"Do legislators deserve the same apples teachers get for their efforts in education? Every Friday, "The Hoosier Mom on Politics" makes that decision, giving two legislators a good or bad apple, depending on their support of Public Education and Indiana’s children. Check back every Friday at lunchtime to see what the Hoosier Mom packs in the Legislative Lunchbox for the week!
For this post of the “Legislative Lunchbox”, I chose to pack a lunch for all the Senators based on their vote on HB1003 - the costly voucher expansion bill. The Senators on the left page with the red background are those who voted with Public Education and received a good apple. The Senators on the right page with the black background are those who voted against Public Education and received a bad apple. Do you see your Senator?
The Hoosier Mom hopes that this pervasive mentality that we as a State need to reinvent the wheel via our Education System comes to stop with this session! HB 1003 seeks to outsource even more public taxpayer funds to private business - with virtually no accountability system or evidenced based data collection system to ensure quality. All of these changes come under the guise that "we the people" are responsible for subsidizing the 'choice' of a few. Absolutely, categorically - NO we are not responsible for subsidizing choice. Additionally, I argue that Government paying for private business directly opposes a free market philosophy.
I am hoping the readers here want to know where this argument finds its roots.
Milton Friedman, an American Economist and Statistician that taught at the University of Chicago with some of the greatest political and economic minds of the last century.
Milton Friedman, the man who thinks greed should be an American value.
Milton Friedman, who in 1962 wrote the book Capitalism and Freedom which put forth his personal agenda of education vouchers and elimination of professional licenses (medical profession specifically).
Milton Friedman, who founded the The Friedman Foundation For Educational Choice (everyone, scroll to the very bottom of the website and see where the headquarters are located - yes, it says Indianapolis). Click here for their facebook page.
Now, the Hoosier Mom studied Political Science primarily, but in returning to college as a single-mom and adult learner, I found a second passion in Economics. I believe one of the greatest elements of our nation is the marriage we have between politics and economics, between democracy and capitalism. This marriage has seen many ups and downs, but for many reasons this marriage seems to be a critical element not only for freedom but also success, both personally and for nation-states.
There is a fine balance that must be achieved between the government's role in private business, and private business' role in the government. This isn't a perfect situation and continually evolves, but one thing I KNOW to be true and that I wish I had the opportunity to discuss with Milton Friedman himself, is this:
As an advocate for a Free Market System, how can you justify expanding Government's role directly into the Private Education Business through subsidies?
We must remember, the education business is NOT a monopoly. The fact of the matter is, many of these private schools were failing in the existing free market system. There are many private competitors and a robust private school industry already in existence - the Government's role is not to expand that on the backs of taxpayers. In the private business world - you either survive or you don't. Is there a need to remind our legislators how unpopular bailing out Wall Street was when Government neglected their true responsibility to the people?
Here is something I would like the readers to consider and maybe you can help others consider as well....
Are Private Schools too big to fail - is this a Private School Bail-Out?
If so, by all means - lets continue on this voucher path. But, if you think Private Schools should survive in the free market on their own laurels, then we Hoosiers should re-build and improve our existing investment. Because we KNOW it works - "for the people and by the people" - that is Public Education.
The Hoosier Mom hopes all the readers will spread the word about the Legislative Lunchbox. Feel free to email me with suggestions for next week’s lunch: for whom should I pack lunch and why?
