School Choice…Coming to New York?!?
March 13, 2008 by elcap
The world is abuzz about the resignation of New York governor Eliot Spitzer. We have all been told that the new governor (as of next Monday), David Paterson, is African-American as well as blind.
The New York Times’s editorial board gives us an indication of his character when it writes that Paterson “is riding a wave of good will, admired by politicians of both parties” and adds that he “clearly has the intellect and the experience to rise to the task.”
The Wall Street Journal’s Political Diary is even more exciting by giving a description of how Paterson stands on the issues. It will likely put a big sonrisa on the faces of liberty advocates, particularly our very own Liberty Girl:
The new governor opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and wants to revise the state’s harsh Rockefeller-era drug laws. Last year, he stirred up controversy when he appeared to endorse a proposal to let legal residents who were non-citizens have the right to vote….
He is passionately in favor of school choice and has even spoken at two conferences held by the Alliance for School Choice. At one, he pulled off the rare feat of quoting both Martin Luther King Jr. and individualistic philosopher Ayn Rand approvingly in the same speech.
On behalf of all adovactes of liberty — and all parents throughout the country who want nothing more than to have the freedom to choose the school that best meets their children’s needs — we wish you well in your efforts, Governor Paterson.
I didn’t know that about him. Thanks!
That’s awesome, he’s pro-liberty and free-market oriented.
Ayn Rand? Well alright!
I should note that the WSJ Political Diary was criticizing Paterson through most of the piece, implying that he may be even farther to the left than Eliot Spitzer.
However, in many respects, social democrats have it right: the government should not, generally speaking, have the power to kill its citizens; the drug war is an abysmal failure that costs lots of money and fills our prisons with nonviolent citizens; the right to vote can be extended to people that have an understanding of civic principles (though it is a pretty meaningless process anyway). Most of the policy positions that the WSJ was criticizing, true liberals like us embrace.
There’s two areas discussed in the piece that we agree with the Journal. I already quoted the school choice part. The other is this: “On taxes, Mr. Paterson is likely to be even more in favor than Mr. Spitzer of redistribution and tax hikes targeted at the ‘wealthy.’”
However, there is a fundamental difference between the liberal society and transfer payments.
By liberal society, I mean preserving equality before the law, securing property rights, civil and economic liberties and the freedom to choose how one lives their lives.
By transfer payments, I mean taking stuff from Peter and giving it to Paul.
After giving it some thought, most libertarians will likely conclude that it is far more important to preserve the liberal society than to diminish transfer payments.
The appeal of David Paterson is not that he’s a libertarian; he’s not. It’s because he’s a caring, understanding, respectful guy that advocates passionately for the liberal society in spite of his advocacy for transfer payments.
That’s a guy worth supporting. And that’s a point that more libertarians need to understand.
David Paterson rules! He also stands up to the redevelopment machine and opposes their efforts to abuse eminent domain.
From the NY Sun: “If David Paterson as governor displays the opposition to eminent domain that he showed as a state senator, several high-profile development projects in New York City could be derailed or delayed….”
http://www.nysun.com/article/72905
This guy is quoting Ayn Rand from memory, passionate about school choice and property rights, opposed to the death penalty and fights to end the war on drugs. And he’s going to be governor of New York beginning Monday?
Amazing. David Paterson may very well be our first blind President. And our first libertarian-leaning one in quite some time.