William John Bennett (born July 31, 1943) is an American conservative pundit and politician. He served as United States Secretary of Education from 1985 to 1988. He also held the post of Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (or "Drug Czar") under George H. W. Bush. William Bennett can refer to: William James Early Bennett (1804–1886), an Anglican priest Sir William Sterndale Bennett (1816–1875), a British composer William Andrew Cecil Bennett (1900–1979), a Canadian politician, premier of British Columbia William Humphrey Bennett (1859–1925), a Canadian Senator William John Bennett (1943– ), an American... The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... “Reagan” redirects here. ... Terrell H. Bell (born November 11, 1921) was the first United States Secretary of Education in the Cabinet of President Ronald Reagan, initially appointed with the expectation that he would preside over the dismantling of his department. ... Lauro Fred Cavazos (born January 4, 1927) is a U.S. educator. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other meanings, see Brooklyn (disambiguation). ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ths article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... The term Pundit has multiple meanings: A pundit or pandit, in the culture of India, is a master of traditional religious poetry and/or traditional music. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... The Director of the National Drug Control Policy (ubiquitously nicknamed the Drug czar) is the head of the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy. ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ...

Bennett was born in Brooklyn but later moved to Washington, D.C., where he attended Gonzaga College High School. He graduated from Williams College and went on to get a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in Political Philosophy. He also has a law degree from Harvard Law School. This article is about the borough of New York City. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Gonzaga College High School is a prestigious Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, DC. The school is named in honor of St. ... Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... University of Texas redirects here. ... Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ...

From 1976 to 1981, he was the executive director of the National Humanities Center, a private research facility in North Carolina. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed him to head the National Endowment for the Humanities, where he served until Reagan appointed him Secretary of Education in 1985. It was in 1986 that Bennett switched from the Democratic to the Republican party. Bennett resigned from this post in 1988 and, later that year, was appointed to the post of Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy by President George H. W. Bush. He was confirmed by the Senate in a 97-2 vote. Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... The National Humanities Center is an independent institute for advanced study in the humanities. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... “Reagan” redirects here. ... The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (Pub. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, was established in 1988 by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act. ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the...

He was co-director of Empower America and was a Distinguished Fellow in Cultural Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation. Long active in United States Republican Party politics, he is now an author, speaker, and, since April 5, 2004, the host of the weekday radio program Morning in America on the Dallas, Texas-based Salem Communications. In addition to his radio show, he is the Washington Fellow of the Claremont Institute. Empower America is a conservative think tank and grassroots organization led by former football player and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Jack Kemp. ... The Heritage Foundation is a public policy research institute based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Morning in America is the common name of an effective political campaign television commercial formally titled Prouder, Stronger, Better and featuring the opening line Its morning again in America. ... Nickname: Motto: Live Large. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Salem Communications (NASDAQ: SALM) is a media company operating in the United States, with 99 U.S. radio stations (pending acquisitions) that are primarily concentrated in the nations biggest markets, including 65 stations in 23 of the top 25 markets. ... The Claremont Institute is a conservative think tank based in Claremont, California. ...

Bennett and his wife, Elayne, have two sons, John and Joseph. Elayne is the President and Founder of Best Friends Foundation, a nationwide abstinence-based program for adolescents. He is the brother of prominent Washington attorney Robert S. Bennett. Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging a desire or appetite for certain bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. ... Robert S. Bennett (born 1939) is an American attorney best known for representing President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky investigation. ...

Political viewpoints

Bennett tends to take a conservative position on affirmative action, school vouchers, curriculum reform, and religion in education. As Education Secretary, he asked colleges to better enforce drug laws, supported a classical education rooted in Western culture, and derided multicultural courses. He frequently criticized schools for low standards. In fact, in 1988, he called the Chicago public school system "the worst in the nation."^[1] Affirmative action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minorities or women). ... An education voucher, commonly called a school voucher, is a certificate by which parents are given the ability to pay for the education of their children at a school of their choice, rather than the public school to which they were assigned. ... The multicultural national representation of the countries of origin at the student union of San Francisco City College. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ...

