Libertarians question Republican participation in Tea Parties

Wes Benedict, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party, issued the following statement today:

"Many Libertarians around America are planning to go to Tea Party rallies tomorrow. I also expect lots of Republican activists and politicians to be there. But frankly, I don't think those Republicans belong there. The people participating in these rallies are saying 'There's too much government spending,' but Republicans, decade after decade, have supported massive increases in government spending. During the George W. Bush administration, Republicans in Congress supported spending trillions of dollars on foreign wars, a massive Medicare expansion, and banker bailouts. Republicans doubled the budget and doubled the federal debt. Why can't the Republican Party just admit that it loves big government?

"If I thought there would be many Democrats at these rallies, I'd criticize them too. However, I think it's safe to say that they'll be few and far between.

"Many Libertarians are enthusiastic about the Tea Parties, but many are not. Many Libertarians are concerned that participating causes us to get lumped in with conservatives and Republicans. In our online poll at LP.org, 28% so far say that 'The Tea Parties have become too Republican-flavored.'

"Libertarians are often frustrated when the press characterizes us as 'right-wing' or 'conservative.' Although we certainly support reducing government spending, which most conservatives also claim to support, we differ from right-wingers on many issues: for example, we oppose foreign interventionism, support immigrant-friendly policies, oppose overreaction to terrorism, and oppose the War on Drugs.

"Libertarians are neither left-wing nor right-wing. We're in a different place on the political map, as illustrated by the popular World's Smallest Political Quiz.

"Some of the people in the tax day Tea Party crowds will be right-wingers, and some will be Libertarians. For those Tea Partiers who support Libertarian principles of very limited government spending, government tolerance on social issues, and a non-interventionist foreign policy, the Libertarian Party is ready to welcome them with open arms."

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Secretary Clinton Announces $12.5 Million to Improve Dominican Public Schools Teaching

/PRNewswire / -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced a $12.5 million dollar expansion of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Effective School Program during a visit to the Rosa Duarte Public Elementary School in the Dominican Republic.

This new five-year $12.5 million dollar increase in the USAID Effective School Program will allow an additional 450 public schools to access a full range of programming in reading, writing, math, and school administration. This project is fully supported by the Ministry of Education and will be implemented by USAID partner Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM).

The Effective School Program will train first through fourth grade teachers in improved methodologies and better use of available materials and classroom time. Additionally, it supports improved school management by increasing the capacity of school administrators and the community to participate in the shared responsibility of educating children.

During the visit, Secretary Clinton, accompanied by the Dominican Minister of Education, Melanio Paredes and PUCMM Rector, Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado, and School Principal Sister Victoria Reyes toured the school facilities. The Secretary had the opportunity to meet with teachers and students and important local authorities.

During the initial implementation of the activity, USAID provided for training of more than 3,000 teachers, principals, Dominican Ministry staff, and trainers have been trained and there now exists higher quality math and reading instruction in more than 200 schools, benefiting more than 90,000 students.

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