung within the Civic Arena -- as that building is going to be torn down shortly.

Why not in the new cafatorium at Reisenstein School? It is both a cafeteria and an auditorium. Might as well be a banner-torium too. There are NO WINDOWS within Reisenstein, so you won't be able to peek in from the outside and see it. But, fear not, in a few years it will take $50-million, or more, to fix up Reisenstein into a decent school. Some zealots (Mark Roosevelt) want to move out of Schenley to save $30-million and pay $20-million additional to 'save money.' Might as well give the banner to them as the might need to use it as a tent to teach under given all the sky-is-falling fears of asbestos that is throughout all the schools in the district.

Let's fold the banner into a door sized package. Then put the banner on the office doorway of Bruce Krause in city hall to cover up the other sign that shows how much money they are raising to cover legal bills that were not approved for fighting a sign that had ethical implications.

Perhaps the banner could be used to cover up the abandoned building that the Penguins left in the heart of the city in the middle of a park -- also known as the Neville Ice Rink -- closed for many years now.

From playground - usa

Red Tide Report: Kiefer Commits to Carthage Class of 2031

Great grandson of gold medalist, Adolph Kiefer.

Red Tide Report: Kiefer Commits to Carthage Class of 2031: "Kiefer Commits to Carthage Class of 2031

Somers, WI - Carthage College men's swimming coach Greg Earhart today announced the signing of River Jeremy Kiefer to swim for Carthage beginning in 2027.

Harris and Kraus pimping animals at city council before more serious business

Two members of city council feel it is good public policy to delay the start of city council meetings to pet cute cats and dogs and promote efforts of the animal shelter. The meeting didn't start until after 10:25 am -- a full 25 minutes late.

There is no problem with promotions of valid causes. That is what the 3-minutes of public comment is designed to provide. Give the people at the animal shelter a chance to go to the microphone and train the cameras on the animals then. That is public comment.

Furthermore, there is a fix that I proposed for getting the meetings to start on time.

At 10 am sharp, turn on the microphone and cameras. Point them at the podium where citizens give public comment. Open the cable broadcasts from 10 am until the chair of the council hits the gavel. Citizens, including animal lovers, could talk and promote as they wish, self organizing, until the meeting begins.

For example, today's meeting started at 10:25 AM, not 10. There could have been 25 minutes of extra citizen comment until the council members arrived at their seats to do their jobs and conduct the meeting.

There would be NO extra charges if the cameras were turned ON at the correct time. The camera operators are there. The signal is being piped to the cable and to the various TVs around the city. The resources are being wasted.

What will really happen -- however -- will be much different. They will start the meetings at 10 am. Otherwise, they'd have to face the wrath of the citizens for extended remarks at the podium.

Meanwhile, Bruce Kraus and Darlene Harris should work on something of greater merit while on city council. The city's population is half of what it was. The city's debt is massive. Get to work. Give the animal shelter folks a golden invite to join the citizens at the podium within public comment.

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Animal Friends: Animal Friends: Home Page Click on one of the faces above to meet a homeless animal who needs your help.

Allegheny Institute Blog: Time out Chief Executive

Allegheny Institute Blog: Time out Chief Executive: "Time out Chief Executive
Following a meeting between state legislators, Mayor Ravenstahl and Chief Executive Onorato regarding the proposed City-County merger, the Chief Executive was quoted as saying, “They (the legislators) agreed that if the two of us want to push this, they shouldn’t block it.”

Well how generous of the legislators. Perhaps they might want to consider the views of County Council, City Council, elected municipal officials and citizens groups before yielding the field to the Mayor and Chief Executive. There are a lot of reasons to slow this train down. Not least of which is there is no real plan for people to debate or discuss. No structure, no talk of potential savings, no estimate of job reductions, nothing."

Banners for Pens

Marty G asked:

Banners UP -- IF -- they pay.

Banners can go up on private property. That should be 'legal' in libertarian world. If damages occur, they'd be on the hook, of course.

On public property -- no banners unless they pay -- and cover the fix up costs of Schenley High School -- for example.

Read the Cappy Complaint from the League of Women Voters

Now online at http://www.pacleansweep.com/cappy.pdf.