Bennett has tangled with the educational establishment (which he dubbed "the blob" or bloated educational bureaucracy) over the following reform measures, which he espoused:

• Competency testing for teachers
• Opening the teaching profession to knowledgeable individuals who have not graduated from "schools of education"
• Performance-based pay
• Holding educators accountable for how much children learn
• An end to tenure
• A national examination to find out exactly how much our children know
• Parental choice of schools^[2]

Bennett is a staunch supporter of the War on Drugs and has been criticized for his views on the issue. On a television show, he said that a viewer's suggestion of beheading drug dealers would be 'morally plausible'. Massive mark-ups for drugs, [http://www. ... Decapitation (from Latin, caput, capitis, meaning head), or beheading, is the removal of a living organisms head. ...

Bennett is an opponent of same-sex marriage. International recognition Civil unions and domestic partnerships Recognized in some regions Unregistered co-habitation Recognition debated Civil unions legal, same-sex marriage debated See also Same-sex marriage Civil union Registered partnership Domestic partnership Timeline of same-sex marriage Listings by country This box:      Same-sex marriage is a term...

In 1995, he teamed up with C. Delores Tucker to create advertising to target Time Warner's lack of regulation of gangsta rap and its glorification of violence and denigration of women. Bennett is a member of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) and was one of the signers of the January 26, 1998 PNAC Letter^[3] sent to President Bill Clinton urging Clinton to remove Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power. C. DeLores Tucker (née Cynthia DeLores Nottage) (October 4, 1927-October 12, 2005)[1] was a U.S. politician and civil rights activist best known for her participation in the Civil Rights Movement and stance against gangsta rap music. ... For the Ice T album, see Gangsta Rap (album). ... Project for the New American Centurys Logo The Project for the New American Century (PNAC) is an American neoconservative think tank based in Washington, D.C., co-founded as a non-profit educational organization by William Kristol and Robert Kagan in early 1997. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ...

He has said that the US has a moral duty to support Israel, and that Palestinians are Jordanians.^{[4] [5]} The Palestinian flag, adopted in 1948, is a widely recognized modern symbol of the Palestinian people. ...

Books

Bennett's latest book America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at War.

Bennett's best-known written work may be The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories (1993), which he edited; he has also authored and edited ten other books, including The Children’s Book of Virtues (which inspired an animated television series) and The Death of Outrage: Bill Clinton and the Assault on American Ideals (1998). Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 394 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1234 × 1878 pixel, file size: 356 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Cover of the Nelson Current edition of America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 394 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1234 × 1878 pixel, file size: 356 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Cover of the Nelson Current edition of America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at... The Adventures From The Book of Virtues was an animated television series that developed education for viewers who could make their support for learning for their children who were between the ages of 2 and 9 years old. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ...

Other books:

• America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at War (2006)
• Why We Fight: Moral Clarity and the War on Terrorism (2003)
• The Broken Hearth: Reversing the Moral Collapse of the American Family (2001)
• Our Sacred Honor (1997, compilation of writings by the Founding Fathers)
• Body Count: Moral Poverty...and How to Win America's War Against Crime and Drugs (1996)
• Moral Compass: Stories for a Life's Journey (1995)
• The De-Valuing of America: The Fight for Our Culture and Our Children (1992)

Writings

Bennett writes for National Review Online, National Review and Commentary. National Review Online is the online presence of the prominent conservative political magazine National Review. ... National Review (NR) is a biweekly magazine of political opinion, founded by author William F. Buckley, Jr. ... // Commentary, a monthly magazine founded by the American Jewish Committee in 1945, bills itself as Americas premier monthly magazine of opinion. ...

Controversies

Gambling

In Spring 2003, it became widely known that Bennett was a high-stakes gambler who reportedly had lost millions of dollars in Las Vegas. As a Catholic, Bennett was not prohibited from gambling, but some felt it conflicted with his public image as a leading voice for conservative morals. For example, Bennett and Empower America, the organization he co-founded and headed at the time, opposed the extension of casino gambling in the states.^[6] Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Caravaggio, The Cardsharps, c. ... Vegas redirects here. ... Empower America is a conservative think tank and grassroots organization led by former football player and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Jack Kemp. ...

Bennett was never accused of nor admitted to having a "problem" with gambling and has maintained that his habit did not put himself or his family in any financial jeopardy.

