I have never liked McCain. I still think of him mostly as a member of the Keating 5, and his other claim to fame is McCain/Feingold, one of the worst assaults on free speech ever. He just rings wrong with me. Also he supposed Maverick-ness seems mostly built around using the party when it is useful, and dumping it even faster when he can get a minor gain for himself. Not good when I think of our overseas commitments. Two can always play that game, and they usually will.
Howerver, Sarah Palin was a brilliat choice, and my intent to sit on my hands in november changed from that. I realize that as Vice President she has less actual clout in any McCain administration than the white house cat, but McCain is 72 and a type A poster child. And maybe he will listen to her once a year at least. And dislike of McCain does not mean I want Obama as president.
Anyway, yesterday McCain delivered a money quote. I didn't watch, but I read it in Boortz. If McCain is serious about this quote, I will support him with all the enthusiasm I can muster.
Education is the civil rights issue of this century. Equal access to public education has been gained. But what is the value of access to a failing school? We need to shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers, and help bad teachers find another line of work.
When a public school fails to meet its obligations to students, parents deserve a choice in the education of their children. And I intend to give it to them. Some may choose a better public school. Some may choose a private one. Many will choose a charter school. But they will have that choice and their children will have that opportunity.
