Capitol Fax is reporting that Bernie Sanders is surging in the polls ahead of Tuesday’s big primary election. Additionally, Sanders has said that he is glad not to have the support of Rahm Emmanuel, and that if he lived in Chicago, he would be part of the “Resign Rahm” campaign.
I know I’m probably mostly alone in thinking this, but: how the fuck are schools supposed to get funding without taxes? The left in Chicago has been falling all over itself in the last year to demonize the mayor, but I don’t think I ever hear anybody say “Hey, we need to pay higher taxes so we can afford to run public education.” No, no, no. Its always someone else who needs to pay higher taxes. Your taxes are always already too high, and anyways, you need a vacation.
Teachers want to get paid, and they want benefits and pensions – and that seems fair to me. Also, support staff – custodians, nurses, administrators, etc – wants to get paid, and have benefits and pensions. Again, seems fair. And everyone wants local schools to have sports and music and arts programs. I agree. All the schools should have robust academics as well as creative and athletic opportunities for their students. And that costs a lot of money. That money has to come from somewhere, and low income parents are already strapped for cash, so it means their children’s education has to be subsidized by other people who can afford to pay for all that. But what if those people don’t want to pay? And what if they vote for people who will represent their interest in not paying for the education of children growing up in poverty?
You can’t run education on demagoguery. And you can’t just march into corporate board rooms and demand that they start paying their fair share either. You can’t just shame people into voting the way you think they ought to.
Your righteous anger will not save you. Anti-establishment politics only works until you need to establish something, like practical justice. Then you’re fucked.
samuel barbour 