After Bennett's gambling became public, he said that he did not believe that his habit set a good example, that he had "done too much gambling" over the years, and that his "gambling days are over. "We are financially solvent," his wife Elayne told the USA Today. "All our bills are paid." She added that his gambling days are over. "He's never going again," she said.^[7] USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ...

Several months later, Bennett qualified his position, saying "So, in this case, the excessive gambling is over." He explained that "Since there will be people doing the micrometer on me, I just want to be clear: I do want to be able to bet the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl."^[8] City Orchard Park, New York Team colors Navy blue, light blue, Red, light Red, White, Royal, and Nickel Head Coach Dick Jauron Owner Ralph Wilson General manager Marv Levy Mascot Billy Buffalo League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy. ...

Radio show comment on abortion

On September 28, 2005, in a discussion on Bennett's Morning in America radio show, Bennett made remarks that have since touched off a debate about race, crime and abortion. The context of the conversation was Chapter 4 from the book Freakonomics. A caller to the show proposed the idea that the Social Security system might be solvent today if abortion hadn't been permitted following the Roe v. Wade decision. The following is a transcript of the conversation:^[9] is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through dedicated payroll taxes called FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act). ... Holding Texas law making it a crime to assist a woman to get an abortion violated her due process rights. ...

CALLER: I noticed the national media, you know, they talk a lot about the loss of revenue, or the inability of the government to fund Social Security, and I was curious, and I've read articles in recent months here, that the abortions that have happened since Roe v. Wade, the lost revenue from the people who have been aborted in the last 30-something years, could fund Social Security as we know it today. And the media just doesn't—never touches this at all.

BENNETT: Assuming they're all productive citizens?

CALLER: Assuming that they are. Even if only a portion of them were, it would be an enormous amount of revenue.

BENNETT: Maybe, maybe, but we don't know what the costs would be, too. I think as—abortion disproportionately occur among single women? No.

CALLER: I don't know the exact statistics, but quite a bit are, yeah.

BENNETT: All right, well, I mean, I just don't know. I would not argue for the pro-life position based on this, because you don't know. I mean, it cuts both—you know, one of the arguments in this book Freakonomics that they make is that the declining crime rate, you know, they deal with this hypothesis, that one of the reasons crime is down is that abortion is up. Well—

CALLER: Well, I don't think that statistic is accurate.

BENNETT: Well, I don't think it is either, I don't think it is either, because first of all, there is just too much that you don't know. But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could — if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky.

Subsequently, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, as well as civil rights groups, condemned Bennett's statements and demanded an apology. President George W. Bush called Bennett's statements "not appropriate" in a statement read by White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan.^[10] The cover of this version of Freakonomics has a picture of what looks like an apple on the outside but is really an orange. ... The Senate Minority Leader is a member of the United States Senate who is elected by his or her party conference to serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for his or her party and to manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate. ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party. ... The Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives serves as floor leader of the opposition party, and is the minority counterpart to the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives. ... Nancy Patricia DAlesandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) is currently the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Scott McClellan in the press room of the White House Puffy McMoonface (born February 14, 1968) was the White House Press Secretary (2003-2006) for President George W. Bush. ...

Bennett has responded to the criticism, later issuing a statement to clarify his position. He said, in part:

A thought experiment about public policy, on national radio, should not have received the condemnations it has. Anyone paying attention to this debate should be offended by those who have selectively quoted me, distorted my meaning, and taken out of context the dialogue I engaged in this week. Such distortions from 'leaders' of organizations and parties is a disgrace not only to the organizations and institutions they serve, but to the First Amendment.

The Bill of Rights in the National Archives The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is a part of the United States Bill of Rights. ...

Wikipedia

Bennett mentions the Wikipedia frequently on his radio program Morning in America. On July 25, 2007 he suggested if the Commission on Presidential Debates wanted serious, thoughtful participation from Americans it should have picked the editors of the Wikipedia over the contributors to You Tube. Wikipedia (IPA: , or ( ) is a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia project, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization. ... The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) was established in 1987 to ensure that debates, as a permanent part of every general election, provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners. ... YouTube is a website that allows users to upload, view, and share video clips. ...