But when it comes to core ideology, no one in the field outflanks him on the left. That, of course, could be a ruinous niche nationally, but not statewide.
He's unabashedly supportive of public schools and teachers and activist on behalf of the environment and minority inclusion. He sees the value in unions and the good in affirmative action. He believes gays and lesbians should enjoy the same legal rights and benefits as married couples. He is, as he has said, a "proud and unapologetic Democrat."
"To suggest that any private school is better than a public school is disgraceful…" Bill McBride.
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How are you going to pay for those new school improvements you say we need, Mr. McBride?
A new 50-cent per pack tax on cigarettes, used only for schools, would produce almost $600 million a year, he said.
Removing sales tax exemptions on some items such as stadium skyboxes and tanning salons could up the total to almost $1 billion, he said.
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New taxes to pay for McBride and the teachers unions' "Class Size" amendment scheme? The most detailed critique of the expensive folly that is the Class Size Amendment can be found at FloridaTaxWatch.org, a group Alex Sink, McBride's own wife, was affiliated with. Florida can't afford this bill, nor this Bill.
Another opinion:
CLASS SIZE AMENDMENT WOULD HANDCUFF EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT
A seemingly well-intentioned constitutional amendment that proposes smaller class sizes could significantly cripple K-12 schools, community colleges and universities if it passes. If this amendment passes, we will almost immediately need 32,000 new teachers, new classrooms at a cost of $9 billion, and another $2.5 billion to pay for the new teachers -- and $2.5 billion is more than it costs to run all 11 of our public universities to give you a reference point for the cost of this bad amendment. (continue
It isn't difficult to find this info. Why can't the press?
Incidentally, Florida press:
Is Jeb actually ahead of the curve on education? The jury's in - and they side with: Jeb. JEB Gets An "A" (Wall Street Journal)