2 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 26, 2004 NEWS BUSH Continued from Page 1 2002, Bush pledged to increase minor- ity homeownership by 5.5 million fam- ilies before the end of the decade. Since then, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 1.53 million more minority homeowners exist. The minority homeownership rate is now at a new record of 50.6 percent, the bureau reported. Bush moved on to talk about trans- forming education from a system that used to "shuffle kids through" its ranks. "That's what you get when you get low expectations. It's what I call the soft bigotry of low expectations," Bush said, adding that he has tried to change that system with the No Child Left Behind Act. Increased spending, reading inter- vention programs, rigorous standards and higher expectations would all go towards bettering the educational sys- tem, Bush said. Such words seemed disingenuous to the Rev. Al Sharpton - who unsuc- cessfully ran in the Democratic primar- ies - and attended the address with Rainbow/PUSH Coalition President Rev. Jessie Jackson. "Bush never funded No Child Left Behind, so he doesn't believe in it," Sharpton said. He added that it was one part in a larger cache of dishonesty and failed promises Bush made to the black community. The act has been funded, although below authorized levels. Senator John Kyl (R-AZ) wrote in an April report that he doesn't think full funding and sufficient funding are the same. "It is relevant to note that an increase in spending does not always result in an increase in achievement. Despite the billions of dollars in increased appropriations between 1975 and 2000, the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading scores for nine-year-olds stayed the same," Kyl wrote. Grade schools aside, the president said he believed that better higher education was also necessary. More than one million new students can now attend college because of the dissemination of additional Pell grants, Bush said. Urban League member Wynell Neece said she wasn't swayed by the statistics. "Like most politicians, he can take numbers and make them say what he wanted them to say," said Neece. But she said she respected him com- ing and presenting his point of view. "I appreciated hearing (his ideas) first-hand." Sen. Kerry got a more enthusias- tic response from his speech to the Urban League the day before, expressed by three standing ova- tions. The senator addressed black unemployment, which at 10 percent is a little less than double the national rate. Kerry also stressed government aid programs. "We have an obligation to stop being a country that's content to spend $50,000 a year to house young people in prison for the rest of their life, rather than put $10,000 a year into Head Start, early start, smart start (pro- grams)," Kerry said. Bush challenged the Democratic plat- form and its history with black voters. "Does the Democrat party take African American voters for granted? I know plenty of politicians assume they have your vote. But do they earn it and do they deserve it? Have the traditional solutions of the Democrat party truly served the African American commu- nity?" asked Bush. But the president did not let his party off the hook either. "The Republican Party has a lot of work to do. I understand that," he said, speaking of efforts to get votes and be inclusive. He cited his nomination of 17 black judges, his appointment of cabinet members Rod Paige, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and chairs of the Federal Communications Com- mission and of Housing and Urban Development Michael Powell and Alphonso Jackson, respectively, as evi- dence of the party's wider reach. Indiana native Oliver Crawford, who was in attendance at the speech, said he noticed Bush's departure from his party in regards to his view on blacks. 6 "President Bush has had a more liber- al approach (to minority concerns) ver- sus past Republicans," said Crawford. Bush finally asked the crowd to look at his agenda, their own beliefs and the idea of voting for him on Nov. 2. "I believe in my heart that the Republican Party, the party of Lin- coln and Frederick Douglass is not complete without the perspective and support and contribution of African Americans," Bush said. s President George Bush spoke to The Urban League Conference on Friday, July 23 at the Renaissance Center in Detroit. Bush emphasized education, home-ownership and the importance of minority entrepreneurship. -ASTHMA \ RESEARCH1 STUDY Doctors in the area are conducting a research study to test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication in the treatment of asthma. 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Call: (800) 890-4127 gspremed@columbia.edu ww.columbia.edulculslpostbacc Scl ofGenerl Studies le I The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Mondays during the spring and summer terms by students at the University of Michigan. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are sub- ectttdt oaredcedsbscriptionrate.Yearlong ottcampussoscriptionsare 40. Subscriptionsmost beprepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. ADDRESS: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1327. E-mail letters to the editor toletters@michigandom. 6 NEWS Ashley Dinges, Managing Editor EDITORS: Farayha Arrine, Mona Rafeeq STAFF: Melissa Benton, David Branson, Donn M. 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