Pledge, or Sullivan, McArdle, Drezner, Cowan and DeLong all visit your house.

Oh, BTW, Kevin, tell Amy to read Eugene Robinson's most recent column in the Post, the one that says there is no such thing as “the monolithic black church.�

So why is Kevin supporting Evil Racist Republicans?

"Better not to have vouchers at all than to have vouchers that might bring inner city children into the leafy green burbs."

No surprise. Wasn't that the reason given for why we should invade Iraq? So they wouldn't come here?

Oh, so that's why liberal Beverly Hills has always provided vouchers to minority students from South Central to attend Beverly Hills schools!

Except, they haven't.

obamaw has this in teh bag

oops, that should say:

obamaw has this in teh bag

Interesting. I'm a bit divided on vouchers. My fear is that they would encourage sectarianism, that Republican suburban voters are against them for an exactly opposite reason is curious. I assume, that is a result of the housing boom and Home Equity Extraction, they can't affor private schools. Personally I think bad schools can get in the way, good schools can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. We need to take disruptive pupils out and invest in poorer schools, and then EVERY schools should be OK.

I got no money left to pledge after donating to HillaryClinton.com, and wasn't this the blog that repeatedly told Clinton to get out of the race over the past month? Taking sides against the better candidate has consequences. I think all the obama supporters need to issue an apology for all their hatin' on Hillary.

At least I'm proud of my candidate, whereas I'd never be able to "explain" obama's lifelong poor judgment and choice of associations. Now, may the better candidate win the nomination, and if obama wins, count me in with those who will happily vote McCain in Missouri over an obama, whose campaign calls me a racist every day I wake up.

Vouchers have always been a fig leaf for a racist suburban agenda of conservatives of "not wanting to pay to educate n*ggers." It sounds so much more vulgar when the truth is out in the open, doesn't it?

By the way, when can I get my voucher for the invasion and occupation of Iraq, that I have opposed from the beginning? Can't we all get vouchers for government programs we oppose???

"Better not to have vouchers at all than to have vouchers that might bring inner city children into the leafy green burbs."

This is the reason this country supported public schools in the first place--so the state wouldn't have to give money to Catholics to run their own schools when they began to immigrate in large numbers. Before that NE states gave money to protestant denominations for education.

Zaine, if you're happy to vote for "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran" McCain, you should just make it official and register as a Republican. You're not really a Democrat.

And before you hyperventilate, I'm a Democrat who will be happy to vote for either Clinton or Obama. Both candidates have flaws, and both have made questionable decisions in the past and during this campaign. The fact I will happily vote for either one over McCain in November is because I'm not someone who swallowed the horseshit in 2000 that there wasn't much difference between Gore and Bush.

To both Obama and Clinton partisans who are threatening to hold their breath and vote for McCain if they don't get their way: grow the fuck up.

"To both Obama and Clinton partisans who are threatening to hold their breath and vote for McCain if they don't get their way: grow the fuck up."

Ditto

Interesting.
So - in the interests of allowing poor black children to escape the horrible schools in the inner city, you are in favor of allowing them in the leafy green burbs?
Why do I doubt that all those suburban liberal Democrats would be on board with that? I haven't heard much support of this idea. I have a deep suspicion that, when it comes to their children and their own schools, California Democrats will behave pretty much the same way as Republicans. Sort of the same way that an overwhelming majority of affluent DC Dems, who love public schools and hate vouchers, send their kids to private schools.
I would just be cautious about discussing this topic, there's a "pot calling the kettle black" issue here. Sure, Democrats talk differently. But the result always seems to be the same.

Hey Kevin,

If I was going to subscribe for $30 or donate $15, which would you rather have me do?

Thanks,

Earl

Private school vouchers: The government taxes me and distributes my money to other people. Isn't that what wingnuts usually call "socialism?"

count me in with those who will happily vote McCain

Fine, I'll count you in with those who will happily keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.

Vouchers also all allow the rich people who are already sending their kids to private schools to get back some of the real estate taxes they pay for support of their local public schools. That's what the vouchers are for.

The majority of people, though, still won't be able to afford private school with the vouchers, so they're not needed.

"To both Obama and Clinton partisans who are threatening to hold their breath and vote for McCain if they don't get their way: grow the fuck up."

My take is if these folks are mainly put off because of the nature of the race for the nomination, they will quickly forget these pledges. I guarantee you the RNC will play nastier and dirtier in the general.

FWIW, I got a fax yesterday from the Alliance for School Choice touting new statistics showing low graduation rates despite huge increases in public school spending.

Nowhere is there any affirmative claim that private schools are any better. It's simply assumed that if public schools are failing, private schools are the answer.

Vouchers are welfare by another name. If one can have vouchers for the poor to attend private schools, how about vouchers for cars so they can get to jobs or vouchers for flat screen TV sets. One could envision George McGovern offering a proposal to give poor kids tuition vouchers to attend Groton or Choate.

Vouchers would not be as popular within the RNC if the teachers' unions were a little more balanced in their contributions. Vouchers are also popular with urban conservative intellecutals, otherwise known as neocons. It was never a mass movement.

zaine_ridly at 6:12 a.m.:

My sentiments exactly.