Russ Diamond says:

Pretty interesting stuff, some of it eye-popping; certainly lends credence to all our efforts over the last few years. And gives more weight to the argument for a constitutional convention to undo some things that were done in 1968.

Another asked:

Who is the "Senator" and "House Member A"

Shades of "Deep Throat" and Watergate.

Lets keep hammering them - eventually the truth will come out.

Schenley High School worth fixing, architect says - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The price tag: $10-million. That is it. And, the students do NOT need to be out of the building. Roosevelt is way out of bounds.



It is cheaper to fix the building and not move the school and make such radical and rushed changes. It is better for Pittsburgh's taxpayers to fix the building and keep Schenley operational in Oakland.

Schenley High School worth fixing, architect says - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "In recommending the closure of Schenley High School, city schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt stressed an architect's cost estimate of $76.2 million for renovations.

He left out one thing.

The Downtown firm, MacLachlan Cornelius & Filoni, said the 92-year-old building is worth fixing.

'Despite its high cost, it is our opinion that the building is worth the investment,' Albert L. Filoni, president of the firm, wrote in a report Thursday to Paul Gill, chief of operations for the Pittsburgh Public Schools."

This is the headline:

Filoni's firm, which designed Schenley, estimates it would cost $10.5 million to remove the asbestos. The firm suggests that the work not be done while students, faculty and staff are in the building.

The inflation of the fix-up is being reported upon as $77-million. The early reports to the board were $44-million. But those reports had done LOTS more than just the asbestos removal. The price tag is NOT what we have been shown.

There are much better ways to manage the overall situation.

1. Move Schenley to Milliones on a temporary basis until the work in Schenley is done. Keep Schenley's sports facilites open for after-school efforts. Kids can walk to Schenley from Milliones. The newer sports wing of Schenley isn't in the rage of asbestos. Or, at worst, do that section in the summers.

2. Do NOT open the University Prep in its own building. Instead, put the University Prep into Schenley. The University Prep should be a city-wide magnet for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12.

3. Keep Rodgers Middle School right where it is for now; grades 6, 7 and 8.

4. Keep Frick Middle School right where it is for now; grades 6, 7 and 8.

These moves, I and others have suggested, ends the fabricated crisis from the zealot, Mark Roosevelt. Lots of money is saved. Performing schools are not crushed. More time is allowed for Mark Roosevelt to do his homework for the whole of high school reform for the district.

Nothing should be done in such a rush. And, nothing should be done until the entire scope of the district and associated costs are fully understood.

For instance: The Pgh Public School district should sell its Board of Education building in Oakland. That is valuable. The windfall from the sale of that building can fetch the necessary money to pay for the fix-up at Schenley.

Furthermore, the Reizenstein building at the eastern edge of the city, a building that was always an inferior school, should be sold. That building is valued for development, as it sits next to the new Baker's Square new development. Land circles the building. It is also next to a park, offering a benefit for housing. The Reizenstein building is a poor excuse for a school as it has no windows. The fix up for the Reizenstein building into a school again is going to cost $50-million or more. Sell it. It could make for a nice office park.

Provide a plan for Vo Tech right away. It is already four years late!

Do your homework school administration!

We want to know more about the proposed Sci-Tech educational plan. Where is that building going to be located. Reveal it to us -- and consult with us.

EarthLink to pull the plug on Wi-Fi in Philadelphia

If I lived in Philly, I would be starting a new ISP business.

EarthLink to pull the plug on Wi-Fi in Philadelphia: "EarthLink, which will give current customers until June 12 to switch to another provider, said it even offered to donate the Wi-Fi equipment to someone and give them an additional $1 million.

Too bad they didn't come to Pittsburgh.

I wonder if there is a list of other assets from Earthlink in other metro areas that are going away at better than fireside prices?

Fighting for Schenley: Gathering set for planning

Save the date:

Tim just called to let me know that he made the reservation for June 5th at 6pm at the Hill House so that we can continue strategical discussions around Schenely and overall High School reform.

Root, root, root for this guy! He is running for President

Comments from others (Pittsburgh Libertarians):

HK:

If you have a few moments, view some of the YouTube videos listed here -- Wayne Allan Root is truly a great performer (in one of them, he billed himself as "Ron Paul on steroids"):

I've watched a half-dozen or so of them, and he has yet to say anything I disagree with, and pushes all the right buttons. What's really cool about it, besides him being a great communicator, is he says he's in it for the long haul, and plans to run every 4 years, getting more recognition and votes all the time, until he wins in 2020.

