--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: President Bush and I had asked Congress…" description: "\"President Bush and I had asked Congress to appropriate a half-billion dollars to school vouchers. We didn't get it, and we were disappointed. But we di..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/lamar-alexander-16032_appropriate_president-bush-and-i-had-asked-congress_1535894.png" --- # President Bush and I had asked Congress to appropriate a… ![“President Bush and I had asked Congress to appropriate a half-billion dollars to school vouchers. We didn't get it, and we were disappointed. But we did not go out and form a corporation to pay for it. That would have been a problem.” quote by Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/lamar-alexander-16032_appropriate_president-bush-and-i-had-asked-congress_1535894.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/lamar-alexander-16032_appropriate_president-bush-and-i-had-asked-congress_1535894.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/lamar-alexander-16032_appropriate_president-bush-and-i-had-asked-congress_1535894.png) > “President Bush and I had asked Congress to appropriate a half-billion dollars to school vouchers. We didn't get it, and we were disappointed. But we did not go out and form a corporation to pay for it. That would have been a problem.” [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges a failed attempt to fund school vouchers, emphasizing restraint from creating a private solution. **In simple terms:** They tried to get money for vouchers, failed, and avoided forming a company. Key Takeaway Consider alternative ways to support education without profit motives. Themes education policy politics funding principles public vs private Mood thoughtful concerned Type policy ethical When to use this quote - legislative negotiations - budget planning - non‑profit initiatives Key Concepts public finance policy advocacy ethical decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - What other mechanisms could fund vouchers? - How do ethical concerns shape policy choices? A Different Perspective Avoiding corporate involvement may limit resources and impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appropriate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appropriate/) [Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) [Asked Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-congress-325938/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bush/) [Bush Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bush-asked-525161/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Congress Appropriate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress-appropriate-5709147/) [Corporation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporation/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Disappointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointed/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-bush/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Vouchers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-vouchers-3098430/) [Vouchers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vouchers/) [Vouchers Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vouchers-didn-5709146/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [Another example of the educational inequality is the current debate over publicly financed school vouchers which will provide educational opportunities to a privileged handful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-scott/another-example-of-the-educational-inequality-is-the-current-debate/) [Bobby Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-scott/) > [Some children lack tools to see their course in the world in far-sighted ways. Just introducing school vouchers won't change that. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/some-children-lack-tools-to-see-their-course-in-the-world-in-far/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Law Number XX: In any given year, Congress will appropriate the amount of funding approved the prior year plus three-fourths of whatever change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/law-number-xx-in-any-given-year-congress-will-appropriate-the-amount/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Sure, if you're a well to do family, you always have the option of sending your children to private schools where teachers spend less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabrizio-moreira/sure-if-you-re-a-well-to-do-family-you-always-have-the-option-of/) [Fabrizio Moreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabrizio-moreira/) > [People are worried about if somebody's going to say that I'm Islamophobic or what have you. This is craziness because we are at war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/people-are-worried-about-if-somebody-s-going-to-say-that-i-m/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“mobilization of manpower, he promptly asked Congress for the measure not only on the ground of mobilization but also to assure the fighting men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macgregor-burns/mobilization-of-manpower-he-promptly-asked-congress-for-the-measure/) [James MacGregor Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macgregor-burns/) > [Now, six months after he sent the military back into combat to take on the terror group calling itself the Islamic State, Mr. Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baker/now-six-months-after-he-sent-the-military-back-into-combat-to-take-on/) [Peter Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baker/) > [“HIS state-of-the-union address Barack Obama asked Congress to give him “fast-track” authority to negotiate trade deals. Shortly afterwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/his-state-of-the-union-address-barack-obama-asked-congress-to-give/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Right after the tragedy, President Bush asked Americans to get on with their lives and we did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-d-hull/right-after-the-tragedy-president-bush-asked-americans-to-get-on-with/) [Jane D. Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-d-hull/) > [George Bush asked me if there was anything he could do for me, and I said, "Yes, you can help promote peace in Sudan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/george-bush-asked-me-if-there-was-anything-he-could-do-for-me-and-i/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [ All the eight years of \[Barack\] Obama when \[George W.\] Bush was asked repeatedly, "I don't do that. I had my time. It's his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/all-the-eight-years-of-barack-obama-when-george-w-bush-was-asked/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [On 'Meet the Press' yesterday President Bush was asked what he would do if he lost the election and Bush said, ''Phhh, you mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/on-meet-the-press-yesterday-president-bush-was-asked-what-he-would-do/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [During the debate, Bush was asked by a lady to name three mistakes he's made. And Bush responded, this debate, the last debate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/during-the-debate-bush-was-asked-by-a-lady-to-name-three-mistakes-he/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Democratic politicians want to solve the crisis of poor education by taking more of your money and using it to reduce classroom sizes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/democratic-politicians-want-to-solve-the-crisis-of-poor-education-by/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Republicans get a lot of money from big business, but they are not tied to the union dollar. As a result they have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/republicans-get-a-lot-of-money-from-big-business-but-they-are-not/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) ## More by Lamar Alexander > [I remember when President Bush, George W. Bush, came into office, he focused on No Child Left Behind, and with - and before very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-remember-when-president-bush-george-w-bush-came-into-office-he/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [September 11 is one of our worst days but it brought out the best in us. It unified us as a country and showed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/september-11-is-one-of-our-worst-days-but-it-brought-out-the-best-in/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [I think we do better as a country when we go step by step toward a goal, and the goal in this case should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-think-we-do-better-as-a-country-when-we-go-step-by-step-toward-a/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [The idea of windmills conjures up pleasant images - of Holland and tulips, of rural America with windmill blades slowly turning, pumping water at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/the-idea-of-windmills-conjures-up-pleasant-images-of-holland-and/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [I think people are looking for a president who has views and who sticks to those views. So, I think Governor Romney, Governor Perry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-think-people-are-looking-for-a-president-who-has-views-and-who/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [There are a growing number of conservatives and Republicans who, while they support the president and support the war in Iraq wonder how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/there-are-a-growing-number-of-conservatives-and-republicans-who-while/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [I think there are too many bosses in Washington telling Nashville Diesel College and Harvard University how to run - how to run their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-think-there-are-too-many-bosses-in-washington-telling-nashville/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [I think Americans are - particularly, independent voters are looking at Washington, and they see too many taxes, too much spending, too much debt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-think-americans-are-particularly-independent-voters-are-looking-at/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [Put too many one-size-fits-all jackets on Americans and the place explodes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/put-too-many-one-size-fits-all-jackets-on-americans-and-the-place/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [It is ironic that Samuel Berger learned of this espionage in exactly the same month that Al Gore was attending his now famous fund-raiser…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/it-is-ironic-that-samuel-berger-learned-of-this-espionage-in-exactly/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [To power the country by building 186,000 fifty-story wind turbines - and running 19,000 miles of new transmission lines - just seems impractical and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/to-power-the-country-by-building-186-000-fifty-story-wind-turbines/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [We hear a lot about rebuilding Detroit, and we just spent $70 billion to bail out the auto industry - well, they need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/we-hear-a-lot-about-rebuilding-detroit-and-we-just-spent-70-billion/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [If you have a solution to immigration, it is possible to come home and defend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/if-you-have-a-solution-to-immigration-it-is-possible-to-come-home-and/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [As Governor, I could think of only one way to unify our State that was made up of so many different climates, political beliefs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/as-governor-i-could-think-of-only-one-way-to-unify-our-state-that-was/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [We are the only country in the world that has taken people from so many different backgrounds, which is a great achievement by itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/we-are-the-only-country-in-the-world-that-has-taken-people-from-so/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) [Explore all 41 Lamar Alexander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) ## More Appropriate quotes > [“Appropriate is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-w-kohlhagen/appropriate-is-overrated/) [Steven W. 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