If we voucherize and privatize the rest of what's public, the sorting will go into high gear. Taken to its logical end, America will become rigidly stratified. Every time the next group of cherries is picked, those left behind in public institutions will end up paying more and getting less. Of course this means more money and higher performance standards. Compassionate conservatives see government as an intrusive means of forcing people to share with the needier, something that ought to be left to private charity.
Patriotic progressives see public institutions as a means of maintaining a nation.
19, August 28, 2000. This article may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author.