Vouchers would not be as popular within the RNC if the teachers' unions were a little more balanced in their contributions

Well, therein lies the conundrum. Teachers' unions are unbalanced in their contributions because the GOP is always trying to undermine both unions in general and them in particular.

It's no coincidence that Republican so-called policy initiatives, e.g.: vouchers, tort reform, 'right to work'; often have the salutary effect of defunding and otherwise weakening key Democratic constituencies.

More serious note to liberals (including teacher unions) and conservatives aside:

Why aren't we emulating a major part of other developed nations' educational success?

It's called a longer school year.

It doesn't take rocket science to know that you can teach at least 10 percent more stuff in a school year of 200 or more days that is at least 10 percent longer than here in America.

rhinoman - case in point about the way the liberals practice different than they preach, or else are just "pot calling kettle black" like you say. Consider Southern California. Especially West Los Angeles. Anyone whoever looks at the California vote knows this is an extremely liberal area. Its also a very wealthy area.

The case I have experience with is special needs kids. I know a little bit about this because I have one.

Special needs kids are supposedly guaranteed a "free quality public education". This means a school must supply what it takes to help a special needs kid.

I would assume that the special needs kids are evenly distributed around the Southern CA area. Yet according to data I have heard 60% of all funding for special needs kids goes to the wealthy West LA area.

I surmise this happens mostly because there really isn't enough money anyway to provide for all special needs kids. So the school district tries to deny as much funding as it can. Therefore the only way to get the funding for special needs kids is to take the school district to court. The only government money therefore goes to people who can afford to get legal help to help them get the money.

I think all the obama supporters need to issue an apology for all their hatin' on Hillary.

I would apologize for my hatin' on Hillary (where the hell did that phrase come from?) if I'd been hatin' on her. I don't even mildly dislike her. I happen to think Obama might be a better candidate. I save my hatin' for the Bushes and Cheneys.

Everyone needs to take a deep breath, now.

Kevin, you should research what is happening in Florida right now. In the state congress (majority republican) effort to cut property taxes, it is proposing a budget that would cut education, health care (hospice care included), etc. There will be a November election amendment to cut the property taxes ( which people will vote for) and will also add an amendment to add vouchers for those wanting to change schools. Supposedly the tax cut will be replenished with a 1cent sales tax increase and the difference in money brought in will be found ?somewhere? If you don't know, currently Florida is 48 or 49th in per capita spending per child. Wonder where we will end up with these cuts?

I also live in Florida and what is happening in this state right now is insane. Crist (routinely referred to as a very popular governor) is an unprecedented radical. He has a much gentler manner that Jeb (who always came off like a first class a**hole) but his policies are far worse.

We are poised in this state, in the middle of a budget criss, to cut taxes to the bone--not only at the state level, but in county and municipal governments across the state. Services are already being slashed and they will be slashed even more. The politicians say this is what the people want, but all anyone talked about in the last election was home owners insurance. No one thought taxes were a huge deal. Education (especially university education) will be cut deeply. Florida had actually built up some amazing academic credentials under Jeb. That will shortly be a thing of the past. I fear for the future of my state.

Sorry to be so OT, but this is getting zero national press attention. Thanks, Lucy, for bringing it up.

We are poised in this state, in the middle of a budget criss, to cut taxes to the bone--not only at the state level, but in county and municipal governments across the state

Sounds good to me! I'd move to Florida, but your climate is for the birds. If I wanted roaches the size of gophers in my cupboards, I'd go to the Orient to live. Really, what is the deal, Florida? You have bugs that no reasonable person would want to put up with.

Do you know why no one cares what happens in Florida? You people ARE CRAZY! Every time I look at the Drudge Report, there's a headline about someone who used voodoo to cut the head off of a school teacher or a headline about someone who was found to be living in common-law marriage with an alligator or a monkey stolen from the zoo. There's ALWAYS a headline about a man who is found bare-assed naked in the chimney of a convenience store, clutching stolen lottery tickets and a bottle of aftershave.

EVERY one of those stories comes from Florida. So, no. We don't care what you people do. You have it coming, I suppose. What with you being absolutely bonkers and all.

"and wasn't this the blog that repeatedly told Clinton to get out of the race over the past month?"

No. Is reading comprehension always this much trouble for you?

"Taking sides against the better candidate has consequences."

Um ... by definition, the "better" candidate is the one who gets more delegates. Right now, that would be Obama. Did you have a point to make?

"I think all the obama supporters need to issue an apology for all their hatin' on Hillary."

Why? My criticism of Clinton is fully justified.

"At least I'm proud of my candidate"

Same here. Did you have a point to make?

"whereas I'd never be able to 'explain' obama's lifelong poor judgment and choice of associations."

ROFL.... And were that actually true, you might have a point. Since it's not, I'm afraid that you're just posting mindless drivel.

"Now, may the better candidate win the nomination"

No argument here.

"and if obama wins, count me in with those who will happily vote McCain in Missouri over an obama"

Thanks for confirming that you're mindless fool.

"whose campaign calls me a racist every day I wake up."

And thanks for confirming that you're just making shit up and need not be taken seriously.