Catch some of the Fox News debate between him and Mike Gravel. Gravel comes across in places as an angry old man who's losing it, while Root is everywhere positive, in control, and incisive in his answers. (I disagreed, though, with his characterization of the sub-prime mortgage fiasco as caused by government regulations forcing banks to make loans to people who shouldn't own homes. I heard some interviews on NPR last weekend with bankers who were being flooded with dollars from foreign investors who couldn't get enough of U.S. investments, and they couldn't create these mortgage package investment opportunities fast enough to supply the market, and so their bosses, simply out of blind greed, instructed them to keep relaxing the standards until having a pulse was all that was required.)

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Henry Haller remarked:

During the Presidential debate at the Pa. state convention, in one of the "lightning rounds," Ken asked the candidates - by a show of hands - who could envision the future need to launch a war against Iran. Wayne Root was the only candidate to raise his hand.

Therefore, I will not vote for Wayne Root.

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HK again:

Yes, his initials are WAR, he did support Iraq 2 initially, and he supposedly has some hawkish tendencies, perhaps because he's Jewish and has pro-Israel sentiments/loyalties. But he doesn't push it, when he talks about foreign policy he sounds like Ron Paul (no wars without a declaration by congress, no spreading democracy by force, closing many of the bases around the world, etc.), and he's far and away the best libertarian communicator for the common man I've seen. Harry Browne was good for intellectuals, but Root can reach the blue-collar working people much better, I think.

Close Schenley, Roosevelt urges - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

I got some ink in today's Tribune Review concerning Schenley:

Close Schenley, Roosevelt urges - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Mark Rauterkus, 49, of the South Side had hoped that his two sons, Erik and Grant, would someday attend Schenley.

'You don't break the best schools,' he said. 'You replicate them, and you fix the other schools.'

I was also shown in two TV interviews on the 11 pm news: TV 11 and KDKA TV 2.

kdka.com - Superintendent Mark Roosevelt Recommends Closing Schenley High School Roosevelt Recommends Closing Schenley High School

The point of the interview was to say that Pittsburgh Schenley is home to the I.B. program AND other programs as well with neighborhood students and robotics. The blending of the urban fabric happens at Schenley, in a safe and successful school. Schenley is sending students, again, to Stanford. It works! It should not be taken apart. Rather, it should be replicated. Fix the schools that are failing. There are too many 'drop out factories' in the district. Those schools with unrealized potential and excess capacity need to be address. What about Vo Tech Education? What about the other places?

Updated:

A summary from another parent, Jen Lakin, came in email.

Well, you read or saw the big news already. Basically, the exact same thing we heard in the fall, only with bigger numbers. Lots of reassurance that they've really worked hard to not have to do this, but not a single thing fell into place despite their 6 months of looking.

However there were several interesting tidbits that came out during the meeting:

It's a 4 year commitment to Reizenstein -- they'll put in under $5M to the building and make sure that next year's 9th graders graduate from that building. Then they'll probably move again. Or not.

Several members pushed for some sort of comprehensive/district-wide/long-range plan. This was answered in various ways, none of which was yes. Randall Taylor pushed on the idea that there would be another 1050 student building in the district available in 4 years that wouldn't also require $$ to make suitable. When he asked a second time (it wasn't answered) and pointed out that the only buildings fitting that description meant that other students would be displaced or merged. There were other questions about what reform has been or will be for the failing, underenrolled schools. Both of these threads were finally answered in that as kids are sucked toward the new schools, it'll be a slow death for the bad schools. Rather than getting direct reform, those kids and their parents just better jump ship to a new school. Anyone left, well...they'll be moved when one of the new schools needs the building. Obviously, that's a paraphrase, but that's the gist of the plan.

There were several highlights (learning that mature people living in the real world support these plans, for instance) but I did like as well when Mark Roosevelt assured the board that they'd spent time when he got here talking to a lot of parents, especially those who had left the district, and they were answering their stated needs for "more high school choices." Of course, it's a bit of a leap from that to 6-12 themed schools, but hey! And we also know where those of us who've stuck through good and bad stand in their eyes.

