A Bad School Choice

I choose to send my children to Catholic school, yet Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1 does NOT include families like mine in the voucher scheme; apparently, I make too much money to qualify.  So how can it truly be a "School Choice" bill? 

It's not.  Rather, this is simply a way for the State to dictate curriculum to non-public schools and create an all-new, politically connected board, and a shiny new bureaucracy to execute the plan.

Sadly, the Bill may drive a wedge between over 30 grassroots organizations from across the Commonwealth, Governor Corbett, and the PA-GOP.  While the politicians may want to pat themselves on the back for giving us choices, the watchdogs realize it may be another 15 years before we get another opportunity to correct this legislative mistake.

Commonwealth Foundation has provided a good breakdown of the Bill with changes they would like to see included.  They accurately point out that one important item missing from SB1 is any tax credit for families above the threshold currently written into the bill.  Oddly enough, they've also published this convenient little commentary from "Public School Board Members for School Choice" supporting the plan.

Wait a minute!  Public School Board Members support choice now??  Anyone else slightly suspicious?

Any school choice bill which falls short of providing relief for ALL families is nothing but a political oxymoron. 

'Nut-Jobs' and Civil Discourse

Some threw tomatoes to support the wife of fallen Philly police officer Daniel Faulkner. Others may throw eggs at a local campaign office.  Some will go so far as to rush a stage attempting to put a pie in Ann Coulter's face.

Civil discourse has many forms.

Some take a sledgehammer to a car in the parking lot at Lincoln Financial Field to show their opinion of the Dallas Cowboys.  Sure it's a violent form of civil discourse, but no one gets hurt. 

Commonwealth Foundation has an article about the civil discourse of 2nd Amendment supporters who want to take aim at an old car, covered in anti-freedom slogans, with their (brace yourself) guns.

Shocking, I know. 

But that's nothing compared to the reaction by the left, who would have you believe this kind of discourse is dangerous.  'Right-wing-nut-jobs', that's what Alan Colmes believes these people are.  Joe Hoeffel (progressive) says they can't talk straight while hoping they shoot straight.  Keith Olbermann thinks they lack an ability to read.

Name-calling and insults: what you turn to when you have nothing else intelligent to say.

There's A Brewing Tea Party

I drove out to Harrisburg today to witness one of these growing Rick Santelli inspired Chicago Tea Parties for myself.

And guess what I found?



Conservatives don't tend to be protesters so much as those to our political left, but when we get fired-up about an issue we rally with the best.

I also got an opportunity to meet Nathan Benefield and Matt Brouillette of Commonwealth Foundation, as well as Chris Lilik from Grassroots PA. All of them were as impressed with the turnout as I was.

It's only been a few weeks, but this kettle is starting to stir. April 15th seems to be the day everyone is targeting for the next BIG rally. I'm thinking Valley Forge.