"I must say I was a little disappointed by her statement on vouchers during her intereview (I don't know when it was first aired, I saw it last night on NWCN). Don't get me wrong, I'd still vote for her, but I really wish R's would have a spine on this issue. Vouchers are the one issue that would, eventually, break the back of the liberal establishment."
I'm a huge fan of vouchers myself, and agree with you that it's one of the issues that could eventually allow conservatives to forge a permanent majority. But remember that Ameri is trying to win an election in a mostly suburban district in Oregon, and school vouchers may not be all that popular among the voters she's trying to attract. Vouchers are very popular among people who have seen public schools fail them and their children, but assuming that Washington County public schools do a satisfactory job (as do most public schools in relatively affluent areas), those suburban voters may oppose any plan that they fear will reduce public-school spending and send inner-city kids to their suburban schools. For example, I would be willing to wager that school vouchers poll better in heavily Democrat, inner city Newark and Jersey City, NJ than in the Republican suburbs a few miles away.
Yah, kinda weird isn't it?
I'm not sure quite how to get to the goal. We really need to find some way to do it. I guess starting in the inner cities and moving outward might work. Problem is that Dems always seem to rule the inner cities, and the NEA tells them what to do.
Ah well. Time will tell.
Regardless, good luck to Ameri.