Posted on 10/28/2010 12:53:32 PM PDT by SmithL
The nationally targeted 11th Congressional District is generating tens of thousands of dollars in campaign ads and mailers, which predictably contain a mix of truth, distortion and outright falsehoods.
The biggest flap centers on GOP nominee David Harmer's 11-year-old treatise on the ills of public schools and his advocacy for school vouchers.
Harmer, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney, wrote in a 2000 newspaper opinion piece, "So long as the state constitution mandates free public schools, a voucher system (or refundable tuition tax credit) is the best we can do. To attain quantum leaps in educational quality and opportunity, however, we need to separate school and state entirely. Government should exit the business of running and funding schools."
Asked directly during an editorial board meeting at the Times if he believes what he wrote, Harmer said no.
The article, along with an in-depth Cato Institute piece, was intended to provoke debate, said Harmer, an attorney. After all, his four children attend San Ramon public schools and his wife, Elayne, is a substitute teacher in the district.
But Harmer's statement is a tad Clintonesque.
He still supports vouchers, which would enable parents to send their children at taxpayer expense to private and parochial schools. In his Cato piece, he wrote that he thought vouchers would eventually lead to the dismantling of public schools because most parents would opt for privately run and presumably higher quality schools.
"I don't believe public schools should be abolished," Harmer told the editorial board. "What I believe is that every child deserves access to a quality education."
(Excerpt) Read more at contracostatimes.com ...
I believe government indoctrination centers should be abolished. If the people of California are stupid, and I believe they are, they deserve their fate. Hopefully the new congress will not bail them out and will let them rot in the effects of their own stupidity.
Stupid should hurt. California should be one of the biggest, brightest, shining examples of that.
And before you yuk it up saying something witty like “how’s Michigan doing, ha ha ha”, I’ve been telling people that it looks as if the people of Michigan have decided state suicide is the best policy.
bttt
Guess that is why the district is leaning towards Harmer and McNerney’s campaign is digging up 10 year old position papers. As Harmer said - he was requested to write the paper from that perspective - does he agree with it - no. Funny thing is......the dems and unions are pouring tons of money into this race using any smear they can against David. McNerney can’t run on his record or the issues because he is a puppet of the Obama/Pelosi Agenda and has voted with Pelosi over 95% of the time. The difference between Harmer and McNerney is very clear - the voter can either continue on the Obama Train of reckless spending and more government intrusion or they can vote to cut government spending, repeal Obamacare, stop government bailouts and most importantly - maybe reign in the debt that Obama and the Dems are passing on to our children and grandchildren.
Check out WWW.HARMERFORCONGRESS.COM and help counter the millions that the Dems and Unions have pledged to maintain the status quo in District 11.
Abolish the Department of Education and let the States set national standards to meet and fund (or not) as they see fit.
He may be right?
He said he DOESN’T believe what he wrote.
Why would FReepers want to donate to a guy who throws his own writing under the bus?
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