According to CNN, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska–both Republicans–will vote against Betsy DeVos in the Senate floor. One more Republican vote is needed to stop her confirmation. In case of a 50-50 tie, Mike Pence would be the tiebreaker.
Collins, Murkowski to vote no on education secretary nominee – CNN
https://apple.news/AWHrwZNk-QbeMfCKV3pGDRA
NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTACT YOUR SENATOR AND URGE A NO VOTE. #novouchers #saveourschools
Rural Republicans are most likely to oppose DeVos because their communities don’t want vouchers or charters.
Education Week lists the Senators who might break against the rest of the party. They represent largely rural states.
“One possible place to look for that third GOP vote against DeVos is the vote tally from the Scholarships for Kids Act in July 2015.
“That proposal, proposed by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., would have redirected $24 billion in federal funding for education into $2,100 scholarships for 11 million low-income students to use at the school of their choice. Alexander called it “a real answer to inequality in America.” The proposal failed, with 52 senators voting against and 45 in favor.
“Collins and Murkowski helped defeat the measure. Here are the other Republican lawmakers who voted against the Scholarships for Kids Act and are still in the Senate:
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska
Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada
Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas
DeVos is a prominent school choice advocate who favors vouchers. And those four senators have shown they’re not particularly big fans of vouchers, at least at the federal level.
“All four of those senators also represent states with significant rural interests to consider. As we’ve written before, school choice doesn’t necessarily play well in rural areas because of logistical and other barriers. And Heller is up for re-election in 2018, and could face a tough contest.
“We’ve reached out to all four of those senators’ offices for comment, and we’ll update this blog post if we hear back.
“None of this is to say that any of the four senators we’ve listed above are likely to vote against DeVos. GOP party discipline may prove far more important than any other factor. Those four senators decide that DeVos may be great on other education issues. And Republican senators may also be wary about the ripple effect of voting against a nominee who comes from the community of GOP mega-donors. Finally, remember that Trump won all four of those states except Nevada.
“There’s also this to consider: Both Capito and Heller have received money from the Alticor political action committee, which the DeVos family controls. (Murkowski herself has received money from Betsy DeVos directly, although that didn’t stop her from expressing serious reservations about the nominee on Tuesday.)
“Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who’s expressed concerns about President Donald Trump in other policy areas, has gotten money from the DeVos family directly. And another senator who’s done likewise, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has already said he’d vote for DeVos.”
DeVos is unqualified and she opposes community public schools. Oppose federal funding of privatization.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education and commented:
Keep spreading the word. Keep the pressure on your senators
Here are a few Twitter addresses that might help
@jerrymoran
@sendeanheller
@senatorfischer
@sencapito
I already sent tweets to a couple of them.
More pressure
FYI – If Susan Collins is “allowed” to say she is voting no, I guarantee that the Republicans have the votes lined up to approve her.
Susan Collins has never once voted against something that the right wing Republicans wanted where her vote would matter. She is allowed to now come out and say she is against DeVos because the Republicans don’t need her vote. And the right wing loves when she does this because they know that Collins is the biggest coward of them all. She had a chance to vote against DeVos in committee and she approved her. That’s the bottom line. I will be shocked if DeVos doesn’t win and it will be on Colliins. Please don’t think she isn’t completely in the tank. I can’t think of a single instance where she was allowed to vote against an extreme right wing nominee unless her vote wasn’t needed. When it is, she is ALWAYS happy to oblige as she did when she voted to approve DeVos in committee.
Funny how when it came to allowing the Senate to vote on a public option in health insurance, Collins did not value the vote of the entire Senate and promised to filibuster any legislation with a public option to prevent it from coming to vote.
But she wanted DeVos to be voted on. She is in the tank for the right wing and if anyone can recall a time she was willing to stand up for anything when her vote was needed by the right wing, I’d like to know when it was.
“If Susan Collins is “allowed” to say she is voting no, I guarantee that the Republicans have the votes lined up to approve her”
Agreed that is the DC dog and pony show. .
Fischer is not yet nailed down for DeVos. Nebraska. She was a member of a local school board and president of the Nebraskas School Boards Association.
Two bits says there will be a couple of Dimocraps who will vote for Betsy “The Money Player” DeVos.
Agree Duane…these traitor Dems must be targeted for DEFEAT in their next election, as with the other 14 who have voted with the Repubs the last two weeks.
