Why Delaware needs Libertarian Scott Gesty in the US House race: to force a real debate on education "reform"

John Carney: As far as all you people
who oppose education "reform"
imposed from above, vote for me
anyway, 'cause I'm a Democrat

I've already pointed out that there isn't a hair's worth of difference between John Carney and Tom Kovach on Education, so don't look for either man to ask, answer, or grapple with tough public education questions during the upcoming campaign.

Carney is an astute enough politicians that he will have read the tea-leaves from the May 2012 school board elections around Delaware, and will be trying to distance himself from both Vision 2015 and Race to the Top whenever the topic of Delaware schools comes up.

Unfortunately, John Carney has a long record of supporting both the corporate-driven Vision 2015 and the top-down Federal Race to the Top initiative:

The John Carney Vision 2015/Race to the Top timeline

2008: As candidate for Governor, John Carney supports Vision 2015

Beth Miller on Markell and Carney in the Education debate in 2008: "Both support most recommendations of the Vision 2015 panel of experts, who have developed plans and pilot programs to give Delaware "world-class" schools by 2015."

2010: As candidate for US House, John Carney claims education as a priority issue and claims he's made a major difference:

During his 2010 Congressional campaign, in a list of issues provided for a voter guide: "

Key issues: Carney is interested in improving education in Delaware. He'd like to see higher standards in math, science and technology as well as increasing federal Pell grants."

The News Journal on John Carney's actual influence on Delaware public education: JOHN CARNEY FOR CONGRESS.COM CLAIMS: "Democratic congressional candidate John Carney said that an education program he helped develop in 2002 “raised the overall performance of schools all across our state and helped thousands of young people pursue a better life through education.” RULING: Horse puckey (false)

2011: Representative John Carney claims credit for helping to land the Race to the Top grant:

Senator Tom Carper said: “I was proud to work closely with Gov. Markell, Sen. Coons, Rep. Carney, and Delaware Secretary of Education Lowery to ensure that Delaware had a strong application for this federal funding and I’m thrilled that our hard work has paid off."

Congressman John Carney said: “I am pleased that Delaware has once again distinguished itself as a nationwide leader in education and I look forward to seeing the positive results that I am certain will follow from winning the Early Learning Challenge Competition. This grant will help fortify efforts already underway to improve early childhood education across the state, with the goal of ensuring that every child enters kindergarten ready to learn. As a result of this achievement, and after years of statewide collaboration, Delaware is now poised to break new ground in our effort to provide a world-class education to every child in our state.”

2012: Representative John Carney claims that the first-year report shows that Race to the Top is working in Delaware:

"Developing a world-class education system is critical to the long-term success of our nation," said Congressman Carney. "Delaware is a national leader in efforts to raise student achievement, give teachers the tools they need to be successful, and ensure that all our young people are prepared for success in college and careers. This report shows some successes that Delaware has already achieved through Race to the Top, and areas that need more attention. I look forward to seeing even more progress in the coming years, and will continue working with education leaders in the state to overcome any challenges that may exist."

So there is not really any getting around it: John Carney is the poster-child for Vision 2015 and Race to the Top. He is the champion of corporate and Federal intrusion into our public schools.

And, you know what? He's not going to talk about it unless somebody makes him.

Only the Libertarian is going to press John Carney on public education. Let's make it happen.

A Libertarian Martin Luther King Jr. Day post

In which we travel into interesting waters . . . (for a fairly long trip, so be prepared) Dr. King's 1968 book, Where do we go from here: chaos or community? , is profound in that it criticizes anti-poverty programs for their piecemeal approach, as John Schlosberg of the Center for a Stateless Society [C4SS] observes: King noted that the antipoverty programs of the time “proceeded from a premise that poverty is a consequence of multiple evils,” with separate programs each dedicated to individual issues such as education and housing. Though in his view “none of these remedies in itself is unsound,” they “all have a fatal disadvantage” of being “piecemeal,” with their implementation having “fluctuated at the whims of legislative bodies” or been “entangled in bureaucratic stalling.” The result is that “fragmentary and spasmodic reforms have failed to reach down to the profoundest needs of the poor.” Such single-issue approaches also have “another common failing — ...

More of This, Please

Or perhaps I should say, "Less of this one, please." Or how about just, "None of them. Ever again. Please....For the Love of God." Sunshine State Poll: Grayson In Trouble The latest Sunshine State/VSS poll shows controversial Democratic incumbent Alan Grayson trailing former state Senator Dan Webster by seven points, 43 percent to 36 percent. A majority of respondents -- 51 percent -- disapprove of the job that Grayson is doing. Independents have an unfavorable view of him as well, by a 36/47 margin. Grayson has ignored the conventional wisdom that a freshman should be a quiet member who carefully tends to the home fires. The latest controversy involves his " Taliban Dan " advertisement, where he explicitly compares his opponent to the Taliban, and shows a clip of Webster paraphrasing Ephesians 5:22 -- "wives, submit to your husbands." An unedited version of the clip shows that Webster was actually suggesting that husba...

A reply to Salon's R. J. Eskrow, and his 11 stupid questions about Libertarians

Posts here have been in short supply as I have been living life and trying to get a campaign off the ground. But "11 questions to see if Libertarians are hypocrites" by R. J. Eskrow, picked up at Salon , was just so freaking lame that I spent half an hour answering them. In the end (but I'll leave it to your judgment), it is not that Libertarians or Libertarian theory looks hypocritical, but that the best that can be said for Mr. Eskrow is that he doesn't have the faintest clue what he's talking about. That's ok, because even ill-informed attacks by people like this make an important point: Libertarian ideas (as opposed to Conservative ideas, which are completely different) are making a comeback as the dynamic counterpoint to "politics as usual," and so every hack you can imagine must be dragged out to refute them. Ergo: Mr. Eskrow's 11 questions, with answers: 1. Are unions, political parties, elections, and ...

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