Is committing your political career to address serious problems, including through unpopular strategies worth the risk, probably not.
It is not just a matter of how drastic change is accomplished, but also important that the issue is honestly addressed. Sadly the American people are far more inclined to accept promises of new and expanded entitlements and to push the consequences further down the road. The Paul Ryan budget is a good example of taking a risk even if you disagree with the strategy.
If a parent does everything for a child with little responsibility on the child, what kind of person develops? We have a country with a growing number of those children, so now they vote for the party telling them how dependent they are, how disadvantaged they are because of the success of others and promising more to “help” them. Not a bad political strategy I must admit if your primary goal is winning elections. Look at all the states where promises to state employees has worked. Unfortunately the “parents” can’t afford the bill.
Consider this example of politics over the best interest of people. The Newark school system, one of the worst in the country, received a commitment of $100,000,000 from Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame. Almost immediately the infighting began over how to use the money; new schools, old schools, charter schools, etc. The President of the City Council is leading the fight on one side.
” Ms. Crump joined a union rally and protest outside of City Hall Wednesday afternoon before the public hearing. She implored the protesters to vote for a certain slate of candidates on April 27. “We have a clear choice between those who will do nothing for labor and those who will do everything for labor,” she said into the microphone. She told the protesters to vote for the three candidates who “are about labor.” She then led people in a chant: “Jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs,” and added: “Jobs that are safe and secure!”
According to the newspaper article the unions are afraid part of the solution to Newark’s problems will be more non union charter schools.
Everything for labor? Educational jobs that are safe and secure? Should that be the goal or is it improving the education of Newark’s children even if it does take non-conventional means? Aren’t politicians supposed to represent taxpayers and not unions? Of course, in politics taking a risk and doing the right thing may well cost you your job and whose fault is that?
Related Articles
- Facebook Money Causes Rift in Newark (online.wsj.com)
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