If you get a chance watch the meeting -- I think they're on cable at some point (I don't have cable so I'm clueless there) and available on the PPS website, maybe?

I'll send out more later, but basically, it's time to support the board members in not acting on Schenley or ANY other building spending until they have an idea of what we're aiming toward as a district. It's also time to get it out in the media that this isn't about just Schenley, it's the start of a huge structural change in the district. Changes are long overdue, but people need to be informed and a part of the change before it's already happened! Honestly, before all this happened, I understood the meaning of the word 'transparency' but now, I get it, I really get it. There is such a chokehold on information from the administration, such a lack of ability for parents to have their voices heard before plans are made, and a near total disregard for the knowledge and expertise of the really excellent teachers and principals who are still out there.

Here's an email I received earlier in the week, sent out with permission (and some names removed):

I just wanted you to know that as a parent [and retired teacher...] I've been sending you moral support and good vibrations for the past months of this.....fight?

It seems weird to refer to it as that. Why must one fight for one's children with an institution whose very existence is for the welfare of those same children? One of my reasons for choosing to retire when I did was that I became very weary of fighting for what is right for children in all aspects of Pittsburgh public education. I needed to be so much more than a disseminator of information; children need adult role models, parent figures, and, indeed, friends. The system increasingly allows teachers to be NONE of those. Our days became filled with shoveling the information for tests down the throats of students and worrying about our own jobs and family security in the face of poor fiscal management, bad decision making, deaf ears in Harrisburg, a lack of clear moral standards for an orderly environment, and overworked principals and administrators who must become spin masters and middle managers rather than educational leaders. ... Early on, [a current teacher] invited me to become a part of your cause. I declined due to weariness, and yet I find myself increasingly unable to stay quiet in the face of the unbelievably botched (even for our Board and administration) attempt at "improving" our high schools at the cost of its one true gem. (Allderdice seems to get that title; however, if I knew then what I know now [...] All one would have to do is to attend the musicals of both schools and allow him/herself to feel the vibes.)

(parent of a Schenley 2003 grad and Allderdice 2009 student)



More later --

Jen Lakin

Today's message theme: Pompus Folly. Stay tuned and headed to city council

We're just back from Amsterdam where they have a clever t-shirt:

Amsterdam: since 1275

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is headed into a big 250 celebration. Wow!

Frankly, I'm getting sick of the "Pompus Folly" that is filling our city, county, state, federal and school board governance.

More to come.

Tom Sumpter cried. He realized Schenley High School is about to die. He killed it.

Pgh Public School Board Member, Tom Sumpter, chair of the education committee, spilled a tear or two at the very end of the meeting tonight.

He said, "My grandmother graduated from Schenley. My mother graduated from Schenley. I graduated from Schenley. And my kids graduated from Schenley." He said, "We are Schenley."

This weekend, Mr. Sumpter is to attend his 40th class reunion.

Sumpter is Schenley. And, Sumpter and all that have gone before are in the past. Schenley is now just a memory. Schenley is about to die.

Next year, Schenley gets ripped apart. The final chapter on Schnley is not written. But, there is certainty that the evil forces are sure to have the upper hand in the next battle and section of history.

Schenley has its I.B. students going to "I.B. High" -- or -- I.B. World.

Schenley has 90 students being forced to attend a new University Prep School that was once a middle school. It will be in Milliones.

This is a royal mess. The district didn't do its homework. And, they admit as much. A full high school reform agenda was asked for by a board member in the questions but Mark Roosevelt said that it would not be delivered in the next months.

Tom Sumpter is going to kill Schenley High School. Let the tears of its funeral flow farther and wider.

There are four on the board who are NOT in favor of this. Sumpter can cast the vote that swings the tide. Or, he can move ahead on a half-baked plan that re-segregates the district and drives more families with the capability to move to depart.

Fathers urged to attend council meeting

Fathers urged to attend council meeting: "Fathers urged to attend council meeting

Yes, I expect to be there.

The Economy: Another Casualty of War

The Economy: Another Casualty of War ... Even though the House failed to pass the war spending bill, opponents of the war should not be fooled into believing this vote signals a long term change in policy. At the end of the day, those favoring continued military occupation of Iraq will receive every penny they are requesting and more as long as they agree to dramatically increase domestic and international welfare spending as well.