Profiles In Weakness

Contact Your Elected Officials

If political flip-flopping were an Olympic event, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro would be a gold medalist.

Shapiro pontificated, “I believe every child of God deserves a shot here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And one of the best ways we can guarantee their success is making sure that every child has a quality education.” One week later, as the state budget deadline loomed, Shapiro shed his mantra about being a “different kind of Democrat” and put on his full leftist monte. Shapiro’s pledge to provide $100 million for Lifeline Scholarships, a program for children from K-12 in the lowest performing 15% of schools statewide would be sacrificed by the first-year governor’s line-item veto.

Shapiro’s longstanding campaign promise which was an eyeopener was just another political shell game. The strategy was as simple as it was cutthroat – give voters the expectation of school choice, then flip the script and provide the teachers’ unions their anticipated due.

Once upon a time in America, school choice used to be a bipartisan cause. In retrospect, it is easier to find a mermaid in the Susquehanna River doing the backstroke than it is for any Democrat supporting school choice.

As state attorney general during COVID-19, Shapiro made sure we were locked down and masked up defending then Gov. Tom Wolf’s unconstitutional diktats. Did you really believe a wealthy politician and lawyer, who is Democrat royalty from the Philadelphia area would leave the teachers’ unions high and dry by pledging scholarships? 

Apparently, Shapiro has presidential aspirations so staying in good favor with the public educational industrial complex controlled by the teachers’ unions is a must even at the expense of the most vulnerable children in Pennsylvania. Imagine a politician who prioritizes himself and his political future over the needs of his constituents. 

There is no greater exemplar of Democrat hypocrisy than denying school choice to poor children. Democrats believe in public education for the unwashed but not for them. Many who opposed the scholarships are graduates of private schools or send their kids there, including Shapiro and many others throughout Harrisburg’s and Washington’s politico class. The elites don’t send their children to public school, so why would they care about public education? 

According to Shapiro every child deserves “a quality education,” as such parents should be able to choose the school best for them. The only choice a parent has today is when to terminate their child’s beating heart in the womb.

The school choice movement is gaining ground as EdChoice finds that 69% of Pennsylvanians support choice. Arizona enables parents to use their tax dollars to send their K-12 children to the school of their choosing, including private, religious and homeschool options. The only true way to secure parental educational rights is to fund students directly and empower choice. 

The longer this overt hypocrisy is tolerated, the larger the educational and wealth gaps grow. A failing public school system is just another tool in how Democrats maintain their economic dependency plantation. It is pure power and control. If Republicans were smart, they would emphasize this nonstop because an America with an educational caste system will be a very different country.

Teachers’ unions own the Democratic Party and are only concerned with the welfare of their members, not the students. Besides, failing schools do not vote or fund any Democrat’s campaign like the unions do. Failing schools protect unionized teachers, which keeps the dues monies flowing into Democrat coffers. Children are mere pawns in this political game of charades.

One vestige of systemic racism is the deliberate entrapment of poor minority kids in failing, yet overfunded public schools. Without choice and the means to opt out for a better school – hope is extinguished. And here I thought Democrats wanted to end such things as systemic racism. However, when such malfeasance lines your pockets perspectives change.

The children most impacted are in the worst school districts, often minorities and poor white kids that don’t have parents that can afford to move to where the public schools are semi-competent.

These are the same people Democrats claim to champion.

Shapiro can take pride in wearing his flip-flopping gold medal and join Admiral Levine, Fetterman, and Scranton Joe on Pennsylvania’s Democrat Mount Rushmore. 

Greg Maresca
Greg Maresca
Greg Maresca is a New York City native and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who writes for TTC. He resides in the Pennsylvania Coal Region. His work can also be found in The American Spectator, NewsBreak, Daily Item, Republican Herald, Standard Speaker, The Remnant Newspaper, Gettysburg Times, Daily Review, The News-Item, Standard Journal and more.

The Paradoxical Patriot: The political odyssey of Frank S. Meyer

In his book, Daniel J. Flynn examines the ideological evolution of one of conservatism’s most paradoxical and overlooked architects, Frank S. Meyer. 

This Is America: Target™ Reparations

“This Is America” explores the cultural undercurrents pulling Western...

Blind Man’s Shutdown

Congress is playing the equivalent of Bind Man's Bluff. With the shout “tag your it” they seek to blame the other party for the government shutdown.

A Reluctant Acknowledgment: What Conservatives Can Admire in Everyday Progressives

Admirable ideological qualities seen in liberals and left-wing individuals are those of the everyday believer not their political leadership.

Ensuring Domestic Tranquility

The Supremacy Clause in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution establishes it as the highest law of the land, taking precedence over conflicting state laws.

Hegseth Says Military Has Every Authorization Needed for Strikes on Drug Boats

Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military is authorized to strike drug-running boats off Venezuela’s coast in the Caribbean Sea.

White House Official Says Layoffs Will Start Soon If Shutdown Talks Go Nowhere

Kevin Hassett said layoffs to federal workforce could occur quickly if negotiations with Democrats to reopen the government don’t lead to progress.

20 Teachers in California Facing Disciplinary Action for Posts on Charlie Kirk

California school districts move to discipline teachers for derogatory social media posts about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Trump Coal Boost Gains Momentum as Bids, Land Opened Up

Trump administration accelerates coal expansion with new leases, mine permits, and 13.1 million acres of federal land opened for coal mining.

Department of Energy Cancels $7.5 Billion in Project Funding

The Dept of Energy (DOE) said on Oct. 2 that it had terminated 321 federal grants funding 223 projects, amounting to about $7.56 billion in cuts.

White House Withdraws EJ Antoni’s Nomination to Lead Bureau of Labor Statistics

The White House has withdrawn economist EJ Antoni’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the White House confirmed on Sept. 30.

US to Impose 100 Percent Tariffs on Foreign-Made Movies, Trump Says

President Donald Trump announced on Sept. 29 that he will impose a 100 percent tariff on all movies produced outside the United States.

Trump to Host Netanyahu at White House to Discuss Gaza Peace Plan

President Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House on Sept. 29 to discuss a ceasefire and broader peace plan for Gaza.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central