Message-ID: <3373491.1075858729180.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 06:58:42 -0700 (PDT) From: dems-news@2001victory.com To: rshapiro@enron.com Subject: Education: Can the differences be any clearer? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: 2001 Victory X-To: rshapiro@enron.com X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \RSHAPIRO (Non-Privileged)\Shapiro, Richard\Deleted Items X-Origin: Shapiro-R X-FileName: RSHAPIRO (Non-Privileged).pst Weekly Talking Points: October 22, 2001 Education: Can the differences be any clearer? With only two weeks before Election Day, it is important that we communicate to voters that there are clear differences between Democrats and Republicans in this election, most importantly when it comes to public education. Democrats want to protect and improve public education by reforming teacher training, making literacy a top priority and holding students, parents and administrators accountable. Conversely, Republican leaders want to take $600 million away from our public schools to put towards a private school network and have no plan to improve schools for the 1.2 million public school students currently in New Jersey. REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP WANTS TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS * Our Republican opponent wants to take nearly $600 million out of our public school systems and use it to fund a private school network. * The non-partisan Office of Legislative Services resoundingly discredited the Republican school voucher plan and said it would drain money from public schools without providing any savings, thus increasing local property taxes. This plan hurts public schools. * The Asbury Park Press said, "Rather than save money, the Schundler voucher plan would divert $585 million from public schools." [Source: Editorial, Asbury Park Press, 10/14/01] * Henry Cram, Rancocas Valley Superintendent, said the Republican proposals are the "wrong solutions" for public schools. [Source: AP, 10/4/01] REPUBLICANS THINK EMPTY DESKS ARE THE ANSWER TO CRUMBLING SCHOOLS * Rather than building new schools or repairing old ones through the school construction program, our Republican opponent wants to fill empty seats in private schools and leave our public schools crumbling and property taxpayers footing the bill. * Our Republican opponent opposes $8.6 billion dollars in property tax relief in the form of school construction funds because he says there are enough empty seats in private schools that we do not need to build or repair crumbling and overcrowded schools. BRET SCHUNDLER: HIDDEN AGENDA TO PRIVATIZE EDUCATION When touting his school voucher plan, our Republican opponent often refers to a study of it conducted by the Heartland Institute, a Libertarian, ultra-conservative think tank. However, its President, Joseph Bast, is one of the most outspoken opponents of public education in the nation. Here is what Joseph Bast, the Republican advisor on education issues, had to say: * "Because we know how the government schools perpetuate themselves, we can design a plan to dismantle them." [The Libertarian Case for Vouchers and Some Observations on the Anti-Voucher Separationists, Joseph L. Bast and David Harmer, http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-269.html] * "We see vouchers as a major step toward the complete privatization of schooling. In fact, after careful study, we have come to the conclusion that they are the only way to dismantle the current socialist regime." [The Libertarian Case for Vouchers and Some Observations on the Anti-Voucher Separationists, Joseph L. Bast and David Harmer, http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-269.html] * Bast says he is "100 percent committed to getting government out of the business of educating our children." [The Libertarian Case for Vouchers and Some Observations on the Anti-Voucher Separationists, Joseph L. Bast and David Harmer, http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-269.html] * "Government education demoralizes families...And it sets in motion an entitlement mentality." [The Libertarian Case for Vouchers and Some Observations on the Anti-Voucher Separationists, Joseph L. Bast and David Harmer, http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-269.html] IN HIS OWN WORDS: "What he's saying is that I want to spend less money on public education. And he's right. And I don't apologize for it." [Source: Schundler on WMTR radio program, 10/8/01] _________________________________________________________________________ Democratic candidates across the state are unified under the 2001 Victory Statewide Coordinated Campaign. Volunteer opportunities are available in each of our field offices in every county in the state. For more information, please call (732) 726-9101. You have been sent this email because you or someone you know registered with our email distribution list. If you have received this message in error, please reply with "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line using the email address you wish to remove. -PAID FOR BY NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE/ 2001 VICTORY-