I’ll take that bet. Not holding my breath on Collins and Murky-kowski though. Will have wait for vote until I believe it.
Payable at NPE Conference in fall!
Hoping I can be there. If so, I’ll see if I can do a session on modern soccer tactics!
Would love to talk a little fútbol with ya. One doesn’t grow up Catholic in St. Louis in the 60s and not be a soccer player (along with being a Cards fan). Hell, half of the team that beat England in the 1950 World Cup was from St. Louis. Hope to see you there!
Can I get in on this bet , I am with Duane on this one. Or shall we say, there will never be enough votes to block the nomination even if it requires the VP to break the tie.
I’ll take that bet too. Will Manchin be my downfall?
Sasse should be on the list of Repubs to contact. He is open about his objections and he is vocal about not voting only Party line.
how many of you have heard the lie….that this is going to be a victory for the teachers’ unions? It is going to be a huge sigh of relief for the charter school industry. I was disappointed that Katy Tur had a conservative talk show host saying that. She did not have time.
Joe,
The lazy media line is that the unions oppose DeVos. I do not belong to a union. Parents who love their public schools are not union members.
Saying it is a “lazy media line” may be too generous.
The equation of union = teachers = public education is part of a propaganda campaign sustained by free-market think tanks, their PR firms, and the owners of media who profit from demeaning workers, especially those who belong to unions, and who think that women should not be teachers because they are insufficiently rigorous and too soft, just glorified baby sitters.
Several stories have been out already about how much of an embarrassment DeVos was going to be to the cause of charter schools.
Dems voting for Tillerson: Manchin (WV), Heitcamp (ND), Warner (VA) and independent King (ME). Heinrich (NM) did not vote.
Same DDINOs who turned tail on the pharma resolution that was defeated BECAUSE 13 DINOs voted no–Manchin (well, of course–daughter Heather, CEO of Mylan {EpiPen}, & also receiver of BIG $$$ from pharm), Heitcamp & Warner.
They definitely need to be primaried, folks. Get your candidates ready now.
Manchin, when Gov. of W. Va., introduced legislation to create charter schools in the state.
His Democratic colleagues shot the idea down, saying charter schools create a two-class system.
Got an action alert from the NPE this morning saying Bill Nelson (D-FL) was being pressured to vote for Devos. Not only did I call his offices (again), I asked my head honchos in the local Dem party to contact him. I also said if he voted for her I would be actively working to primary him in his reelection bid in two years.
I tried calling Nelson’s office, got a busy signal three times, finally got through to a machine, and his mailbox was full. I will email; it’s the best I can do.
I’m pleased both Senators mentioned the obsession with charters and vouchers as a reason to be concerned.
I think it’s amazing that whoever prepped her didn’t tell her she needs to mention public schools. This is why I think ed reform is an echo chamber.
The omission of public schools is really odd and jarring if you’re not a member of the “movement”. It sticks out. That they don’t even realize they’re doing it says something about what they value.
You think she was prepped? Imagine how ignorant she really is.
More like propped than prepped.
My twitter feed (no guarantee of accuracy) says Sen. Toomey may be a key vote on DeVos. His phone numbers: (202) 224-4254 or (215) 241-1090
Some Republicans may be influenced by her waffling on the Common Core.
Here is Right Wing Media saying so: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/16/grassroots-coalition-shares-many-questions-and-concerns-about-betsy-devos-with-senators/
Of all the Senators, I would think that Murkowski would be most worried about Grizzly bears in schools.
Must be she knows something the others don’t.
In a world where principles mattered, Ohio’s Republican, Sen. Portman would vote against DeVos out of disdain for her advocacy of homosexual conversion. A few years ago, after Portman’s son came out as gay, the Senator admitted he had been wrong to support Ohio’s same sex marriage ban.
I hope the LBGT community will marshal forces against DeVos.
I just received an email from my Democratic Senator from Indiana. I’m thrilled to read that he is opposed to the confirmation of Betsy DeVos!!!
……………
Senator Donnelly [Indiana] to Oppose Education Secretary Nominee Betsy DeVos
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the nomination of Betsy DeVos to become the Secretary of Education. After reviewing her record, qualifications, and Senate committee confirmation hearing, I have decided to oppose her nomination.