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Nov. 5, 2007, www.utdemocrats.org | Signs of autumn in the Wasatch (© Willie Holdman, www.willieholdman.com)
VOTE! It's too important to stay at home The GOP Legislature threw down the gauntlet nine months ago and enacted the most comprehensive voucher law in the country, overcoming (by one vote) every Democratic legislator united in a courageous effort stop it and ignoring the wishes of the majority of Utahns. Republicans made good on their long-time commitment to wealthy out-of-state allies and educational profiteers, a nationwide coalition of far-right ideologues – “Friedmanites” as The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board called them – whose stated goal is the privatization of American education. It was an in-your-face display of self-righteous arrogance by Republicans sitting pretty in districts they gerrymandered to protect themselves. They put their anti-democracy streak on display. It’s easy to sum up their attitude: “There’s no need to vote. Just stay at home. We know what’s best.” Utahns have core COMMON VALUES, among them a commitment to quality schools for everyone, strong families for today and the future, decent jobs, government accountability, fair play, environmental stewardship, and common-sense legislation that will improve our Utah way of life. The voucher crowd mounted a mean-spirited campaign that relied on distortions, dirty tricks, and personal smears. Their campaign of nastiness did not reflect Utahns’ COMMON VALUES, our sense of common decency. It did not reflect the values of Democrats. It reflected the self-righteousness of the leadership of the Utah Republican Party. On Nov. 6, send a message to your GOP Legislature. Democrats and the majority of Utahns share concerns and common-sense solutions. Send a message about our COMMON VALUES. The 2008 election represents a historical opportunity for Democrats in Utah. GOP arrogance and culture of corruption and incompetence on the national level provide us an opportunity to bring Utah voters home, where their COMMON VALUES will be honorably represented in public service. A columnist for the The Deseret Morning News recently said vouchers have “the potential to significantly change not only our public education operations, but Utah society itself.” As concerned citizens, you, me and every Utah Democrat most vote. Let's make tomorrow the beginning of the end of GOP arrogance. A big win that will propel us into the important 2008 election year. EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENTS | SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, KSL-TV THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE EDITORIAL BOARD: "The radical Friedmanites in the Legislature are selling this law as the answer to education problems in Utah. It isn't. It ultimately would take tax funds away from public schools and direct them to private schools. "What's more, this plan offends the spirit, if not the letter, of both the Utah and U.S. constitutions by routing tax funds to religion-based private schools, albeit through the laundering medium of a voucher. "Voucher advocates' arguments that private competition would force the public schools to improve, that vouchers would relieve enrollment pressures on the public schools and leave money behind to improve overall education funding, are dubious at best. "In the bargain, private schools would be less accountable to the taxpayers than public schools, their teachers would not have to be certified, testing would be less rigorous and the amount of the vouchers - between $500 and $3,000, depending on family size and income - would not be enough to pay for tuition in a quality private school. "Utah already has the lowest per-student public school funding and the largest class sizes in the nation. Teacher pay is substandard. "This Rube Goldberg scheme would make all these problems worse while undermining the community commitment to public education." KSL EDITORIAL BOARD: The KSL Editorial Board has thoughtfully considered the views presented by opponents and proponents of school vouchers, and has come to the conclusion that a broad taxpayer supported voucher system should not be implemented in Utah. Our opposition to vouchers boils down to a fundamental question: Is Utah's public school system broken and in such disarray that doing something as radical and unproven as directing precious tax dollars toward private schools, many of them parochial, the answer? We think not! COMMENTARY ON VOUCHERS | DESERET MORNING NEWS The voucher debate reveals the unintended consequences of how our attitudes and behavior pull us apart as a society. We are fast becoming a nation between the haves and have nots — those who have an education and those who don't. Those wanting vouchers argue that it gives low-income parents "choice"; however, what it highlights is our limited understanding of the plight of poor families. Many are two-parent families with both parents holding two and even three of the abundance of low-paying jobs; many are single parents who struggle to make it through the day. They live in crowded, rundown rentals, barely afford food; and if they're lucky, have a jalopy, with old tires, that keeps breaking down and necessitating a search at a junkyard for a used alternator or fuel pump, and then finding a friend who knows how to replace the old one. KICKING ASS | THE BLOG OF THE UTAH DEMOCRATIC PARTY The Salt Lake Tribune, the largest daily newspaper in Utah, on Nov. 4 published a report titled “Six percent back them …” It was promoted from the Tribune's Page 1. The report was a one-side forum (roughly two-thirds of a news page published in the largest edition of the paper just before an important election) for spokespersons of three prominent conservative policy-development organizations and a visible activist front group. The report seemed to suggest that these organizations are fighting on behalf of the poor. Nothing could be further from the truth. These groups have been obstacles to social justice, meaningful educational reform, and economic equality. Their far right-wing funders have spent millions to stymie efforts to produce economic and racial equality. It’s too bad the Tribune did not allow anyone to make that case.
GET OUT AND VOTE Polls are now open for early voting across Utah. Visit www.Utahnsforpublicschools.org for more information on why you should vote AGAINST Referendum 1. The fate of it will be decided by turnout. Vote AGAINST 1. The voucher law is the most expansive of its kind in the country, and the country will be watching what Utahns do with this FLAWED PIECE OF LEGISLATION HANDED TO US BY REPUBLICANS.
The Democratic Party of Utah 455 S. 300 East, Suite 301 | Salt Lake City, UT 84111 | 801-328-1212 www.utdemocrats.org THE MESSAGE is published monthly and compiled by the staff of the Utah Democratic Party as a way to build a community of Democrats committed to political reform and common sense solutions to public policy. Submissions related to events, facts, figures, trivia, and idle chit-chat are welcome. Please contact Bill Keshlear, communications director, at bkeshlear@utdemocrats.org. Call (801) 328-1212, ext. 206 or (801) 699-7773. Paid for by the Utah Democratic Party, www.utdemocrats.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidates' party. |