National School Choice Week

We have the freedom to choose where we shop. We have the freedom to choose where we eat. We are not restricted by our residence to perform our day-to-day tasks. Since this is inherently true, why do we allow our children to be restricted by the state? Why do we choose to have a top-down education system? Are we applying the tools that made this nation an economic force?

Since 1979, the federal Department of Education has been nothing but an abysmal failure. In 2001, President Bush brought a gas can to the inferno and exacerbated the problem with the No Child Left Behind Act. It's tentacles have nullified the Tenth Amendment and the rights of states and communities to organize their own educational structure. A federal mandate for education is just as unconstitutional and frightening as the individual mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare for shorthand).

The federal government should not dictate what should be taught in schools in individual states and communities. It creates a culture of teaching toward a test and only the test. It forces teachers to alter lesson plans and delay the advancement of the classes. It is because of this teach toward the test culture that students do not have the appreciation for math and science as they once had. They are taught "know this for a standardized test" as opposed to "know this for personal benefit." The test culture forced upon us by the federal government has harmed a generation.

The current primary school system in use by the states does not improve matters either. The policy of "This is your zip code, this is your school." Denies the parents and the children of their fundamental right to choose. Where you reside should not dictate your future. With public schools failing in Detroit, Camden, and other urban areas can we sit here with good conscious and continue to feed the failing schools with our future? We are dooming these children from the start. The drop-out rates in these cities should not come as a surprise. The system is broken and we're choosing to ignore it.

By continuing on with the status quo we are denying the children of these areas two of the three fundamental natural rights enshrined in our Declaration of Independence. Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The free-market solutions that have brought this country to the forefront of the world should be applied to this controlled market system.

The idea of the student voucher was brought to prominence by renowned economist and political philosopher Milton Friedman. The belief of returning the money to the "student-consumer"would give the parents and students the freedom to choose. This freedom in turn drives the school marketplace. The schools with bad reputations and bad graduation rates, with poor teachers will be shut down by the parents and students. Just like a bad business will fail (as long as you aren't in the automotive industry) a bad school will fail. In this country we seem to be immune to the idea of the "bad school." Like we couldn't possibly have them in this country. It's a shame but we do.

In the marketplace competition breeds success and innovation. The government breeds complacency and keeping in place a system regardless of merit. The system needs a shake up.

This week is more than just the voucher system. It should be for school choice, educational choice, and a free and open education system. No more controlled markets. More freedom.

Since our inception as a nation we have been terrified of the over-reaching hand of government. Where other countries dictated the rights of government in their constitutions ours began with the phrase "We the People." It's time we recognize the threat of government mandates across the board. It's time we push the federal government and state government to return the future to families. The ultimate form of the government closest to the people governs best.

Romney Has Lost Aura of Inevitability

We were told that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney had too much money. He had been running non-stop for six years. He has the organization. He appeals to the center and that this time he really did believe what he was saying. The media tried to force feed the Republicans Mitt Romney and so far the unbeatable Romney is looking more Titanic than Mayflower.

This week Governor Romney found out he didn't really win Iowa as he initially believed. He went from a historic opening round knock out to a second place finish behind former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum after all the votes were officially tallied.

He then had two debates this week that were no where near his usual polished and rehearsed self. He reverted back to 2007/2008 Mitt. Uncomfortable under attack. We've seen that in his answers regarding his tax record being released. He has the last three "anti-Romneys" going after him the way spectators expected Governor Pawlenty, and the previous "anti-Romneys" to go after him. The attacks on Romney are coming out quicker than Governor Perry shoots coyotes.

Even the highlight of Romney's week the endorsement from former ambassador and former Utah Governor John Huntsman was marred by Huntsman effectively calling Romney a "A Perfectly Lubricated Weather Vane On The Important Issues Of The Day." He certainly did not give the glowing testament to Romney the way Perry spoke of Gingrich like a shepard bringing a sheep back into the flock.

Now we sit here today, on the South Carolina Primary. The first in the south. Gingrich appears to have more last second momentum than Santorum did in the moments preceding the Iowa Caucus. He could well run away with South Carolina. We will have to see if he can translate the victory in South Carolina into momentum going into Florida. He'll have ten days to chip into a remarkable Romney lead in the Sunshine State.

Mitt Romney will very likely be heading into the January 31st primary with an unremarkable 1-2 record. The best he can hope for is a split in the first four states. Many pundits and analysts had him losing Iowa and that was it. We are looking at a long primary season my friends. Three of the four remaining candidates will have won a primary. This has all the making of a knockdown, drag out fight. This time every primary and caucus will count.

Scranton Showcases Progressive Bias

I originally planned for this to be a letter to the editor to my local papers following my Catholic Jesuit University inviting a woman who had devoted her life to the pro-choice movement to hold a seminar on our campus. While the seminar was to get more women involved in politics (an idea anyone would support) the leader of this forum used to run a PAC devoted to running pro-choice women for Congress. I encourage you to look up her record. This move showed the University's commitment to progressivism. A microcosm of what conservative youth faces in the American education system. Especially in higher education.

The University of Scranton has caused a great uproar after refusing Bishop Joseph Bambera’s request to separate themselves from former Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies who operated a Political Action Committee dedicated to running pro-choice women for Congress. Scranton has allowed her to host a forum on getting women to run for office.

Normally when a University engages in academic freedom and has a discussion about normally taboo subjects I would be thrilled. it gets youth involved in politics when you discuss hot-button issues such as abortion. Unfortunately, I am far too close to this university to be enthralled with it’s decision to invite Congresswoman Cto our campus.

You see for the past three semesters I have been blessed to be the University of Scranton College Republicans President. For the previous year and a half I have been fighting not just to spread the word of limited government, but to get young people more involved in politics regardless of political ideology. During my stint at this institution I can tell you the bias against conservatism in higher education is real and showcased by the school’s current actions.

During my tenure as College Republican President I have had several events cancelled or have been unable to host events because the school was afraid they would be seen as favoring a particular ideology. I had to fight tooth and nail and refuse to take no as answer when we wanted to host then Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta in 2010. Congressman Barletta received a 100% from the Right to Life Committee for his freshman term. The University last year informed me my request to participate in a video conference with Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann as a “Get Out the Vote” rally had been denied because of timing issues. The list goes on.

Today it appears as though the University no longer cares about being seen as an institution that favors a certain ideology. I could have dealt with the previous grievances as just typical of higher education toward the conservative ideology. This is so blatant I felt I needed to showcase the long standing bias I have experienced at this University so people can recognize the history.

The University of Scranton is trying to hide from Congresswoman Margolies past by billing this as a teaching event devoid of partisan politics. I for one will not fall for it. With her past affiliations and record neither should you. If Wayne LaPierre, the head of the NRA was holding a forum on gun rights would we believe his bias would be evident? If Ambassador John Bolton was holding a forum on diplomacy would we believe his past positions would not affect the forum?

After a year and a half struggle of me doing everything I can to promote right-wing candidates and being forced to cancel events, hold events in secret, and being denied opportunities I can say I am not shocked at our school's decision to promote leftist ideals that contradict established Church teachings and opinions.

This is just a microcosm of the factors afflicting young conservative students in higher education. If the accepted teachings of the Catholic Church on abortion and the pro-life movement are under attack at a Catholic institution where is it safe in academics to be a conservative?