I Have Quit the Republican Party

I have to disagree. I thought he was a terrible nominee at the time, and events, of course, did nothing to change my mind. I was also dismayed at Kerry getting the nod. If my party has a problem, it is managing to come up with lousy presidential nominees far too often. Rare is it that we see a primary season with two strong Democratic candidates fighting for the nomination. Obama/Clinton was like a breath of fresh air. I would have been happy with either one. While I haven't agreed with everything Obama has, or has not, done after being elected, he's a damn sight better than the Republican alternative, and that's also the case today.

 

I'm in favor of whatever helps people get a better education. So yes, I support GOOD charter schools (of which only about 20% are according to the movie) as well as more hardline negotiating with the teachers' unions, if only because those things will stem the leak from the current system.

However, systematically speaking, I am in favor of a Finnish model where teaching is MORE unionized and more highly skilled,---and where quality public education is truly free for all. Will I take GOOD charter schools in between? Hell yes.

 

I live in a county with a good school system, and it is ran by Republicans.

I work in a county with a terrible school system, and it is ran by Democrats.

Personally, I'm for the federal government butting out of of education. I also think public education is very important. Obviously there is a lot more to the differences than Republican/Democrat.

 

Goldwater said it best when he described Dukakis as a "greek tragedy".

 

Question: What are the income levels of said districts?

 

Great quote! :-D-

Goldwater is another Republican presidential candidate considered to be a strong conservative during the 1960's that couldn't begin to sniff a nomination in today's GOP. Goldwater and Reagan both would be considered too moderate, yet their names are often brought up by Republican extremists in glowing terms. That's hypocrisy at its finest, folks.

 

Median income = $34,500 vs. $43,638 household, $43,500 vs. $50,400 family

The biggest difference, IMO, between the systems?

In the liberal county, all the haves send their kids to private schools.

In the conservative county, almost everyone goes to public school. Not to mention we've had an extra 1% sales tax for years that is exclusively used on school infrastructure that the other does not.

Edit: And to be clear, the liberal county does have the lower income, and higher percentage of blacks (The private schools were to escape integration, IMO).

 

Thanks. Do you hold a similar position wrt vouchers?

 

basso - you know that if people answer your questions on this debate forum that it's polite to answer the questions of other people, right?

I mean - you refuse to clearly state your positions, and when people ask you questions about your positions, you either disappear from the thread or answer a question with a question.

So, just to be clear - this guy answered your question. You should be prepared to extend him the same favor in the future.

 

Do you have a question?

 

I fear that you expect too much of basso, the thadeus, as doing what you suggest, and what countless others have suggested to him in the past (myself included, before I put him on ignore), would interfere with his favorite pastime in D&D, which is playing the troll. Both basso and tinytexxx love to pose questions of others, while refusing to answer questions posed to them, or to respond in a substantial way to those foolish enough to post to their endless trollish threads. But you already know that, of course. I have to assume that the neighbor's wife is out shopping. ;-)-

 

The other side---where liberalism, homosexuality, and atheism lurk and creep.

I'm a personal fan of team Orange though.

http://www.ndp.ca/letter-to-canadians-from-jack-layton

 

yes, but ultimately I believe in a system where you will never need vouchers, because people would voluntarily choose the good public schools they fund.

What are your positions on these issues?

I believe you owe me at least some disclosure.

 

2 out of 3 ain't bad.

 

My position? There are no abosolutes.

Last question on this topic: Obama's 2013 budget removes funding for the DC school voucher program. This program is utilized overwhelming by poor, underpriveleged, and given the demographics of DC, black school children. By most accounts, this has been a very succesful program.

Do you approve of the president's actions in this instance?

 

lol, basso dodges the question yet again.

Proving, for the millionth time, that he is utterly incapable of honest debate.

 

I would approve if they are the first move towards improving public education for all, rather than offering only a privileged few the opportunity to crack away from a failing system.

Short-term, I don't like it, but long-term vouchers are just a failsafe from a bad public system, and they drain resources away from the long-term goal. Reform the system, and make it something everyone wants to pay into, rather than allowing geographical location, or money determine the opportunity offered to your children (which both a bad public system and a good private system have in common). Ideally, I'd like to see the DC program remain in place, and the system evolve so that you would no longer need it, but we live in a world of partisan politics, and limited cash, so I'm not surprised this has happened.

basso, what do you think about the Finnish model?

http://www.theatlantic.com/national...gnoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/

 

But the "priiveleged" in this instance are in fact the disadvantaged, are they not?

 

Even if you offset that with a subsidy, a lot of school choice ends up being bogus for those people who cannot afford the insanity that even subsidized private school represents for tuition.

 

No answer, he asks another question.