Hillary's Pre-K Village

Hillary Clinton must be nervous. I think Barack Obama has her running scared.

Rather than focus on the really tough stuff like the war in Iraq and terrorism, Hillary is playing Santa Claus to lure voters to support her.

She wants to sew up the mother vote by offering aid to children.

No 4-year-old left behind.

Instead of a chicken in every pot, Hillary promises every 4-year-old a Pre-K spot.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is proposing a $10 billion federal program aimed at providing voluntary pre-kindergarten for all 4-year-old children in America.

The Democratic presidential candidate planned to discuss the program in remarks Monday at North Beach Elementary School in Miami Beach, Fla.

Her campaign staff issued an outline of the plan in Washington.

It would provide federal funds to states that agree to establish a plan for making voluntary pre-kingergarten services universally available for all 4-year-olds.

They would be required to provide services at no cost to children from low-income families and those from "limited English homes."

So Hillary wants to take power away from the states and call the shots herself.

Hillary knows best, I guess.

Do you think that billions of dollars to get children from low income families and "limited English homes" into Pre-K will solve social ills down the road?

I wish it were that simple.

The campaign said state spending on pre-kingergarten has increased by $1 billion in the last two years, yet the programs still serve less than 20 percent of 4-year-olds in the U.S.

Under the Clinton plan, states would match federal funds made available to them dollar-for-dollar and could use the assistance to expand their existing Head Start programs.

"The federal government will allocate $5 billion in the first year to states to establish and administer universal Pre-K," the campaign fact sheet said. "Over the next five years, the federal commitment will increase to $10 billion as states increase their commitment to Pre-K."

To qualify for federal funds, states would have to hire teachers with bachelor's degrees and specialized training in early childhood development and also meet other standards, such as low teacher-child ratios.

Hillary is really into micromanaging the village.

Maybe this is an outgrowth of her failure to create universal health care all those years ago.

She's still shooting to make something universal.

And who would be against federal handouts for universal Pre-K?

Only ogres would oppose something aimed at benefiting 4-year-olds, especially those from low income and limited English households.

Viva la village!