Katrina's Aftermath: Two ways Congress can pick up the pieces

Dallas Morning News | Editorials:

"Texas Sen. Kay Hutchison persuaded the Senate in September to give FEMA the authority to reimburse states for Katrina add-ons like extra textbooks and more teachers. The House, unfortunately, has yet to pass a similar bill. In fact, the House's education committee chairman, John Boehner (R-Ohio), appears more interested in a school voucher fight. This newspaper supports vouchers, but the House doesn't need to get bogged down in an irreconcilable debate over them."

DMN stands behind the State of Texas as it lines up for federal money. Principles like school vouchers take a back seat when there's money being handed out. It's understandable and I don't even disagree. DMN's readers are mostly Texans. Take hurricane relief money while the memory of Katrina is still fresh in the nation's mind. But I can't help thinking that the DMN position might be different if it were, say, Ohio schools that were asking for reimbursement. Maybe the DMN would be more willing to promote school vouchers if it were some other state's money at risk of being tied up in a political hot potato. And Rep. John Boehner might be less enthusiastic about pushing vouchers if it were his state's reimbursement money that was at risk. Or am I just being cynical?